“I went to an eBay party!!!!” continued….

Ok, so last week I had the immense pleasure of attending the 2009 Ebay Holiday Preview Event in NYC. The event was fantastic, so I have to fill you in and show you some pictures! They had tons of cool stuff, plus cocktails, a DJ, and (yes!) gift bags!

First of all, the event was designed to help enlighten people about the limitless scope of the product offerings on eBay.  Many people have heard of eBay, but most people still don’t understand that there is almost nothing you can’t find on eBay. I’m so glad they had this event to showcase the vast array of what is available, from fashion to electronics, vintage to new, because I feel so strongly about that message too (I mean obviously, I’m and eBay addict). The also gave insight into some of the biggest trends that have been going on in the last year on eBay, which I always think is cool. I love statistics about what items are getting more popular on eBay.

In the midst of being amazed at all the items they set up, I was able to mingle with all sorts of people involved with different aspects of eBay. That was fantastic because, as if meeting eBay people isn’t enough of a perk for me, I got some great ideas/advice too!

So this was the entrance:

Here’s a shot of the early crowd (it got packed later). Notice the cool chandelier made from belts, necklaces, and license plates! My boyfriend and I are in this shot, next to the mannequin in the black jacket, near the TV screen on the right:

Here’s a taste of some the cool stuff they set up:

Let me not forget to add photos of my prized takeaways- the gift bag, gift card, and key ring! : )

Fab eBay Store: CHIQ VINTAGE

California-based eBay store Chiq Vintage offers a little bit of everything, but I especially noticed their selection of skirts and dresses, many of which look refreshingly simple and contemporary. The best part is that most of the items can be had for $20-$50. Come here for vintage items that have a little retro flair but don’t scream loudly for attention. Be sure to check out their vintage swimwear and accessories too!

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/CHIQVINTAGE

The Vintage Watchlist: Less Than 24 hours…

Vintage Leather Fringe Pants. Priced at $129 with 20 hours to go.

Vintage Gold Studded Dress. Currently $56 with 10 hours remaining.

Vintage Lace Jacket. $109 with 21 hours left.

Fendi Wedge Boots. $19.99 with 9 hours left.

Huge Bakelite Safety Pins. Measuring in at a stylish 3.5 inches. These are currently a hit with 13 bids, now at $56.99 with 8 hours to go.

The Watchlist

Cynthia Vincent Flats. Retails for $400. Currently $60 with 5 days to go.

My favorite item this week- a Fendi shirt dress. Currently jsut $27.09 with 7 hours to go!

Carmen Marc Valvo Dress. Currently just 18.99 with 5 days and 13 hours remaining.

Sheri Bodell Top. Retails for $384, currently $98 with 4 days left.

Lorrick Blue Tweed Dress. $33 with 4 days to go.

Lauren Moffat Green Eyelet Blazer. Currently just $18.99 with 5 days to go.

Vintage Lancel Bag. $69. 5 days left.

Green Jcrew Coat. Currently $51 with just 1 day left!

Vintage Metallic Bolero. $80 or best offer.

Tracy Reese Dress. $22.50 with 4 days remaining.

Matthew Williamson dress ending soon! I would be jumping on this if I could! Currently $71.

Antik Batik sequin dress. $55, ending today!

Vena Cava Blouse. Retails for $221, currently just $66 with 6 hours to go.

Matt Bernson Sandals. Retail price was $170. Currently just $69 with no bidders yet! 4 days remain!

Chanel Jacket. Blue, pink, and cream. Currently at an affordable $154, ending today.

Bebe Belt. $100 or “best offer”. Ends today!

Versace Dress suit. $46.01 now with only 8 hours to go!

Elizabeth & James blouse. Retails for $190, currently just $36.01 with 3 days left.

Catching Up: Only The Best

Moved to NYC, check. Got a job and an apartment in 6 days, check. Realized I had done it all too quickly, and made the tough choice to quit the job, check. Just sat down yesterday to breathe for the first time in more than 2 weeks… and saw the Star Trek movie last night, check. You should go see it too, it’s perfection. The only thing I sadly didn’t squeeze in recently was these great eBay auctions, too lovely for me not to post. Enjoy catching up with me, and be ready for a slew of hotness this week, as I can tell that eBay seems to be ramping back up to it’s true glory again (perhaps its the air of optimism that the economy is getting better soon).

I’m dubbing this “Ebay Item of the Month”. I know we’re still early in the month, but this will be very hard to top- a Prada chain mail top. This is so runway! The auction started at $0.99 and ended at $275.99 and this top is worth every penny of that and so much more. I don’t even want to guess what the original retail price was. I wish this were mine, but want to say major congrats to whoever won this piece of art! This sort of thing probaly won’t show up again for a long time.

