Blog the Blogger: Fashion, Evolved.

Yeah, she's a new kid on the block, but Amanda of Fashion, Evolved is tellin' it like it is with some of the chicest eco fashion out there. Plus some pretty hilarious youtube finds, too. Her blog will introduce you to amazing designers you've never heard of and she's all about sharin' the blog love with other fashion bloggers. Awesome! The DCGF has hit her up for my soon-to-be Famous Five (plus One) questions. Oh, and the picture to the right will make sense once you read question 5. Forthwith, her responses...

1. What is the first article of clothing you remember that you loved to wear? When I was a little girl I had this yellow satin pajama top with puffy sleeves. I loved that thing, and I would wear it constantly...to bed or outside with my jeans or shorts. I wore it with almost anything regardless of whether it matched or not. I don't know if it was the color or the texture or what, but I felt like I princess in it.

2. Where is your favorite place - besides Goodwill, of course! - to shop for a fashion bargain in the DC area? Well, I don't live in DC, so I can't really say. I am all about online shopping though, and I love to shop Etsy because of their huge selection of unique recyclable, vintage, and sustainable clothes. [We all (heart) Etsy! Oh, and consider this your official invite to come shop with me in DC! -the DCGF]

3. Where is your favorite place to shop for a fashion bargain outside of DC? Garage Sales! 4. Who is your current favorite designer? Anna Mkhitarian of Annatarian. She's a designer from L.A. who does custom couture out of reconstructed vintage pieces. [Like the gorgeous dress above. -the DCGF] She specializes in wedding gowns, but she has also done other types of dresses. I love the idea of getting something totally unique and gorgeous made just for me out of beautiful old fabrics that have a story and history to them.

5. If you could own any single item from fashion past or present - money is no object! - what would it be? Hmmm. Right now I'm lusting after a pair of Mohop sandals [left]. Before the season is finished, I'll buy some. I would also love to have an exquisite vintage kimono.

Bonus Question: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? One. Plus one big bite.

Oh, those sandals are tres chic! And sorry I had to put the kimono at the top of the post, but, well, that's the place it fit best. But it builds suspense, no? Thanks, Amanda, for introducing me to Annatarian. Wasn't familiar before, but now I'm becoming slightly obsessed with their Peace Love Earth necklaces. Would look perfect with all those summer dresses I'm planning on getting out this weekend...

Marc-ed Up

I liked them at first. I did. I mean, the colors take a bit of getting used to. The gazes seem a bit off. The hair is maybe a little messier than usual. But it worked. I kept an eye out for them. And I still do.

But then Victoria Beckham joined the group. And things got, you know, a little weird.

I'm talking, of course, about the Juergen Teller ads for Marc Jacobs. Loved the Cindy Sherman ones. Loved the M.I.A. ones (Especially the one to the right: the color of the wall and the color of the shoes - perfect! And does she not have the best hair, like, ever?). Even thought the Dakota Fanning ones were pretty cool, if not slightly creepy and potentially a bit exploitative.

But Posh? I'm struggling with these ads, dear readers.

I still think the essence and the energy of the original ads are there. Maybe it's just the unnaturally orange color of Victoria's skin? Or the way her hair falls stick straight down to her bony clavicle? Maybe I just don't like this dress and I'm taking it out on Victoria:

She tends to strike a quasi ballerina-on-top-of-a-jewelry-box pose in her ads for Marc Jacobs. Perhaps this is a nod to her early training as a dancer at Laine Theatre Arts College (yes, she had formal training). Or perhaps it's a nod to the superficiality often ascribed to the way she lives her life so obviously aware of the public eye. Doesn't the gal ever just want to throw on a pair of loose jeans and a t-shirt to run some errands? Apparently not.

Here's what I like. I like that the turquoise part of this dress reminds me of the afghans that my grandma used to crochet. And I like the scrunchy gloves.

Here's what I don't like. I don't like how it looks as though she forgot the rule that you don't wear a white bra underneath dark clothing and then let said bra show through. I don't like how her face seems to be frozen in an expression of emotionless vacuity.

And that feather thing in the hair? I'm ambivalent, leaning towards actually liking it.

But none of this compares to the most controversial ad from the series, the one where what's being sold is not readily apparent. Oh, shoes? Oh. Shoes. Or maybe not.

