miskabelle vintage: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Outfit Post: Double Denim

When the denim shirt came back "in" to style, I kept seeing it paired with darker jeans. I wasn't sure I liked it. It felt too denim-y. But I think the key is structure and accessories. If the top is slouchier, go with a skinnier bottom half. If you have a more form-fitting denim on top, try high waist wide legs or bell bottoms (a huge trend for spring that I wish I could pull off). I added a cardigan (you'll recognize it from a previous post--it's my favorite) and some killer shoes.

I wore this outfit on Saturday for a trip to the Philly area to hang out with Q's family and celebrate a bunch of Aquarian birthdays (I believe there are 5 of us, including me and Aurora now).

cardigan-thrifted J. Crew, top-Walmart (Miley Cyrus last year! yikes.I know.), jeans-thrifted Gap skinny, clogs-Steve Madden (gift from Jayme), bone/turquoise necklace-eBay

A note on my jeans: I found them, like new, for $4 at this little thrift that is super crowded and junky, but has some good finds if you dig hard enough. They are a size smaller than I've been wearing at Gap--score! But they are skinny jeans.

I am not skinny. Thus, I have always believed I should not wear skinny jeans. But this pair is super dark, has just the right amount of stretch, and a higher waist. I'm still not skinny, but with the platforms, they were more flattering than I thought (and comfortable!)

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend--only 5 more days 'til the next one!

xo,
Amanda

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Outfit Post: Blown Away

If only I was less vain, you would be laughing out loud right now. Today was that crazy, windy day on the East coast where a lot of trees and power lines went down. Well, when I stepped outside to take some photos on our little back porch/patio, I almost went down too. My facial expressions are pretty priceless (and now deleted from my computer).

I had to move to a corner of the porch more sheltered from the wild winds. I wore this layered outfit to shop (thrifting and groceries) and for a little dinner party we had over here with a close friend and her husband: lasagna, salad, and wine topped offf by coffee, double chocolate brownies, and electronic CatchPhrase, Bananagrams, and Euchre. It was a fantastic Friday.


army jacket-UO, cardigan-vintage, tee-Old Navy (thrifted), skirt-NY&Co. (thrifted), tights-?, boots-vintage

I still look a little windblown, and in truth, I wore a big black scarf as I gallivanted around town. I am also wearing really big coral-toned earrings that were a gift from Jayme for my birthday. I love the color coral--it brings out the peachiness in my complexion and it's a great color for spring. I thrifted this basic Old Navy tee the other day--what drew me to it besides the color was that is has not just a scoop front, but a scoop back. I think showing a little back is sexy. I can't wait until it's warm enough to do this! (Yes, my posts will probably continue to complain about the weather until there's nothing to complain about.)

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

xo,
Amanda

Saturday, February 26, 2011

St. Patty's Day Preview

Today is what our town calls 'State Patty's Day' (it's a play on words because we live in State College, PA). The day was created by Penn State students in protest to missing out on one of their many binge drinking holidays-Saint Patrick's Day, when it happened to fall during Spring Break one year. So this Saturday the streets of downtown will be cluttered with drunken 20-somethings in skimpy green outfits. [okay, so I have partaken in the holiday before....so I should bite my sarcastic tongue...]
The good news? The REAL Saint Patrick's Day isn't for another couple of weeks, so there's still time to snatch up some of our vintage lovelies if you're in the mood to be festive and wear green! Here's a preview of some items we'll be adding to the shop this weekend:

lace cut-out silky blouse

multicolor secretary blouse

wrap skirt mini dress

Look for these items and more coming soon. Have a good weekend!

Cheers!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Outfit Post: London Rain

So I'm not in London (obviously and unfortunately), but do you remember that Heather Nova song by the same title (Nothing heals me like you do)? Circa 1997 or so? It was on the first season of Dawson's Creek when the show was new and really good and it was almost believable that the actors were teenagers. It was the scene when Dawson and Joey were on the swings late at night. So romantic! Jayme had the soundtrack and I remember laying out (yes, in bathing suits in the backyard, sans sunscreen) that summer and listening to it on the ol' CD player, singing along (of course).

