We all have items in our closets that have been around for ages and that we still love. This year, it’s time to turn those old pieces into something fresh and fun for your wardrobe. Why spend money on brand new items when you can do it yourself? By spending a significantly smaller amount and using your own creative skills, you can customize and personalize these items with new twists. With just a few small tips and tricks, you can turn those old favorites into something new.

In my latest post on Sparkle Shelf, How To Refresh and Renew Your Wardrobe, you’ll learn how a few simple and easy tips and tricks can re-create your closet.

Looking for some information on great Vegas vacations?

With the start of each year, so many of us vow to clean up all sorts of areas in our lives, start new and self-improving habits, and overall turn all of our negatives around. One of the biggest areas that needs to be cleaned up and that most people have a hard time with is purging your closet. So many items of clothing hold sentimental value or the possibility of being able to wear them at some currently unknown time in the future. But, does that mean that they are worth holding on to?

I used to stuff my closet full of those same items. Things I just couldn’t bear to part with, like my National Geographic t-shirt that showed animals all around the globe that I received as a present in the fourth grade and wore into college until it was so tattered and torn that it literally started to fall apart, or things that I might someday wear, like a cute dress that I had to have at the time until I later realized that getting me into a dress more than once or twice a year is a big feat in itself. After working in a clothing re-sale shop, where we could sell our used clothing for store trade for new items, I realized that I needed to clean up my act and picked up some of the best tips on Here, you’ll learn some great tips on How To Purge Your Closet.

1. Keep it current. Not necessarily with trends, but with your current look. If you haven’t worn the item in the last 6 months (or cannot remember the last time you wore it or if you never even removed the tags), you probably aren’t going to miss it once it’s gone. Exceptions to this rule are classic seasonal pieces that will always be in style, like a well fitting trench coat or a classic Little Black Dress.

2. Learn the difference between good vintage/retro/grunge and bad. While all those looks come back frequently enough to be worth holding onto older items for, not everything will come back. Think back on a lot of the trends from the past… Parachute pants a la M.C. Hammer, fanny packs (interesting prints are any exception), combinations of purple and hot pink or any neon shade, men in platforms and spandex, Mom jeans… A lot of trends need to stay dead. For good. Exceptions to this are a few sentimental pieces or hard to find pieces, but keep those to a minimum.

(more…)

If you love vintage fashion, odds are that you are a fan of Dita Von Teese’s style. Afterall, Von Teese and a vintage glam look seem to go hand-in-hand. Want to try the look yourself? Learn from one of the best out there. Being able to pull of the vintage glam look is a lot harder than one might imagine. Take fashion cues from Vita Don Teese, one of the most glamorous women out there, to successfully pull off the look.

To read more, check out my post Vintage Glam Done Right on Sparkle Shelf.

Learn more about Grohe faucets.

Tall boots are one of the best wardrobe staples to have for winter. They are chic, cute, go with everything and, best of all, functional in all climates.

While tall boots are sold year round, there are a lot of great ways to wear them when it’s cold outside that are not only going to keep you warm, but also make you look good. Who says that being functional means you have to ignore fashion tips?

To learn more about how to wear tall boots and to see some celebrity style inspiration, check out the post How To Wear Tall Boots on Sparkle Shelf.

The Little Black Dress, or LBD as it’s commonly known, is one of the most notorious wardrobe staples. Know for being a versatile and classic item, two Hollywood stars recently showed just how versatile it can be. Jenny McCarthy and Jennifer Aniston pull off completely different looks while wearing a Little Black Dress. From a glamorous high maintenance bombshell to the natural glowing beauty, the LBD is completely versatile for any occasion. My latest post on Sparkle Shelf, The Little Black Dress Two Ways will show you how versatile it can really be.

With Christmas a week away, the pressure is on to find the perfect gifts for those in your life. As you all know, I do a lot of online window shopping and I wanted to share some of the items that I’ve found with readers. If I can save some of you the stress of last minute shopping, why not? One of the items that I came across are Eenamaria Handbags. These bold graphic printed handbags remind me of something you would find in the 1960’s. They are chic, trendy, and perfect for that friend who loves retro items.

What’s so great about a statement bag like one from Eenamaria is that you don’t need any other accessories. You could be wearing a basic little black dress, simple make up, and basic hair, yet still stand out because of the bold color and print of these bags. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s nice to take the easy route when it comes to getting dressed and let my accessories do the talking for me. They are extremely affordable in price, too. Which is rare for a quality handbag. All of the bags are under $120. My two favorite styles are Every Queen Needs One, which retails for $52, and Murse or Purse?, which retails for $36. They are both great sizes and styles that would be perfect for toting everywhere, plus they come in great colors and prints.

I could definitely picture myself running around town in some dark denim cigarette leg jeans, black ballet flats, a basic t-shirt and cardigan, big sunglasses, and either one of those purses in tow. You could probably see yourself or a friend toting one around too. Bold colors are going to be a great trend this spring, so make sure that your fashionista friends (or yourself) get something great to wear like a Eenamaria Handbag. You can see more styles and learn more on the Eenamaria Handbags website.

What do you think of these bags? Would you wear one? Do you plan on buying one as a gift for someone?

When it comes to thrift shopping, we all know that it can save us each a well earned dollar or two or twenty. It’s worth the money to take a look and see what you can find. However, if you’re a smart shopper, you are still trying to find out the best way to thrift shop. We’ve all heard the same tips time and time again. Be prepared to dig, go in with a mission, give yourself time to look, focus on jewelry and other accessories, etc. These are all really great tips but there’s more to it than that. I used to work in a well known re-sale shop that has stores nation wide, so not only did I quickly learn what items are a great find and what isn’t, but I also learned from customers. We had several that would supplement their income by making regular trips to thrift stores and bringing items in to sell at the re-sale shop. They found some very amazing pieces, too! I’ve also been thrift store shopping my entire life. I didn’t grow up in a family that had a lot of money, and that made me a very resourceful shopper. From all this, I compiled a list of my best tips on How To Find Deals at Thrift Stores.

1. Mix up the section you are looking in. A lot of children’s sizes overlap with juniors sizes in both tops and bottoms. For example, even though it wasn’t thrifted, I recently picked up a brand new Abercrombie kids tank top for $9.90 in a size XL, which fit about the same as a medium in Abercrombie & Fitch. I also have this ancient vintage little boys t-shirt that I’ve been wearing since I was in high school. It’s from back when boys t-shirts were as tight as the girls and reminds me of something I’d see on Eric on an episode of That 70’s Show. Bottoms also overlap too. For many brands, a childrens 14 or 16 is a juniors size 00 or 0. The mens section is a great place to look for current styles, especially when it comes to sweaters. In high school I wore a lot of Grandpa-style cardigans and sweaters and the mens section of my local Goodwill was where I bought them all. The mens section is also a great place for over-sized button ups in both cotton and flannel. The styles are often plainer than in the womens section and, if you’re into vintage styles like I am, odds are that you’ll find something you love.

2. Hit up the sale rack. I once found a vintage Levi’s denim jacket from the 1970’s, complete with the faux sheep fur lining, on sale for $20. It was an amazing jacket and I wore it for years (successfully avoiding the horrible cowboy tuxedo look, by the way). I’ve also scooped up great deals like a pair of Vigoss boot cut jeans (typically sold at Nordstrom) with pink rhinestone details on the back pockets for only $8. Often times these sale racks are indeed full of some of the most interesting or hideous items that you can imagine but, just like with most sale racks, there’s usually something great on there that just needs to be found.

(more…)