In a recent article in the New York Times, Cathy Horyn argued that, "Certainly the ads are not overtly about selling anything. 'They’re not aspirational pictures,' Mr. Jacobs said. Pointing to the Cindy Sherman ads, in which she [Sherman] and Mr. Teller look like dumpy siblings. 'You wouldn’t look at them and say, "Oh, mmm, that dress is so attractive."'" (Yeah, that's a lot of quotation marks, but how does one close a quote within a quote within a quote? Exactly.)

The article is titled "When Is a Fashion Ad Not a Fashion Ad," but I would argue that these are fashion ads. Sure, M.I.A.'s pants might be in no way related to the way that I would choose to wear Marc Jacobs' trousers, but I still gravitate toward her shoes, and probably want to look for them when I'm in a store.

And really, Marc Jacobs' lines have totally moved into more of a lifestyle brand, something akin to Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein. You've seen Little Marc for kids, right? Check out those well-shod little urchins, at left. And Marc Jacobs for Waterford? Plus there's Marc by Marc Jacobs for the rest of us. The man is everywhere.

But the slight subversiveness of the Teller ads and their undeniable artistic credibility ensure that Jacobs' brand maintains its cache without becoming diluted.

But maybe next time they can do that without Victoria Beckham?



Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on eBay funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Buyin' Von Furstenburg

Every once in awhile, dear readers, the fashion fairy visits the DC Goodwill Fashionista in the form of a truly amazing donation. And what do I do? Well, of course, I pass along that largess to you!

And so we have today's Goodwill Good Buy of the Week: two brand new Diane von Furstenberg spring dresses!

I kid you not, dear readers, these are two gorgeous, diaphanous frocks you don't want to be without. Both are in a size 10 (but DvF runs notoriously small [not Shoshanna small, but small nonetheless], so check measurements on eBay later today) and hit at the knee on an average-height woman.

The dress on the left's pattern is called "Macaroon Stripe" (mmm...macaroons...) and the watercolor-like print is absolutely stunning. The asymmetrical neckline is cinched with a coordinated strip of fabric on the right shoulder; the left shoulder is a seafoam green spaghetti strap. The dress is fully lined and flows down from the bust line. It's a very forgiving silhouette!

The dress on the right's pattern is called "Wildrose Blue," with mauve and deep blue being the dominant colors, with just a sprinkling of dark purple thrown in for contrast. It has a beautiful modified halter neckline, with a fitted bust line, empire waist, and frilly, multi-tiered hemline (you can see it in detail, at left). It is also fully lined.

Both dresses are 100% silk with a 95% silk/5% lycra lining, and as such, require dry-cleaning. But really, you wouldn't do anything less for your DvF dresses, would you? Of course not.

And what would I recommend pairing these dresses with? Why Crocs of course! KIDDING! Ha. That was good times yesterday, wasn't it? I'm getting all misty just thinking about it.

But seriously, with dresses as light and springy as these, keep the footwear equally light: strappy heels or flats in neutral tones will keep the focus on the dress, right where it belongs. Gorgeous!




Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on shopgoodwill.com funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Oh Boy! Turquoise!

I'll be honest: summer is not my favorite time of year. I simply melt in the heat and abhor the incessant sunshine bearing down on my delicate visage.

That being said, there are some things I enjoy about the warmer months. Ask anyone who knows me and they'll probably claim, that I always wear black. Not true! Sometimes in fall, winter, and spring I'll also wear gray or navy. See?

But summer is the time of year when I really bust out with the vibrant colors. And a pair of sandals I purchased the other day (don't ask about them, they're sold out in all but a 12 and I don't want the emails again reminding me of that fact. So sorry!) in vibrant turquoise have reignited my passion for this most summery of colors. Sure, coral's cool and gold's great, but for warm weather, nothing looks better against a tan - or freckles! - than turquoise. It's universally flattering, methinks.

Take the Queen Bee necklace to the right. A stunning combination of turquoise and smokey quarts nuggets with tiger's eye and Carnelian accent pieces, this chunky showstopper would look equally amazing with a strapless dress and gladiator sandals as it would with a brown summer-weight wool suit with a burnt orange camisole underneath. A necklace like this requires no earrings, no bracelets...no problem. It's a one-stop jewelry no brainer, in the best way possible. It retails for about $120.

And if you're not familiar with Queen Bee yet and you live in D.C. (and you've apparently been living under a rock - kidding!), she's going to have a trunk show at her Hive this June. Discounts!

If heavy-duty semi-precious gems are not quite your thing, or - if you're like the DCGF - and you like to mix 'n' match high and low, then maybe this 30" turquoise-colored star necklace from Girl Props is just what you need.

