Quantcast
up home page bottom

French German version Spanish version Italian version

header image

category archive listing Category Archives: shopping

going tribal on yer ass

My most favorite spring collection so far must be the indispensable Matthew Williamson. A joyous mix of MIA-licious tribal prints and splashy, feminine, citrus colours making me totally weak in the knees (images courtesy of Style.com).

So now, of course, i’m completely obsessed with smothering myself in a lovely, clashing mess of batik, chiffon and scarves. And although I think I’ll have much better luck altering some early 90s thrift store finds, there are a few lovely tribal-inspired treasures to be found online. Let’s go shopping, shall we?

aztec bag
Aztec Bag $51 with 15% PAINFULLYHIP discount code

Tribal Top $31 with 15% PAINFULLYHIP discount code

Impressionist Tunic
$31 with 15% PAINFULLYHIP discount code
feather earrings
Chained Wings Earrings - Etsy $30


Greta Top $34.50

Ask Painfully Hip: I need a sweet leather bag that’s as roomy as my summer tote

Parmida, my friend in Vancouver, sent me this question along with a plethora of links to gorgeous floral and print totes.

So my darling, here is my dilemma: I love totes because they have so much space, but I want a big nice black leather purse to serve the same purposes. I now work and live in a shmucky area of town, so I can’t carry around my totes like I used to. But most oversized purses are quite ugly to me. I like simplicity, classic looks. Can you suggest anything?

When I read this question, I immediately thought of the adorable Irene Adler and her stunning collection of large leather vintage satchels.

I was lucky enough to find a similar bag in burgundy mock-crock designed for laptops for $30 at Winners (aka the Canadian version of TJMaxx), but I’ve also seen a few at thrift stores here and there including one with the tags still on which said Balenciaga, but I’m going to stick to my guns and pretend I was right about my assumption of it’s falsity. I would also do a search on eBay for “vintage satchels.” Try to find one that includes a shoulder strap just in case you’re totally high-maintenance and require the use of both hands, for whatever reason.

But if you’re not as lucky as I am lately (I’ve been bowing down to the gods of karma and begging them to keep that other shoe from dropping), there are some pretty boss new versions to be had online. I’m including leather-like goods as well for the sake of wallet-weakness (and the karma gods).

$36
Lauren’s big brown bag $33 with 15% painfullyhip discount code

geo
Geo retro doctor bag: $61 with 15% painfullyhip discount code YUM.

snakeprint
embossed snakeprint satchel $20

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Temperley London bags at shoptwigs.com

Ask Painfully Hip: How do you make great finds at the thrift store? or How to be a thrift star!

Hi Eve and Amber!

I just recently discovered your website and I thoroughly enjoy the photos you post of fantastically stylish, but very unique-looking women. I am making it my goal this year to seriously explore, research, stomp around the city, do whatever I can to source out cool thrift stores. So here comes my frank question. These women look so amazing and seem to find great items in thrift/vintage shops. I, of course, will not overlook the fact that what they exude of their character in their ensemble contributes to how interesting it looks. But here’s the thing that is just tugging at my mind: where are they finding these cool pieces? I know that by clicking on each photo, they cite where they have acquired each piece, but I still find myself feeling just….boggled…by where I need to go to find something as interesting as what these girls wear. I live in Vancouver and I do see SOME, not as many people as I like to be honest, wearing vintage in an interesting way, but perhaps I am not dedicating enough time or patience to digging through the racks? Are there any stores, or tips, you could suggest? Thanks for your time and have a great day!

Cheers,
Nadia

Thanks Nadia!
I know. My mind is boggled daily at the genius of our thrift stars. First off though, you should keep in mind that quite a few of our most featured ladies are professional thrifters! They make it their job to find amazing pieces to resell on eBay so they spend much more time than most of us filling their closets (and ours) with glorious, glorious vintage. So don’t get too down on yourself! That being said, here are a few tips to help you in the time you do spend with your nose in the mothball-scented racks.