But I digress. This was my first outfit post with props! One necessary umbrella and one really cute vintage bag because it went great with the outfit and was newly posted in the shop. I wore this out to get some groceries (breakfast for dinner!) with Q and his girls. Really exciting, right? I still had fun playing dress up in my Miskabelle closet! Here's what I picked:

Outfit Details: blazer- vintage Miskabelle, secretary dress-vintage,coming soon to Miskabelle, brooch-vintage, tights-?, Dooney and Bourke shoulder bag, vintage Miskabelle, brown oxfords-thrifted

This FANTASTIC vintage Dooney and Bourke bag is in the shop now! Get it before it's gone!

We've had snow. We've had freezing rain. We've had wintry mix. We've had regular rain. I think some sunshine is in order.

Until the next outfit--
Amanda

Thursday, February 24, 2011

The WINNERS are...

For the Erin House Designs hammered disc earrings...entry #8, Laura!

Laura said...
I'm a follower. I love the cone pendant. Such incredibly unique designs!

For the Kimbarelli cowl neck scarf, the winner is entry #4, Jules!

Jules said...
I am a follower and the loopy cotton cowl is amazing!

Congratulations, ladies! We'll be emailing you shortly to find out where to send your prizes.

Thanks to all of our readers and everyone who entered!

xo,
J&A

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Outfit Post: Mama of the Birthday Girl

Aurora turned 1 on February 11th, and we celebrated with my family in Pennsylvania (that blog, coming soon--I swear--to Miskabelly). This past weekend, we had a second little celebration with Q's family in Virginia. It was a bright, sunny Saturday, not as warm as the two 70 degrees days we had, but warm enough that I didn't freeze my buns off while taking outfit shots. This is what I wore to celebrate one year of being a mom--I mean, hot mama.

fire engine cardi-vintage, linen snap down dress-UO, tights-Target, oxford heels-Sam Edelman


me with Aurora, in her vintage senorita dress. She got a huge orange Koosh ball!

We have one last celebration of Aquarians this upcoming weekend, and then no family birthdays for a while! I am excited to share some awesome finds with you--I've been pretty lucky with sales and thrift finds lately.

xo,
Amanda

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Dress Yourself in Etsy Vintage

I'm trying a new little feature on the blog...since I'm obsessed with Etsy shopping (window shopping mostly, since I would have to file for bankruptcy if I bought everything I wanted), I thought that maybe once a week I'd put together an outfit based 100% on Etsy pieces that I love. Here's my first look--it's pretty girly, a little gothic/romantic, definitely a cute date night outfit. What do you think?

pink sweater, allencompanyinc, $21

silhouette pin, victoriousyouth, $25

50s gabardine circle skirt, decades, $82

Bow Belt, AppleRedVintage, $16


suede high heel peep toe, omavintage, $52

Something really fun about this outfit is that the pieces are pulled from so many different decades: the skirt is 50s, belt is 60s, heels are 70s and sweater is 80s. Yet it all goes together! More proof that with clothing styles, what goes around comes around. That's why a lot of people also have trouble dating vintage Etsy items unless they are clearly labeled. Some pieces are so classic they could fit in most decades. These are the pieces I'm trying to collect for my own wardrobe (some great knee high boots, a pair of amazing heels, a full or pencil black skirt, strappy sandals, a trench coat, a bomber jacket, a floral dress, a plaid button up). What are your vintage must-haves?

xo,
Amanda

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Outfit Post: Fake Spring

It was 70 degrees here yesterday and I think it's only 40 degrees today. There is always a tease in February, but just because I knew it was a tease, that didn't keep me from taking advantage of the beautiful weather. I had Q take a few outfit shots.

I love spring and fall the most for clothing choices: summer is too hot and I hate shorts and baring a ton of skin is not something I'm really looking forward to. I love spring for its bare arms (so my arm tattoo can come out from hiding!), dresses and cardigans for when it's cool in the evenings or morning, and cute heels and wedges.

Here is what I wore yesterday:

top-thrifted H&M, skirt-vintage, vest-vintage, shoes-Jessica Simpson, magnifying glass necklace-vintage

Q took a few closeups, and I love them. I let my hair air dry and added the tiniest bit of product so the texture was great. Plus: red lips, my favorite.

I tweeted the other day about fearing bare legs, since I am notorious for forgetting to shave my legs. I did shave my legs, but what is hard to tell from this photo is that I'm wearing nude fishnets (by Spanx! They are amazing!) My legs are pasty and covered in various bruises and scratches from chasing a one year old around, so the tights, however sheer, make me feel a little better about baring my gams.

