PMS Causes Shopping? That Explains a Lot

A recent study in the UK reported in the Daily Mail found that premenstrual women engage in retail therapy--our hormones fuel our shopping, our shopping makes us feel better.

A study revealed that in the ten days before their periods begin--known as the luteal phase--women are much less in control of their spending habits. Psychologists at Hertfordshire University concluded that a shopping spree could be a way of dealing with the intense emotions of pre-menstrual syndrome, which affects around 90 per cent of women each month.

Professor Karen Pine, who conducted the study of 443 women aged between 18 and 50, said: "The later women were in their menstrual cycle, the more likely they were to have overspent."

Huh. One can do a lot of shopping in ten days. That's a big chunk of 28. In the interest of science I'll start paying attention to whether or not I spend more during certain times of the month. I'd guess probably not--I think I hold a fairly steady pace. The amount of shopping I do depends on how close I am to payday, whether or not I've got good eBay prospects, how much Cheapy drinks, whether my fav TV shows are reruns, and how many enticing sale newsletters are in my inbox. But now I can blame it all on moon time when the AmEx bill comes.

Vintage Jackets from eBay I Couldn't Pass Up

It's been a long time since I've gotten any new vintage items (oxymoron, anyone?), but in a spare half hour over the weekend, I remedied that situation. As I sat in front of the computer in my ridiculously cold basement, I was compelled to do an eBay search for vintage fur coats.

I found a Buy It Now '60s spy girl coat in leather and faux fur that I had to buy. I love the nipped in waist, the belt and the lapels.


The same seller, ladywolf vintage, offered a cropped belted tweedy wool jacket with a rhinestone buckle also with a BIN option. I jumped on that one too.


Later that same day I won another auction for a black faux fur coat, this one from Annabelle Vintage Clothing. It looks so toasty warm. And it was a steal at $9.99. I was the only bidder.


A side note on faux vs. real fur. Last winter I decided I wanted something mink. I found a beautiful vintage mink wrap on eBay, and every time I tried to wear it I just couldn't. I ended up selling it at our annual neighborhood garage sale (that Cheapy always insists we participate in) for one-third of what I paid for it. I got a similar faux fur stole that's a better color, softer, and doesn't skeeve me out. Leather shoes--yes; actual pelts--cannot do.

Quite Possibly My Favorite eBay Purchase Ever

Generally when I shop on eBay I start out looking for something very specific, then get sidetracked when sellers say "see the other items in my eBay store." This random clicking around often leads me to items I didn't know I wanted but must have.

Recently I came upon a great little eBay treasure in this purely serendipitous manner. I wanted it so much that I bid on it four days before the auction ended just so I wouldn't forget. It's a little gold oval ID bracelet with my name engraved in script.


And though I really dig things with my name on them, what's so awesome about this bracelet is the inscription on the back: "With Love Don / 2-14-45." How lovely--a 63-year-old Valentine's Day gift.


Judging from the many estate items offered by the seller, I have to conclude the both the recipient and the giver are not longer with us. The seller probably picked up the bracelet at an estate sale for next to nothing. I bought it for $13.50--and of course I would have gone higher. There was only one other bidder and I was sending you-don't-know-who-you're-up-against vibes their way.

I'm so enamored of this bracelet. I wonder at what point in their relationship Don gave this to my namesake. Was he courting her (that's what they did in the '40s, afterall)? Were they married? I like to think she loved and treasured the gift. This is an example of what's so wonderful about vintage. I love to imagine the stories behind the old items I acquire even if I'll never know for sure the life they lived.

No Shipping Fees at Neiman Marcus

Free shipping at Neiman Marcus, fellow shoppers!

Have you missed me? I was on vacation and we had no Internet Access. It was hell at the beach. Can you imagine 8 days without eBay? Then I came home to crazy wind storms and suddenly had no power for 38 plus hours. It's like the universe doesn't want me to shop.

I've got a lot of purchases to report, vacation and otherwise (including one from Neiman Marcus), so stop back soon. I'll start posting tonight (unless my DVR actually taped last night's Gossip Girl during the power outage. Chuck Bass always comes before blogging.)

Necklace Crazy on eBay

I'm a collector. When I get one of something I like, I generally want more. I get in collecting/buying phases: flower pins, vintage kelly bags, sweater clips, mink wraps, Sarah Coventry clip-on earrings. (I'm glad it's never happened with, say, hats).

This week I'm all about necklaces and I've gone on I had a bit of a necklace binge (which has been known to happen every few months).

