Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Win $15 Store Credit To BailyBelle Creations



My friend Vanessa of BailyBelle Creations was kind enough to offer a giveaway to my readers! She is giving away a $15 store credit to her shop. Here are some of the lovely new items she has for sale that I'd love to grab:



Brass Earrings in Semi Circle



Silk Circle Scarf in Ostrich Feather Print



Raw Amethyst Crystal Necklace



Birch Tree Clutch

To enter, you must be a follower of this blog (no following for the giveaway and unfollowing please), just leave a comment saying what your favorite item in her shop is and how you follow my blog.

For an extra entry you can tweet this: "I just entered a @BailyBelle giveaway on @branchbound's blog! http://tinyurl.com/3k4b9ny" Leave a second comment with a link to this tweet.

Good luck! I'll pick a winner next Wednesday, October 5th!

Friday, September 23, 2011

ASOS Sale

A webshop I find myself frequently checking is ASOS. This UK based retailer will ship all over the world, for free! And free returns, too. They have sales fairly often, as well. In fact, all of the dresses below are 20% off right now. They have a lot of classy, vintage-inspired pieces in their own brands, and they carry a lot of other boutique labels such as Motel and Sugarhill Boutique. Take a gander at what I picked (all under $65!) and let me know what else catches your eye...

Thursday, September 22, 2011



Perfect for if you have some birthdays coming up, want to get yourself a few treats, or want to start your holiday shopping.

I will also have a giveaway coming up some time next week, stay tuned!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

It's Like I'm Walking On A Pile Of Baby Ducks

The title of this post comes from an episode of That 70s Show, where antagonist dad Red Forman describes what a comfortable new pair of shoes feels like. I think of (and often say) this every time I try on a pair of shoes that I can tell will be heavenly to wear all day.

As a commuter, in Chicago no less, I walk a large amount of the day and often on really shoddy sidewalk. Comfortable shoes are a must here, as I can attest to my pile of impulse buy heels I never seem to wear more than once.

Women who wear ugly shoes, such as Toms, who use comfort as an excuse clearly do not know about the plethora of stylish and affordable flats that feel like slippers. I've compiled a list of some styles I've worn and loved and hopefully you can find a pair for your shopping list.



Target's Mieko Comfort Flats


Available in black and dark brown, Target's Meiko flats are a steal. I own these in brown and find myself wearing them with dark brown tights often for a new spin on the black flats/black tights look. They aren't leather, which is good for vegans, and the benefit of this is you don't have to waterproof them if you don't want. I haven't had to break these in at all, pure comfort right out of the box. The sole feels like memory foam with moderate arch support. The soles are also nice and thick, so no worries about feeling uneven sidewalk through your hoofers. My tip, you might want to size down half a size.



Born's Adele Flats


A little more luxe than Target, Born uses high-quality leather on their shoes and you can feel the difference. They might feel a bit tight at first (they are true-to-size), but after a few wears the leather really molds to your foot and they are the perfect size. They have some light padding and great arch support. Make sure you waterproof these, as they are leather. The price tag reflects the quality - they retail for $90 new, but I've gotten this style in silver, cognac, and black from Nordstrom Rack and online retailers in the $50-60 range so do a little Google sleuthing. Born also has some other cute styles of flats, they all seem to fit the same based on what I've tried on:






Naturalizer's Maude Flats


Okay I'm cheating a little here. I have not owned these EXACT shoes, but Target made a knock-off design a year ago and they were extremely comfortable. In fact, they were the gateway to Born's for me. These are made of leather and have a really sleek, yet subtle, design on the front.



And If Nothing Else...Insoles!


