Saturday, July 14, 2007

For Bastille Day, Bien Fait

crazy_french_dude I'll come right out and say it: I LOVE the French. No freedom fries for this girl. They are so unapolagetically who they are, and really tres homespun in their eating and entertaining habits. Here are a few cool present ideas from our book...the opposite of cliche, they're Bien Fait (sort of French for Crafty!)

1) Instead of a tired boxed perfume set (or, heaven forbid, another freakin' scented candle,) think for five minutes and come up with an emergency kit that fits the recipient. For the person whose cell phone is always dying, get them a CellBoost charger, a phone card, and a fake candy phone. For the friend who goes on a sugar binge when things go badly, box up a selection of old-timey sweets. And, for the gal who’s always rooting through your purse for supplies, Tampax, Advil, a mini sewing kit and a versatile lipstick.

2) Handkerchiefs in a box are about the saddest gift in the world to me. They seem to murmur, "Daddy, I don't really know you enough to buy you anything you'd really want." Make them happy again by “monogramming” the same set using your computer and iron-on paper. Pithy phrases such as “This Blows” would be nice.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Why in the world would you shop at a thrift store?

Prada, Thomas Pink, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Ann Taylor, Tommy Hilfinger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Ferragamo, Kenneth Cole, Lily Pulitzer, Pucci…am I getting all wistful about walks down Rodeo Drive, the Champs Elysées, or Fifth Avenue?

Not on your life. These brands are all trophies I’ve scored during secondhand shopping safaris, with stops at stores including Goodwill and Salvation Army.
Eww. I hear noses wrinkling. Before you let them freeze there and resign yourself to paying retail, consider this:

1) The designers who work to create the top end stuff either troll and/or send out crews to secondhand stores all the time, in search of inspiration. Kind of like pearl divers looking for treasure beneath the barnacles. Sometimes you need to hold your breath for a while, but the payoff is pretty nice.

2) What you find here will most likely, never, ever, be seen on anyone else attending the same party.

3) With vintage pieces score pieces of fashion history …and you can make up an enchanting history for them. “This is what Gran wore to the Easter Egg roll at the white house during the JFK years….”

4) The places you’re shopping probably aren’t owned by a giant, global conglomerate, but, instead, are local and often charitable, which gives you the rosy glow of helping your community.

5) By reusing and repurposing clothes that are already created, you’re an eco-warrior – but with stylish clothes.

6) You won’t just find vintage treasures…I’ve picked up many an item from a season ago, some with tags still attached. Stores and dry cleaners often distribute their extras to non-profits for the tax write off. Right on!

7) For the price of lunch and a sweater at soulless mall you can come home with bags of stuff… treasure that will cause people to stop you on the street for compliments.

Stay tuned for the secrets of savvy thrifting....