Here's my deal with necklaces: really bold or rather subtle. (Is there an in between?) My recent purchases included two of each.

In the subtle category, I found two pieces from one seller. First this interesting little gold bubble necklace (BIN for $31) which I find both modern and delicate. (I've been getting more into gold since Donya gave me a great gold necklace for being in her wedding--I'd always been a silver-only gal.)


And also this silver bird/gold nest piece which I think it just so darling (in auction for $16.99). I could do gold or silver earring with this. Don' you love the eggs in the wire nest?


The seller, who calls her line ArtWark, has both an eBay store, and at etsy store and she tells me she'll soon be adding her Fall 2008 line featuring one-of-a-kind locket necklaces. She's got some great pieces (If I wouldn't have shopped so much this week I might have also bought this one), and the prices are really reasonable.

Next up: the bold. First this big mess of chains and stones. I like the colors and the asymmetry. (And I couldn't pass it up at $7.) This necklace, a black tee, jeans, and my awesome bargain of a leather jacket I got last fall and I'm happily out the door.


This one came up in a Trifari favorite search. It's a big, crazy horselike dragon. I've been watching it for weeks and it wasn't selling at $44.75. I emailed the seller to see if she could do any better. I could only get her down to $39, but that was good enough for me. (He'll join my owl and my butterfly in the big-and-odd section of my jewelry tray.)

Vintage Alligator for My Feet

Ever since last year when I browsed exotic skin bags that cost more than my car at Saks in Beverly Hills, I've had a slight obsession with alligator. I watch bags on eBay all the time, but still haven't found the right one at the right price.

The other day, however, I bought these 1950s alligator pumps for $15.50.


Here's the thing: I've never purchased used shoes before. I've browsed shoes in vintage stores. I've admired the uniquely fashionable ladies in Bust magazine in their interesting thrift store pumps. But the thought of it was always a little icky. (Don't even getting me started on rented bowling shoes.)

These alligator pumps were a bit of a late-night impulse purchase. Then I thought, What the hell, I just bought used shoes from someone in Cleveland. But when I opened the box and put them on, all was well. They fit perfectly. They looked so classic. They made me feel like a lady and I'm sure whoever wore them in the past was a lady. While the words are worn off the insoles and the bottoms are worn in, the shoes themselves have nary a flaw. I'm sure they always accompanied darling dresses, nothing too flashy or revealing. They were always worn with nylons. And they were placed with care in a tidy closet at the end of the day.

I'll take good care of them, too--and they will look so cool with my jeans.

Two Dresses: One Vintage, One New

I know I don't need any more dresses. But I actually wear a dress to work most days, I haven't found a skirt I like in ages (besides the one I got at Macy's last Friday), and any day now I'll be cleaning out my closet (I swear).

First off, I returned these gray wedges (purchased in Vegas) to Kenneth Cole. I love the color, but they are really stiff and uncomfortable.
I exchanged them for this dress. It's currently at my tailor (who tells me I have to many dresses) getting the straps shortened. While the dress is mini on this model, it actually hits me below the knee (where do they grow all these giant slim women?). I'm a sucker for anything tiered, and this dress is super soft and comfortable. Overall, just a nice LBD (that's little black dress).

I also picked up this 1960s two-piece outfit (almost-a-dress) from my favorite eBay seller Violetville Vintage. I've really been loving all the lace in the September magazines, and I'm very excited about this outfit. Nude lace over blue is cool and subtle unlike lace in black. There's great detail on the top and skirt where the linen meets the lace, and it's great that I can break these up. The top will be cute with jeans. (The skirt will be hemmed.)


More vintage purchases to report later in the week!

Brand Love: Chie Mihari

I recently popped into Anthropologie and left with the best shoes. My Anthro store used to carry shoes, then didn't for a while, then suddenly did again in an odd shoe-tent sort of thing erected in the middle of the clothing section. Now the shoe-tent is gone and there are stacks of shoe boxes in the sale section, including boxes containing these Chie Mihari sandals, a steal at $89 from $358 (my own photos).


Do you see those straps? Grey, beige, black and three shades of brown: these officially go with everything. And let me tell you, they are the most comfortable heels I've ever had on, and I say that after wearing them both shopping and to the airport.

Of course, I've been watching Chie Mihari on eBay. Here's a link to their collection on Piperlime. I adore these two pairs, as well as the maryjanes.

Designer Steals from Real Runway eBay Store

One of my favorite eBay stores (whose items are delivered to my inbox daily via a favorite search) is Real Runway. This seller offers designer clothing, shoes and accessories--and they all start bidding at 99 cents.

