Store Directories and Giveaway Winner

Hello folks,

Giveaway Winner

Thanks so much for participating in my Julep giveaway!  Rachel M. is our winner, and her prize will be sent out in the next 48 hours.  I'm sure there will be another giveaway in future, sign up for updates via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Bloglovin (links to all on the right toolbar) to hear about them first!

And if you're still interested in trying out Julep's nail and makeup products you can get a free introductory box.

Store Directory

I know I've had a list of places you can find ethical plus sized clothing, and I've loved putting it together.  And for a while I've been working on compiling a new list of places I currently shop, for both clothes and other items, so if you're looking for new places to try you'll have a list at your fingertips.  Hopefully it'll also be a place you can come if you'd like to work on holiday shopping or finding your style.  If you want geeky shirts in plus sizes it's also got a good variety, as does my next list.

I'll also have a list of places I'd like to try with an area where you can suggest places you think I'd like.  There are several great shops with geeky designs that have plus sized options available that I'm itching to try.

Between these lists you'll be able to find all my different affiliates, so if you want to support my blog as you shop you'll find it as easy as possible.  I'll be updating all the lists regularly, so if you've visited before you may find new treasures the next time you look.  You'll find the lists in the top bar as well as in this post:

Ethical Plus Size Fashion 

Places I Shop

Stores I Want To Try

I'm sorry I don't have more of a real post today, but I've had an awful cold and can't concentrate nearly as well as usual.  This was much was a struggle honestly, but I can't wait to see you all Wednesday!

Love,
Lydia

October Outfits & Julep Unboxing

Hi friends,

I'm excited to share my latest Julep subscription box with you all, plus some recent outfits.

Julep

Julep is my favorite subscription box and nail polish brand.  They also make some great makeup, though in this box I just ordered nail items.  The beauty of this box is you can either choose between 6 curated boxes and upgrades or pay $5 more to create your own boxes.  To me it's worth it to create my own boxes.  You typically get 3 items, and then can get additional add on items, with a free item if you've added on 3.  It comes out to about $5 per item if you go for the box with add ons.  You can also skip you box as often as you need to, which is great if you want the fun of a box on a budget.  Julep typically comes out with 8-12 new nail colors each month, so there's always something fresh.  And I find most polishes last 5 days without chipping, and 7-8 if you use their base and top coat.  So here's my October box:

It had several other colors I'd ordered for the giveaway, plus a little bag of candy corn.  It came with this instructional card.  It makes me wish I'd ordered one of the eyeshadows!  Maybe next time I get a box I will, though I'm skipping November's.

These colors are wonderful, and I've done some tests to give you all an idea of just what they look like.  I realized after the fact that I'd ended up with some fantastic Halloween themed shades!  From the top down there's Darby - huntsman green with microglitter shimmer, Jocelyn (new)- a cranberry shimmer with holographic microglitter, Nicola (new)- a transparent peach glitter that glows in the dark (works great!), Sherri (new)- a bright purple stardust finish (stardust finish is slightly more matte with lots of texture, and no need for a top coat), and Arielle, a smoked fig (dark muted purple) cream.

I tested the colors on a paper towel and also the mini plastic bag so you could see what concentrations look like and what the finish looks like as well.  On my nail you see Arielle, which I used as the darkest shade in an ombre look pictured further down.

I also tried adding a stripe of Nicola over all the colors,  it doesn't change their colors much at all, though it makes the stardust finish more shiny.

Here's a peek at that ombre look too:

I used Arielle as the darkest shade, then Nedra, Alexa, Elisa, and Joanna.

You can get a FREE welcome box with the brand new Metallic colors and eyeliner seen below by clicking the on the image and using the code MADLOVE.


And if that's not enough you can also get in an entry to my giveaway for these lovely colors and holographic decals seen below by midnight tonight!

Lydia, Lee, Florence, and Sandi!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for the Outfits!

