Shopping for Bakelite

Bakelite bangles galore from Gaslight and Shadows Antiques

In an effort to make my blog a little more vintage focused I’m starting this series where I’ll provide tips for finding the very coolest vintage stuff. To get the ball rolling, I’m focusing on Bakelite because I just think it’s darn cool.

Dandy Bakelite silverware from Eddie Ross's blog

What is Bakelite? Bakelite was essentially the first kind of plastic ever made and because of it’s strength, it was widely used to make lots of stuff like purse handles, kitchen doodads, radios and of course my favorite jewelry! Although Bakelite is still produced in limited quantities today, the majority of Bakelite products you’ll find these days are vintage. Bakelite also comes in a range of colors and opacities. Part of the reason that I love it so much is because of the dark shades of yellows, greens and reds that are perfect for fall and winter weather.

Vintage Bakelite pin from Decatique Studios

Where to find it: eBay is a great place to find loads of vintage Bakelite pieces. Those crafty Etsy members have also used repurposed Bakelite to make some really unique accessories. Though many vintage sellers don’t have the most sophisticated websites (which makes sense I suppose) but if you can navigate through the sites, there are some great things to be found. Bakelitejewelery.net and Citrus Avenue Collectibles have huge selections!

Custom Bakelite cufflinks from 19 Moons

Is it real? As a collectors item, Bakelite tends to be on the expensive side so there are several tests you can do to determine if that goodie that you’re pining for is real or an imposter. The first and easiest trick is to rub the piece with your fingers to warm it up. If it’s real, the heat will cause a chemicaley formaldehyde smell. You can also run it under hot water and wait for that same smell. Another way to test the authenticity of Bakelite is to knock two pieces together. If they’re both real, you’ll hear a deeper clunk sound as opposed to a lighter clink sound that comes from other plastics. If you’re hardcore enough about your Bakelite, you can also try the test that many experts use which is taking a cotton swab soaked in 409 and rubbing it on the piece in question. If the swab turns yellow, that means it’s real, if not, you may have a faker.

Bakelite ring by Petit Oiseau

Happy shopping!

Introducing...

...My new Etsy shop La Poubelle Vintage! I've been working for the past few months on putting together my first vintage collection to be sold on Etsy and it has finally launched. It's a mix of high and low vintage pieces and like a true budget babe, I'm keeping the prices as low as possible. Please check it out and let me know what you think! Here are a few pictures from the store.

Nautical Sweater Blazer, $35.00

Carmen Marc Valvo Mini Dress, $55

80s Sequined Dress with Back Cutout, $45

Polka Dot Tunic, $15

Fall Layering Essentials

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, not just because of the changing leaves, beautifully mild temperatures and hearty fall foods, but also because of the flexibility it gives me in my wardrobe. By layering, I can make my summer favorites last a few months longer while still trying out some of my new cold weather purchases. Since living in New York, I’ve also found that this time of year, temperatures can change quickly so layering is an absolute essential. In the spirit of layering and wanting to show off a couple of new purchases, I’ve decided to highlight some of my favorite cover-ups.

This navy blazer is my go to piece in the fall and spring. It’s actually a boys prep school blazer that I bought on eBay for dirt cheap. I’ve found that boys blazers have a great fit for me, tight in the arms and slightly boxy through the body.



This ruffled jacket is my newest purchase resulting from a recent trip to H&M. I think it’s the perfect combination of ‘80s decadence and romantic ruffles.



This leather motorcycle jacket has been in my closet since high school and only fuels my misgivings about getting rid of clothes, as I had thought about donating it many times in the past and now wear it almost daily.


Another new baby from H&M. I’ve been dreaming about a longer tuxedo jacket all summer but I couldn’t resist this cropped version when I tried it on. The $35 price tag made the purchase a necessity.


Even though this sweater reminds me a little bit of a Christmas-themed bathrobe, it’s about the comfiest thing I own. I usually throw it on for running errands since it pairs perfectly with jeans and moccasins.

New Skinnies

By now, dark skinny jeans have become part of my fall and winter uniform so it was pretty heartbreaking to pull out my favorite and well-worn pair of skinnies out of the closet the other day to discover a massive hole forming in the crotch. I knew this day was coming so I was prepared. I’ve wanted to check out Gap’s new 1969 Premium collection so I headed down to their Times Square flagship to battle the tourists and try on some denim.