I've been watching Real Runway for a while and finally made my first two purchases from the store--and of course they were terrific bargains.

First was this feminine Jovovich Hawk silk blouse featuring touches of lace. I love the shape. It was $32. (JH items generally retail for several hundred dollars.)


I also won the auction for these white patent leather Belle by Sigerson Morrison peeptoe wedges, a steal at $31 (original price: $295). I love white shoes--and will totally wear them after Labor Day.

I Fear I Have Purchased Something That Won't Fit

I recently won an auction on eBay for a lovely little vintage dress. Here it is.


And here's a closeup.


Cute, right? A little swiss dot thing happening; an awesomely big bow. It reminds me at once of of both a cupcake and a present. And it was $19.99.

But here's the thing: I'm worried that I'll put it on and and it will zip past my waist and call it a day; I think the girls may not fit into it. It was an against-my-better-judgment purchase.

But, you ask, didn't the seller give measurements? Why yes she did. She said the waist was 30 inches and the chest was 30 inches. I am banking on my theory that she was wrong. Who would make a dress with those measurements? That's crazy! And check out the fabric bunching up in the chest area on the closeup above. And it's darted. There's got to be some rack room there--after all, the dress form is not flat chested.

So it will come in the mail, and we shall see, fellow shoppers. For 20 clams, I think it's worth a shot. After all, sometimes that's the fun of eBay. (And one day I'll get around to selling all the cute but not-quite-right items I've accumulated.)

Two Fab Vintage Dress Finds on eBay

I recently found two great vintages 50s/60s dresses from the same seller on eBay. I know I really don't need any more dresses, but I couldn't pass these up. And now that they've arrived, these may be my favorite vintage eBay purchases to date. For one, they are both lovely florals--one muted and one bright. Two, they fit perfectly--no hemming required. They are petites, people! And three--$79 total for both (including shipping) in Buy It Now auctions. These dresses look as if they've never been worn--and they didn't even smell musty. (Although I did have them cleaned--one should always bring the vintage to the dry cleaner. And be sure to tell the cleaner clerk that the items are old. Vintage items generally don't have fabric care tags. If you let them know, they will test the fabric before they choose a cleaning method.)


Check out the drapey chiffon bow action going on at the waist of dress number one. So cute and so tummy camouflaging.


And dress number two sings out summer. I'll probably attract butterflies if I wear it outdoors. Good thing Material Girl hates to sweat and spends the summer in the A/C. I've got plenty of cropped cardigans that will go great with this in the arctic zone that is my office.

Filling the Void from Lost eBay Auctions

I'm a pretty successful eBayer. More often than not when I really want an item I win the auction. But here and there I fail. I don't bid high enough and I don't leave myself enough time to up my bid--and the item I covet slips through my fingers. And let me tell you--it's hurts, fellow shoppers.

For example, a few weeks ago I had my eye on this:


It's a vintage Trifari faux pearl stunner of a necklace. My max bid was $61.75 and it went for $77.80 with 10 bids. It was terribly disappointed. (Of course I've got a favorite search on eBay for Trifari pearl necklaces just in case...)

Yesterday I won an auction for a necklace that will somewhat satisfy my need for the above piece which I cannot posses. Here it is:


It's vintage 1960s and is sort of the same idea. Not quite as spectacular, but probably a little more wearable. I'll still watch for the Trifari, but this will make me happy in the meantime. It was $25.

NOTE: That is not my neck in the photo. It's the seller's neck, or the seller's model's neck--a much more mature neck than my own.

No Go on the Owl Shoes, and Great Mini Kimono

I got the cute owl shoes from endless today, and they are indeed...cute. But my toes hang over the edge--and that's never a good look. They are back in the box, labeled, and will be dropped in the mail room at my office in the a.m. which is a little sad. (DSW is offering triple bonus Reward points this weekend so maybe I can ease my no-new-shoes pain there.)

I also got a package from one of my favorite eBay sellers. I've bought a number of items from this Hollywood-based seller, a man named John who I've imagined is fabulously gay and stylish and has a tremendous apartment with a charming patio on which he photographs his mannequins after which sipping pink cocktails as he uploads his photos. (That would explain the occasional creative spelling.) Many of his items are from studio wardrobes. His starting prices can be a little high, but the clothes can be pretty fab--some high end, some new with tags, some vintage, always some leather something. My new top is a silk kimono-ish Jendela Batik number with a bit of a '70s thing going. Little-baby-kitty listed it as "very Studio 54." I think it's a more hanging with Rose, Blanche and Dorothy on the lanai, but in a good (younger) way. My distressed demin and my flat silver sandals will be nice with this, as will my skinny black pants, big earrings, and a heel.



