Thrift Shopping
Showing posts with label Thrift Shopping. Show all posts

Sven Clogs Review and Giveaway!

If you read about my clog obsession here, then it should come as no surprise that I felt like I won the lottery when the good people at Sven contacted me. They sent me two pairs of fabulous clogs of my choice and offered to give away a free pair to one lucky Queso Suizo reader!

Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation for writing the following review, nor did I agree to write a review after receiving these clogs through the courtesy of Sven. These thoughts are 100% my own, and I am happy to endorse this Made in USA company! The giveaway is sponsored by Sven Clogs. 

First, let me say that I think clogs are such versatile footwear. You can dress them up or down, and paired with tights, you can even wear them in winter (OK, San Diego winter). But, I think they are the most fun to wear with shorts and skirts during summertime.

Thrifted top, American Apparel chambray shorts, and Sven clogs style 1823 in yellow smooth leather with brown base
Thrifted top, American Apparel skirt, and Sven clogs style 111-83 in Honey Nu Buc with double-dipped base
Now, on to the pros and cons...

Pros:
*Most clog styles are completely customizable. You can choose between a natural, brown, or black base. Upon inquiring about another style, I also discovered that you can get an even darker brown base by requesting a "double-dipped" base. You can also choose between patent leather, Nu Buc, smooth leather, metallic leather, or suede, all in a variety of colors. Want a two-tone look? Just call the company after you place your order to explain the details of what you'd like.
*Choose your style based on three different heel heights.
*The Nu Buc is so smooth and comfy, I didn't need to break in the honey-colored pair. 
*Super comfy soles, as well. I walked nearly a mile in the high heel clogs (Mary Jane Peep Toe style 111-83) to a local library and back.

Cons: 
*Too many choices! ;)
*The smooth leather is pretty stiff and the inside is pretty rough. I will definitely have to break in the yellow pair.
*Style 1823 (the small weave sandal) has a couple of rivets where the front part of the ankle strap attaches to the back part that protrude just enough to make it uncomfortable. If you look closely in the first picture collage of this post, you'll see that I added some cushy strips to cover the rivets.
*For those with thinner ankles, you'll find that you have to buckle the strap on the tightest setting, which leaves lots of extra ankle strap flapping around. Luckily, you can remedy this by discussing your ankle measurements with a Sven representative after placing your order.
*Pricey (women's low heel styles start at $170 retail), but then again, it's worth it when you think about how your purchase is supporting American jobs!

FYI:
*Sven makes their clogs with two kinds of bases, an Austrian one and a Swedish one. Both pairs I got use the Austrian base. Don't overlook the Swedish base, called the Brittany on the Sven site. If I were to do it all over again, I would go for the small weave sandal in the Swedish base rather than the Austrian base.
*Sven will be having a sale on Fab.com starting June 24 for 3 days only. Don't miss out! The small weave sandal will be available!
*Update: If you like that small weave sandal, but don't want the particular ankle strap shown, call Sven and discuss swapping out for a different strap.

Now, onto the giveaway. Good luck!

This giveaway is sponsored by Sven. The prize is one pair of clogs, your choice, except for the boot styles. You may choose between women's, men's, and children's styles. Open to U.S. as well as international residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Kitschy Home

Space 87: "Mid-Century Furniture, Decor, Records, and More"
Whether or not I will always be OK with a little kitsch in my home remains to be seen, but for now I am 100% delighted with kitsch. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that we don't own a home yet and all of our furniture is hand-me-down (from my mom and Jim). Kitsch just kind of fits with where we our in our lives at the moment. 

My sense of style when it comes to home decor is a bit schizophrenic, to tell you the truth. I love the colors and textures of "the cultural home" (as in batik prints and embroidered wall hangings) as well as the neutrals and florals of a french country cottage home. All this to say, I fell in love with a booth in the Mission Galleria Antique Mall in Riverside, California. It's called Space 87 and every little bookend and tchotchke caught my eye. If it were my shop, I'd call it "The Kitschy Home" and I'd have a very difficult time parting with a lot of the merchandise.