1. Head for the hills!
Skip the thrift stores that are right in the middle of the city. Those are all picked through. You’re getting what’s left over when all the hip kids that live there (and work in the thrift store) have made off with all the good stuff. Go to the ‘burbs where senile old ladies are pricing the vintage lacoste shirts at 50 cents.

thrift store

2. Be there first! Have a score-gasm.
Most thrift stores have certain days when they put out their “new” inventory. Ask the clerks and find out when that is. Get there early that day and you won’t believe the treasures! Perhaps an almost new pair of Irregular Choice shoes worth $80 (seen it!)? A skinny vintage leather bomber? A Pucci scarf…? You never know!

puccishoes

3. Context, context, context…
I cannot overstate the importance of this. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the hideousness that overwhelms the racks. Muumuus, terrycloth jumpsuits, christmas sweaters, stretched out bicycle shorts… So in your hurry to sift through it all, you might nonchalantly skip over your new favorite piece. Try to make a day for yourself when no one is waiting for you when you can take your time and just try on everything. Get to know what looks good on your body, what would fit with your current wardrobe, what makes you feel happy! Think of how the piece would look with your favorite pair of jeans or new moccasins. Some ridiculously 80’s looking sweater might look completely hip with your edgy haircut and designer ankle boots. If it tickles you, TRY IT ON! Don’t be too quick to toss it aside because you don’t think you can pull it off. Challenge yourself!

80s sweater80s sweatersweaterdress

…Also, don’t stay stuck in the women’s section! If you’re petite, check out the kids section for a shrunken blazer or a little dress you can wear as a top! Or head over to the men’s section where you can find oversized cardigans or some nicely cut trousers. Think about ways you can alter things as well. Maybe that dress is frumpy as is, but hem off a few inches? A sophisticated mini dress.

4. Play dress-up.
This is the fun part. Get all your new shit home, pour yourself a glass of wine and spend a day ransacking your closet! Maybe invite a good (open-minded and positive) friend over for a second opinion, but remember you’re trying to challenge yourself. Try your new finds on in different combinations and with different hairstyles. Try layering them under and over things you already have. Try different colors of tights, different kinds of shoes and accessories. Go crazy, loosen up. You’re in your own house, there’s nothing to worry about. Get used to seeing yourself in a new light (repeat to yourself, “I’m a thrift STAR!”) and maybe soon you’ll have the confidence to wear some of your crazy concoctions out of the house!

5. Post on Wardrobe Remix.
I know I’m shooting myself in the foot with this one, having to look through the overload every week, but seriously! One of the rules of wardrobe remix is that the outfit must be something you actually wore. So do it! Swallow your self-doubt and rock your new finds! The cool thing about wardrobe remix is that the more creative you are, the more good feedback you tend to get. And the more good feedback you get, the more confident you’ll feel.

picture-1.png

6. Don’t have time for all that? Spend a little more money and shop online or in boutiques.
If you have too little time and a bit extra money to spend, eBay, online vintage shops and boutiques are a good alternative. They have stylish people doing all the digging and legwork for you. Some stores even have great stylists who will put the clothes into context with current trends on a hip model for you. Here’s a good list of online shops to get you started…
olive shoppeblazerliebe

Liebemarlene Vintage
Thriftwares
The Olive Shoppe
Sally Jane Vintage
Vintage Revolver
PastModern Vintage
La Meow Vintage
Tin Roof Vintage
Mill Street Vintage
California Vintage Connect
Indie Cult Vintage
Vintage Amour
Get a discount with coupon code PAINFULLYHIP at:
PenelopePups Vintage
ModCloth Vintage

If you know of any more awesome thrift stores or tips and tricks, please leave em in the comments. Rock!

Let me tell you ’bout the birds and the bees.

I suppose this new-ish fashion obsession began quite some time ago.  When I was formulating this current blog in my mind, I remembered an old blog entry: Tuesday May 30, 2006. And one [reason] why I am glad I came back. “Anglo Mania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion.”  At the MET.  Yesterday.  The Stephen Jones Raven Headdress was debilitating. 

I had just returned from studying in Italy and was none too happy about it.  After traveling to New York to visit some friends, my spirits had been lifted.  Perhaps it is within this euphoric fashion rush that my current fascination first took unconcious root. 
I am sure that many of you have seen the stunning images from the Alexander McQueen s/s 08 collection.  Here are just a few that best display the fashion topic at hand:

alexandermcqueen

 
Feathers in general are HUGE this spring, but Philip Treacy and Alexander McQueen created the most elaborate themed accessories, bar none.  From steel headdresses with giant dragonflies to swarms of butterflies to feathered faces to flock-like dresses, they did it all.  And if there is one thing I adore most, it’s fashion at it’s most artistically forward.  Nevertheless, aesthetics must still have function in fashion for the average wearer.  And just as quickly as I was pondering about the flora and fauna’s wearablility, one of the most trend-setting Swedish bloggers on the Internet re-interpreted these Isabella Blow-worthy pieces into something much more delicate and everyday.  Amanda of The Moderniteter:

moderniter

Now, since I cannot read Swedish, I cannot be completely sure of what material these particular butterflies are made.  I do know that while thrifting the other day I stumbled across a bag of old florist butterflies.  Which are made out of feathers!   (And I paid only a quarter a piece!)  Once home, I wired them to a small barrette with rose buds (also purchased at a thrift store) and voila!  - killed two birds with one stone.  Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Self-Made

