Treasure Box: A few pieces

Picked up the silver version of the Joveeba rose belt today ... One size

as well as a Story By Tang backless bubble dress in black. Size 0

The two together look pretty awesome.

Also picked up a Zanthus strapless dress and a Story by Tang racerback but can't find any pics of them online .

OzSale: Emerald Rice by 7 For All Mankind Jeans

2 pairs of Emerald Rice by 7 For All Mankind Jeans - one in a black and one in blue. Size 23 and 24 respectively, from OzSale

Review added after receiving shipment:

OzSale is one of those websites that brings together labels from far and wide, and hold sales for limited periods of time. Their website is easy to navigate, and checkout is pretty stress free. Be aware however (and it is noted on their website), that delivery can take anywhere between 7-21 days due to the way the sales are set up.

I ordered two pairs of jeans - touch and sight never seen before - and it was confirmed pretty much straight away. It wasn't until about a week after however, that my credit card was finally processed and then another two weeks before I got an email to say my items had been shipped. Ozsale uses registered post so you can track the items , and delivery is between 3-5 working days from when they say it is shipped.

The products came labelled, well wrapped and on time. No issues at all.

My disappointment however came in the quality of the jeans. I have worn SFAM jeans before and my denim has always been decent quality. However, these particular Emerald Rice jeans came in a very thin (albeit soft) denim, and they looked just cheap and nasty. The fit is okay, but i just hate the denim.

OzSale allows you to refund products within a certain timeframe. Had I known this I would've returned the jeans straight away. However, I (wrongly) assumed that because they were on sale etc, there was no refund policy. So lesson learnt - always check the refund policy! Besides the product quality of this particular item, OzSale can be a place to find some great buys at fantastic prices.

OzSale : Ksubi Jeans

Snapped up some awesome bargains yesterday. 2 pairs of Ksubi/Tsubi Jeans from Ozsale at a

Indigo Scooter Straight Legs

Indigo Narrow Leg Jeans RRP $330, bought for $66

ASOS: A little bit of summer

The problem with ordering from overseas is that often higher costs involved in shipping (expected really...). ASOS charges a flat rate of approximately $18 which I think is fairly reasonable, but even at that price, I feel the need to put in a larger order rather than just what I want.

Today's order is a bit smaller than the last... but I'm still looking forward to the box of goodies that should arrive in about 2 weeks nonetheless!!

(below edited after receiving the items)

So , true to form, I got this parcel 10 working days after processing. Not bad, and consistent, but not as good as other UK sites where I have had items within one week. That said, all the items in the box were correct and individually wrapped. Let's have a look at individual items:

Spotted Bikini + matching briefs

Product review: True to size, just as expected. No issues.

Once Upon a Time Pure Silk Dobby Print Blouse in XS .

Product review: I hated the look of this when I received it. The pink was much too bright, and there were strange white panels throughout, making me look like a cowboy. Unfortunately for me, the item cost $60 to purchase, but it cost me $25 to return it to the UK. Expensive lesson in overseas buying ;)

And two pairs of sandals for the summer.

One in turquoise , one in dark pewter, size UK3.

I'm normally a AU6 in shoes, and took a gamble on the UK3. Strangely, my right foot appears to wear the UK3 fine, but my left foot appears to be a bit smaller. Oh well.

The sandals themselves came in individual boxes, wrapped inside with paper but smelling overwhelmingly "new". Some might like that smell, but I had to air them out because it was so strong. Also, the labels say leather, but they feel pretty hard and plasticky to me so im not sure about that one. Besides that, they look as per their photos and will keep my feet summery cool this season :)

And one in pewter...

Witchery: Bella Bow Leather Bag

I've been eyeing this bag for at least a year but never purchased it for hope it would go on sale. No sale, but picked it up for those casual summer months..

Bella Bow Leather Bag, in Tan, from Witchery

Merge Clothing : Cheap Monday Moa Tank

Summer is arriving here in Perth, so i've been trying to stock up on some casuals for the summer season (actually, i'll be over in South America for summer but they'll come in handy anyway!).

I picked this Cheap Monday Moa Tank up in White (size XS) from Merge (one of my favourite little stores).

