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I went on a Jaunty shopping spree recently... and not a stitch of wardrobe-related stuff was purchased. Who doesn't have a love of beautiful things? That love can extend to the world around you, including the very yard of the home you live in. Gardening isn't for everyone, and it's definitely subject to moods -- I didn't feel like doing much yard work last year when Indy was sick, we just wanted to enjoy time we had with her, so everything around us certainly suffered. But it's a new year, and I have a new outlook on life (with a new fuzzy friend), and that inevitably translates to a need to grow and blossom.
I won't stress you out over listing the dwindling days till Christmas, but we all know it's coming down to the wire -- ARE ALL YOUR GIFTS BOUGHT AND READY TO RUMBLE??? I know, that was mean. The Magpie just got bumped to the Naughty List, to be sure. But I'll make up for it -- forget wrestling with mall traffic or contemplating Chia Pets for yet another year, use the magic of subscription services to make your gifts feel unique and ones that will last well into the new year!
Call it a Fancy purchase in the making for oh... about fifteen years. Possibly longer. Can you believe it took me that long to get a new pair of glasses? But good things come to those who wait, and even better things come for those who wait for a reeeeeeally long time.
Why the long wait, Magpie? I've been a contact lens user for many years; they're comfortable, easy and no-fuss, but I started to get glasses-envy when I saw more funky vintage-style frames making a comeback. Glasses as style statement! But selecting frames is a big decision and I am a terrible decision-maker. Enter Rivet and Sway, a brand-new online eyewear shop with an eye towards truly stylish and unique frames. I love the names they give their designs: All Who Wander, Faster Pussycat and of course my personal favorite, Umami, which is the frame style I just purchased and very happily received in beautifully designed packaging, I may add.
Buying eyewear online? That's crazytalk. I'm sure people said the same thing about shoes and see how crazy that is now. The secret is a combination of home trials and free shipping. Rivet and Sway lets you select three favorite frame styles and trial frames are sent via two-day shipping for you to test out. You can keep trying on/sending back frames until you get a style you like, and then when you're ready to order, you fill out their form with your prescription information. They price their glasses at a flat $199, which is reasonable for designer eyewear. Within a week, you'll have your glasses delivered, and if they don't work out, you can send them back within 60 days. Very low-pressure, which I appreciate, since I hadn't tried on eyewear frames in over a decade. I was lucky to try them on at a preview party, so I could skip the back/forth mail trials, but in some ways I think deciding on your own time is better, get your friends or family to decide if something is a good fit or not.
Here's the skinny on getting your eyes Riveted and Swayed:
Have your prescription up to date! And make sure it's for glasses NOT contacts; there are different measurements for both. Take down the prescription requirements from Rivet and Sway's site when you go to the optometrist, just so you know you've got everything you need.
Read their Golden Guidelines page under their Style Advice section of the site as a guide for what a proper fit is for frames, as well as color selection. Eyewear is like clothing, sometimes an item can look much better on the hanger than it does on you, or vice-versa, something you never would have thought would look good, looks great when you try it on. Be wild and crazy -- there are some really great color options for some of the frames.
Strong prescription? Stick with the thicker frames. I am literally blind as a bat, half the reason I didn't get glasses was that lighter frames could never handle the lens thickness I required. I had to skip the lighter metal frames from Rivet and Sway's designs, but the style I chose, Umami, handles the lenses just fine, and they use lightweight polycarbonate, so not heavy at all. They can handle fairly strong prescriptions, but call them with questions if you have astigmatism or other special eyewear needs.
Jaunty Fine Print: photos by Denise Sakaki, fancy-schmancy eyewear from Rivet and Sway
It's exciting when bloggers take their passions and blogs to the next level, which can mean any number of things. Blogs are just virtual extensions of ourselves and our best intentions to remedy a world that can seem laden with same-ness. So it's inspiring when someone like Rachel Kim takes her popular fashion blog VueSociety, and reworks it as a unique resource for style advice, trend reports as well as the fashion itself! She recently launched her new site with an online shop full of designers like Boulee, Again and StyleStalker, that are a little tougher to find in the States. The overall style is modern, urban chic. There are fun and edgy statement pieces mixed with everyday staples. She carefully curates her collection, changing them out regularly, so it's good to check back often to see what's new. She's an example of the entrepreneurial spirit that ultimately drives bloggers towards personal success and satisfaction, because really, isn't it everyone's dream to just do what we love?
