NastyGal.com, Where All The Cool Girls Shop

New Sunny's from ASOS!

INTRODUCTION. This has been a crazy week for me, Stella, the Great Dane I’m fostering, started her heart worm treatment, I’ve had lots of new readers and exciting recognition, I’ve launched my second column “DIY HairTutorials” and I have two test coming up, two projects due and one oral presentation next week. All are very good things, very excited, very thankful, and very exhausted.

My Spotlight Site focus this week will be NastyGal.com. Now, I love where the name derives from, an old Bette Davis song, but I hate the name. I guess I’m partial to the idea that you catch more flies with honey (ok, really you catch more flies with poop, but you get my drift). The origin of the name, really fits the tone of the company, though. It’s a lot of new takes on a vintage feel, which is obviously really on trend right now. Bette Davis would love this place. She’d look amazing in their stuff. Y’all please, do not let the name turn you away. NastyGal is not nasty and is not marketed specifically for “nasty” gals.

STYLE. Cool, sexy and whatever is hot at the moment. These garments remind me of the looks I see on the 6 Train in Manhattan. NastyGal describes their target market as “the coolest girl in the room‚ pulling off whatever wildly unique piece that suits the mood.” Much like their UK based competitor ASOS, NastyGal carries many different brand names including a few couture lines like Pink Mink, along side their own newly launched NastyGal collection. One thing to note; you cannot shop by brand name, they don’t even tell the brand name in the garment description, which I think is strange and irritates me a little.

By the way, you should totally check out their Vintage section and see my Tip of the week below where I discuss thrift shopping and purchasing pre-used items online.

PRICE. $9-$700. I’m serious. They offer so many different lines, the price range is that varied. NastyGal has a specific look and they stick to it, regardless of price. “Our buyers search high and low for pieces you won't find anywhere else—be it from the Rose Bowl Flea Market or the racks at showrooms.”

They also have great sale items.  Click on their “SALE” tab and they offer three shop by price options: $15, $20, and $30. That’s pretty affordable, whatever your budget.

WEAR-ABLITLY. Who can wear NastyGal? Well, not everyone. NastyGal does not have much to offer for women over 30-ish and frankly a lot of this stuff, in my opinion, is not appropriate for anyone under 18 years old. Don’t get me wrong. Not all of their items are scandalous. There’s plenty for girls who like to keep ‘em guessing about what’s under there. They’ve got ROCKSTAR shoes and great winter coats, super cool, flashy accessories, boho sweaters, super cool sunnies; lots of good stuff for young, adult women.

SIZE&FIT. I bought a scarf. It fit great. Ha. So, because I’m so good to you guys and I wanted to give you an accurate idea of what the size and fit and NastyGal is like, I searched high and low for consumer reviews on NastyGal to share with you. I really didn’t find much. They reviews I did find were NOT good but to be honest, most of them just seemed like hysterical rants from crazy people with internet access. What I can accurately tell you is that NastyGal does not carry any specialty sizes, i.e. petites, plus, talls, irregulars, one of your legs is 5” shorter than the other, stuff like that. They carry your basic size 0-12 (like a size 0 is basic, a size 0 is dedication). I can say that they have a very descriptive sizing chart and they even tell you how to accurately use it. So gold star for NastyGal for a decent sizing chart!

QUALITY&CONSTRUCTION. I purchased the GORGEOUS Leopard print “Into The Wild” Scarf and I adore it. I’m probably going to wear it everyday this winter. It’s gorgeous and soft and just the right length. Love it. However, it’s only a simple scarf. I can’t really give you an accurate account of the quality at NastyGal based on a single scarf. As I mentioned previously, I could hardly find any legit reviews of this company. Which I find odd, because I know this place must be making some serious doe. If you’re not seeing an ad for ModCloth on the side of your facebook profile, then you’re probably looking at an ad for NastyGal. SO, I got out my super, slick blogger skills and called a friend of mine who works for a shipping company. I asked her if she'd ever heard of NastyGal from customers at her work. Here’s what she said “Actually, we ship a lot of return items back to NastyGal, but based on what my customers tell me, it’s not because they don’t like the quality of the garment.” She speculates that because NastyGal offers free shipping on returns, people are less cautious with what they buy, there fore, they have more items to return. Make sense to me!