Here are the two items we picked up and have lovingly incorporated into our home:

Grecian Coaster Set


This trinket was no doubt a souvenir someone brought home after a trip to Greece, back when souvenirs were actually made in the country you went to visit. (An inscription on the bottom reads "Made in Greece," which totally blew me away.) Each coaster features a photo of temple ruins or another traditional cultural aspect.

Plastic Desk Clock w/Alarm
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Vintage Fashion Does the Earth Good

1. Nordstrom Sweater, 2. Silk Reworked Vintage Dress, 3. Reworked Vintage Mexican Top, and 4. Silk Blouse

 Happy Earth Day!

In case you've missed my past few posts, I just wanted to let you know that during the month of April I've been sharing some of the ways we can love La Pachamama all year long, not just during Earth Month:


Today, I'd like to briefly discuss my favorite way to honor my other mother: I proudly wear vintage fashion! Much of the fashion that is available and affordable to the average consumer is "fast fashion" (you know, that stuff that clogs our landfills and hogs a ton of non-renewable resources with its cheap-and-quick manufacturing process). However, we can follow the motto of "recycle, reduce, reuse" by donating our unwanted clothing and spending our hard-earned cash on gently-worn-yet-totally-reusable vintage and resale fashions.

How do you feel about vintage fashion and thrift shopping?
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Buy Used Books

April is Earth Month, friends! During the entire month of April, I'll be posting about different ways to love and respect your other mother, Momma Earth. 

As the title suggests, one way to honor thy mother is to shop at your local used bookstore. In addition to saving a few trees, shopping at a used bookstore can be such a lovely experience. You can find rare, out-of-print books as well as little gems you don't find at Borders or Barnes and Noble.

When you're looking to pick up a classic for your next read, why not check your local used bookshop to see if they have it in stock!

Here are some treasures from one of our favorite local bookshops:

Max and Moritz (German tales of a pair of troublemakers) and a signed copy of Pig Pigger Piggest (a variation of the three little pigs classic)

Naughty Boys!

One couple I used to babysit for in Switzerland had a copy of Max and Moritz from their childhood -- a true German-language classic!

Superlatives Galore!

Being a teacher and fan of children's literature, I am always on the lookout for new titles to share with my students. This version of The Three Little Pigs features Witch, Witcher, and Witchest instead of a big, bad wolf.

For your Rolodex:

Maxwell's House of Books
8285 La Mesa Blvd
La Mesa, CA 91941
(619) 462-3387
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Confessions of a Former Impulse Shopper

The H&M Skirt
It all started when H&M opened up in Manhattan during my freshman year at NYU. All of a sudden I could buy fun, trendy clothes for relatively cheap. It was guilt-free shopping. At one point nearly every piece in my closet was from H&M. The catch? I spent hundreds of dollars there but have very little to show for it -- just one skirt. Because purchasing this "fast fashion" was so painless, disposing of it was just as painless.

Why does it matter? "According to the EPA Office of Solid Waste, Americans throw away more than 68 pounds of clothing and textiles per person per year..."

I once bought a mid-calf length summer coat by Gianfranco Ferre at Loehmann's marked down from like $300 to $30. When I saw it on the rack, I didn't particularly care for the print. But as soon as I looked at the Italian label and the price tag, I immediately declared, "I've got to have this." I believe I wore it exactly once during the year after I bought it -- to Lips in San Diego (a drag-queen theme restaurant) for my cousin's birthday. I did get some compliments on it, but now it's hanging on a rack at a Salvation Army in eastern Switzerland.

What's my point? After rehab in Switzerland, I'd now rather have a few carefully selected, stylish pieces in my wardrobe than a closet full of impulse buys I'll never wear and cheap clothes I'll no doubt toss when I'm finished with them.

