Covering the basics with Unique Vintage---modest clothing options in a modern world

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

I'm back with another addition to my series on places where I find clothing with more coverage. One of my very favorite sites where I continually find beautiful modest clothes is Unique Vintage. I own MANY of their one piece swimsuits which I might feature here at some point, and the heels, skirt, and petticoat I am wearing in this shot are from there as well. 

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

Unique Vintage's pieces are a little spendier than what I am accustomed to paying for but they also run sales and deals and honestly, the quality of their pieces can't be beat. If you know anything about me you know I am a sucker for vintage and retro styles so the fact that they sell true vintage clothes and vintage recreated styles has me goo-goo, ga-ga and needing to exercise a lot of restraint so as to not buy everything.

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

Now I want to clarify some things about myself and this blog. I have titled this series about "modesty". I find that modesty is subjective and easily misinterpreted. So here are a few things to keep in mind...

1. My version of modesty looks different than it might yours. It might look different even than other women's in my own faith. Modesty to me, means I respect myself, God, and the promises I have made to Him. I dress in a way I would feel comfortable presenting myself to Him. That looks different on different days too, if I am going to church I am going to try and show respect by dressing a little nicer. If I am working out, I am just trying to be comfortable and functional to exercise and keep my body healthy. 

To some I dress in a way that might seem stuffy, old fashioned. I get that and respect it. 

And to others I might dress in a way that is totally scandalous. I get that and respect that too. 

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2. Some people think modest dressing even goes beyond that to not dress in a way that brings any kind of attention to yourself and that style in and of itself cannot be "modest". Some people see it as being completely frugal with the money you spend, and to an extent I try to adhere to that with my wardrobe but it is all relative, and I am sure that to some of those people I am scandalous as well. But they probably wouldn't be reading a fashion blog...

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3. Just because I choose to dress the way that I do does not mean I will judge ANYONE for their own choices to dress in as much or as little clothing as they want to. I also don't think that modesty should be about anyone other than YOU and YOUR choices. Whatever YOU are comfortable with does not have to be explained to anyone else. Everyone is responsible for their own thoughts and actions. The way you or I dress does not give anyone a right to say or do anything to degrade or humiliate us. That says more about the person making the comment or doing something rude than it does about you.

skirt/blouse/heels/purse/belt/crinoline

At the end of the day fashion makes me happy, and finding ways to be creative with it makes me happy. Finding great new places to shop, like Unique Vintage, makes me happy and I just want to share the happiness. 

:)

Covering the basics with Dainty Jewell's---modest clothing options in a modern world

This lovely dress and the company which created it are some of the very few reasons why I am genuinely smiling this week. I look pretty serene in most of these shots because this was all taken before the poop hit the fan and my week turned catastrophic... anywho, read on for happier thoughts!!! :)

Dainty Jewells approached me awhile back asking if I would be willing to review their products. I agreed but I wanted to remain authentic and neutral so I did end up paying and ordering online to get the true customer experience and give an unbiased review.

Their vast selection of modest and beautiful dresses and skirts has a little something for everyone. They sell their designs usually with options to choose a unique color and print. The prices reflect the high quality product you are paying for and you truly are getting unique yet timeless pieces for your wardrobe. Every item I ordered is flattering, boasts good fabric and construction, and is comfortable. 

I LOVE that they design and create their own items in house, I always want to support small business and this is a great way to do that. I also adore the vintage vibes they infuse into their designs!!! You know me and my vintage style crush.

For younger girls I would definitely recommend them for formal and semi-formal dances as some of their gorgeous designs lend themselves to these types of occasions perfectly and the price point is actually very reasonable for formal wear. 

All of the designs have sleeves (yay!), higher necklines, and many of them come with the option of a knee-length (ends up being closer to midi on us shorties) and floor-length.

Buying and ordering were a breeze and they do offer an appealing customer loyalty program. Do expect shipping to take a little bit longer than a big box online store because they are after all custom designs and a smaller business :)  

While Dainty Jewells remains an exclusively online boutique they occasionally have pop-up shops and if you subscribe to their newsletter you can find out if they are coming near you!

Overall I was very pleased with my experience shopping at Dainty Jewells and will be featuring more outfits with some of their awesome designs in the future. I am so excited I found out about this lovely company, and while their clothes are a little more money than what I would typically spend they are well worth it and are sure to fetch you lots of compliments and get you a lot of wear and joy. I mean they did manage to keep me smiling and comfy through a torturous week, so who knows how one of their dresses could change your life! ;)

They just rolled out their spring line so go check them out! They do a 50% off mystery dress deal on occasion so make sure to subscribe to their newsletter!

Covering the basics with Shop Ruche- modest clothing options in a modern world series

Many of my readers and friends often ask me where I get my clothes from. This is a complicated question to answer for a variety of reasons. There is no one "go to" place that I use. I usually prefer shopping second-hand due to personal ethical convictions. But I understand that on occasion it is nice to buy something new and others might not feel comfortable buying used. I have started a series where I will be highlighting a retailer which provides modest clothing options in order to share some of the places I find my modest clothes. 

Being LDS means my definition of modest apparel might be different than yours. I am not here to judge, just showcase places which happen to have options which are a little more covered in the shoulder/arm and leg areas. 

Shop Ruche has been a long time favorite of mine. It is also a great comeback story and one of small business success. They started out as a tiny online boutique catering to a clientele interested in eclectic and unique styles. I happened upon them by accident, browsing one day for something very specific (I was looking for a bold poppy print, and found this poppy skirt which I wore here). 