Hipster Holiday Guide: discounted, no-brainer gifts for the painfully hip ones in your life

no idea what to get for your painfully hip sister / girlfriend / friend / cousin / niece / aunt / mother? seriously, don’t sweat it. you’re golden with these picks (in order from cheapest to most splurgey…)


cuff
$5.40 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

everyone needs a good staple bangle cuff. this one is stupidly cheap and wicked. hammered metal to get hammered in.

fingerless gloves
$8 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

they don’t know yet how much they’re craving these cozy fingerless gloves.

piratecardholder
pirate ID/business card case $9.90 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

perfect for a night out to keep your shit together, hold your business cards and start a conversation.

pompom scarf
$14.40 with hip97 discount code

pompoms and peacock are totally IN right now. just tell them i said so.

nylon book
$22.50 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

anyone who loves this blog will adore this book. a great collection of global street style and an entertaining accessory for any coffee table or porcelain palace.

bowberet
$22.50 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

how can you not love this hat? perfect for bad hair days or just bad days in general.

grey sweater
$22.50 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

ah, the sweater. the go-to gift for the guy on the go. this one has a little more style than the usual reindeer-emblazoned affair. would look awesome layered over long sleeves, skinny jeans and yummy boots.

apron
$31.50 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

for the kitchen hipster, the best kind of hipster. finally they can look hot wearing spaghetti sauce.

swing jacket
$32.40 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

most girls love tiny jackets almost as much as they love shoes. this will look equally fantabulous worn over a little black dress or jeans and a T.

carabag
$35 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

a totally versatile, slouchy perforated bag. the “bows” convert into a shoulder strap and I betcha it’ll fit their new MacBook.

PJs
$42 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code

who doesn’t love them some ridiculously soft and cozy pajamas for christmas? i would live in this.

white sweater
$47 with hip97 discount code

if they deserve to be happy, they deserve this sweater.

Obligatory Holiday Party Dress Post, or… How to Wow for Nearly Nothing

I never get invited to formal/semiformal holiday parties. Am I the only one, or is it a conspiracy to sell more dresses? Maybe it’s because I don’t have a corporate job, I dunno, but apparently they’re a pretty common occurance. Guess nobody important likes me…

Oh well (sniffle…), I love any pathetic excuse to wear formal wear so I’ll take any excuse to pretend shop for formal wear. Ah screw it, at these prices? I’ll buy one of these to wear to Aunt Mildred’s Annual Hannukah Kosher Chili Cook-Off…!


sunset
mezzo sunrise dress $29.70 with coupon code PAINFULLYHIP
Ridiculous pricing over there at The Fusion Boutique! I seriously adore this dress!

lacey
cream lace ruffle shift $39 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code
just in case you need a serious dose of unadulterated girlyness.


simeon dress $37.99
quick! wear as many yummy bubble dresses as you can before they become woefully outdated!

modcloth
creme brulee dress $76.50 with PAINFULLYHIP discount code
absolutely anyone can wear this classic 50s shape, but the modern shatter print makes it feel fresh.

peacock&purple
beaded crinkle chiffon dress $49
loving jewel tones this season. a touch of peacock and purple royalty for the pauper at heart.

sequined mini
sequined mini $31.50 with PAINFULLYHIP coupon code.
…oh please! at this price i’ll wear this dress to do my gardening in! it would look amazing with some black rubber wellies!

Packing My Bags.