I got this tattoo as a way to commemorate surviving my first year of grad school. It's a stargazer lily, my favorite flower. I looked into its representations before choosing it: a sign of aspiration; wealth and prosperity. It just felt right. I met a wonderful artist at Jinx Proof Tattoos in Georgetown, and that was that. I got my third tattoo there as well, and I'm planning another for this summer...stay tuned (unless you're Mom and Dad, then: ignore this!).

Off to enjoy this beautiful Saturday--it's colder, but the sunshine will do.

xo,
Amanda

Friday, February 18, 2011

Outfit Post: Vintage Lovin' Sisters

These days I don't have much reason to get out of my pj's let alone get "dressed up" (for those of you who are new to the blog--I just had a baby in December and am now a stay at home mama. You can read about those adventures here). And while I do make an effort to at least change out of pj's each morning and into clothes that could be potentially worn in public...if I were to actually venture out into a public place...(which is a rare occasion as of late) those clothes usually consist of jeans and a sweater. So I was super excited for Amanda to come visit this past weekend--a chance to see my sister and a chance to try out a pretty new vintage frock!

We were celebrating Aurora's (Amanda's baby gal) first birthday....and also dressed with the intention of having some shots for promotional purposes (we are super excited about a blog redesign...coming SOON!). So yes, we did purposely wear outfits that kinda 'matched.'

Anyway...enough of the chit chat. Let's check out the clothes....

Jayme's wearing:
vintage mustard dress (now for sale in our shop!)
vintage leather belt
vintage deco necklace (soon to be for sale)
brown tights
vintage burgundy boots (must admit--I had on flat brown boots for most of the day and after seeing the first photos I looked like a midget next to Manda so I changed into these boots from our collection--they are, unfortunately, dead boots--the inside is sticky and the heel cap crumbled off...so they are not for sale and not really wearable other than for photos. [by the way, this is the second pair of Zodiac brand boots we've found that were "dead"...both amazing and unique and unwearable. What gives, Zodiac?)

Amanda's wearing:
vintage secretary blouse
vintage corduroy johnny collar jumper (soon to be for sale!)
leather belt
brown tights
Steve Madden platform clogs (a gift from moi!)

We had a pretty amazing haul of vintage goodies this weekend too-- it's always so much more fun to go thrifting as a team! Kind of like a race to see who finds the best stuff. And of course most of it then goes into the shop so our lovely customers can partake in our finds! **New lovelies coming to the shop in the next few days!**

xo

J&A

Thursday, February 17, 2011

CLOSED. Interview and Giveaway: Kimbarelli

Scarfs are an all-season accessory, and I love handknit, unique pieces. Kim of Etsy shop Kimbarelli makes beautiful scarves and much, much more! So without further ado...

Meet Kim of Kimbarelli

--What does your life outside of Etsy/blogging look like? I’m a happy camper, living the married life with a spontaneous & adorable man that I think is the bee’s knees :-) I love my entire family to pieces - they are all wonderful people. I feel lucky that they all live on the West Coast, as do most of my bosom buddies that have seen me become the knitaholic that I am lately. My day job keeps me very entertained and I’m a huge people-person anyway, so it works out well for me, since knitting can be a little anti-social!

--Describe yourself (or ask someone else to do it!) in three words. My dear husband thought about this for half a second and said, “Pretty f***in’ cool.” Not quite the trio of words I was thinking of... but if I had to pick three for myself (besides crafty :) I’d choose: loyal, easygoing and a keeper, for sure.

--Spring piece you can’t live without: It would definitely be my heather gray wool pea coat - the weather here in Eugene is pretty unpredictable into the spring so I'll be wearing that jacket into May, at least!

--Most recent fashion-related purchase: I just picked up a really sweet vintage herringbone wool pea coat. It needs a new lining, but it’s going to be fantastic when I finish it up.

--Do you craft/make anything else outside of what’s in your shop? I’ve been known to turn a bunch of t-shirts into a sweet blanket to snuggle up with, and a few simple clothing items here and there... I will try my hand at most anything creative if I get the chance.

--Any pet peeves? Mean/rude people who are proud of themselves for being mean/rude. It takes much more skill to be nice and still get one’s point across. Karma will prevail in the end!

--Bad habits? Aside from pushing the snooze button too much, I would say multi-tasking is a bad habit for me, outside of knitting, anyway. I used to think that having several different projects going on at once was a bad thing, but I've realized that I really don't mind starting something new when inspiration strikes. And I can switch it up if I get bored with the current piece I'm working on. Everything in moderation though!