Top - Forever 21, Necklace - Phoebe Marie via Etsy, Bag - available here at Amazon◊, Jeans - Torrid, Flats - Torrid

Dress - LuLaRoe, Necklace - Marsha Elliott Designs via The Blue Ridge Parkway Craft Center, Leggings - Target, Boots - Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

This outfit is a deviation from my capsule wardrobe, but I was so excited about the new dress from LuLaRoe that I had to post it!  I've recently been introduced to LuLaRoe through my friend Nicole, they're pretty much all American made clothing that's super comfy.  Their collection ranges from casual to business casual in mostly soft cotton materials.  Their designs stay consistent from season to season, but the fabric patterns change regularly and are made in small quantities.  I got this dress plus a top, which will be in my winter capsule wardrobe.

Thanks all this time, but I'll see you all next week!

Love,
Lydia

Thred Up VS Poshmark + A Julep Giveaway!

Hi friends!

Today I'm finally getting to my comparison review of Poshmark and Thred Up.  Both are excellent sites to sell your new and gently used clothing, shoes, and on Poshmark accessories and makeup too.  So, let's take a look!

Thred Up

Buying from Thred up

Pros: 

1. Good sized inventory for most sizes
2. Quick turnover, especially in plus sizes
3. Pretty fast delivery since your order comes straight from their warehouse
4. Items have little or no signs of use (supposedly, for what it's worth I bought a dress that had a rip in it which got past their inspectors)
5. Free returns within 2 weeks of receiving your order
6. You can get $20 in credit (no strings attached! You receive it in your account as soon as your friend makes their first order of any amount.) for each person you refer, and they get $20 too.  Here is my link - http://www.thredup.com/r/A6CEKT

Cons:

1. Very little plus size selection over a size 18, there are typically 200 or less items in my size (20-24)
2. Some fantastic brands are not accepted by their site - City Chic, Aeropostale, American Apparel, many department store brands from stores like Belk, JC Penney, Kohls, etc, and other less known or foreign brands.
3. People can hoard items by putting items in their cart for 24 hours, and repeating before time is up (I've found leaving a browser window with the first page of your size open and hitting reload every 10-15 minutes in the evening will show new items often)
4. Items may be missing belts or other accessories, always noted.
5. It can take 3 weeks or more to process a return
6. They're desperate enough for plus sizes they tend to have a good number of items that aren't on trend from brands targeted to more mature women simply because they're nice quality. (example below, hello dated seasonal applique!)
7. The site has sales on items only when they've been in their stock longer than they'd like, which I have never seen happen with any plus size items because the demand is so great.

My buying experience:

I bought 4 items between the credit I had from a friend, the $5 payout and spend $11 out of pocket for the remaining amount.  Of the 4 items two were too big, one was surprisingly too small, and one item fit beautifully, but had a rip at the waist.  I loved the ripped item enough to keep and repair, though I was surprised that it got past their inspections.  The other items were pristine though!  I think in most cases you will not run into this issue, so I will be buying from them again.

This is what I ordered, the green dress was the item kept, the boots were too small in the calf, but gave no measurement so I was ordering blind and assuming Lane Bryant would have reasonably wide calf boots.  The tiny flaws listed on two of the items were marks that would come out in the wash or very light signs of wear.

Selling on Thred Up

Pros:

1. They do the work for you - you get a postage paid bag sent to you, which you fill and send back.
2. It takes very little time.
3. You can get cash (through Paypal) or credit for your items.
4. You can clean out your closet in the least intimidating way possible.

Cons:

1. They typically accept under half of most bags sent to them.
2. You have to be very critical of what items you send in regards to condition.
3. The don't accept certain brands and are overstocked on others, check their site for details.
4. You get 1/4 of whatever they think any item is worth, which may not be very much.

My selling experience:

I sent a bag with a total of 17 accepted items (out of about 28, so a good ratio for those selling plus size).  I got a total if $18.06 for those items, and paid $12.99 to have the remaining items shipped back to me.  I'm glad I did because I didn't realize until after mailing things to them that they wouldn't accept items from City Chic (an Australian brand I love which is sold in Nordstrom and a growing number of their own US stores, which are so far all in California.)  So I made a whopping $5 in profit.  I was not impressed, and quickly knew I wouldn't be selling with them again.  However, depending on the stores you prefer you may do much better than I did.  I don't think their service is bad, just not right for me.  I'd rather put in the work and see greater profits because of it.