Sometimes if I want a wacky color or unique design I can't always get it in a comfort brand. However, if the toe box doesn't squeeze, the heel doesn't rub, and they are inexpensive I can use some of the money I saved on some insoles. Dr. Scholl's makes a wonderful line; memory foam, cushioned, or gel; for the whole foot, just the heel or just arch supports. It's an excellent way to bring your cheap flats into "baby duck" territory.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Shop My Closet Part 2

Here is the second installment of "shop my closet." Between moving and switching my summer to winter wardrobe I have a lot of pieces that I MUST part with. Many of these pieces have never been worn with tags still on them. I apologize for the wrinkles; some of these have been in a suitcase since the end of July.

Here's how this will work; there's a buy it now button under each listing and the price includes shipping. If you buy multiple items I will refund you any shipping overages. I will have these up on my blog for a week; whatever doesn't sell here will go on eBay. Whatever does not sell THERE after a week will be donated to goodwill. Click on any of the images for an enlarged view and feel free to contact me if you need more images or measurements.



ASOS Cheesecloth Maxi Dress with Halter Neck

US Size 8. New with tags. here is the link to the ASOS page.

$20.00 including shipping













Morris B Sachs Vintage Coat

Totally Betty Draper midcentury boucle coat. Satin lining, portrait collar, bracelet sleeves. Would best fit a M-L. Excellent vintage condition.

$40.00 including shipping












White Strapless Dress with Black Floral Print

New, never worn white cotton dress with cute black floral vine print on the skirt. Two very small marks on the inside of the bodice, not visible when worn. Approximatly 34-35" bust and 27-28" waist.

$20.00 including shipping












Guess Jeans Denim Circle Skirt

High waist. Approx 27" waist. One really small hole hidden in the folds, can't see anything through it.

$15.00 including shipping











40s Green Satin Party Dress

Green satin party dress with lining and tulle in the skirt to make it pouf out. Guessing to be from the 40s or early 50s. Metal zipper up the back. Tea length. Approximate size is 34-35" bust and 28" waist. Some surface staining, not too noticible and a vintage seller could likely get these out easily, or possibly with a dry cleaning. Some underarm staining, not too visible when worn.

$35 including shipping













Navy Blue Corduroy Jumper

Handmade corduroy jumper by designer niceface. Overall suspenders, pockets, high waist, skirt zips up. Would best fit a medium, 29" waist. Very light wear. See how I wore it here. Very gently worn.

$20 including shipping











Midcentury Bell Sleeve Lace Wedding Dress

Vintage wedding dress, I'm guessing to be from the 50s. Metal zipper up the back, bell sleeves, boat neck. Allover lace and seed pearl detailing. Rosette applique over the small of the back; snaps over the zipper. Approximate measurements are 34" bust and 25-26" waist. Some light staining but I'm sure an expert vintage seller could remove them easily, or possibly with a dry cleaning.

$30 including shipping







Shop My Closet Part 1

Between moving and switching my summer to winter wardrobe I have a lot of pieces that I MUST part with. Many of these pieces have never been worn with tags still on them. I apologize for the wrinkles; some of these have been in a suitcase since the end of July.

Here's how this will work; there's a buy it now button under each listing and the price includes shipping. If you buy multiple items I will refund you any shipping overages. I will have these up on my blog for a week; whatever doesn't sell here will go on eBay. Whatever does not sell THERE after a week will be donated to goodwill. Click on any of the images for an enlarged view and feel free to contact me if you need more images or measurements.



Kimchi and Blue Marilyn Dress Size S

I bought this new (and on sale) from Urban Outfitters last summer and never wore it. I also got it in black, which you can see me wear here. Here is the info from the Urban Outfitters site. Cotton and spandex blend, never been worn.

$20.00 including shipping.











Erin Fetherston for Target Bunny Dress, 9


Brand new with tags, this dress was part of Target's Go International line. It retailed for $40 new. Size 9 with tags still attached. Really cute bunny print allover.

$35.00 including shipping











80s Khaki Button-Front Skirt


Great basic vintage skirt. Comfortable khaki cotton, 19" long and waist is 27" unstretched. Great basic piece for all seasons. Very gently used.