--Desert-island food? Sushi, sushi, and more sushi. I could eat that stuff every day for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. Just ask my family :D

--Three bands/singers you can’t get enough of: The Beatles definitely top my list, and lucky for me they have a ton of material. Al Green + the Eagles tie for 2nd.

--Another blog you follow regularly (link us!): I love-love-LOVE the stories and illustrations in this blog. It’s my go-to when I need a good laugh.

http://www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com

--What made you decide to start a shop? I dabbled on Etsy a little in 2009, but it was the purchase of a 1960’s Maruyama knitting machine that really kicked things off in March last year. I have a ton of support & encouragement from my friends & family and they’re the original “guinea pigs” for the things I’ve made in the past.

--Significance of your shop name? It’s a derivative of Cinderella... I loved the way it sounded on the end of my name, so I went with it, and it’s been there ever since.

--Favorite item in your shop right now:

I absolutely adore this neck cuff - it was the first real angora piece that I made on the Maruyama and it turned out beautifully. It’s instantly warm and wears like a fluffy cloud against the skin.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66164368/angora-neck-cuff

Kim is giving one lucky reader a gorgeous handmade piece from her shop.

Win this cashmere merino cowl!

HOW TO ENTER:

Mandatory Entry
1. Follow our blog! Once you become a follower, just leave a comment below, telling what your favorite item from Kimbarelli is. If you’re already following the blog and our twitter—simply leave a comment, telling us what your favorite item is!

Additional Entries
2. Follow Miskabelle (@miskabelle) on twitter…and again, just a quick comment to let us know you did (with your twitter user name) and share what your favorite item from Kimbarelli is. If you already follow us, skip this entry.
3. Once we tweet about the giveaway, you can re-tweet to gain an extra entry!
4. HEART Miskabelle on Etsy (leave us a comment to let us know!)
5. HEART Kimbarelli on Etsy (leave us a comment again!)
6. Post this giveaway to your BLOG or Facebook, and leave a comment with the link!

This contest will run until next Thursday, February 24th. The winner will be chosen through a random number generator.

Good Luck!!
Manda &Jayme

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Outfit Post: Head to Toe, Under $10

I have a confession to make about my shopping habits: I'm one of the cheapest people you'll ever meet. Blame it on thrifting or growing up shopping in the clearance section, but there are very few items in my closet that I paid over $20 for (save the occasional pair of boots or an amazing dress or two).

You might make the assumption that my closet is full of cheap, holey junk: but you would be wrong. It's taken years to perfect the art of sale and thrift and vintage shopping, but now, I see it as a sort of gift I possess. Well, more of a skill, since it's been cultivated (and I believe it can be taught! I'll share a few tips as we go.) Here's my first thrifty and fabulous outfit, which I wore out to a friend's music show and a little "surprise" birthday celebration put together by my amazing husband (I don't say that lightly; he's the best).

dress-thrifted, tights-Target, belt-vintage, platform heels-Michael Kors via DSW, bracelets-gift from Jayme

me and my Love

So the working total of this outfit?

Dress--Thrifted (Old Navy) $3 (they were having a 50% off sale at my Goodwill on Valentine's Day! Score!)
Belt--Vintage (FREE-- in the shop here)
Tights-- Target $4.99
Peeptoe Platforms-- (FREE with a gift card: originally $200!!!) Michael Kors via DSW
Studded Bracelets-- Birthday gift from Jayme
TOTAL: $7.99

But doesn't this outfit look like a million bucks? I felt great in it. The heels were incredibly comfortable despite how they might look. I love how everything together, including my birthday (the last one of my 20s! yikes!).

More outfit posts including the GORGEOUS Jayme coming soon! Thanks for reading, loves.

xo,
Amanda

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Outfit Post: Birthday Suit

Today is my 29th birthday! I am celebrating by having coffee with a new writer friend this morning, enjoying the beautiful sunshiney spring day with Aurora with a walk to the park, then going out tonight for some dinner, music and drinks with Q and some friends! (He planned it all out but couldn't keep it a secret. So friends, if you're reading this, no need to pretend anymore!)

This morning, we woke up together and he gave me a new writing book and a handmade gift: a jewelry hanging shelf. He recycled an old spice shelf, added some dowel rods, hooks, and a thick wire so I can hang my necklaces and earrings where I can see/find them (I have jewelry everywhere around the house). It's perfect!

