Cheryl Shops

Website of the week
Last week I realized that upon my move into my new apartment, my housing costs will be increasing by 50%. Yeeow. And, as one could surmise by reading Cheryl Shops on a regular basis, I'm not exactly good at being thrifty. But there's no time like the present to make some changes in your life. Now, don't freak out--I'm still going to be lusting after the latest shoes and handbags; I'm just not going to be buying all of them. And over the weekend, my friend HI brought up a good suggestion: Since I'm now going to be living in the Land of Hipsters, why not embrace thrift store chic? Now, in the 90s, when the height of chicness was layering a flannel or two over a thermal and a tee, I was all into Salvation Army. And I still love a good thrift shop find; I just don't exactly have time to spend three hours sorting through the racks in search of a perfect lace blouse. Which is why I love vintage stores--they've already picked out the best stuff, plus it's been dry-cleaned and pressed. Unfortunately, lots of vintage stores (Resurrection, I'm looking at you) jack up the prices accordingly. One that jacks them up just enough is Adore Vintage. What really makes this vintage site stand out--aside from its relative affordability--is the photography and the styling. The models are all real-looking hipster girls, and they're all accessorized to the hilt. They look hip, not kitschy, and you, the consumer, see what the garment or accessory will really look like, when you wear it with what you already own. Plus, they're very on trend with their merchandise, which is great--no matter what's happening in fashion at the moment, you should almost always be able to get something simliar in vintage, since, as we all know, fashion is cyclical. Take, for example, this adorable, boho-chic Rainbow Sorbet dress, which looks almost exactly like a dress from A.P.C.'s spring line (I'd link directly to it, but A.P.C. now requires Flash 8 and I don't feel like installing it right now). They've also got spring's big trends: stripes, nautical, and, um, 80s (doesn't the print on this last dress remind you of Primp thermals?). As you'll notice, a lot of the merchandise is sold, and a lot of it is coming soon; since everything is cute and reasonably priced, it moves fast, kind of like H&M! So you might have to check back often, but it's still easier than digging through the racks at Salvation Army. And no flannel shirts here--that is, until the Grunge revival begins.