Tag Archives: manolo blahnik

October 21, 2012 · 9:20 pm

D&G Giraffe Pants

I can’t believe I’m wearing Dolce & Gabbana giraffe-print pants! Never expected to own a pair until I found these at Second Time Around Consignment in Boston. Yes, I’m still showing off my haul from the Boston trip Donna and I took in June. I hit the consignment store jackpot.

giraffe pants

These retail for about $600 (if you compare them to similar styles on the D&G website), but I got them for $40. The best part, and probably the reason I’ll never part with them, is that on the inside of the waistband is a label that reads “Kimberly Gordon.” It’s completely separate from the D&G label. Could these have once belonged to Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon?

label

Probably not, but I like to think that they were, and that she put the name tag in them so that when the dry cleaning and laundry was done on the road, all the items could be redistributed to their rightful owners. (Although, I don’t think anyone would get confused and think these were Thurson Moore’s!)

green and brown

If anyone can confirm this, let me know. They’re a probably a size 2. Is Kim? Oh, that brings me to the only problem with the pants. I’m not a size 2. So I did what any brand-loving cheapskate would do. I bought one of those belly bands that pregnant women wear to get more use out of their pants before they have to switch to maternity wear. I have no shame. I keep the pants unzipped, layer on the smoothing belly band, and then throw on a shirt. It works! Try it after Thanksgiving dinner.

So now you know my secret. Would you go this far for a cool item?

animal print pants

I’m participating in Thrifters Anonymous and Visible Monday. Check out those sites to see what others are wearing.

18 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Music, Thrifty

Tagged as Boston, consignment, dolce & gabbana, fashion, giraffe print, manolo blahnik, pants, pumps, style, thrifty fashion

September 30, 2012 · 12:02 am

Taking a Walk on the Wild Side

Here’s a look-at-me dress. It’s neutral, not bright, but animal prints are definitely bold, no matter what their hue.

animal print dress

Dress: Marshall’s
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Purse: Crystalyn Kae
Cuff: Lauren Harkness

I love animal prints! I also have a snakeskin faux-wrap dress, a grey-tone leopard print shirt dress, and a green and blue leopard print wrap dress. Do I really own four animal print dresses? Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

animal attraction

This one was a steal at Marshall’s and is my first in brown and tan. I scored the shoes at Second Time Around consignment during my trip to Boston. STA is an amazing place. I’ve dreamt of going back to Boston just to hit up their three locations in beantown. If there’s one near you, don’t miss it!

wild side

Also, don’t miss Not Dead Yet’s Visible Mondays and ColorBlind’s Thrifters Anonymous, the two link-ups I’m participating in this week.

8 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as animal print, dress, fashion, manolo blahnik, style, thrifty fashion

August 26, 2012 · 1:57 pm

DVF and Manolos: My Last Hoorah

So, you might know that I’m on a clothing shopping ban on account of the house purchase I recently made. I knew I’d landed the house when I arrived in Boston, so I decided that would be my last shopping trip for a while.

Luckily, I found Second Time Around, an amazing chain of consignment stores. I wish we had one in Seattle. Boston has three! I went to STA every day while I was in Beantown. First, I bought a pair of Tory Burch pumps (never worn!) for $50. Later, I snagged a pair of Dolce & Gabbana capris for $40 (a $600 value!). Finally, I found this DVF wrap dress ($90) and Manolo Blahniks that fit like a glove ($80).

DVF and Manolos

Dress: Diane von Furstenberg
Tank: wet Seal
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Earrings: Sears
Cuff: Lauren Harkness

The shop is high-end, and I’m not used to paying these figures for used, but wow they have great stuff. All in excellent condition, all by designers whose pieces go for much, much more in stores like Saks, Neiman Marcus, and others.

wrap and pumps

I hadn’t even planned to buy the shoes. I just grabbed them so I could try on dresses and get a proper feel for how they’d look with heels. But every dress I tried on looked fantastic with these shoes–they went with everything. It’s true about the elongating effect of a perfect nude heel.

Similarly, the Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress is a wardrobe staple. Work, dinner, date, interviews–this fits any occasion, is classic and comfortable.

DVF dress

I’m discovering the quality and timelessness of these pricier pieces means that I’ll wear them more, throw away less (because they last), and save in the long run. Let’s hope so!