This Prada dress wins a close 2nd place… retailing for a super-heftly $3315, this to-die-for piece sold for $769. I swear if I EVER see this dress again in my size I will have to at least put in a bid.

Hussein Chalayan Dress sold for just $48. This was probably at least $350 in retail stores.

Catherine Malandrino tube top sold for just $31.

This Dolce Vita dress retailed for $248, sold on eBay for $9.99. I should have been on this auction. It pays to look for designer lines that not everyone searches for.

Ralph Lauren dress retailed for $1500, but sold for $113.50.

Akris Jacket. Sold for $265, too stunning to not post.

Carolina Herrera skirt went for $123.

Tory Burch top sold at $107.

Vintage lace blazer sold at 37.50.

Chloe top sold for $102.50.

These unique Azzedine Alaia shoes sold for just $79!

The only reason I can understand how this Ralph Lauren leather jacket sold for $98 is that most of the country is sensing the spring/summer weather on the rise.

This fantastic Wunderkind skirt suit sold for just $102.50.

Zac Posen dress sold for $152.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Kooba hanbag sell for under $100. This one sold for $68.

Jimmy Choo Sandals sold for $110. I am still drooling over these.

This Marni sandals sold for $162

This outrageously sexy Gucci jacket retailed for $1369 and sold for $292. Yeah, still pricey, but too pretty not to post.

I’ve been wanting a yellow and white print skirt for a long time. This Prada skirt sold for $102.50.

Sigh*… just missed it

So, I am in the process of packing up to move to NYC. I have been scrambling around in mounds of clothing and boxes, trying to get it all together. When it’s all done, I will have had a total of 10 days to pack. Is that enough time or am I just  inefficient? My real problem is the “junk drawer”… I have 4 of those. I am vowing to get more organized, so I want to sort out all the junk and pack it up in a very organized way. In the midst of that lofty goal, I missed quite a few outstanding eBay auctions. I am recovering.

A stunning Christian Dior Dress ended at $172. Whoever one this dream dress, major congrats!

I aspire to one day have a dress by Leonard of Paris. These sold for $224 and $450 respectively.

Chloe Top. Ended at $157.

One of the best cardigans ever, from Moschino. Sold at just $37. I should’ve been on this one!

Ah yes, Milly. I love Milly. This top sold for $65. I wanted it.

80’s Beaded Scarf-Neck Dress. (Yes it is all one piece, she just added a belt).

Fendi Dress. I can only imagine the astronomical retail price for this, but the eBay auction ende at $118.

I wanted this Elie Tahari vest. It ended for $56.

Among the best vintage tie-dye dresses I’ve seen, this one with unique beading at the straps ended at $87.

I guess I can’t be surprised many other people notice the undeniable perfect of this vintage Trifari pearl and turquoise necklace. It ended at $101, much higher than I anticipated.

I’ve been hoping to grab something from Haute Hippie for a while. This studded pink dress went out of budget anyway at $132.

Rachel Roy Dress. Originally $675, sold for $108.

Rick Owens Jacket. This ended at $356. Yeah, everything Rick Owens ends steep, but it’s too cool not to post.

There are a million rompers on eBay, but no others quite like this, which ended at $56.

Jean Paul Gaultier Sweater, made cooler with an open back. Ended at $43.

Malo Scarf. $98. So special…

I fantasized about what furniture to put these Anthropologie drawer pulls on, but they ended for $56, close to what to seller originally paid for the set of 8. Hopefully I will come across some more glass-beaded home accessories again.

I couldn’t believe these Prada shoes ended at $32!

Giorgio Armani Pink Alpaca Coat. Sold for $101. Nice.

Vintage Shoes of the Week

Chunky gladiator boots with leather laces. Currently $48 with 13 hours remaning.

Wooden Platform Wedges. $24 with 7 days left.

White Oxfords. $24.50 with 11 hours to go.

A Watchful Eye: The Next 24 Hours

This vintage dress is probably one of the coolest 80’s, metallic, prom-style pieces I’ve ever seen. 17 bidders agree, moving the current price to $59.32 with 14 hours left.

Vintage Sequin Blazer. Currently in high demand at $71 with 14 hours left.

YSL Pendant Tassle Necklace. The pendant is a perfume bottle. I had to post this for unique value and it’s currently only $11.50 with 14 hours remaining.

Miu Miu Purple Heels.  Just $69, ending today, with no bidders yet!

Miu Miu Striped Heels. Currently $26.50.

Mayle Chain Sweater. $80, ending today.

80s Dress. Currently $51, ending tonight.

A vintage dress for those who can handle a hardcore look. Currently $31 with 14 hours to go.