Which brings me to Poshmark

Buying from Poshmark

Pros:

1. You usually see the exact condition of the item you're getting
2. You can ask the seller questions
3. The site will have sales that give you free shipping or other discounts pretty regularly.
4. You can make a lower offer on an item you like.
5. Shipping is usually pretty fast because sellers want to please their buyers.
6. There is a huge amount of plus sized items!
7. There is more variety in brands, and items since they also allow you to sell jewelry and makeup.
8. You can earn $5 when a friend uses your code on their first purchase.  It also gets them $5 off their purchase, win-win!  You can use my code PYIHF for $5 off at http://www.Poshmark.com

Cons:

1. There is a chance you could get an item that doesn't match up with the pictures or condition it was reported to be in, but you can dispute that and get a refund.
2. There are more well used items to sift through.
3. Photos of items may be less than ideal.
4. There are people who make careers selling here, which you may or may not want to deal with.
5. You can't return items, though you can certainly resell them.

My buying experience: 

I haven't bought from Poshmark yet, but having made a sale I can see pretty well how it works from a buyer's standpoint.  You'll be a little nervous the first time or two, but mostly have great luck with honest people like you who want to sell their clothing for fair prices.  I have my eye on several pairs of purple converse sneakers and there's much less rush to purchase items.  You have a much better chance to compare items without the pressure to buy while it's available as Thred Up would be.  Here's a shot of their search interface for desktop, it just keeps scrolling and has hundreds of items for what I searched:

Selling on Poshmark

Pros:

1. It's easy for anyone who's tried eBay or Etsy.
2. You mostly fill in blanks and pick the category your item is in.
3. You print a prepaid shipping label and drop your item in the mail if your item sells.
4. You can get cash or credit from Poshmark.
5. You can bundle items (and add a slight discount on bundles), which make buyers more likely to purchase from you.
6. You get a better cut of your sales.
7. You can always go back and edit your item listings, and even lower an item's price, which will send an email to anyone who saved it if you changed the price by 15% or more.

Cons:

1. You have to follow site rules, not too tough.
2. You get better results if you use your own photos, so you have to be able to take reasonably good photos.  
3. You have to post all sales through their app, not on a desktop site.
4. You have to make your item as accurate as possible and be very honest about any flaws it may have, which can take work to sounds good.
5. You have to remember buyers are also paying $5 for shipping.

My selling experience:

I listed my first items on October 4th and added a couple more a few days later.  One of the items listed later (October 12th!), sold on October 14th.  And I've found the process very easy to handle.  I listed the item at $15 (originally $25, it was still in new condition), a person made me an offer for $12, which I accepted, and I earned $9 off the sale. You only need 1-3 sentences about your item, a good description and a couple photos.  Pictures of the item on you or another person who's not a model tend to do well, but my first item only had a shot of it on a hanger as the main picture and a picture of the model wearing it as a secondary photo.  I love the site, and I think the only thing I don't like is that I can't list on my computer.

Thred Up

Use this Thred Up link for $20 off!     

Poshmark

My Poshmark Closet (use code PYIHF for $5 off)


If you've got more tips are trick for either site let me know in the comments.  Thanks so much for reading and please look below for my first ever giveaway!

Love,
Lydia

Julep Giveaway!

One lucky reader will get a set of 4 Julep nail colors and a set of holographic decals.  Julep makes amazing nail polish which last up to a week without chipping, and they even have a subscription box!  You can sign up here via my affiliate link and read more about my last unboxing here to find out more.  This giveaway will last just over a week, so hurry and enter while you can!  The colors included are as follows: 

1. Lydia - a Stardust textured finish in a pyrite color that shows as gold to green
2. Lee - a red creme finish (these first two being my first and middle names!)
3. Florence - a lovely nude creme shade
4. Sandi - an eggplant creme color

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Announcement, 10 Wantables, and Outfits

Hi friends,

I'm so glad the weather here is finally better for wearing jeans, boots and sweaters.  Today I've got a bunch of outfits for you, plus a bit of a fun as I look at items I've seen and loved.  Perhaps some will become part of future capsule wardrobes, but one thing is for sure, they're on my mind today.