How to avoid impulse shopping:

1. Find a partner who is the polar opposite of an impulse shopper. (Isaiah is frugal. He will think long and hard about expensive purchases, research the best prices, and decide not to buy the thing after all.)

2. Move to a country devoid of Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, Loehmann's or whatever your favorite shops may be. (I sure missed those friends while I was gone, but they were going to be the end of me.)

3. Lose or quit your job. There's nothing like going from getting your own paycheck to asking your husband to pay your credit card bills ('cause he's the only one with an income) to wake you up from your impulse-shopping stupor. An empty bank account does not a fun shopping spree make. (It also helps to cut up your credit cards -- that's the only deliberate move I made toward recovery.)

Now that I am back stateside, you may be wondering how I avoid temptation. Well, since I didn't have my shopping pals (mentioned in #2) around me for nearly two years, my whole perspective on shopping and fashion changed. I decided on the very day we moved back to San Diego (July 15, 2010) that for an entire year I would buy only resale and vintage clothing. Here are the reasons why I made this lifestyle change:
  • Before our move back to CA, we donated a lot of our clothes to the Salvation Army because we didn't want to pay to ship it all back or drag it all over Spain (for one last European vacation) in our allotted one suitcase each. I arrived in San Diego with tank tops, shorts, bikinis and sun dresses. Nothing appropriate for going back to teaching in a 3rd grade classroom. We didn't have enough money for me to replenish my entire wardrobe in one shot, so I knew I'd have to buy just a few pieces at a time. Resale shops often have nice "professional" clothing at great prices.
  • It's good for the environment.
  • It forces me to create my own style, not one dictated by what's in season.
Vintage Bally Sandals
Over the next few weeks, I will be posting photos of my favorite pieces purchased over the last 5 months. I hope it will inspire you to do more of your shopping at resale and vintage shops!

Photo Details:
Silk Blouse - Vintage (purchased at Hunt and Gather, San Diego)
Skirt - H&M (which I kept only because any variation of yellow is my favorite color)
Shoes - Vintage (purchased at Salvation Army, Altstätten, Switzerland)
Leather Belt - Vintage (purchased at neighborhood thrift shop)

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All hail the Heilsarmee

I'd like to introduce you to my new friend. Her name is "Hercules," named after her manufacturer (easier this way since the name is already painted on her frame). Isn't she a beauty? I know Hercules is a boy's name, but it's kind of like a boy named "Sue" only in reverse.

We found her at the local Heilsarmee Brocki (Salvation Army Second-hand Shop). There she was in the rooftop section for garden furniture: leaning up against a pillar, her tires limp, but her spirit strong. We had originally gone there to look for a glass vase, but instead we brought her home. After pumping some air in her tires, Isaiah took her for a spin to determine if we needed to make any adjustments or pick anything up for her at the local bike shop (Radsport Frei). I watched as he rode Hercules around the parking lot, and she looked like she was so pumped to finally be in use again. I think she may have been gathering dust in someone's garage for over ten years, as her last Velovignette dates back to 1998 and, for being an older bike, she is in perfect condition, rust-free and everything. Isaiah determined that everything was working properly and suggested that as soon as he finished making adjustments to his own bike we could go off for a ride that afternoon!

Hercules couldn't be more perfect. She feels just like a new bike, but for a fraction of the cost. New Hercules City bikes go for at LEAST 500 Euros, and we got my girl for a mere CHF 140!

On Sunday, despite the scattered rain showers, we took a ride across the border to Austria. The best part is we were not alone. With spring in the air, the gray skies didn't stop these people from enjoying their Sunday stroll along the Rhein. Just bring an umbrella or a rain poncho and the problem is solved!

By the way, we found some geese and I decided to pose with them. It's a novelty, really, for me to pose with geese, since the only goose I have ever seen is Mother Goose. I'm serious!

UPDATE: Prompted by Chantal's comment below, I googled the "Slow Up" event and found this website: http://www.slowup.ch/d/events.html
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