(For some reason I find this mannequin's crotch disheartening--fabulous gay John: cover her up. A nondescript skirt perhaps, or even a tasteful pantie would be fine.)

My Latest Finds on eBay, Plus Owl Sandals

I got a two cute, kinda short and kinda fancy skirts on eBay recently. (I like to dress nice when Cheapy takes me to dinner--which is our favorite date activity lately. If I show a little leg maybe I can score dessert. Actually Cheapy loves dessert and if we get one to share he generally bogarts it.)

My first skirt is a new with tags J Crew Collection sequined mini I nabbed for $99 (after watching is through several auctions cycles and waiting for the price to go down). I know it seemed like my sequin phase had petered out, but, really, a sequined skirt is like bling for you butt. I can't get enough.


The other skirt I got for $28 is a Generra gray silk bubble mini. It's so pretty and has pockets!


I'm 5'2" so these "minis" aren't all that short on me. (They are skirts I do not need to take to Kim, my wonderful tailor. Sometimes I spend more on alterations than I do on an eBay item. But nothing is more important than fit no matter how pretty something is.)

And I kinda accidentally bought a pair of sandals from endless this afternoon (that's my story for Cheapy, anyway) when I was killing time before my facial (got a peptide peel--I feel like a girl of 35 again!). I had seen these on Shoe Blog in gold. They mentioned they were on sale at Barefoot Tess for $52 with a coupon code (down from $74) and shipping is around $8. Endless had them for $59.95 with free overnight shipping. I ordered the DV by Dolce Vita Dijon sandal in pewter.

How could I resist those owls? And I love that they are not totally flat--a tiny wedge is nice. I really like the whole Dolce Vita and DV lines--lots of great sandals, metallic and otherwise, including not-over-the-top gladiators. (I'm still looking for the right pair of gladiator sandals--I better get on that before summer is over.)

My Week on eBay

I had a few very good eBay purchases this week. The theme seems to be flowers and bows. (What can I say--I'm such a girl.)

First a vintage '50s dress in gray cotton with a drop waist leading to a full shirt and an overall rose-and-bows pattern. It's in excellent condition and will be a nice addition to the dress section of my closet, which just keeps keep getting fatter. (I know it's time to do a closet clean out. But it's daunting. Cheapy said to me, "Cleaning out my closet is cleaning out my closet. Cleaning out your closet is reforming healthcare.") My new dress was $135 on a Buy It Now auction. Sometimes I don't have the patience to wait for an auction to finish. The opening bid was $99, and in this instance it was worth the extra $36 to have this vintage beauty. Note the weaved fabric detail at the neckline. It's a good length, too. I might not even have to have it hemmed (for once).



Next up is a Jovovich-Hawk leather belt with a great big bow. I have a black BCBG dress in my closet that this will be perfect with. I'd watched this belt through several auction cycles where it didn't sell and I finally had to get it for myself. It was $62, not bad for this brand and considering the versatility of this supple leather accessory.



Finally just what I need--another necklace. But I couldn't resist the chunky chains with the enamel flower. And at $14.99 I couldn't pass it up.

My eBay Search for Vintage Dresses

Long-time readers may have gathered that I get into buying phases. There was the sequins phase. The clutch phase. The sweater chain phase. The enamel flower pin phase. eBay makes quick work of collecting anything. Lately I've been focusing on vintage dresses. I love my plaid one (that I got hemmed seven inches) and my flowery one (the jacket is great).




Last night I won an auction for a darling pink dress that also comes with a matching jacket.



I've found that for vintage dresses, I do better saving favorite searches of entire stores. The pink dress is from Nova Vintage, the plaid from Violettville Vintage, and the floral from Timeless Vixen. (To save full-store searches, you need to click on the seller's name in an item listing to get to their profile, then click on Items for Sale. Once there, you can save the search. I can't find another way to do this.)

I like these stores because they have small inventories and all the items are well chosen, well photographed, and well measured. Note about buying vintage clothing online: You gotta have measurements. Vintage sizing is way different than current sizing. But it's really easy to know if something will fit when you've got bust, waist, hips, length and shoulder-to-shoulder measurements (and sometimes more). That really takes the risk out of buying items that are often non-returnable. (Nova Vintage will accept returns for clothes that don't fit if you send them back in seven days--always check for return policies in item listings. I've found most sellers to be very reasonable when it comes to returns.)

