Shopping | Wishlist #1

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Monki Cut Out Back Swimsuit / Bourjois Waterproof Mascara / Missguided Faux Suede Crop Top / MINKPINK Maxi Dress

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UNIF Six 66 Swimsuit / Quay Sunglasses / Sunflower Choker / MINKPINK Midi Skirt

Hi lovelies! So although it's still pretty cold at the moment in Brisbane it definitely won't be long until I find myself back on the beach. I've been trawling through websites looking for a piece or two to add into my summer wardrobe. 

Shopping | Louis & Sons Delicatessen Haul

At the beginning of this year, a new delicatessen graced my local high street, Stones Corner, with its presence. It has taken me several months (I keep walking by after hours) but I finally got to Louis & Sons and, me oh my, I am they're newest fan. Once I saw the prices on their high quality items I picked up goodies with very little restraint and will definitely be heading back in the near future.

First things first, I could not leave a deli without purchasing olives. Louis & Sons stock a fairly broad range from Mount Zero so I picked up some green manzanilla olives at the best price I've ever seen any Mount Zero olives for. I will definitely be returning whenever I need to restock on the rest of their range. I also got some wild olives from Pendleton to sample another companies take on the variety. 

The next thing I found is a very polarising item which belongs in the seafood category. There are many people in this world who will turn their nose up at fresh seafood and even more at processed. I, however, belong to neither of these groups of people and revel in the fact that it simply means: more for me (except when my family is involved). There were a few different varieties of seafood pastes on offer and even though they were all appealing to me the mussels stood out from the rest. This delight works as a dip for crackers and also as the main ingredient in a puttanesca variation I cooked recently (blog post coming). 

Sadly, these last two items have been my least favourite of the haul. There is nothing particularly wrong with the charcoal lavoche except that they are fairly plain and unassuming. I agree that it is best for accompaniments like crackers to be that way but I was expecting something a little more interesting from the charcoal. 

The cheese would have to be the biggest let down. It generally takes a lot for me to dislike food, particularly one labelled Premium Vintage Cheddar BUT I a not a fan of this cheese by  the Kenilworth dairy. It had a strange after taste and sourness to it that almost makes me think it is past its best before... if thats possible. 

One tiny bit of a disappointment in an otherwise lovely haul from Louis & Sons. If you're a Brisbane southside local, I highly recommend checking this newish delicatessen out. The prices are great, as are the products. 

Happy hump-day lovelies!

Erin xx

Shopping | Dragonberry Pop Up Shop

Hi lovelies! Last Friday and Saturday Dragonberry, a popular Brisbane boutique, had a pop up store in the Valley. The store boasted of discounted stock with nothing being more than $10. Of course my interest was peaked and I toddled off cash in hand. 

Shopping | Buying on eBay

Hi lovelies! When you first start shopping on eBay it can be a little intimidating. You've no doubt heard many a horror story of goods never arriving, arriving broken or banking details being stolen. I am an avid eBay shopper and I promise it isn't a scary place. Here are my tips for shopping on the site. 

1. Refine your search

If you aren't looking for an exact item a search on eBay can be quite daunting. I highly recommend refining your search by using the categories in the left side bar. When shopping for vintage clothing on eBay I tend to place a limit on price, as well as searching only for specific prices. It can also be a good idea to limit your search results to items listed in your own country. This cuts down hugely on shipping and customs costs. 

2. Always pay via PayPal

Do you have a PayPal account? If not I highly recommend getting one. Not only does it simplify all transactions, but it also gives you lots of extra safety guards. For one your bank account or credit card information does not get released to the seller. Also if you happen to run into any issues with the item i.e. it's faulty, counterfeit etc you are able to raise a claim through PayPal and get the issue resolved quickly and easily. 

For example I once purchased a necklace that arrived broken. After the seller did not respond to eBay messages I raised a PayPal claim and the money was refunded to me within days. 

3. Check shipping costs

Often the item with the lowest price may not work out to be the cheapest once you factor in the cost of shipping. Especially when getting items shipped to Australia the cost can work to be almost as much as the item you're buying. 

When I am searching for a specific item I prefer to sort the search results by lowest price (including shipping). This makes sure that I am getting the best deal overall. 

4. Bidding on Items

When bidding on an item with a long auction time (7 to 10 days) it's always best to save the item and come back to bid on it on the final day of sale. By bidding at the start of the auction you only drive up the price you have to pay at the end of the 7 days.

It's easy to get excited and end up spending more on an item than originally intended. I tend to treat eBay like thrifting, if the clothing is too expensive then it wasn't meant to be. Plus with all the items listed daily something similar is bound to come up again. 

5. Common Sense

If an item seems too good a deal to be true, then it probably is. Back when I first started shopping online I was ecstatic to find a set of Mac brushes for less than $20 on eBay. Now of course that price would ring alarm bells, but my 18 year old self got sucked in and stuck with a bunch of knock off brushes. My advice would always be to read the description of items carefully. 