$15.00 including shipping











Paisley Silk Blouse


Measurements:
Shoulder to shoulder: 15 inches
Bust: 18 inches
Waist: 17 1/2 inches
Length: 23 inches

Vintage silk blouse with paisley print allover. Used to have shoulder pads but I removed them.

$15.00 including shipping











Tulle Soft Acrylic Sweater Dress Size M


Black short sleeve sweater dress with small breast pocket and peter pan collar. Really soft material. New with tags. Slightly stretchy.

$20 with shipping












Ruffle Blouse With Car Novelty Print


Measurements:
18" from armpit to armpit
17" at waist
26" long

Vintage fuchsia blouse with allover print of old-timey automobiles. Really cute. In excellent condition.

$15.00 including shipping







Friday, September 16, 2011

Knitty Gritty



Even though I have a million scarves already I want to make the above cowl, whose pattern is from good night day (photo above is from her her flickr). I need to do some serious yarn destashing, but I don't have time for any patterns that are too complicated or time consuming. I started a sweater last year and even after months I wasn't even close to finishing and the winter before that I tried knitting stockings.

Something mindless I can knit in front of the tv is good, and I've done feather and fan before so that's not difficult. I also am thinking of knitting some fingerless gloves and sell them in my shop...any thoughts? How do you like to destash? Fave easy patterns? Anyone know an easy sock pattern? ;)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Cowboy Boots...Can't Make Up My Mind!

Okay readers...help me. I can't decide between these two pairs of cowboy boots. I'd get both and return one but this shop has no free shipping/returns.



or



The first pair is more expensive, but not by too much. It's a brand I've worn before whereas the second I have not. Both aren't real leather. First is shorter which would be good under jeans but the second pair might look more flattering on me with skirts/dresses.

What do you think?

Missoni For Target

As many of you are surely aware of by now, Tuesday Missoni launched their collection for Target and it received the biggest opening of any of their designer lines. Apparently worse than Black Friday, many stores were cleaned out by noon. I usually am aware of the designer lines for Target, and I'd heard some dribs and drabs of Missoni's line, but as I'm not necessarily a Missoni fan it failed to stick. Some time yesterday I tried to log on to target.com and an error page came up. I thought it was having a bug, possibly due to their recent (and still somewhat under construction) redesign. Facebook contacts informed me that that was not the case, but early in the morning on Tuesday the fervor caused their site to crash.

I can't believe the response! Yesterday evening I ended up going to Target (not for the line, but for groceries) and as I was returning something I noticed that the employees were told to put any Missoni merchandise immediately back on the floor and not to go through their normal returns process. I heard there was a table in jewelry with the Missoni items still available for sale...I saw maybe 4 pillows.

Their site is back up and I'm not sure what all the fuss was about. I could see wanting to snatch up some of these pieces but this rapid sell out? Though the 300+ pages of ebay tell me otherwise...Target should really monitor customers buying 30 pairs of the same style of shoes.

Nevertheless there are a few cute pieces, in accessories and housewares mostly, that I might have eventually purchased if they were still for sale:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Go Tribal

My new obsession is tribal prints. It's my favorite summer trend that's seamlessly blending into autumn wardrobes. In black and white or bright colors; in small lines on your accessories to a full printed dress, from geometric to totally ethnic this style goes with pretty much anything. I love a slouchy ikat print tee with jeans or chevron beaded jewelry over a simple sheath dress. Here are some pieces I love that would go nice with your fall outfits:



Clockwise from top left: X T-Shirt, Crimson from MaryInk, cropped tribal print blazer from GoJane, Geometric Leaf Drop earrings by betsy & iya AERIAL leggings in tribal print from Bird Apparel, Lulu Tribal Print Infinity Scarf from Nordstrom, vintage 1960s dress tribal print from Vintage Condition Style

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Pretty. Good.



