18.7.11

Love & money

I want to apologise for my absence from the blogging world over the last couple of weeks! I invariably get sick when I travel long distances and this time was no exception. I still feel unwell from my 30 hours in transit, perhaps added to by the fact that my wallet was stolen on a plane so my brother and I spent most of those hours unable to eat or drink anything. Sorry, James! We made it home safely eventually, if not a little hungry, and now I'm back at uni and busier than ever.

Now. May I present to you the most terrible blog photos I've ever taken. My boyfriend is working in some backwater town for the week and my brother has gone to Laos (I think) for a fortnight, so I have to try to take them myself!




(Vintage brown tweed jacket was a gift from my dad via Clever Nettle Vintage, skirt tailored for me in Vietnam, thrifted sheer blouse, grey woolen tights by Columbine, thrifted belt, thrifted mustard wool beret, vintage necklace from Logan and t-bar flats from Trademe).

Pretty bad, huh? I hope you get the gist anyway. It's so hard to get the focus right and stand in the right place when you don't have a tripod! I'll have to enlist a friend who doesn't think this blog is ridiculous to help next time, although I don't think I have any of those left- especially after the looks on their faces when I ran into the lovely Helga on Tuesday night. Non-bloggers just don't seem to understand 'we know each other from the internet'.

This skirt is one of the things I got made in Ho Chi Minh City. I know it's pretty basic and I could've easily made it myself, but at the price offered I kinda couldn't resist letting someone else do the work. I got the lovely 40s-esque fabric for 40,000VND at a market in Vietnam, which is less than $2.50.

I also wanted to share a couple of recent bargains!




This amazing dress that I thrifted last week is a much brighter mustard colour in real life. I'd actually tried it on several times but it was priced steeply, as the ladies who work at that shop know good vintage when they see it. However, one of them took a shine to me when she saw my trying it on for the third time and offered it to me at half price, which I couldn't resist. I'm a sucker for vintage New Zealand labels, and I feel like it's the kind of thing I could wear to job interviews... when I eventually finish my degree.



I also finally got one of these Penguin Classics mugs! They were originally $30 which I think it a ludicrous price to pay for something I will probably drop and smash pretty quickly anyway. However I ducked into a local book chain to pick up another copy of The Secret History (my go-to birthday present for friends) and saw them on the sale table, and through some twist of fate got it for $1.50. And I haven't even broken it yet!

Finally, on Thursday I found my dream dress on Etsy. It was far more than I'd usually consider spending on a single garment but... it was love. I ummed and ahhed over it for about 24 hours, before taking the plunge and buying it. I justified dropping this large sum of money by immediately beginning a 6-week shopping ban, which will end on August 27th. That means no thrifting, no Etsy, no Trademe, no anything! I know lots of other bloggers have also done self-imposed shopping bans, does anyone have any tips? I've already got Logan to change my Etsy password to help me resist temptation.

9 comments:

  1. Love that mustard dress! I love finding made in NZ stuff too. It's always nice to know you're buying homegrown :) that sucks someone stole your purse on the plane!! How annoying!

    Kc

    http://a-sparkley-silver-lining.blogspot.com/

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  2. That dress is gorgeous! And I have a Gatsby cup, it hold my makeup brushes :D

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  3. lol I need someone to change all my passwords (mainly paypal since even if i had no debit card, i could still just as easily spend $) on everything so I can't shop online anymore. maybe i will go on a ban with you until i move!

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  4. Sweet mustard frock!!!
    That's so cute,getting Logan to change your Etsy password! I've got NO tips,I'm totally weak,as I was blithering on farcebook!
    The skirt is lovely(great choice of fabric!),and why not take advantage of such skilled labour at such ridiculous prices!
    I'm sure it's quite the norm these days to know peeps through the internet!!! None of my firneds bat an eye now,I expect they are well used to my middle aged quirks by now!!!
    XXX

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  5. I like the photos. Cute beret. I love the mustard dress. The fabric of the skirt is very pretty too. Being back at uni is kind of a drag. The holidays always go so fast.

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  6. ahh! i love that you are back. what a sweet jacket lady!
    "we know each other from the internet" people totally jump to myspace or something....awkward
    x

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  7. oooh i love those penguin mugs but i would never pay $30 for one either. i'm so jealous that you found one so cheap! and i love that mustard dress you got as well, it's beautiful! x

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  8. I bet you miss me more than ever now sans photographe. That's right, I still read your blog in HCM

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  9. I love the Balmoral dress! So sweet of them to offer it to you half price! And it will be perfect for work... this is how I justify my spending too!

    Those penguin mugs are ridiculously priced, but $1.50!! They're about £10 here, which is not worth it imo. You find the best mugs in thrift stores.

    I keep telling myself "this will be my last buy" but after spending £10 after just "popping in" to H&M on saturday this shit better get real. My advice is don't go near any shops, don't browse ebay or etsy - think of the bulging wardrobe you already have, you don't need anything. I'm going to set myself a month too, it won't be too hard as I'm meant to be writing my dissertation!

    xo

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