Good lord, do we have a treat for all y’all. It’s our favorite of the Remixers, come to dole out some of her most succulent wisdom of thrift couture and DIY fashion. We are honored to feature our most regular Thrift Star of the Week, Sarah (aka Sherbet Tone), our new regular blogger.
Enjoy…!
signing off,
Amber & Eve

After watching the Darjeeling Limited the other evening, I found myself craving even more the one thing that has been on my mind all winter:  Vintage Luggage.  Anyone who has seen the film will probably recall the delicious custom, hand-painted Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton pieces that play a central role.  (Unfortunately, I was unable to find a quality photo of these gems.)  Though, I am not talking luggage for travel, I am talking luggage for life.  It seems that so many of the-way-out-of-any-twenty-something-post-college-girl’s-budget “it” bags recall the shape, texture, and details of vintage travel totes and train cases.  Take for example this lovely girl (from Facehunter):

Based-on the details of that tiny suitcase and the pattern, my best guess would be vintage.  And it’s absolutely perfect.  I think the key is getting one that is just the right size.  I recently purchased a children’s vintage suitcase from House Vintage in Portland, OR.  (The reason  am touting vintage, in particular, is because it tends to have qurky and whimsical patterns and hues that make it stand out.)  It was exactly what I had been desperately searching for:

However, the possibilities go well-beyond suitcases.  There are also the brightly-colored, wonderfully roomy totes of the 60s and 70s.  Anyone who is a fan of wardrobe remix will have noticed everyone from lewis.samuel to ringo, have a banana to mystery bugs carrying varitions of just this thing.  And with a little DIY, those bags could have anything the carrier desires painted on them as well.  So, in short, don’t be afraid to roam with excess baggage.
  

     

bootie patootie - a motley variety of ankle boots for under $50

My love for the ankle boot knows no bounds. I want one in every flavor, era, genre, race and creed! Please, oh please, just gimme somma these…
I like ‘em futuristic:

space bootie $39.50
Alloy - $39.50

old timey…

buttony

slouchy…
brown
Alloy - $49.50
button $36
ModCloth - $36 (with PAINFULLYHIP discount code)
red-35
delia*s - $35

sporty…

sporty-39
Yoox by Adidas - $39 (only in sz.6.5/9/10)

Looove me a moccassin…!

mocc
Piperlime - $40

mocassins 49.50
Alloy - $49.50

…and am i completely insane? I sorta love the following bastardizations of nature. The incestuous, retarded lovechild of a bootie, a peeptoe and a double strap maryjane:

shoeboot-25
Newport - $25

I think maybe I need help being more judgemental or one day I’ll be kidnapped and murdered by an ankle boot I picked up hitchhiking.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,


thrift stars of the week! (amber’s picks from wardrobe remix) 2 Oct 07

click on photos for more information or see the wardrobe remix flickr pool for more photos. for some reason these sort of ended up in order of least to most colorful…

louise
hello, ms. brooks! shall we go riding this fine day? yowza.

pixie
painfully hip just can’t get enough of beautiful fin, piksi and her high-waisted skirts. love the peekaboo of purple tights.

sweater leggings
her awesome leggings match her awesome sweater! love the pose.

schoolgirl
more purple legwear! this outfit is pretty close to perfect.

curtain
sherbet tone (pictured below) described this outfit in the comments as “roman aristocracy.” lovely.

agathe
i adore this dress. i need a navy cardi to go with my navy knee socks, dammit.

leatherjacket
this leather jacket is made of pure magic.

VSociety
this is what the vintage society girl wears to run errands? damn, i just realized what a stumblebum i am.

yokoo
yokoo is amazing. not only can she dress herself like nobody’s business, she’s also an amazing photographer. she took the last 2 gorgeous photos in my geek specs post.

sherbettone
sherbet tone’s tee is one of those sparkly 80s prints that reads “i’m huggable” yet i would almost describe this outfit as elegant. touche!

boboniaa
i think i’m dreaming. that dress is just… gah.

slip
it’s beautiful Adore Vintage again. just outside the frame is an insane mob of boys being held back by a riot squad.

sallyjane
sally jane jackie o’s it up. can she do any wrong? um, no.

nag
not that this sweater is especially ugly, but don’t you love how ugly/festive sweaters are actually hip again? and these little knickers are to die for.

colorexplosion
i’m not sure if this color explosion would work without the black bag anchoring everything, but i love it!

…i also love painfully hip reader discounts! i have a serious obsession with both flower sleeves and mustard (both only $24):
painfullyhipad2.jpg

unlimited dresses for the price of one

i’m seriously considering splurging on this dress from Etsy:

chameleon dress

lady peacock chameleon dress $85
but only because it comes with a free dvd on how to also make it look like this:
dressstyles.jpg
it’s like fashion play-doh! the possibilities are endless! gorgeous fall colors and awesome for layering too. what fun! if i ever planned to wear it, i’d have to leave an extra hour to get ready because i’d have be able to decide how to style my dress and my hair. i have enough trouble deciding on accessories.


Close
E-mail It
Socialized through Gregarious 42