It retails for - and I'm not making this up! - $1.99. Yes, it's only two bucks. And I think it's adorable! I mean, seriously, throw it on over anything: a vintage t-shirt (from Goodwill, natch), a cotton dress, peeking out underneath a button-down blouse...the possibilities are endless. You just can't go wrong with stars as an accessory.

Oh my gosh! You know what it reminds me of? The stars that always surrounded Rainbow Brite and her friends! Total recall, yo.

And now, dear readers, I'm probably going to get myself into a heap of trouble, because I'm going to do something I thought I'd never do on this fashion blog: suggest a pair of Crocs as a stylish addition to one's summer wardrobe.

I know, I know! But it's not the fugly gardening one's with the little thingy's on them (sorry, Mom). It's the brand-new Malindi design, a sort of sling-back flat, and I think the turquoise color is just adorable. And I have to tell you, I bought the Prima's a couple years back and they really are comfortable and I actually do wear them out in public. -sigh-

Plus, they only cost $30, which is pretty sweet for a pair of shoes that's lasted years now. There, I did it. I recommended Crocs. And I don't feel bad about it!

Blog the Blogger: The Spaztastic Adventures of a DC Fashionate

Kiki's been at this whole blogging thing longer than the DCGF, and her blog - The Spaztastic Adventures of a DC Fashionate - is funny because it's true. Recently, she tried to forgo shoe shopping in order to save up for a laptop. And then a posting titled only "Failure" expressed how so many of us give into the temptation of fashion, even when other necessities beckon. I laughed out loud. But those shoes (at left, from Reiss) are cute! Forthwith, Kiki answers to the DCGF's soon-to-be Famous Five (plus One) questions...

1. What is the first article of clothing you remember that you loved to wear? I am and always have been an accessories kind of girl. I don't remember a particular outfit or dress that I loved at a super young age (my love for all things taffeta didn't really click until I was about 9 or 10) but I do remember that the bows in my hair had to ALWAYS coordinate with whatever outfit I had on. Yellow fish t-shirt with hot pink biker shorts? That meant a yellow bow with hot pink ribbons and a fish applique. I totally blame my mother. She was an enabler.

2. Where is your favorite place - besides Goodwill, of course! - to shop for a fashion bargain in the DC area? I'm a TJ Maxx-aholic. Again, this is my mother's fault. We make TJMaxxing a sport. While I'm not as impressed with the DC-area Teej's as the ones in the South, I've still been able to get some good stuff on occasion. In addition to the typical chains like H&M and Forever 21, I also love to shop the sales at Annie Creamcheese, Commander Salamander (they've got some seriously fun accessories!), and Nido. Eastern Market is also a fave... you can eat cheese while shopping! There's not much better than that.

3. Where is your favorite place to shop for a fashion bargain outside of DC? I'm originally from Atlanta and there are some great thrift stores down there, namely Value Village. I've found some fantastic vintage shops on South Street in Philadelphia and Akira is one place in Chicago (along with Giordano's pizza!) that I really wish would move to DC. Etsy.com is one of my most favorite shopping sites for things both spendy and thrifty (usually thrifty!). My mom's closet is also a fantastic spot for vintage scarves, jewelry, and sequined skirts I can turn in to holiday dresses.

4. Who is your current favorite designer? I love all things Valentino, but I'll keep things accessory-minded. I absolutely love Benjamin's sunglass collection. I fell in love with men's sunglasses after seeing a pair of Tom Ford's on Brad Pitt and I think these Benjamin's just have that vintage vibe that makes them super special. I love handbags by Elisa Atheniense and Cynthia Rowley. Fave (dream!) shoe designers include Ferragamo (for classics), Stella McCartney, Reiss, Leopoldo Giordano, Jill Stuart, Pedro Garcia.... [Name dropper! Ha... -the DCGF]

5. If you could own any single item from fashion past or present - money is no object! - what would it be? Hands down something from Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry collection. I think I'd go with Liz's personal favorite: the Krupp diamond. Yes, it's incredibly gaudy. I like it that way!

Bonus Question: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? I actually had a Tootsie Pop just the other day! I was doing really well on the not-biting until I got annoyed by a bus driver who just decided to blow past me. Then biting was involved. So I guess the answer is... "until DC Metro pisses you off." Which if you actually rely on Metro to get around should only take three or four licks.

Wow, that's some great insight on both Tootsie Pops and D.C.'s public transportation predicament. Nice work, Kiki. And although that diamond is perhaps just a tad over the top, I'm all about wildly oversized costume jewelry, so I can dig it. Good luck on your continuing quest to save up for a laptop. I have one word for you: MacBook. I'm addicted to mine. In a good way, of course. You know, like how I'm addicted to shoes, too! Have a great weekend dear readers!




Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on shopgoodwill.com funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Rogan for Target for Barney's Co-Op for Pete's Sake

Riddle me this, dear readers: Why would one retailer premiere a fashion line created exclusively for another retailer at the first retailer's store? Well maybe, as in the case of Kate Moss for Topshop, said second retailer is not currently located in the country of said second retailer. Or, perhaps...um...well, that's it. I'm out of ideas.

Which is why the recent three-day premiere of Rogan Gregory's line for Target's Go International collection at Barney's Co-op is so very, very strange to me. And here's the real kicker: try to find any evidence that it ever existed at Barney's Co-op. You can't!

Oh sure, the blogosphere lit up with pics (like the one from the official Target Pressroom, at right) and chit-chat, but are there any official remnants of this odd collab? Nope.

Barney's Co-op's website has removed all traces of those li'l Target clothes. Simon Doonan's interview with Rogan Gregory? Gone. None of the links work anymore.

How about a press release? Nope, no luck there, either.

Well surely someone captured an image from the print ads or an in-store display, right? Not that I can find.

What gives?!

Certainly a high-end retailer like Barney's takes a chance when association with a mass merchandiser like Target, who - truth be told - has some of the best advertising out there. Dare I say, advertising that might rival Barney's in some ways? (Don't worry, Simon, your windows will always be the best.)

And then I figured it out.

There was this weird part of the interview with Rogan Gregory where Simon Doonan asked him (and I'm paraphrasing here) in reference to the line premiering a week early at Barney's Co-Op, "But what about the Target customers?" To which Gregory replied, "They'll just have to wait until May 18th!"

Cue needle scratching across record. What?! Oh, I see. Target shoppers don't go to Barney's! Oh, ha ha. Of course they don't! Certainly they'd want to buy the dress to the left in a fluorescent-lit big box store while simultaneously picking up toothbrushes and DVDs, not in an earth-tone, dimly lit boutique with sales associates.

Oh, how silly of me to think that maybe some people shop at both Target and Barney's Co-op. Now, I'm not blaming Target or Barney's for all of this. Certainly I love both of those retailers and I'm sure they just wanted to create buzz around this clothing line and weren't thinking of the ramifications of statements like those above.

But the types of attitudes expressed by Simon and Rogan are so typical in the retail industry and are just the kind of thing this blog is designed to address. Goodwill's mission, for example, is not to be a store that sells clothes for poor people. It's a store that sells good merchandise at great prices. For ALL people. You like Target? Great! Come shop at Goodwill. You like Barney's? Great! Come shop at Goodwill. And I would hope that well-known, beloved retailers like Target and Barney's would want people in their employ to reflect a similar attitude.

Certainly Barney's prices are cost prohibitive for many. But why wouldn't they use the Rogan for Target clothes - most of which are priced between $15 and $40 - to introduce a whole new crowd to Barney's? Just as our eBay store (which has this week's Goodwill Good Buy of the Week up now, by the way) introduces a whole new audience to the fantastic stuff we have at Goodwill, I'd think that most retailers would jump at the chance to broaden their audience.

Meh. But these are just the rambling opinions of the DCGF. Whaddya think?




Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on shopgoodwill.com funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

The Last of the Little Pretty Things

Today's the day where I showcase the final two pieces up for auction from the Fashion of Goodwill Spring Look Book. Awww...you guys!

It's been a good run, full of brightly colored vintage in patterns and prints and such. Remember that great dress from last week? Yeah...that was good times. You can bid on it on shopgoodwill.com right now, in fact. Oh, and that totally sweet blue outfit. Gosh, that was swell. And yep, that's on shopgoodwill.com, too. Ah, memories...

I'm going to be nostalgic one last time, with this week's Goodwill Good Buy of the Week.

The first item up is this fabulous vintage silk shantung blue plaid skirt to the right. It was custom-made in Paris (you're probably sensing the theme for the Look Book by now: blue, vintage, Paris, etc., etc.) and features my absolute favorite thing ever on skirts and dresses: pockets. C'est magnifique! Did I spell that right? Ich spreche nur Englisch und ein bißchen Deutsch.