Vintage Picks of the Week: Bold Moves

This is my “pick of the week” and I promise you that in order to win this one, you will endure heavy bidding competition. But if you must have it, then it’s worth it. There are plenty of cool capes on eBay, but this is definitely one of the best I’ve seen. All the detail and draping makes this one go the extra mile in versatility. Currently $51 with 7 days left in auction.

50’s Sequined Jacket. Currently $31, 2 days left.

As if leather shorts aren’t bad-girl enough, these have fringe to make you even “badder”. $9.99 with 7 days to go.

60’s Vinyl Rain Coat/Cape. This makes me almost wish it would rain more often. Currently $34.99 with 6 days left.

Lace-up, cut-outs, and a peep toe! These 80’s shoes are $24.99 with 7 days to go. I want these!

70’s Embroidered Caftan. Currently $78.77, ends tonight!

70’s Kimono Sleeve Dress. Currently $26, 2 days to go.

80’s Triangle Stair-Step Bag/Clutch. I want it! Currently $46 with 3 days remaining.

Vintage Peplum Jacket. $31 with 2 days left.

Possibly the most unusual jumpsuit I’ve ever seen on eBay… amazingly from the 1940’s! Currently $63, ending tonight!

80’s Nylon Coat. Gotta appreciate that collar, right? Currently it’s a steal at $14.99 with 3 days remaining.

70’s Mexican Dress. This one stands out with bright stripes and braided tassle details. Currently $45, ending tonight.

This fantastic 50’s linen dress is currently $61, ending tonight!

Another surprisingly unusual jumpsuit with gold details. $9.99 with 6 days left.

80s Tunic/Dress. Only $12.50 now with 6 days to go.

Vintage Kelly Green Handbag. I want this so bad! I can’t resist bright colors + contrast trim! $14.99 with 7 days left.

50’s Pink Lace Dress. $34.99 with 9 days left.

A fabulous print on a dramatic, full-skirted dress. Currently just $9.99 with 6 days left.

This 80’s Olive Leather Wrap Skirt is drape-tastic! It’s $9.99 right now with 6 days in auction. 

If you’re really bold, take the current harem pant trend to the next level in gold brocade. Currently $14.99 with 3 days remaining.

Vintage Cropped Leather Vest. I’d like to see this over a dress. Currently $24.99 with 2 days to go.

Vintage Dooney & Bourke handbag. I’ve seen about a million of of these, but this has got to be the best looking one in a long time. Great color, great shape, and great condition. $24.99 with 7 days left.

70’s Lace & Paisley Dress. Currently $15.50 with 2 days left.

Cut-out Leather Boots. $9.99 with 7 days left.

Open-Weave Floral Lace Top. $9.99 with 7 days left.

Vintage Woven Wicker & Tassle Bag. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one quite like it. $14.99 with 3 days remaining.

(Extremely) Fab Ebay Store: Kuku Vintage

First of all, I want to say that Kuku Vintage is currently carrying about 10 items that are worthy of being dubbed “item of the week”. Secondly, I want to say that it’s stores like this that make it soooo hard to stop spending, especially if you love a little avant garde flair in your closet. Leather? Check. Lace? Check. Big Ruffles? Check. The list goes on. For the vintage fur lovers, Kuku Vintage has also got you covered big time with much more fur than similar shops. Somebody please tell me how they found an amazing big 80s sweater that I am dying over! I don’t even like sweaters! I also am not a fur fan, but they have a teal leather vest, with wide shoulders and fur panels, that actually may be the hottest super-80’s vest I’ve ever seen. See what I mean:

http://stores.ebay.com/kukuvintage

The Watchlist: Rare Finds

Vintage Alexander Wang Studded Cropped Jacket. Bid starts at $145 (and may end there if you get it!), 4 days left. WORTH IT!

Vintage Union Jack Handbag. $42, 2 days left.

Miu Miu Studded Spectators. $78. 3 days to go.

Balenciaga Dress. $32, 1 day left.

Twenty8Twelve Dress. $17.49 with 21 hours left.

Plaid Jumpsuit. $18.50, 2 days left.

Gingham Jumpsuit. $9.99, 2 days left.

Kristinit Dresses, $65 and $55 respectively, 1 day left.

Moschino Cropped Mink Sleeve Jacket. $49, 1 day to go.

Tocca Jacket. $49, 1 day remaining.

Vintage Double Collar Cardigan. $63, one day to go.

Jean Paul Gaultier Leather Jacket. $66, 22 hours left!

Fab Ebay Stores: Neon Life Vintage & Twenty Three Vintage

Neon Life Vintage is a great little stop if you love quirky vintage pieces with unusual details. I had never seen an 80’s pastel-floral-fringed jacket actually look good until I saw the one they’re selling right now. I also have no idea how they found a denim studded jumpsuit that look cute. They might inspire you to take a few more risks, so check them out:

http://stores.ebay.com/NEON-LIFE-VINTAGE

Twenty Three Vintage is a pretty new store, but they started off with a bang. I don’t know her name but I swear their blond model was on a season of America’s Next Top Model. Their attention-grabbing clothing is impossible to ignore. I can’t even believe how many items I am lusting over from this store!