"Always Skinny" Saturated Dark Wash Jeans

As a disclaimer, I’ve never liked Gap jeans. They’ve always been a little too frumpy, baggy in all the wrong places and too high-rise for my liking. But let me tell you, these jeans are good. I can only vouch for the skinny styles but they fit well, have just the right amount of stretch to keep your junk under control, and the washes are pretty spot on, though I wish they had done a super light pair. I picked up this pair of dark skinnies, I love the almost inky blue color. Plus they have the right amount of slouch in the ankles to work with my flats AND my heels. All the premium denim is $20 bucks off right now so I snatched these up for $50, a relative good deal for such versatile jeans. I also grabbed a slightly deconstructed pair in a lighter wash (whoops). All of their knits are BOGO right now too, they’re practically giving the stuff away!

The money shot, I told you they held the junk in.

Mixing it up

A few weeks ago, I took a trip back to my old stomping grounds in Ithaca. One of my favorite stores in the area that I actually worked at while I went to school, is Petrune. They have the coolest shop filled with vintage pieces and accessories, they also recently moved into a larger space and started carrying some new labels like Tulle. If you're ever in the area, it's definitely worth checking out. I picked up a few things while I was there and just got around to taking some pictures of them.

This green dress was marked down to only $5 because the zipper was broken and the seams are coming apart a bit. Nothing that a few stitches can't fix. Not that I have anywhere to wear it but I think it's such a charming little cocktail dress.

Dress, vintage; shoes, Charlotte Russe; headband, repurposed necklace

I also found this little white cover up. I've been really into crop tops lately and I thought this could be a nice little cover up for summer evenings.

Shirt, vintage; dress, Urban Outfitters; necklace, vintage; sandals, Gap

This beaded top was something I picked up on a whim. It's not something that I would normally wear but I thought the beading was interesting and I saw some good layering potential in it.

Beaded top, vintage; tube top, shorts, belt, H&M; pumps, Pink

Here are some close up shots of the beading since it's hard to see in these shots.

Chasing the Dream

It seems like every day when I’m getting dressed, all I want to wear is a white blousy peasant shirt. I search my closet from front to back, expecting to find something but never coming up with anything acceptable. Since this seems like such a closet basic, I think it’s time I added one (or two or three). My requirements are this: crisp white color, lightweight material like linen, a nice drape but not a totally shapeless sack. Should be easy enough, right?

You can always turn to Gap for a blouse that is just preppy enough. I like the cut of this one, it’ll be perfect with jean cutoffs and sandals this summer. Get it while it's hot, it's on sale now for $20!

Piped Blouse from Gap, $19.99

This Fossil blouse isn’t exactly what I had in mind but the cascading ruffles down the front hooked me. I also like that it’s sleeveless so I can stay cool as a cuke.

Fossil Skylar shirt, $29.99

So this shirt is a little off topic but I can’t stop clicking back to it. I love the blue and white pattern and sequined patch. I think I would get a TON of use out of it.

Mermaid Heart Top from LuLu's, $54

So I’m breaking my rules again since this one is ivory instead of a plain white but the fit with the nipped in waist and billowing sleeves is too perfect to pass up.

Gather 'Round Button Down from Anthropologie, $49.95

Some Good Bloglovin

Follow my blog with bloglovin

My Summer Sandal Philosophy

I am a firm believer in the flat summer sandal and an ever firmer believer in buying them dirt cheap since I wear them practically to death. Case in point, I've already worn down the 3 or so pairs that I already bought this season so it's time for round two! Lucky for me, people already have fall on the brain and are majorly discounting their sandals. Here are some options I'm considering:

These dark brown color and rows of neat studs make these Target sandals feel much richer than their $25 price tag. I might have to throw my "no ankle straps" rule out the window...

Mossimo Sandals for Target, $24.99

Urban Outfitters has an amazing summer sale going on, last week I snatched up this maxi dress, this bib necklace and this backless tank for mega cheap. Their sandal selection is great too, I'm digging these suede cage sandals.

Urban Outfitters suede cage sandals, $39.99

I tend to find Aldo a little overpriced for what it is but I think these intricately beaded sandals are definitely worth $20, don't you?

Landucci sandals from Aldo, $19.98

Sometimes I find the sheer volume of shoes on Piperlime's site to be a little overwhelming to sort through but I did find these sandals by Emma Pink. The ladylike cut is balanced by a nice pop of neon color.

