Exciting News!

OK, I know I know!!! I did not post last week, but it was VERY busy at work as I (drum roll please) began wrapping things up to leave for a NEW JOB!! I promise to get back to posting regularly. I will be working for a small firm specializing in family court issues. Tomorrow is the big day, so wish me luck.

In today's financial news, Kroger has Korbel Champagne on sale!!

Mad about Mad Men Fashion

Like much of America I am totally in love with A&E’s Mad Men. The writing is sharp, the characters are captivating and above all the costuming is out of this world. As a lover of classic clothing this show is an absolute drool-fest for me. I’m pretty luck in that my mom and grandmother both held on to lots of their classic pieces, so I’m able to wear a number of vintage pieces passed down from the women in my family. There are, however lots of great opportunities to flesh out my retro inspired wardrobe right here in Columbia! Are you craving that vampy Joan Holloway look? Do you swoon over Betty Draper’s classic look? Or are you more in line with Peggy Olson’s prim working girl style? Here are some of my tricks to get that great retro look on the cheap.

Think Small

You can easily take a classic black sheath and transform it from 1950s to 2000s with the addition of great accessories. Raid your grandmother’s costume jewelry and add a circle pen with a pair of peep toe wedges. Tie on a splashy graphic neck kerchief and you will be a blast from the past. I recently attended an art event at 701 Whaley and, feeling daring, wore an birdcage veil with a feathered hairpiece. My sister, costuming guru that she is whipped it up for me and I can’t WAIT to have another event to wear it*. Women in the Mad Men era embraced the power of simple accessories like gloves, hats, and scarves. Incorporating them into your wardrobe can really make you a standout in a sea of kaki. Do remember, however, that the idea is to be fashionable, not costumed, so unless you are planning on performing in a retro burlesque show, don’t overload. Hat OR gloves OR scarf, not all three.

Fall in love with Resale

Columbia has an absolute wealth of consignment shops loaded to the gills with quality products. In some of these stores however, there may be 100 less-than-ideal pieces for every OMG NO WAY find. Approach these stores with that in mind. It’s a hunt, not a shopping trip. If you keep that attitude, you can quickly become addicted to the thrill of the find. Also, don’t judge the resale shop by its exterior. I regularly peruse “Curious Closet” on St. Andrews Road (near Zorbas). They have a great selection of gently loved designer pieces beautifully presented and color-coded. Just this week I found an amazing vintage jacket (circa 1965) for less than ten dollars. As posh as “Curious Closet” is, another one of my personal favorites is “The Sunshine Store” on Two Notch Road. It looks like a total dive, but give it a chance. I have found some beautiful vintage things there most of them less than 5 bucks. Also, with Halloween right around the corner it’s a wonderful place to look for costume pieces.

Go For Quality

When looking at vintage or vintage style pieces don’t jump on the first retro peice you see. Some of the jackets and suits I’ve found in my hunting are beautiful but fragile. What’s the use of a great tweed suit if you can’t sit down in it? Look carefully for things like dry rotting, moth damage, or age stains. They can be the death of a vintage piece. If the piece is a modern take on a vintage style quality is the key. I’ve purchased some inexpensive vintage inspired pieces that disintegrated after one wash. Be sure you are allocating your fashion dollars to pieces that will last. You don’t really save money if your wardrobe is one-time-wear disposable.

Remember, Classics are Classics for A Reason

I can hear my mom saying this in my ear right now as I type. Her elegant wardrobe is fashionable today, but she just as easily could have stepped out of a 1960s. If you go for quality classic pieces, whether you pay $10.00 or $1,00.00, you can look like a million bucks.

Enjoy the holiday weekend Readers and check out those Labor Day Sales!

*If you are interested in beautiful retro hairpieces, keep your eyes open around town for pieces on consignment in various boutiques. If you have a custom request let me know and I’ll send you my sister’s way!

When He’s Right, He’s Right!

Most people hate to admit when their significant other is right and they are wrong. Luckily for Ellis, I’m not one of those people. When I began this project earlier this year Ellis, an experienced writer of web content, admonished me. “Honey, if you are going to do this, keep in the habit, otherwise life will get in the way of posts.” And as he predicted, my otherwise busy life overshadowed the blog. But I’m back! And determined to keep you up to date on my quest to being at the top of my game, both fashionably and fiscally. So rather than updating you on all the things that have transpired since my last update, I’ll just jump into “today’s” issue – the importance of a rainy day fund.

I moved into my house when I started grad school. It’s a sweet mill-style bungalow with hardwood floors and tall cabinets. I fell in love. But after all of the inspections were done, I knew I was in for a world of work. The house had to be re-wired, the foundation needed to be “shored up”, and the AC unit was deemed “on its last leg.” It was, however, still working which, on the grad school budget, was good enough for me. That unit, which I have recently learned is older than I am, has kept chugging along all this time. That is, until this summer. In Columbia, which is “Famously Hot”, there is nothing more upsetting than opening your back door after a long day at work to a wall of heat. Well that nightmare has been a reality for me on multiple occasions this summer. The coils of the old unit freeze from being over worked, and I’d open the door to two wilted panting puppies and a homemade sauna. Earlier this summer Ellis wanted to go ahead and replace the relic of a unit, but once we got it kick-started again, I hated to do it. But just as Ellis predicted, the unit finally died here we are without any AC, having to coordinate replacement of Old Less-Than-Faithful. Thankfully the last few days have been unseasonably cool so the house is pretty pleasant.

Ellis and I juggled multiple HVAC repair guys coming in and out of the house giving us estimates ranging wildly in price (ranging over $3000.00 from highest to lowest quote). We decided on this great repairman who was referred to me by a staff member at my office. Thankfully we’ve been saving along and along to prepare of rainy (or in this case, hot) days. I am also excited to report to you all that if you are planning on making any home improvements THIS IS THE YEAR! This year, thanks to some changes in the Federal Tax Code, homeowners are eligible for a multitude of tax credits for home improvements that make your home more energy efficient. You can take a look at a great breakdown of the different credits here, but for our purposes we will be able to get back 30% of the cost of the new unit come tax return time! It will be hard to see all my hard saved money leave my little nest-egg account, but it just goes to show how incredibly important it is to have that money available. This should also be just the incentive I’ll need to do my taxes earlier than April this year.

And for the official record: Ellis, you were right. Twice!

Next time, Mad for Vintage Fashion