9 Comments

Filed under Ethical, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as consignment, Diane von Furstenberg, dress, DVF, fashion, manolo blahnik, STA, style, thrifty fashion

June 7, 2012 · 6:33 am

Polka Dot Top and Pencil Skirt

For today’s Red and Black look (part of Red and Black Week at Sophistiqué Noir) I’m dressing to the nines. I actually haven’t worn this out yet, but I will. I think it would be suitable for a romantic restaurant with Mr. Jean of all Trades, a burlesque show, or even a vintage car show. It has a bit or a retro, pin-up feel.

Top: Express
Skirt: Teddy Rinascimento
Belt: Long Beach shop
Necklace: Claire’s
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik via consignment
Hair flower: Handmade by Sake Bomb

When I was on Grave Danger, a roller derby team here in Seattle, one of my team mates made these amazing black flower hair clips, complete with skull center. I had fun on that team. Not only did my team mates rock, our team colors were red and black.

15 Comments

Filed under Fashion

Tagged as fashion, fishnets, manolo blahnik, polka dots, skirt, style

January 2, 2012 · 11:22 am

And the New Year Sparkled

I spent the last few hours of 2011 laughing hysterically with my friend, Autumn, drinking fine wine with my other friend, Laura, and sharing snacks with my husband. Laura invited about ten of us over to her condo near the Space Needle so we could watch the fireworks and ring in 2012.

The upcoming Bloggers do it Better challenge is sequins, so I carried my sequined purse. I added even more shine with a metallic-threaded tank top and satin blazer. A vintage slip-as-skirt rounded out the look.

Blazer: Bebe via Goodwill
Tank: Thrifted
Skirt: eBay
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik via consignment
Purse: Swapped
Cuff: Greenbelts
Necklace: eBay

Laura’s place is hip and modern. I snapped a shot of her illuminated plants and the DIY indoor smores setup.

I drank a lot of delicious bubbly and I have Autumn to thank for volunteering to be our designated driver.

Happy New Year! 2012 is going to be great!

2 Comments

Filed under Events, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as blazer, Bloggers do it better, fashion, manolo blahnik, new years eve, Seattle, Space Needle, style, thrifty fashion

June 8, 2011 · 12:40 pm

Tattoo Dress and Blue Tights

I am a woman of contradictions. I’ve said (many times now) that I shouldn’t wear clothes with empire waists. And here’s yet another item with such a cut. I take it all back. Rather than looking pregnant, I think this cut makes my legs look long. Lemons into lemonade. I also said blue tights were too Avatar, and here I am wearing them again. Never say never.

The pattern of this dress drew me to it. It’s a tattoo-inspired hearts-and-lovebirds design and I thought it fancied up an otherwise plain black dress. I like the fact that I’m wearing a $20 dress with $700 shoes. How’s that for a contradiction? Of course I didn’t pay that much for the shoes; new, that’s what they’d be.

In addition to saving money, buying second-hand leather goods aligns more with my philosophy. I don’t like buying new leather products when there are so many great vegan options out there (like the vegan bag) I’m using today.

3 Comments

Filed under DIY, Fashion

Tagged as DIY, dress, fashion, manolo blahnik, shiraleah, style, thrifty fashion

May 24, 2011 · 7:37 am

My First Manolos

In the back of my head, is a little voice urging me to get a pair of Manolo Blahniks. I keep telling it “name brands don’t matter” but there is something nice about quality and, to some degree, luxury.

That said, I don’t want to spend $700 on a pair of shoes. I imagine myself, several years from now, down and out and looking at those shoes and wishing I’d invested the money or had that extra month’s rent. I know I shouldn’t visualize such a bleak future, but it’s telling. Live within your means is my motto.

So, imagine my surprise when I found a pair of barely worn, perfect-fitting Manolos at Ragamoffyn’s in Kirkland, Washington.

Blazer: Dynamite
Top: Jacob
Jeans: Citizens of Humanity
Clutch: Seatbelt Bag via thrifted
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik via thrifted

Ragamoffyn’s is a high-end consignment shop. The racks are lined with Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Pucci, and the likes. I had no idea my “new” shoes would be so comfortable. I tried them on and they felt like slippers. Soft and comfortable despite a pointy toe. They were $120, more than I pay for most new shoes, but I felt like I’d bagged a bargain. I can dress them up or down and will be enjoying them for years to come.