Juliet's Lace.: June 2010

Monday, 28 June 2010

Style.

This is a collection of what I believe to be my best style related posts, alternatively you can use the style tag.

Alternative styles.

Clothing care.

Seasonal.

Vintage.

Thrifty shopping.

Alternative style.

Beauty.

Source.

Reviews.

Lush review: I love juicy shampoo.
Lush review: Lust solid perfume.
Lush review: Butterball Bath Bomb.

Thursday, 3 June 2010

Many wonderful garments are dry clean only or delicate so please test patch some of these tips cautiously. If you wear dry clean only garments you'll find the price add up but many can be hand-washed quite easily.

Preventing tips:

Wearing a slip or underarms shields under your clothes will prevent sweat patches.
Carry baby wipes for emergencies.
Pack your clothing away properly.

Washing Tips:

You can hand wash most dry clean items in cold water, your bathroom is the perfect place to hand wash. Use your bath for the washing and the sink for the draining. Always check your garments don't bleed by running it under a tap, anything that does bleed needs to be washed on it's own, specially black.
Adding a bit of vinegar to your washes can preserve your colours and keep them brighter using a cold wash.
If your clothes are okay to machine wash, make sure the first time you wash them you have the gentlest setting in cold water.
Using a lingerie bags can prevent delicates getting worn.
When you've finished washing your items resist the urge to fling it in a basket, sometimes you don't have to iron an item if you lay it out properly.

Stains:

When removing a stain blot and do not rub.
Unfortunately most sweat stains cannot be removed so remove them as soon as possible.
If you do get small blood stains on fabric I recommend you wash with warm water and salt as soon as possible.
White wine can take out a red wine stain apparently.
Clear liquor such as rubbing alcohol is a good stain remover.

Drying tips:

Air-drying is the longest but best way to dry your items, avoid tumble dryers at all costs because they shrink and thin out your clothes. If you really need to use the dryer put it on the lowest setting for as little as possible.
Wringing out clothing causes wrinkles and rips to develop, instead lay your garment on a dry towel and place another one on top. Apply pressure to the top to press out the water unless it's near damp, the towel underneath will absorb the water.

Ironing tips:

Always use the lowest heat setting and test every item when ironing for the first time.
Cheap, synthetic lace literally melts under irons.
Don't iron velvet but instead steam and gently push apart the wrinkles with your fingers.
Hanging it up in while you're taking a shower will allow the steam to take out the wrinkles.
If your t-shirt has a design on the front iron inside out instead.
If your area suffers from hard water use ironing water to prevent limescale building up, this could potentially get onto your clothes.

Dressing for Winter.

Source.

Last Winter you couldn't pick me of a crowd, it was incredibly bad weather of frequent snow and wind which meant throwing on layers upon layers in an attempt to stay warm. Inside I was Goth but I was no longer in showing it, I just cared about not freezing! Then Summer rolled around leaving me available to actually go out without padding on, it showed me what I had neglected and I seriously miss it (apart from the high heat weeks). This year I'm more determined to look at least half way like myself and still survive the Winter but looking back it's kinda embarrassing how boring I looked. Skinny jeans, plain t-shirt and a v neck jumper.

Winter and Autumn are the best seasons for Goth wear despite the problems that can rise with the chill. You don't have to ditch your wardrobe, just read my tips and use your common sense.

Winter coats are the stable piece of a wardrobe but make sure to check the label or recognise fabrics that can withstand typical weather. Your Winter coat should be fitted and closed securely so the warm air is trapped in, depending on your location you may want to be able to wear a hoodie underneath your coat for extra warmth. Hunt for a coat during the summer when the sales will be on at most Alternative shops. For advise on Winter coats please look at my guide to winter coats post here.

Use your common sense and realise that some shoes just aren't appropriate for Winter weather. Check your shoes won't slide or take them to your local shop repairs to apply rubber soles on the bottom if needed. Avoid this mistake I personally made, I saw these Victorian Boots but soon after buying I had achy feet because they had small heels. You also may want to consider losing your flats or anything that rain that soak. Boots comes in all kinds of colours and styles so chose a pair or two to prevent soggy feet. Chuck a spare pair of stripy socks in your bag if you get caught out in the rain, just in case.

Some beloved materials don't mix well with wet weathers including some velvets that become water stained. Layering up clothing means you're less likely to get wet and it's easier to remove as the temperature changes. If you're going to a club use the cloak rooms and always pack a small jumper or cute cardigan.

If you still want to wear skirts in the Winter consider swapping a petticoat for a underskirt, bloomers would be even better. This will stop cold air circulating around your legs and any skirt flying.

Carry a mirror and basic make up in case you need to repair what runs due to snow or rain, wearing waterproof or long-wearing formulas of things like eyeliner and mascara can prevent this. Swap your suncream for moisturizer so your skin doesn't get dry, cakey foundation is not attractive! As well as cosmetics it's very handy to have a small torch in your bag so you can find your keys and avoid being roadkill.

Tips for vintage shopping.

Found via Tumblr, original source.

Vintage is a unique and historical addition that can work in any wardrobe, it requires a certain few skills and a touch more effort than your average high street shop but it's very awarding. Unfortunately you can easily pick up the wrong size or a dress with permanent stains, here are my best tips for vintage shopping newbies and how to avoid the downsides.

Know your measurements.
Sizing has changed massively over the last 50 years for men and women. You may find you're a different size in almost every era but you don't have to know your 1950s size, the most important thing you need you to know is your own measurements. The minimum needed is your chest, waist and hips. It's worth knowing your height if you want to be certain.

Always check the quality
Don't expect perfect quality from vintage, many vintage items have being through the wars. Literally! Always do a routine check or at least inspect the underarms, I find that's the most offending area and the worst place to get stains. Ask yourself these questions before buying:

Does it have any stains?
Are all the buttons intact?
Is the zipper working?
Are the shoulders worn?
How are the underarms?
Is the fabric faded?
Are the seams in good working order?
Can I see any damage whatsoever?
If so can I work with it?

These questions are particularly important if you're unwilling to adjust your vintage, unfortunately we all have to alter our vintage clothes at one point or another.

Be gentle when trying on.
The items are often worn and fragile, don't try them on over your jeans and don't yank. Always check for a hidden side zip before trying it on, cross your legs to slide it more easily over your hips and wriggle rather than pull the garment.

Debit/credit cards.
Vintage shops don't always accept cards so withdraw money beforehand.

Stock Rotation.
Ask anyone who works at the shops when they add new items, vintage shops typically have a Stock Rotation while charity shops add whenever they can.

Returns.
Majority of shops allow returns but if you can't can't there's a few things you can try: reselling on vintage specific sales; arrange a swap meet; give to charity; alter it, eg dyeing it or changing a lace top into a nice little hankie.

The basics of vintage shopping.

Found via Tumblr, original source.

Why shop there?

Original pieces for a good price.
Good for the environment, eco friendly.
Occasionally cheaper than buying new.
Historically accurate.

How?

Online vintage shops.
The vintage section of eBay and Etsy.
Check the highstreet using Google's Local business map.
Pick up the cards at vintage shops for other shops in your city.
Look at notice boards in community centres for jumble sales.
Ask people where they buy their vintage clothing.

Downsides?

You can't return jumble sale or car boot items.
The rarer and older the item the more it costs.
Possible smells and stains.

Quality?

Depends on the individual item, many Vintage shops still items with stains or broken zips whereas Charity shops only accept good quality items. Always check the description and photos provided.

Returns?

Most shops do returns but beware of sale items which many don't offer returns or exchanges for.