ASOS : A whole lotta new purchases

Just went a bit happy happy at ASOS . New purchases for tonight... :)

Review of online shopping experience post-purchase:

ASOS is an amazing online retailer, with everything from budget in house brands, to indie labels, and highstreet labels such as mango, traffic people etc, to designer labels such as Sonia Rykiel, Antipodium etc. Because of this, it makes for a shopping mecca of sorts, with thousands of products to choose from at all hours of the day.

Since they introduced their new "wishlist/save for later" feature, I have been constantly on the website adding whatever catches my eye for later. This is particularly useful because I live in Australia, and as such must pay for higher shipping costs for the delivery. Their international shipping cost is approximately $18 (after conversion) flat rate. In the face of this, I prefer to make larger orders to maximise shipping rather than order one or two products. So when I have accumulated enough items, or when there are promotions running, i'll just revert to my wishlist and add it in the basket for delivery.

I put in my order on Sunday night, and on monday morning received an email from ASOS advising it had been shipped. Very impressed. However, it took a full two weeks from their date of shipping until it reached me, so I wasn't as impressed as I originally was in the end. I base this on previous experiences I've had with UK based online stores where I have often received my goodies within one week. 2 weeks seemed a bit much for me.

The products came well packaged in individual plastic sleeves, and in a big box. Everything I ordered was in there, and sizes ordered correct. Individual product reviews are below.

All in all, I am satisfied with my experience with ASOS. I am still in two minds about their flat rate shipping - on one hand, I do like it because it is value for when I have lots to purchase. On the other hand, it makes me order more for the sole reason of spreading the shipping cost. Watch this space ;)

To Love Kuvaa Dress from The Laden Showroom:

Product review: Very impressed with the quality of this product. The seams were well done, the dress was lined, and the fabric appeared to be quality cotton. Unfortunately, the dress didn't fit me but I knew it wouldn't before I ordered it. (I am a UK6, and order a size Small which was a 8-10). Not too worry, I unpicked the lining and did some alterations and now it fits. But for others, this might not be ideal. Oh and one other thing, the dress is fairly short. I'm 5'2 and it reached mid thigh on me so I couldn't fathom how short it would be on taller people!!

Skinny Leather Red Bow Belt:

Product review: Again, impressed . Real soft leather for a bargain price. It is however, too big for me (size small again), so I will need to take it to the cobbler to put some more holes in it. Oh well. Story of my life ;)

Wal G Striped Bow Dress for my Sister:

My sister asked me to purchase this for her, and on receiving it she wasn't terribly impressed. The jersey was fairly thin and cheap, and the dress extremely short. The model herself looks fairly tall, and my sister is about 5'1, so she expected it to be longer. Alas, it still sits about that length on her. You've been warned ;)

Motel Seagull Print Playsuit:

Product Review: I'm in a playsuit kinda phase at the moment, and this one did not disappoint. I ordered this in their XS (6-8) and with the shirred back, it fits perfectly. Again, it is a little short, but I think it goes well with the summer look of the playsuit. The quality of the product was also very good, and all the seams and stitches straight. The only thing that wasn't totally accurate was the colour. On my screen, the colour looks more dark sky blue . but in real life,the blue is more a royal / almost navy blue. It didn't bother me, but it might others .

French Connection Cream Detail Shirt:

Product review: Hmm. This is an interesting one. The pictures below indicate some cute little sequin details, but when I got the shirt, it came with sequins, beads, buttons, the lot. Consequently, the shirt is quite heavy and doesn't look cute.. more... strange than anything. The sizing is a generous size 6 (as most French Connection items are), and the colour is more cream than white. I'm not in love with this , though I expected to be.

Cheap Monday Big Bow Plaid Top:

Product review: Again, I ordered this knowing it would be a tad big .

The Cheap Monday size XS was more for an 8 than a 6 , and given that this is a loose top, the XS turned out to be massive. Not too worry, i put some darts in at the back, and it fits me fine.

Quality? Good. Not amazing, but good. The cotton is lightweight plaid, but doesn't feel cheap to me. The bow is huge, but is adjustable (ie. you tie it yourself), so you can play with it as you please.

My only other comment for this one is that, while I got a Cheap Monday tag for it, the actual sewn in tag said "Kostym". Not sure what happened there?? All my Cheap Monday items always comes with the same skull tag as this one.. but on my other items, they have a Cheap Monday tag sewn in as well. Oh well, not too fussed cause I like the top.. but just something I noticed.

