Oh my goodness!  This week’s eBay feature is a FANTASTIC find.  Someone has generously donated a brand new Roberto Cavalli evening dress (sold at Neiman Marcus).  It’s a European size 44, which is equivalent to a US size 14.  The retail value of this dress is $460.  The current bid on eBay?  $18!  There’s only four days left open in this auction, so make sure you get in on the bidding!

This week we are featuring a gorgeous antique charm bracelet that is a must have for your jewelry collection.  Charm bracelets are one of those pieces of jewelry that never go out of style – they are simply updated for the times.

Note the charm bracelet on actress Romy Schneider (popular in the 1950’s – 1970’s and best know for her work in the “Sissi” trilogy).

And here is Mary-Kate Olsen flaunting some modern charm bracelets:

The bracelet we are featuring is from the late nineteenth-century (height of the Victorian era) and makes a great vintage addition to your collection.  The bracelet is gold filled and measures 7″ in length (note one charm is detached from the bracelet, but easily fixable).

Check out the pictures below and visit our eBay site for more photos and description...the auction is open and bidding ends on Tuesday, January 19.

It’s that time of year when static cling decides to make itself known.  That cute sweater dress that looked so great in the fall is now sticking to you like glue (you don’t want to be seen walking down the street tugging at your dress like Lily Allen) .  While there are many fabric softeners and dryer sheets that advertise themselves as static cling prevention, the majority of these products are filled with chemicals that are not good for you or the planet.  Never fear, though, because there are several ways to get rid of static cling that are easy and chemical free:

1.Air dry your clothes!  Static cling is caused by friction between materials, especially when the materials are dry and there is low humidity, which happens when you machine-dry your clothes in the winter.  Wash  your clothes and then use a drying rack as the easiest way to avoid static cling.

2. If you can’t wait for your clothes to air dry, toss them in the dryer, but take them out before they are 100% dry.  Hang them on a drying rack and that 10% or so of moisture left in the clothes will create some humidity that will prevent static cling.

3. Machine-dry cotton clothes only.  Synthetics like nylon, rayon, and polyester are the culprits of most static cling tragedies.  Learn more tips at the Grinning Planet.

4. This site recommends adding 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup borax to your wash load.

5. They also recommend the “metal hanger trick” for clean clothes:  “Put on the garment. If it is a skirt or dress, simply reach up underneath it with a metal hanger and brush the inside of the garment with it, top to bottom. If it’s pants, elongate the hanger and reach up inside each pant leg, brushing downward.”

6.  Try using natural fabric softeners by companies like Seventh Generation, which uses vegetable-based ingredients instead of chemicals.

How do you avoid or get rid of static cling in the winter?  Share your thoughts in our comments section!

Dear readers,

This is the time of year when I pull out pants, shirts, sweaters, and skirts that I haven’t seen in close to 8 months – and then I remember, oh yeah, this sweater has a hole I told myself I was going to fix or “I would still wear these pants if it wasn’t for this tear…”

One of the best ways to get “new” clothes is to fix and mend the much loved ones you already have.  Below you will find links to articles that share great tips on how to tailor, sew, and mend your way to a fresh new closet of clothes!

But there’s a hole in my pocket!

Stop losing change and fix that hole!  This is probably the easiest snafu to fix, especially for your favorite pair of jeans. 

Crafting a Green World has an easy to follow post on how to mend that hole and extend the life of those jeans just a *bit* longer.  Though the tutorial is for jeans, I think it can be extended to any pair of pants.

Hemming…

Speaking of jeans, you may have a few pair that fit really well, but are dragging you down with their length.  Hemming pants is surprisingly easy – I used to bring long pants to the tailor, but no more!  Once again, Crafting a Green World comes to the rescue – all you need is a pair of jeans, a double-fold bias tape maker, and a sewing machine (or a sturdy sewing needle).

Hodge Podge

If you have never checked out San Francisco Indie Fashion, I recommend you do – while they focus primarily on Bay Area designers, they also often have great tips on fashion, sewing, and tailoring.  In the spirit of “revamping” your closet, they share five tailoring ideas on how to take what you already have – and make it new.  As they point out, it IS ok to take clothes to the tailor – if you have nice clothes you want to last, it is worth the investment – dressing up the outfits with different accessories also extends the wearability of your clothes.

Other ideas they share are turning a dress into a shirt, changing the sleeves on a shirt, converting a tie-neck halter to a button closure, and replacing the lining (a GREAT idea for much loved winter jackets).  Read more here.

To fix or not to fix…

Lastly, to leave you with some food for thought, I recommend you read (or re-read) this article that appeared in the Boston Globe awhile back: “Can this garment be saved?”  It explores when you should and shouldn’t save that article of clothing and related costs.

Do you have any tailoring tips or shortcuts?  Please share them with us!

Dear readers,

I am excited to present a guest post from Anne at Rural Runway, one of our favorite blogs over here at Goodwill.  Anne and Patience gave us a back to school and fall fashion tour at the Bangor Goodwill.

Patience found this beige dress (a great neutral!) and we decided to spice it up with a metallic belt and a furry bag. Patience also loved these butterfly ballet slipper flats.

Anne thought this gray plaid dress would be practical for work, with a matching belt (too bad both were a little too big). Plaid patterns are making a big comeback this fall…we’re curious to see whether they catch on. And a pair of high black boots is always a great closet staple.

Argyle is also a great print that never seems to go out of style. Patience chose this sweater with colors that look great on her. The jeans are hers, and the flip-flops on the rack still had tags on them!

Still thinking about work attire, Anne chose a fitted houndstooth blazer and belted it a la Michelle Obama. The belt adds some much needed color to this outfit. The wool trousers are lined, so they’re less itchy, and probably cost $100+ retail. A great find!

Of course, no trip to Goodwill is complete without trying on a fur coat. We got a kick out of these styles. Vintage clothing is so much fun, because there’s history in each item.

Finally, Anne wanted to show off a fun plaid dress she found at the Portland Goodwill on Forest Ave. Perfect for work, or the weekend!

Happy back-to-school shopping, everyone!