Anyway...we've tied a vibrant blue grosgrain ribbon at the waist of the belt and paired it with the simplest white tank for summer. The jewelry and clutch are by tu-anh, in case you're wondering. The only tag on the skirt says "Fashion by Rita'z" (that's not misspelled!). The skirt has a 30" waist, with a couple of extra inches to let out. The hips are open and it will hit mid-calf on an average height gal. Oh, plus it's fully line in bright blue acetate. Dare I say the perfect summer skirt?

The second item up this week is actually the cousin to the skirt, I think. It's a fully lined silk shantung paperbag-waist dress, in a similar blue plaid pattern. Awesome.

And again, it's custom-designed and made in France from beautiful fabric. The waist has been pulled very tight on this model, who's much smaller than the dress's approximate size of a modern US 6-8. With the versatility of a drawstring waist, the dress can be more a shift or can really show off an hourglass figure. Either way, you can see that it's offset beautifully by aquas and blues. And don't you love the vintage hat? I'm hanging on to that for a minute for a future project. But I'll let ya know when it's up for sale.

So there you have it, the final pieces from the Spring Look Book that can be yours. And here is the link to purchase them: Spring Into Fashion with Goodwill! It's a new and fun l'il eBay foray that I hope you enjoy. Toodles...

Bright is Alright

Yesterday, dear readers, your truly bravely stumbled out of her apartment on my pair of 5" neon green Alice + Olivia for Payless slingback platforms (There they are at right. I paid full price and now they're on sale - curses!). I hadn't worn them before, you see, and it stopped raining for about 10 minutes, so I eagerly slipped them on for some errand running I had to accomplish.

Everyone was staring, not only because I was 6'5" in them (no kidding!), but because the sheer retina-burning brightness of the shoes certainly stood out from the black boots and sensible brown flats that everyone else seemed to be wearing. I received compliments from a 9-year-old girl and an 80-year-old man. Kinda creepy, but flattering nonetheless.

Maybe it's because I'm a child of the eighties, but I still have a certain weakness for neon colors. Where I used to wear two neon t-shirts, though, and roll up the sleeves so that the color underneath could be seen, now I'll just accessorize with a pair of shoes or some strategically place piece of jewelry. I still think these bright colors can be fashionable and they bring back a touch of my youth, minus the legwarmers and black Reebok hightops.

If shoes are your thing (and if they aren't they should be - my goodness!), it's easy to find a brightly colored pair that's appropriate for a variety of occasions. I know I'm going to sound like your mom when I say this, but Aerosoles makes really comfortable shoes that are - yes - stylish. They're not all about those yucky elastic slip-ons anymore.

I think the pair to the left, called "Picnic" are a great pair of vibrantly colored slingbacks that are perfect for a casual Friday, a Saturday morning brunch, or a Sunday evening soirée. They come in a variety of colors, but I absolutely love this orange faux-leather option. Paired with khaki, olive green, or just basic white, they're sure to make a statement. Plus they're on sale for $59.25. Plus they come in sizes 5 1/2 through 12. Done.

If you'd rather wear your brightness on your arm, then go for R.J. Graziano's "Bright Idea" bangles, which are available from - of all places - the Home Shopping Network! I didn't even know HSN sold stuff like that. Probably it's a good thing that I don't get that station; I'd never turn it off!

Anyway, about the bangles... They're acrylic and have this translucent thing going on, which I love. I'd pair two together. I especially like the combination of purple and yellow, worn with a brown dress maybe. It sounds a little out there, but try and you'll see. With something this fabulous, you can keep the rest of the jewelry to a minimum. And at $27.95 each, they're certainly not cheap, so let them be the focus of your outfit!

Now guys, don't think I've forgotten about you. I don't recommend any neon man-jewelry, or even shoes, really. (Can neon, patent-leather tennis shoes please go away for a while? Please?) Guys have it a little easier, actually. If you want to wear neon, I say go all the way and pick up a tee or two from American Apparel's Highlighter series.

Seriously, just go for it. Throw on a pair of dark wash jeans, some Converse Jack Purcell's and you're out the door. This is especially relevant if you're looking to pick up chicks. Why? Because everyone will be asking about your shirt. I'm not in the business of giving dating advice here, dear readers, but trust me on this one. No guy in a neon tee shirt will go unnoticed for too long. On the other hand, however, if you're heading out for a job interview, it's probably best to stay away from such colors. Just sayin'...

Ahhh...I'm feeling younger already, just thinking about picking up a few neon-hued pieces for summer. I think I'll keep the bright green on my feet, though, and not around my face. That color seems best reserved for those of a deeper complexion. I, on the other hand, tend to look a little seasick. But vibrant orange, shining yellow, hot pink - these are my friends. I shall wear them well.