ModCloth Announcement!

Also I have a huge announcement that I'm incredibly excited about!  I am now a ModCloth affiliate!!  I love their clothes to death and am thrilled that they trust me to share their wonderful styles with you all.  What this means is when you click a link from here to ModCloth and make a purchase (any item, not just what I may link) you help support me.

Fall Wantables

1. The Intrigue All About It coat in Crimson from ModCloth *Affiliate*

2. This Batgirl shirt from Sons of Gotham!

3. A gorgeous Aaron tulle skirt from Whimsy Luxxe (I'm thinking lavender maybe?)

4. This Lace Front Button Tunic from Torrid

5. These amazing Pink Clove Metallic leggings from ASOS

6. The Coach Tour dress in Teal from ModCloth *Affiliate*

7. An adorable Shooting Star Shoulder Bag from My Lolita Dress

8. A pair of Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Lo Tops in Eggplant Peel

9. This Tee of the amazing new Thor from Her Universe◊

10.  These lovely Plum wash Jeggings from Torrid

Whew....Now for the outfits!

Top - Target , Shorts - Levis/Amazon, Flip Flops - Old Navy

Top - Forever 21, Necklace - Forever 21 (I couldn't find it to photograph, sorry!), Skirt - Target, Leggings Target, Boots Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

Not quite and outfit, but one of the examples of scarf wearing that is finally happening.  Yay fall!  Scarf - Dress Barn, Top -  Ocean Pacific/Walmart

Hoodie - Target, Top - Target, Jeans - Lane Bryant, Boots - Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

I was so nervous about wearing these palazzo pants out the first time.  I really love them, and they're incredibly comfy.  Top - Target, Necklace - Anthropologie, Pants - Dress Barn Woman, Boots - Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

Flannel Shirt - Walmart, Wonder Woman Tee - Torrid, Jeans - Torrid, Ballet Flats - Payless

Tell me folks, if you wear palazzo pants how do you style them to keep people from thinking they're pajamas?  That thought kept sneaking in while I was wearing them, so I made sure I dressed it up a bit (despite only wearing it out to get groceries.)  Also, what are your top wanted items?  Share it all with me in the comments!

Love,
Lydia

Fashion Inspiration

Hi friends,

So today I wanted to talk about some of the fashionable folks I'm inspired by and soon I'll also examine some of the recent frustration I've had with my fall capsule wardrobe, but that's enough for a whole post of it's own.

Fashion Inspiration

Zooey Deschanel

I know she's got the whole manic pixie dream girl thing going on in most of the acting she does, but her style is just great!  She rocks the retro inspired looks hard and stays adorable while she makes music, helps run the website she cofounded, and acts.  The link above goes to her site Hello Giggles!

 

Janelle Monae

Ms Monae writes brilliant music that crosses genres forming a commentary on society as well as singing about love, and even science fiction.  Bryan and I both really enjoy her music and her style draws from retro and menswear styles, though these days she's doing more feminine looks too.

With Wonder and Whimsy

Liz is a blogger like me who has a fun and girly sense of style that I love!  I used smaller images here because I really think you should stop by her site and check out more pictures and her own writing as well.  I've been taking some cues from her blog and will soon have an option for folks to shop my closet as I try out Poshmark! (A site you can buy/sell new or gently used clothing)

Felicia Day

Felicia is kind of nerd famous, and I love her.  She's written a book and been in numerous TV shows and such.  Along the way she's great at finding ways of staying true to herself.  Her style is the most casual and in many ways the most like my own.

Who inspires your sense of fashion?  I'd love to hear more and be inspired by you too!

Love,
Lydia