Rachel is also making sure her online store is fashion with a purpose -- she's partnered with the Bellevue non-profit organization, Washington Women In Need, donating a proceed of her sales. It's a way of being involved in the community at home while being a stylish force in the virtual world.
If you're in the area, mark your calendars, as VueSociety will be involved in the Thread Show on Oct 23rd and the Holiday Bazaar at the Bellevue Club on Nov 5th.
If you just want to go shopping (and who doesn't?), head over to VueSociety and start browsing! I really liked these pieces in particular, but bear in mind, it's like your favorite little boutique shop around the corner, so if you like something, get it now, as it may not be there in a few days! Items featured: {1} dress by Ashby Again Apparel, {2} Staircase Print Leggings, {3} Black Bubble Top, {4} Street Again Apparel, {5} Glam Bangles Set
Jaunty Fine Print: photos from VueSociety online store
Over the holidays, this Bird was graced with a lovely gift card for J. Crew by a sweet friend, as she totally knows my Jaunty love for this store! So I got into a bit of a shopping Mood and wanted to peruse the sales and get an idea of what's available for $50 or less. Not that I have to just spend what's on the gift card, but it makes for an easier time trying to consider all the possibilities laid out before me!
After holiday sales are fantastic. I found several things that put me in a sparkly, shopping Mood that all fit within the budgetary ceiling. It's going to be a tricky time figuring out which of these will be coming home with me: {1} Sequin bouquet art tee, {2} silk tricotine hope dress in deep rose, {3} stripe sequin boatneck tee, {4} lace tulip mini, {5} chiffon rufflotta camiin orchid shadow, {6} merino studded cardigan, {7} metal-wrapped chain cuff, {8} muse tank in golden topaz, {9} dream glistening placket cardigan
Jaunty Fine Print: items from the J. Crew website
The Magpie's object of affection has long been finding the perfect pair of brown Oxford shoes, but given my current situation, I chose an imaginary shopping spree over an actual one, much to the silent relief of Mr. Magpie. I chose to take Piperlime on the latest Online Wardrobe Test Drive, where the Magpie leaves the confines of her own Jaunty closet and browses an online store and sees how it is to navigate their site and find everything a bird needs for an entire outfit without leaving the site.
Even when it's not x-number of days till Christmas/Hannukah/Festivus, I have often used Piperlime as my go-to for getting my shoe fix. Recently they've started selling handbags, accessories and clothing. They carry brand names outside of their family of stores (The Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic), so Piperlime has become almost like a mini department store. Their designer brands include a variety of popular favorites including Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Fossil, and Miss Sixty. They also carry some of my personal favorites for shoes like Sam Edelman, Dolce Vita, Pour la Victoire and Seychelles.
The nitty-gritty of "likes" for Piperlime: free shipping/free returns (for Xmas delivery, free standard deadline is Dec 17th, so anything else is Express or Next Day if ordered by the 23rd), plenty of brands to choose that are on-target with trends, their product search is both user and wallet-friendly (there's a 'less than $50' option), the all-in-one shopping cart with family stores like Banana Republic is a nice bonus if you want to tack on other items to the free shipping party, overall a thoughtful and pleasant shopping experience -- Piperlime's site is beautifully designed and they do a nice job of packaging each order. Your item is shipped with their custom wrapping and box, which I personally love. They way they present style trends like magazine spreads make the whole site very appealing; they really want customers to buy into a certain look or theme. I wish I could find a "needs some work" comment, but overall Piperlime has really done a great job of organizing its inventory and creating a friendly online environment to browse each item.
In the raiding of Piperlime's retail closet, the Magpie came up with a wishlist of quirky and fun wearables for an imaginary day of being out for an afternoon in the city. {1} Tigers Eye cocktail ring by House of Harlow 1960, {2} Owl Spot Top by French Connection, {3} Staten skirt by Trina Turk, {4} Bretta Poet Tux Jacket by Theory, {5} cotton cable knit tights from The Gap (a wee cheat; Piperlime didn't have tights), {6} Open Up Oxford pump by Nicole {7} Single Strand Off-Set Flower Necklace by GS Lillian {8} The Sak convertible crossbody clutch by Silverlake The damage to one's wallet for this whole outfit and accessories would be a hefty $967.47 total, not including shipping or tax. As I said before, this was a virtual shopping spree!
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