Bird of the Earth Dress


Gorgeous. And oraganic and fair-trade! Going on my Christmas list...if I don't cave and buy it before then.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Longest Jacket Review Ever



I love a good leather jacket. I've been able to appreciate the style since I was 13. I was with my mom at Marshall Fields and it had been a few months after she had been diagnosed with cancer. She found a leather jacket she liked that fit her well and was flattering. She bought it, saying she was treating herself. I think it ended up being her last treat to herself but she wore it until she couldn't leave the house anymore.

After she died I wore the coat for a few years, including a few very memorable events, but have stopped wearing it since it was a bit long for me since I favor cropped styles. My dad gave the coat to his girlfriend last year and she wears it now. I like how my mom's last treat has been worn by two women close to her after she passed.

But I digress. Since I was looking for a cropped style I was fortunate enough to come upon a cropped vintage leather jacket while thrifting...for a mere $3! There were some flaws that I never repaired (because if you're going to wear something beat up it should be a leather jacket, right?). In the past couple years though it's been showing its age in a less favorable way and I figured it was time to look once more for an outwear staple.



I was hesitant about getting a faux-leather jacket but once I tried this one on in the store I was sold. It's from Old Navy, believe it or not (though I like solid pieces and more and more of my wardrobe seems to be coming from there). If you're vegan or not sure you want to invest a couple hundred in a leather jacket (though I would if it fit me as nicely as this one without tailoring) this is a good buy. I like the stretchy waist, and trust me, after wearing a few different kinds of leather jackets this one feels pretty nice for faux leather (not garbage bag-ish like some jackets). The only thing I wish it had, because I live in Chicago and want this for all of my coats, is a zip-out liner. However, this has kept me dry in the rain and warm in the wind and that's good enough for me.

There's something about wearing a leather jacket...it's luxe but still adds a touch of "badass," kind of like wearing some killer boots. I like it with jeans and tall shoes; makes me feel like I own the world. I like a leather jacket with a dress, it tones down my usually over-feminine ensembles.

I'm also just kind of obsessed with outwear. Being warm is important for me, and I'm little but busty so finding a good jacket can be really hard. Needless to say I am also ogling another of Old Navy's new coats, as a toggle coat is missing from my collection...

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Project Runway Want



I'm pretty pleased with the feedback this dress got on the latest episode of Project Runway; I don't think there has been as many garments from the show I've wanted to own so badly.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Let's Try This Again

For some reason I cannot fathom returning to my old blog after an extended, unintentional hiatus caused by a too-busy-to-be-enjoyable summer, so here we are.

I guess blogging became a chore at my last one, something like how it must be a fashion/lifestyle blog. Chicago is not a kind city for the fashion blogger, at least half the year's attire is for survival. And if you work 40 hours a week forget taking outfit photos before work (and days off were not stylish, just jeans/boots/sweater or pajamas). Summer is a little better; cute dress and sandals, but unless I wore a different dress every day of the summer that would get repetitive too.

I don't pay attention to runway shows, and by the time I see one I like it has been regurgitated by at least 5 other blogs, so why bother sharing it once again? I liked doing my wishlist posts, but sometimes my wishlists can be so obvious (plain bag, tights, some expensive dress, maybe some Etsy jewelry, shoes I can't walk in).

My goal for this blog is to follow that trite adage preached at blogger conferences, "be yourself, find your voice." This blog will have some elements of the old blog; an outfit post when I feel like it, shop updates, wishlists. But I hope to also use it to aleve some of the seasonal affective disorder I feel affecting me already, even though it's only the second week of September. This blog will be more personal. There may be a few posts like this one, blocks of text musing on my latest antisocial mood. More camera phone photos (since that's pretty much all I shoot with). Product reviews here and there (I shop so much, why the hell not?). Photos of things I do on my days off assuming I ever leave my house again.

You know, things like that.

Thanks if you've come here expecting me to be "real," because you like my taste, think it's funny when I'm mad on Twitter (instead of completely bonkers), find some part of my life interesting, whatever.

xo,
SL