SHIPPING&RETURNS. 8$ on all standard orders, free shipping on all domestic orders over $50 to the U.S. and $29 for over night shipping (HURRAY). Return and Exchange policy is also fairly standard. They ask you to return items with in 30 days, they send you a return form to fill out in your package and a shipping on exchanges and returns are free. The only down side I can find is they do not refund your original shipping fee… eh. That’s not ideal, but also not absurd.

RECAP. Here’s the skinny on NastyGal: It is THE spot to get a hot dress to wear out on the town. They’ve got other cool garments for daily wear, but their main attraction is daring and bold looks for nightlife. I say don’t be shy, check ‘em out.

TIP. A new trend I’m seeing a lot of online is companies like ASOS, ModCloth, and NastyGal offering vintage and pre-owned items along side their designer garments. I like this a lot, however for me, it takes the fun out the hunt for those vintage treasures. I love taking a day to go “thrifting” and rummaging through hundreds of horrible 80’s prom dresses and family reunion t-shirts just to find that great vintage blazer with the leather patches on the elbows. However, sometimes it’s cool to get stuff online that you might not be able to find at your own local thrift store or estate sale. When shopping pre-owned or vintage, whether it be online or in person, a fantastic tip is to IGNORE SIZING. Sizes can be different from era to era and from label to label. What was a size 10 in 1952 might be a size 6 in 2012.  Know your own measurements and what shapes are flattering for your body type. If you’re not sure what shapes are good for you, HERE is a really cool site that will calculate your measurements and tell you what looks are flattering for you. If the seller doesn’t offer the measurements in the advertisement just email them and ask them! People do not mind answering questions about their products. 

Here are some snaps of my latest thrifting loot from my local GoodWill Store

^All of these dresses were $5 dollars each!^

 

^I am OBSESSED with this over sized slouchy sweater for only $2. It is going to^ 

look so cute with black leggings and those Leather Riding boots I scored for $5.

I am all about connecting with other bloggers and readers of blogs! Find me on Twitter @ScottieKey and on facebook @ facebook.com/ScottiesPaperDolls and lets talk fashion!

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The Not So "Fun Bun"

This is a DIY Hair Tutorial that's been circulating on Pinterest.com for a while now and it's one of my most commonly pinned pins. I tried it myself, did exactly what the pictures instructed me to do, and it looked terrible. That's what gave me the idea to write reviews of these Hair Tutorials. I've been a hairstylist for 3 years now and I think I can give you a few tips on how to make these looks easier to accomplish on your own. 

First we have a lovely demonstration by my friend Emily Dawson (not a professional hair stylist or model) attempting to recreate the look with out any instruction from me. 

 

Not such a fun bun is it? Maybe it should be called the "dumb bun" (sorry, that was cheesy, couldn't resist). Let me show you a few easy adjustments to make, so you can have an actual "fun bun."

 Here we go...

 Pull when making your starter bun, make sure it's small. Only pull out a little bit. Leaving a lot of hair out. 

Make sure the hair you've left out is laying flat on the BACK of your head. Pull the bun on either side, just a little, to give it this fan shape. 

Push the bun down to your crown with your hand and using HAIR PINS (NOT BOBBY PINS) and pin the bun securely to your head. This should take between 3 and 4 hair pins. 

Split the hair that's left out in two and roll them with your fingers. Wrap them around the bun ONE AT A TIME, securing them with hair pins along the way and spraying them with EXTRA FIRM hair spray.

Here's Emily securing the hair.

Tada!

I hope this was informative! This is the first Hair Tutorial I've written, do if I left anything out or if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me! You can find me on twitter @ScottieKey or facebook @ facebook.com/ScottiesPaperDolls or just leave a comment below!

BooHoo.com Review

INTRODUCTION. Let out your inner Rock Star girls, this weeks Spotlight Site is BooHoo.com. BooHoo is a United Kingdom based company dedicated to staying on fashions most forward trends while keeping prices at their bottom dollar. BooHoo is relatively new to the game. For a company that has been around for a mere 6 years they offer a pretty large selection of garments.

STYLE. FLASHY! Boohoo carries recreations of high end runway fashion.   Most all the garments at Boohoo are statement pieces; not a place for basics. Their stuff is very cool and very edgy. I asked my best friend, Emily Dawson, (who’s taste is, in my opinion, impeccable), how she would describe the garments at boohoo and she said “I would say the site's style is trendy, flashy, and young… You definitely could style an outfit from BooHoo but, personally, I wouldn't. Everything is so trendy and loud that I would have to tone it down with some other choices.” Also, you need to keep in mind that this company is based in Dublin, Ireland where fashion trends tend to be a bit more over the top than here in The States (The Jersey Shore excluded… what is in the drinking water up there???)