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/twenty-three-vintage

Fab Ebay Store: Ikahn NYC

Ikahn Vintage has an unusual mix of vintage 70’s and 80’s items with contemporary lines such as Ya-Ya, Rebecca Taylor, Tocca, and Vena Cava. They caught my eye this week with one of the coolest 80’s jumpsuits I’ve ever seen. Plus they squeeze in a few cool shoes and accessories, so check them out!

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/IKAHN-VINTAGE

Vintage Picks of the Week: Dresses

Click pics to link to auctions, ending soon!

The Watchlist: Ending VERY Soon!

Vintage Oscar de la Renta Tuxedo Blazer, $66 with 12 hours left.

Marni Sandals, $64, Ending today!

Philip Lim Dress, seen on Gossip Girl, $47, ending today!

Rickard Shah heels, $57, ending today!

Antik Batik Handbag, $64, ending today

Vintage Print Dress, $27, ending in 17 hours.

Philip Lim Pleated Yoke Blouse, $42, with 11 hours to go.

Vintage YSL Carryall Bag, $102 with 10 hours remaining.

Fab Ebay Store: Hipsters Playground Vintage

This store discloses it’s US location as “Hipsters Playground” rather than naming the actual city. I’d love to take some guesses as to where that is, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that their clothes are cool. They offer a carefully chosen variety of vintage items that are in excellent condition. You won’t find any flaws here, but you will find some super 80’s gear, leather, lace, and sequins.

http://stores.ebay.com/hipsters-PLAYGROUND-VINTAGE

Fab New Ebay Vintage Stores: Bambi Bones Vintage & Trendsetter Vintage

Bambi Bones vintage seemingly dropped out of the sky (from Toronto actually) with one awesome piece after another. Once I found myself wanting an orange fringed cardigan, I knew I was going to have to post about this store. I’ve bookmarked them and can’t wait for them to post their next round of items.

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/bambi_bones

Trendsetter Vintage

I’ve been watching this young store for just a few weeks and I’ve been impressed back to back with some of their items. There have been numerous great avant-garde looks, and well-chosen vintage classics. It’s worth checking by this store periodically so you don’t miss out on any great deals before this store gets too popular!

http://stores.ebay.com/TrendsetterVintage

2009 starts off on the right foot- A Hot Watchlist:

It’s good to be back home in Miami. After some adventurous holiday traveling, it has only become more clear to me that Miami truly does have the best weather in the country, except for maybe Hawaii. With a low at a “chilly” 67 degrees (lol), it’s a shame I really do not need to buy any more jackets yet I’m still tempted by eBay’s prices. For those of you elsewhere in the USA, it’s another prime week for on eBay for ridiculous discounts on jackets, among other things.

Christian Dior Leather Jacket. $53 with 5 days remaining.

Reiss Tuxudo Jacket. I’m in love with this. $20.55 with less than 24 hours to go! STEAL! (retail was $420!)

Burberry Short Trench Jacket. $26, ending in 2 days.

Gucci Quilted Leather Jacket. $74 with 2 days to go.

Etro Floral Brocade Jacket. $81 with 4 days left.

Christian Dior Navy Blazer. $29 with 3 days remaining.

ITEM OF THE DAY: Gucci Wool & Leather Skirt. $99. ENDS TODAY. (Retail was a hefty $525).

Christian Dior Blue Leather Skirt. $89 with 3 days left.

SHOE OF THE WEEK: Christian Lacroix Blue Wedges. AMAZING. $20.50 with 3 days to go.

Etro Plaform Sandals. $199 with 3 days left, no bidders yet, but if no one grabs this I recommend waiting for the seller to relist this at a much lower price.

Statement Necklaces under $100

You may recognize a few these Rachel Leigh and Lee Angel pieces from your stack of recent fashion and celebrity-spotting magazines. Normally priced up to nearly $200, you can pick up any of these from $49 to $99 right now on eBay at:

http://stores.ebay.com/SmartBargains

Up & Coming Fab Ebay Store: Bunny Hut Vintage

A little vintage, and a little avant garde, Bunny Hut Vintage pieces make it easy to add a bang to your look. This seller from Diamond Bar, California seems to be doing her own thing, setting an icy cool tone for everything that makes it into her store. Some of her vintage items also happen to be from big name designers, such as the high-waisted Dolce & Gabbana pants available right now. Auctions start at 9.99 and because of the up-and-coming status, you won’t have to compete in auction with a massive fan base… but I’m sure that won’t last too long.

http://stores.ebay.com/BunnyhutVintage