Emma Pink sandals from Piperlime, $39.99

I Need These Summer Dresses. Now.

Pintuck Citrus Jersey Dress from Fred Flare, $29.99

My summer uniform consists of a little dress and flat sandals. It’s rare that I differ from this formula too often. That being said, by the end of each summer, all of my dresses have been worn to DEATH. I’m in the market for some new dresses for this season and happened to be looking on Fred Flare’s website. I knew they were the place to go for kitschy accessories but their clothes are darn cute too. There’s a ton of cute dresses that I’ve got my eye on like this denim jumper, this tie-dye dress (ok so I’m obsessed with tie-dye), and this preppy striped one. They’re all totally reasonably priced too so shop away!

Guest blogger preview

I’ve gotten the opportunity to do some guest blogging for Sandra at Debutante Clothing. She writes mostly about vintage and vintage inspired clothing and has a really great eye for style. Here are a few photos from my photo shoot, and by photo shoot I mean my friend taking pictures of me on the street while various moving men and construction workers heckled me. My first post should be up shortly so check it out!

Always/Never

Rocking my always items, scarf, cross body bag and (of course) short hair! The leather jacket should actually be another always...

I’ve seen some fellow fashion bloggers (like Rhiannon from Liebemarlene Vintage) do an always/never post so here’s my take:

Always:
-Blazers. As my friends can attest, I wear my navy prep school style blazer pretty much every day. It goes with everything and I got it for $10 on eBay.

-High waisted bottoms: my waist is my smallest part so it’s always flattering to wear skirts or pants that hit at that point.

-Short hair: Never been able to rock long tresses and never will, my hair just gets stringy.

-Scarves: If I can add a scarf to an outfit, better believe I will.

-Cross-body bags: No matter what the occasion, my go to bag style is the cross-body satchel, they’re more comfortable and more chic, I think.

-And one more that is completely unrelated to fashion…brunch! It’s hands down, the best meal ever.


Never:
-Knee-length anything: I have shorter legs so knee-length makes me feel stubby. I like my dresses and skirts super short.

-Kitten heels: I either like my shoes totally flat or with really high heels, nothing in between.

-Big earrings: I like them on other people but I usually stick to studs.

-Ankle straps: Again with the stubby leg thing, an ankle strap just highlights the cankles.

-Body con: As sexy as I think those Herve Leger dresses are, I’d never have the balls to wear one outside of the house.

Sample Sales for All!

*Marc by Marc Jacobs flats from the ideeli Red Sale

Sample sale websites are one of the best ideas ever. There's no waiting in lines, no fighting for merch and no searching for your size. I already posted my favorite sample sale sites on my Examiner page and one my favs, ideeli, just hooked me up with my very own invite link for my readers. The site is normally invite only but you can click here for instant access to the sales (they focus on mainly accessories but they do feature clothes too). Right now, the Red Sale is going on with SUPER discounted stuff including Marc by Marc Jacobs flats for $45 and Kitson tees for $16. Snatch it up while you still can!

Shoegasm

Do you subscribe to Pop Sugar Daily? Well if not, get on it already! They deliver little tidbits of fashion and pop culture into your inbox every day. The other day, they introduced me to shoe brand Marais USA. Check out their adorable sandals, wedges and flats for waaaay cheaper than they look. They don’t have a ton of styles but what they do have are refreshingly minimalistic styles in fun brights. These sandals (in eggplant!) could easily be my everyday go-to sandals.

Wall Decorations on the Cheap and Easy

Despite my love for decorating myself in the form of clothes, I have never been very interested in decorating my apartment. It is for this reason that the walls in my room have remained white and empty since I moved in last August. Feeling blah this weekend, I decided to change that and hang up some vintage pictures of my family that I found at my grandma’s house.

I love old pictures, especially those from the ‘70s. I was especially inspired by my mom’s style, how great does she look in this fur coat?

D.I.Y. Playtime

I’ve had a few D.I.Y. projects in mind lately so I decided to start with my annual tradition of making a new pair of cutoffs. These are pretty standard issue denim cutoffs but this year I decided to rough them up a little more with my pumice stone. Also on my list of projects is making a crop top to go with high-waisted skirts and shredding the back of a tank top to show off my new bandeau. Stay tuned!

A few new things...