These outfit photos are from my birthday celebration with my family over the weekend. It was actually Aurora's first birthday (more on the Miskabelly blog later!) It was a perfect day! We had an awesome morning of thrifting, then a yummy thai lunch, then some antiquing, followed by taco night!


grunge floral dress-vintage, cocoon sweater-thrifted, tights-Target, boots UO

Here's a little peek inside my (shared) birthday celebration:

Aurora wearing Mama's new hat

1920's bedroom jacket and magnifying glass necklace from the antique shop, gifts from my parents

TACOS!

Strawberry tart for dessert (with mocha almond ice cream)

It was a fantastic weekend of family, food, parties, and Miskabelle goodness. Will share more celebrations with you later in the week!

Thanks for reading!
xo,
Amanda

Saturday, February 12, 2011

And the WINNER of the Wild & Free Jewelry Giveaway is...

...Asuka, entry #42!

asuka said...

Hearted wild & free on etsy as magnolica.
February 9, 2011 5:53 AM

Congratulations, Asuka! We'll be contacting you shortly to find out where to send your necklace.

Thank you to everyone who entered! xo J&A

True Random Number Generator

Min:

Max:

Result: 42

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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

CLOSED. Interview and Giveaway: Erin House Jewelry Designs

I fell in love when I stumbled upon Erin's Etsy site--and we think you will too. She creates some of the most unique, avant-garde, yet classic jewelry, all by hand (her jewelry is the real deal).

Meet Erin of Erin House Jewelry Designs

--What does your life outside of Etsy look like?
I live in Loleta, California. It is a really small and quiet town on the North coast. I live with my partner Michael and our two dogs, Savanah and Nilla. We love to go to the beach and run around with our dogs. I have been making jewelry for about eight years. I recently graduated from Humboldt State University with a studio art degree with an emphasis in metalsmithing. I had a desk job for about a year after school and I hated it. Now I am making jewelry full time at home and I love it!

--Describe yourself (or ask someone else to do it!) in three words.
Fun, loyal and passionate
--Winter piece you can’t live without:
It rains a lot here, so it would have to be my rain coat.
--Most recent fashion-related purchase:
I just got a vintage filigree gold and garnet ring. I love vintage jewelry!
--Do you craft/make anything else outside of what’s in your shop?
I sew a little. Easy stuff like skirts and aprons. I also love to cook!
--Any pet peeves?
I don’t like it when people chew with their mouths open.Yuk.
--Bad habits?
Television.
--Desert-island food?
Strawberries.
--Three bands/singers you can’t get enough of:
There are so many it is hard to chose only three.
Hot Chip
Steely Dan
Marcos Valle
--Another blog you follow regularly (link us!):
This is my good friend Erin Austin’s blog. She is finishing up Ring a Day (RAD) and she just started Ring a Week (RAW). Check out her work. She is so crazy awesome!
http://metalmusing.blogspot.com/
--What made you decide to start a shop?
I have done some local craft and art shows with a couple of girlfriends of mine and they both have a shop on ETSY, so it seemed like the thing to do. Also it seemed like the next logical step in getting my work out to the public. Next step is my own website.
--Significance of your shop name?
I wanted to keep it simple and use my name so it would be easy for anyone who has seen my work to find me online.Also my logo is an H with a housetop, because my last name is House.

--Favorite item in your shop right now:
I love this Malachite ring!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66357399/malachite-ring

Erin is giving way a gorgeous pair of handmade hammered disc earrings to one lucky reader!

HOW TO ENTER (same old, same old)

Mandatory Entry
1. Follow our blog! Once you become a follower, just leave a comment below, telling what your favorite item from Erin House Jewelry Designs is. If you’re already following the blog and our twitter—simply leave a comment, telling us what your favorite item is!

Additional Entries
2. Follow Miskabelle (@miskabelle) on twitter…and again, just a quick comment to let us know you did (with your twitter user name) and share what your favorite item from Erin House Jewelry Designs is. If you already follow us, skip this entry.
3. Once we tweet about the giveaway, you can re-tweet to gain an extra entry!
4. HEART Miskabelle on Etsy (leave us a comment to let us know!)
5. HEART Erin House Jewelry Designs on Etsy (leave us a comment again!)

6. Post this giveaway to your BLOG or Facebook, and leave a comment with the link!

This contest will run until next Wednesday, February 16th. The winner will be chosen through a random number generator.

Good Luck!!
Manda &Jayme