In addition to store searches, I also do category searches. I put in "dress" then filter to "vintage" then pick an era. Once that list is up, I'll add and "M" to "dress" in the search field to narrow down the list. The smallest vintage offering I can fit into is what most sellers consider "M." Those ladies in the '50s and '60s had tiny little waists. Or girdles. Or I'm just too thick in the middle. It's probably a combination of all three, but it seems that the busts are usually a good ten inches larger than the waists in these dresses. That's not so in Material Girl's figure. If I had a 26-inch waist I could have a dynamite vintage dress wardrobe in my closet.

Rompers--I Don't Get It

The other day an eBayer paid $102.50 for this vintage '80s romper. There were 23 bids. Just had to share that. Cause I don't quite get grown women in rompers (although lines like Rogan for Target and Old Navy seem to).

My Week-long Necklace Binge

Hello again fellow shoppers. I have not posted in a week! I was not on vacation. I was not in bed with the flu. I was not not making purchases. Just busy busy. I've pretty much been too busy to shop in person, so I've been spending a lot of time on eBay while I eat breakfast and I've been finding some good cheap necklaces this week. I've bought seven new ones recently (total with shipping was about $69) which I would say is an official binge.

Here are six beaded beauties that are on their way--five from my favorite place on eBay to buy cheap baubles, Jewels n Treasures run by super nice Sally in Wisconsin who offers free shipping if you buy three or more items. The white one with the funky bumpy beads that look sort of like popcorn is from another seller.




Here's another eBay find (which I'm wearing right now). It's a great length and seems to go with everything. It's a heavy metal enameled link Monet that came with a bonus pair of Trifari clip-on earrings. (Normally I'd convert the clip-ons to a wire and wear them. I've done this to loads of old Sarah Coventry treasures. These, however, are too heavy for my ears, so you'll find that at my upcoming garage sale--May 17th--along with many other interesting vintage items I've acquired that haven't quite worked out.)

My Shopping Weekend: Venturing to the Other End of The Mall

I generally stick to the end of The Mall near Macy's because there's a parking garage there that almost always offers rockstar parking, and it's near the Gap and Sephora.

Today I shopped at the other end of The Mall. (That's where the Aveda store is, and I got a haircut there during their charity cut-a-thon.) There are stores at this end that I like, but sort of forget about. I cruised through Banana Republic and got bored. (I like the Banana at my favorite outdoor mall much better.)

Next I hit the sale rack at J. Crew. They had lots of nice items on sale and tried on a bunch. I thought about a wrap dress and madras mini skirt but passed on them. (I bought a madras blazer from T.J. Maxx recently, and I fear I could easily over-madras.) I tried on several tops and concluded that J.Crew clothing is generally made for B cup and below. (Are the preppy all flat chested? Cheapy will never leave me for a J. Crew model.) I did buy a silk shirt similar to the one below. My friend had this one on when we went out the other night and I really loved it. The one I bought is the same cut but in a gold and white animal print. The print along with an an exposed zipper in the back add a little edge to the conservative boatneck cut. The animal print top looks fab with my destroyed jeans.


I also popped into Ann Taylor for a spell to check out the clearance. (The full price items at the front of the store were really icky. They have this whole white/turquoise/green/blue/lots of pattern thing going on and that I found quite unappealing.) They had a 75% off rack in the back of the store and I found me some paisley. (Much like rickrack, I have a soft spot for paisley.) So I went home with silk shirt number two, a button down in a brown and white paisley pattern. I can't find it online. It was on final sale for $19.99. The cut is really flattering (it's petite). And I recently decided I look really good in brown.

I also bought yet another clutch from an eBay seller. (The red one I got last week was kinda disintegrating so I got a refund from that seller and sent it back.) This one should prove to be quite nice, and it's a perfect neutral for spring--I think it will go well with my two new silk tops--and I really like that it's got silvertone accents instead of goldtone.



And check out how nice this bag is on the inside. It looks new.




My only other recent purchase was a pair of straight cut black pants from the Gap. I got them on Thursday when I took back some trouser jeans because I decided the rise was too low. I will be bringing these pants to a tailor, however, to have the waistline taken in just a bit. (They will join the three dresses and one pair of pants in need of hemming that have been in a shopping bag in my trunk for two weeks--it's hard to find time to go to the tailor). The size I purchased fits perfectly everywhere but the waist. I can literally take them off without unbuttoning them. The next size down was too tight everywhere except the waist, of course. But with a little nip, they'll be just right. Everyone should find a good tailor--proper fit is important, fellow shoppers!