Spring is by far my favorite season, because of the weather and also because of the clothes. No other season makes me want to shop more. So I’m blaming spring for all of my recent purchases. I stopped by Forever 21 yesterday and as I mentioned on Twitter, they have a ton of great drapey tanks and tees. I’m really into sheer shirts lately so I got this burnout tank as well as these sheer black and white tees. I also got this neon bandeau to go underneath. All that for a whopping $30! Over at Target I got these heels that I’m OBSESSED with (the picture doesn’t do them justice) and also this floral mini. I also finally took the plunge and bought these yellow jeans that I featured on my Examiner page. OK cutting up the card now...

Lots of Bang for your Buck

I’ve always been intrigued by these dresses that you can wear multiple ways but they’re also a little scary, no? Any item of clothing that comes with an instruction manual is a bit too fussy for me. But think of the benefits, $38 for a dress like this one from American Apparel that you can wear an endless number of ways! I’m almost sold…

Target Finds

*Ruffle shirt from Target, $16.99

I checked out the new spring stuff at Target last weekend and I have to say, I wasn’t impressed with the Alexander McQueen collection that’s been getting so much buzz. Most of what I saw was lots of black and some cheap looking prints. I did like this open-weave cardigan, but at $45, I had to pass. I did snatch up this ruffled tank top and these cone heels, that remind me of these from Proenza Schouler, so the trip wasn’t a total loss.

Vintage Tees from Re-Shirt

I am of the opinion that a cool t-shirt is the best wardrobe staple that you can have. You can wear it casually with jeans and a cardigan, gussy it up for work with a pencil skirt and blazer or wear it out on the town any way you please. Finding the perfect, worn-in t-shirt isn’t so easy. That’s where Re-Shirt comes in. The site stocks t-shirts that have been donated and rebranded with the Re-Shirt logo. The selection is huge and each shirt goes for 25 Euros (about $33). Sustainable and affordable? Sign me up!

1 Spring Wardrobe, Coming Up!

*Outfit from Forever 21

Ah, spring! The sun is finally beginning to make scheduled appearances, which of course, only makes me think of a new warm weather wardrobe. I’ve been making a mental checklist of things I’d like to add into the mix. So far, I’ve decided on a pair of super light skinny jeans, which seem really fresh for spring, and a funky bib necklace will spice up all of my neutrals. Layering is key for spring so I’ll need a bright cardigan and a lightweight coat that I can throw on over anything when I’m running around the city. Top it all off with a pair of comfy and cute sneaks and I'll be good to go. Oh, and I’ll also take this entire outfit, I’m dying for those shorts in pink. Thanks.

Great, cheap vintage

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m obsessed with Lucky Magazine. They have great shopping tips, style advice and a great website that I check pretty much daily. Yesterday, Jennifer Romolini posted in her eBay Obsessed blog about Rice and Beans Vintage. Though the site design isn’t the best, I quickly fell in love with their huge selection of vintage and modern, designer and mainstream clothes, shoes and accessories. Some of the designer items are pricey (and why wouldn’t they be) but there are a few finds, Chanel flats for $100, Gucci strappy sandals for $80? Yes please! The vintage section is also really adorable and reasonably priced. I love this ‘70s tank for spring and this mink-collar cardigan to keep me warm until then.

There comes a time in every woman’s life where she realizes it’s time to ditch the colored cotton shorts and Hanes t-shirts for actual, sweat absorbing workout clothes. I think I’ve finally reached this point and naturally, I’m not willing to break the bank on some spandex that I’m bound to muck up anyway. Old Navy recently expanded their active wear section and they now have some really cute (and obviously cheap) workout goods. Plus, they’re having a Friends and Family sale until March 15, so you can get 30% off your whole purchase with the code PVMXM26TXN6W. I’ve settled on this tank top with built in bra and this pair of yoga shorts. This stuff if so cute and bright that maybe I’ll actually be inspired to go to the gym every day. Maybe…

I think I'm addicted

Ok so it’s now March and slowly becoming a time where I don’t have to leave the house wearing 18 layers 4 pairs of socks to stay warm and what do I decide I must have? A new pair of boots, of course! I’ve been pining after a pair of lace-up boots for a month and I justified these beauties by telling myself I’ll wear them now with tights or leggings and when it warms up with a flowery dress, bare legs and slouchy socks, plus, can't complain about leather boots for $35! If you share my lace-up boot obsession, eBay has a pretty good selection, whether you're going for an English countryside look or an '80s hipster version.