Spoilt : Rodeo Show Riley Dress

After some yummy french crepes , my fave lil gal pal and I browsed the shops and out I came with a little black number.

Rodeo Show Riley Dress, in Black, size 8, from Spoilt.

Ebay: Lover Altamont Two Tone Dress

A bargain buy on ebay (yes it's several seasons old.. but hey, i still think its cute)... just a casual little something for those summer days.

Lover Two Tone Dress, in BLUE (not brown like below) from the Altamont collection.

Myer: Wish Album Blouse

For something romantic .. Dress it up or dress it down.

Wish Album Blouse, XS , from Myer.

ShopBop: Thayer Yearn Dress

Because I like dresses.

Thayer pure silk Yearn Dress, in Sunset Pink, XS from ShopBop

Mainpeak: Thermals

To keep me warm when I get to Macchu Picchu. Obviously not for fashion ;)

Thermals (crew neck long sleeve, and long johns), both in black from Mainpeak, size XS.

See previous post for how my experience went

Myer: Cooper St Bermuda Spliced Frock

Just because I liked it... Occasion? None yet!

Cooper St Clothing Bermuda Spliced Frock. Size 8. Putting some darts in the bodice to fit a size 6.

Purchased from Myer.

Altrec: The North Face Venture Jacket

To keep me safe from the rain, while keeping me dry in South America

The North Face Venture Jacket, in Black with Pink trim. Size XS.

From Altrec

Online shopping experience (posted after receiving goods).

There is absolutely nothing bad that I can say about Altrec's online shopping service. The prices were great, they were upfront and transparent (the jacket I ordered had a limited edition colourway and would require an extra few days for shipping as it was a special order, so Altrec made this clear at the point of purchase), shipping was fast and registered, and the products were packed well , faultless and just as described.

The Grand Social: Joveeba Rose Belt

Because I'm in a belt kinda mood..

Joveeba rose belt, in black, one size fits all.

From The Grand Social

Also thinking about buying the silver...

Online shopping experience (posted after receiving the item)

Not a very satisfied customer I'm afraid.

The Grand Social explicitly says on their website that delivery is made only twice a week and certain items (such as Joveeba items) requires a few days extra. In my mind, this means a week max.

However, two weeks later, I had noticed that they were very happy to charge my credit card but my parcel was still "processing". Frustrated, I contacted The Grand Social and mentioned that I wasn't very pleased with their slow delivery and was provided with an assurance that it was going out the next day and for my hassles, they gave me a discount code for free shipping on my next purchase (I had already used the shipping code in the original instance).

It wasn't until 3 weeks after my purchase date that I actually got the item.

The item itself looks gorgeous - there's a bit of an ethereal sense to it , with its tulle and ribbon origami-d roses.. but it's not the best made. As I tried it on for the first time, I noticed that the ribbon was coming away from the rose backing. On investigation, I noticed that the ribbon was only glued onto the rose backing rather than sewed on... and the glue was obviously not very strong. While it didn't bother me too much (I got out a little needle and tacked some stitches onto it), the craftsmanship was just not as high as in other Joveeba items that I've owned. That said though, it is beautiful and I do love it..

Mainpeak : The North Face TKA100 Masonic Fleece Jacket

To keep me nice and warm on my upcoming trip to South America...

The NorthFace TKA 100 Masonic Fleece Jacket in Black, XS. Hooded, with thumb holes.

Purchased from mainpeak

Online shopping review (Edited after receiving parcel):

I was fairly satisfied with my purchase from Main Peak. Main Peak offers web only prices which tend to be about $10 or so cheaper than the retail price if purchased at one of their stores. And so, I decided to order myself a little black north face jacket in xs from their website.

The next day, I got a polite email from my one of their staff at a local Main Peak retail store who informed me that there was no stock for xs black jackets, and what would I like to do instead. So I chose the white, and she replied immediately and said she had packed up my goodies and they were on their way to me.

The next day, the parcel was on my doorstep, well wrapped and sent via insured , registered post and my total parcel was still cheaper than if I had purchased at the store! Yay!.

While I was very pleased with the service and the shipping, I was a little disappointed that the white jacket I received had a bit of dirt. Sure, nothing major - and I could just wash it myself. But for a brand new item, I would've liked to have a brand new looking jacket. Oh well, not a lot of love lost.

Overall, very satisfied with my experience from Main Peak.