Price. $10-$100 BooHoo stays true to their vow to keep their cost down. They’re prices are very affordable especially considering that their garments are at the early stages of the trend cycle. I ordered a pair of fabulous “treggings” (trousers meet leggings) with leather inserts on the front for only $25. I mean pleather not leather, but they look great. They don’t look cheap at all.

Wear-ability. The first time I found this site, I knew I had found Legging Heaven! They have the biggest selection of leggings I have every seen. I’ve only ordered one pair but I love them. And I certainly plan to order more.

A lot of this stuff is over the top, I think if you’re a preppy girl or really boho/hipster you could find a few items here to add some edge to your wardrobe. So I’d say, they don’t market to everyone but I think everyone could find something they like here. And come on, regardless of our individual styles, we all occasionally attend events where we went to have a little more edge in our look. This is a place you can go with that mindset.

Size&Fit. They do not offer a wide variety of sizes, i.e. plus sizes or talls or petites. They offer straight-forward, basic sizes and, from what I can tell, they run quite small. The leggings I ordered are M/L and they are a bit tight. I’m not the only one who feels they run small. I read several reviews from girls have the same complaint. My advice is to use the size chart and to probably order the next size up from what you would normally wear. Also, DO NOT FORGET this is a UNITED KINGDOM based company thus all of the garments are in UK sizes. DO NOT FOR GET THEY ARE DIFFERENT. I mean their S M L are the same, but the numbers are different. Here’s a GREAT converter chart, it’s actually the easiest I’ve ever seen!

Quality&Construction. Quality Quality Quality! The leggings I bought are beautifully made. The detail is outstanding. I love the tuxedo pockets in the back and they are so well made with strong but soft fabric. Love the textiles. I’ve read a few reviews with claims of “you get what you pay for” implying that because the price of the garments is cheap that the garments themselves are cheap. I’ve only ordered one item and I didn’t have that problem, but I would still be wary.

Shipping&Returns. In regards to shipping I wasn’t, how should I say, impressed? They told me I would receive my item on 9/11 and I received it on 9/13. I mean, it was only two days late, but for two days I was certain my items were lost and I was going to have to figure out something else to write my blog post on this week. I realize the parcel was coming all the way from Dublin and we live in reality and in reality that should take a while. My problem wasn’t with the amount of time the parcel took to arrive, my problem was that boohoo told me the wrong date. I KNOW I KNOW, its and “estimated” arrival date, but most other companies are usually spot on with their arrival date. I just feel like, Boohoo isn’t up to par with their shipping “prediction” skills.

Ok now the Return Policy… drama. I don’t even want to write about it, but I’m going to.

      1. You must send your item back with in 14 days of the dispatch date. WELL CRAP it took nearly 14 days to get to me in the first place! So if you don’t like it, you better decide imminently!

     2. If they happen to decide that the garment is not what they refer to as “saleable” condition they have the right to not refund your money. ???

     3. “For returns made outside the UK or Republic of Ireland, these must be returned at your own cost.” I’m sorry, if your item is faulty, I don’t think I should have to pay to send it back to you.

      4. They DO NOT offer any exchanges.

Bottom Line: All sales are final. They aren’t going to “SAY” all sales are final, but they’re going to make it so impossible for you to return an item that you will just give up.

Recap. Here you go, BooHoo.com offers recreation’s of high end fashion for unbeatable prices. HOWEVER you better be sure,

• Be fully prepared to spend that money (however little it is).
• Always use that size chart girls, be at least 98% sure its going to fit.
• Know you love it and you are going to wear it. Because ladies, excuse my french, but returning that garment is going to be a bitch!

TIP. Got some cute summer dresses you’re not ready to store under the bed yet? Did you hit that end of season clearance rack this September? Don’t worry, It’s easy to work that floral print in to your fall wardrobe. Just pair it with a nice tailored jacket. A cute military inspired jacket or velvet blazer will work great. Make sure you focus on more tailored pieces to put with those sweet sundresses. 

Thanks for reading, I hope this was helpful! 

Let's be friends! Find me on facebook @ facebook.com/ScottiesPaperDolls or on Twitter @ScottieKey