If you're ever in doubt of an item then it's a great idea to check out the seller's feedback. With many of the larger stores on eBay you're unlucky to experience a problem, but when it comes to individual sellers I always make sure to check.

So those are my five tips for a successful shopping trip on eBay. I'll probably follow this up with a post with tips for selling on eBay as that is a process I found very daunting initially. 

Have you got any tips to add?

Jess x

Shopping | Top 5 Online Stores

 Hi lovelies! I thought I would do something useful with my addiction to online shopping and pass on some of the tricks I have learnt over the years. For the first instalment I thought I would give you a run down of my 5 favourite places to shop online.

DollsKill

If you look back on my previous outfit posts it's rare to not find something I bought through DollsKill. They stock many of the brands I love and their sales are killer. I also draw outfit inspiration from the excellent styling on the site. 

The $20 shipping cost may be off putting, however my clothes always arrive in 4 days or less making it the most affordable express shipping I have come across. They also have a great social media team and I would highly recommend checking out their instagram.

OOTD | Do you want to go to the seaside?

Jacket Levi's via eBay / Tank Thrifted / Skirt ASOS / Shoes UNIF Hellraisers / Backpack Thrifted / Hat Nasty Gal / Necklaces Vintage

For me a shopping outfit must be two things; comfortable and easy to change in and out of. Whilst I'm a big fan of layers negotiating them all off and then back on again whilst inside a tiny cubicle is not my idea of fun. It's my favourite kind of weather this time of year. Erin mentioned it in her previous outfit post, but the skies are clear and there's that slight chill in the air. 

OOTD - Summer Lovin'

Shirt - thrifted, Skirt - thrifted, Watch - Seiko, Hat - Asos, Boots - Etsy, Lips - Mac 'Girl About Town'

After last Friday's outfit, I figured it was probably a good idea to do something a little more suited to the current Brisbane climate. This is also quite a girly look for me. If you've seen any of my previous outfits you'll know I am a big of grunge ...and black. Lots of black. So this is a big departure from that.

I found the skirt in a charity shop and knew it was meant to be. I did have to take it in a fair bit to make it high waisted, but it was definitely worth the effort. The cotton is super light and comfy to wear even on the hottest of days. I'm not sure how much wear the skirt will see come winter but for now it shall remain a proud feature of my closet.

The shoes were purchased after I saw clothesencounters on YouTube wearing them. I own many a black leather shoe and thought these would be a nice change. Plus the cutouts allow for cool socks come winter. I have to admit I am not a sandals girl. At all. So I like that these are also cool enough to wear in summer. I must admit they aren't the comfiest of shoes though and by the end of the day the balls of my feet do get rather achey. Not sure why this is as the heel is low, perhaps I am just accustomed to a platform these days? I would give you guys the link to the shoes, but the seller was selling deadstock from the 90s and has sold out completely now. However, what with Coltranes and their copies floating around you shouldn't have any trouble finding a similar pair. 

The hat I am undecided about. I love hats as accessories and I always buy them with the best of intentions, but I never really like the look of them on me. Perhaps it's the short hair. Anywho it was hella sunny this particular day and bearing unable to wear sunglasses I slipped on the hat to protect my retinas. 

Finally no summer look would be complete for me without a bright lip. This one is Mac's Girl About Town and I recently traded in my empties at Mac for it. I am loving pinks on the lips at the moment I think they're really fresh and a nice change from my usual red. 

What are your summer staples?

Jess xx

OOTD Summer in a Land Down Under

Hat - Asos, Lipstick - Revlon 'Wine Not', Necklace - Asos Shirt - thrifted, Skirt - Urban Outfitters, Obligatory arm candy - eBay and markets, Watch - Boy London, Shoes - JC Lita Grads via Urban Outfitters.

I have to say it is rather strange to be posting a summer outfit whilst all the northern hemisphere blogs are wrapped up snug in faux fur and leather. Nevertheless here is an outfit that I wore recently whilst pottering around town.  

I realise that pottering and Litas are not synonymous, quite the opposite in fact. However, in the new year I have made a resolution to wear my JCs more and not just save them for nights out on the town. They're too pretty to be confined to that. There will be an upcoming unboxing post on the shoes so I shall save my thoughts on them until then.

The skirt is a recent buy from the Urban Outfitters' sale. I find that some of my jersey maxis get a bit hot during the Brisbane summer, but this one with its thin fabric and side splits is perfect. I feel that although it's a coloured piece, I will be able to wear it through winter with some tights and layers. 

Photographing on your lonesome is a tad challenging please bear with me until I master the art or bribe a younger sibling into taking them. Let me know your thoughts or if I missed some vital outfit angle for next time. 

Jess xx

P.S. We now have a tumblr page, if you'd like to follow the link is in the top tabs lovelies :)

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