Right off the bat I noticed a lot of their designs met my needs for more coverage, and while they were a little more spendy than what I was used to buying, they have great online coupon deals and sales when you subscribe. They even have filters you can set for longer length skirts and dresses as well as tops with sleeves.

I literally cried last spring when they announced they were going out of business. I had been asking my husband to get my birthday and Christmas gifts there for years, and I would constantly ogle and admire their cute clothes, shoes and decor. What would I do now that they were gone?!?

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Luckily for me, others felt the same way I did, and a few months later they announced their return after enough investors and former clients had shown an interest in keeping their business alive. I was ecstatic! 

 I mean, who else would be able to fill my pleated airplane print maxi dress, silver stiletto heel dreams?

Every single one of the items I have ordered from there has been nothing short of amazing quality, stunning in presentation and fit beautifully. I adore this company and recommend Shop Ruche to all my friends, family, and readers. They have a variety of styles to suit many tastes, and while their price point might be a little higher than what I am used to paying, I can wait patiently for sales and deals and I know I am getting a one-of-a-kind piece that is worth every penny. 

online consign like a pro: the thredup special---devenir pro de l'occasions en ligne: spécial thredup

Hello everyone! I have recently found myself with a little extra time on my hands what with the flooding going on in my town and subsequent road, school, and business closures...so I gladly bring you the first of a special series on online retail and consignment :) 

All items seen in the pictures are from ThredUp. These are not the only items which I own that came from there, just a snapshot. I unfortunately do not have pictures of items I have sold to them. 

One of the topics I get asked about frequently is online consigning: buying and selling clothing which is lightly used (sometimes new!) through apps or websites. This is what would I consider to be one of my hobbies and something I have gotten relatively good at over the years and it is something which I thought would be best tackled in separate posts to truly do justice to all the companies out there.

 I will attempt to list out only important basics and let you decide how to use that information as you play around with these apps and websites and find your groove and form your own opinion. I want to note that though these companies are not paying me currently to write about them, I am not against the idea of partnering with them at a future date.

Today's focus is on ThredUp.

If you are familiar with the classic consignment store business model, ThredUp does this with a 21st century twist.

How it Works (Seller Side): 

• ThredUp sends you a free giant bag in the mail to fill with your gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories (they currently only accept women's, juniors', and children's items...sorry dudes). Keep in mind they prefer certain brands but will really accept anything in good condition that could still be considered "in style". 
• The company assesses the potential value of your items and offers you a price should you accept it (there is an option where they send you back all your stuff if you are unhappy with their offer).
• You get a payout even before your items sell and you are guaranteed a payout which is something that I consider to be a HUGE plus to doing business with ThredUp.
• You also have the option of cashing in your offer for a higher amount of store credit, which leads me to discuss some things I have noticed as a shopper there

The Shopper Pros/Cons

• Pro: a wide selection, this is great if you are looking for anything from basics to that killer pair of aztec print jeggings (as seen above)
• Pro: great ways to filter by size, style, color, etc...basically anything you can think of
• Pro: merchandise is easy to see, all pictures are well lit with a neutral background,and pertinent information about each item is listed as the workers are meticulous when assessing the clothing coming in

• Pro-Con: depending on your tastes and life stage this observation of mine can really be either. When ThredUp had just begun I feel like their selection and styles available reflected more of what I personally like (funky, eclectic stuff), as it has grown I have noticed that it now tends to favor a more mature and somewhat preppy style. That is not to say you can't find some awesome boho/edgy/funky stuff, you just have to have patience and know what you're looking for.
• Pro-Con: you do have to pay for shipping if your order is under a certain monetary amount. However, the shipping is not unreasonable at all, and for the minimum amount (last I ordered it was $75 to get free shipping, in the past it was $50, I think it might also depend on what deals they are running) you can get quite a haul of good stuff, think, several outfits.

• Con: a wide selection. I know this is also listed in the Pro section, and bear with me, sometimes you just want to narrow stuff down and it becomes impossible when you are looking through heaping mounds of clothes. Some people get overwhelmed by the hunt, I live for the thrill of it...just know that there is a TON of stuff to sift through on here. 
• Con: I have noticed lately that sometimes the price points are not as desirable as I feel they should be for consigned clothes. A lot of the stuff on here is designer and therefore retains its value. This I feel is also subjective based on personal circumstances, but the prices have gone up over time as a general rule with ThredUp. 

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

• I highly recommend sending in items when you know you have a lot to send in and you are just overall cleaning out and you don't mind not receiving a huge payout for it. The positive here vs other websites where you put up a classified for each item is that you are guaranteed a payout and it is immediate.
• I recommend subscribing to their emails so you stay informed on the deals they are running
• When shopping look for items that are name brand/quality/designer and look for it in the lower price range areas (they have a "basement" section which is like their clearance, a "last chance" section, and a filter for price range and brand). I usually don't care at all about brand, but keep in mind that if you're paying for something at what I consider a mid-range consignment price plus a shipping fee you may as well make it something that might last a little more than the Forever21 graphic tee (I love them, just saying...). 

Have you ever tried ThredUp? Did you love it? Which online consigner would you like me to feature next?

Mes amis et lecteurs francophones, malheureusement le site web dont je parle dans cet article n' existe pas encore en dehors des États-Unis. Profitez-donc des photos et renseignez vous auprès des directeurs de l'entreprise pour savoir s'ils veulent aggrandir leur business et l'amener au Canada ou en France :)