MY THRIFTED OUTFIT garden edition

Now this is going to come as a huge surprise...but I am NOT a photogenic person. As a photographer by trade, I definitely belong on the opposite side of the camera. But that's a given. This months MY THRIFTED OUTFIT was inspired by a day of thrifting of course! And as always, everything seen was thrifted (even the table in the picture-but that's a different story)! 

 What I'm Wearing:

Top: Ambiance originally $15- I paid $3 at Discovery Shop Auburn

Jacket: Old Navy originally $45 -I paid $6 at Goodwill Roseville

Skirt: Fang originally $32-I paid $4 at Goodwill Roseville

Shoes: Miss Me originally $60-I paid $7 at Discovery Shop Auburn

Purse: (fake) Coach originally $40-I paid $.50 at a garage sale

Necklace: No name originally $10-I paid $2 at garage sale

Earrings: No name-I paid $1 at garage sale
Originally worth $202+, I paid $23.50!!!

Yes, you read that correctly-the Coach is fake and I only paid $.50! I get compliments everywhere on it, its big and spacious and a unique color! I find that sometimes its worth paying more for something if I find it worth it. Such as if its really comfortable, I've been looking for it for a long time, or I need it immediately etc. For example, the skirt and jacket were purchased for a photoshoot I was doing that day, turns out after the fact (and the failed photoshoot) I really liked the items and they stayed in my closet! The necklace you can't see, but its advertised as a bronze vintage jeweled owl necklace.

Remember to check out my thrifty clothes cleaning post to find out how to get your items in new condition again!

I take no credit for these glamorous photos! Taken by my mother, whom I'm currently teaching photography to! Cropped and edited by yours truly, and unfortunately that 15 year old looking kid is me (although I'm 24 not 15)!
•Post may be linked up to any of the link parties•

Shopping and Cleaning Guide for Thrifty Pet Toys

For those without kids, pets are the next best thing. My dog is certainly no exception, and when I head out thrifting (or G-saleing), looking for goodies for him comes as a no-brainer. 

So how does one go about finding these goodies? Creativity, and knowing what you're looking for. All pets are unique, so take their personality into consideration when shopping! 

Important factors to consider: 

Size (are they a big dog or a small kitten?)

Type (Pomeranian's are smaller and timider than a Pitbull!)

Temperature (Do they prefer hot or cold? Chihuahua's get cold easily!)

Playing Habits (Are they a Frisbee catching dog, or ball of yarn type of cat?)

For example: My dog is a chihuahua/terrier mix, which means he's 20 lbs of playing machine, with a fragile body that gets cold easily. He loves tug-of-war over any other game, loves clothes (especially sweaters-no I'm not joking!), and has a collection of collars because he is very proud of his necklaces! ;)

 I carry a paper in my wallet with his measurements, along with a tape measure in case I come across any cute clothes or collars in his size! 

Shopping List: Sweaters, collars, blankets, toys-especially ones with lots of limbs or ropes to hold onto for tug-of-war!

Things to keep in mind when shopping: Stay away from plastic buttons and eyes as they can be swallowed, same with bean filling, anything with a zipper, metal piece or battery operated can be dangerous! Stay away from items with cat nip (it may have been filled or mixed with something else, or used to give meds)-always buy cat nip fresh!

What to look for: Pet toys are the obvious answer, but keep in mind kids have small toys-especially the fast food toys- that are the perfect size and safety rules for pets! Rubber toys, things like rubber ducks and tires on toys are great for dogs with bigger jaws. Ropes and string can be turned into cheap and fun toys as well for both dogs and cats! Just keep your pets personality in mind when shopping to ensure you don't waste money on items they will ignore!

So now you've found the perfect toys (at the perfect price!)-now what?

Pet Toy Cleaning Guide

This is a general cleaning guide, good for most toys in fabric, rubber, or plastic. Adjust to what you have on hand, or your comfort level around bleach! Note: Bleach will eat material, some more than others-rubber toys especially so either wash quickly or skip. But it does kill everything so its great for cleaning!

Tools:

-Bleach (color safe)

-Dawn Dishsoap
-Baking Soda

-Tub/bath tub

-Something to stir with (I used a plastic hanger)

1. Fill a tub with scalding hot water (make sure the area is clean before you start)! Put a spoonful or more of baking soda into the water, stirring to mix. Drop in the toys to let them soak for 2-5 minutes. The baking soda is a deodorizer, if there are no evident smells, or you don't want to do this step then skip it!

2. Depending on how dirty the items are you can empty the tub and start fresh, or move onto this step. This time pour in a cap or so of Dawn dishsoap, using your fancy hanger to mix it up (I may or may not have created bubble hair do's on Betty Boop...;)) I usually leave the toys in the water until the water is about luke warm, anywhere from 5-10 minutes. It gives them a nice long soak to get clean as the soap is antibacterial, plus its great smelling! 

 3. If you aren't comfortable around bleach you can skip this, but it is a great safety precaution. I pour in a drop or two of bleach, mixing it up, making sure the toys are getting a good soak. If you're concerned with colors, you can use color safe as well. Personally I don't mind because its just a pet toy, it will be destroyed soon enough anyway! I wait another 2-5 minutes before emptying the tub. 

4. I squish the water out and rinse for a few minutes. You could certainly stop there, but if you are concerned about left over bleach, you could refill the tub, mix with a tiny amount of dishsoap again, and rewash+re-rinse the toys a last time. Squish the water out, and let dry!

I set the toys outside on a railing in the sun to dry, and my dog impatiently pranced around below the railing keeping guard until he could attack the toys! You have to love getting 5 new pet toys for less than a $1 total! Enjoy! Do you do thrifty pet shopping?
 •This may or may not be linked up to any of the link parties!•

MY THRIFTED OUTFIT cold july

Ok it hasn't been cold this July (I am in California...) but it did start out colder than usual. And of course when we finally hit over 100 degrees, a fire broke out. Robbers Fire. This outfit is entirely thrifted, top to bottom. None of my usual style either, but each piece I just loved and had to have. I wish you could see those shoes. They are pure pearlecent sequin. Oh yes. (And yes, I made up that word. Go with it.)

See that model pose? Oh yea fashion model for sure! (Don't bother rolling your eyes- I'm already doing that for you!!) -and no, the dog wasn't thrifted, but blurry or not still a cute shot of him!

What I'm Wearing:

Top: Brittany Blade originally $30-I paid $4 at Discovery Shop Auburn

Jeans: American Rag Originally $45+-I paid $2 at Piece by PEACE Auburn

Purse: No name- I paid $5 at Goodwill Roseville

Heels: Caparros Originally $70+- I paid $5 at Goodwill Roseville

Bracelet: No name-I paid $.50 at Goodwill Roseville

Earrings: No name-I paid $.50 at Assistance League

My Thrifted Outfit Total: $17 (Originally worth over $145!)

I love American Rag jeans, and even though I hate flares, I had to have these. I originally intended to make them into shorts, but I may refit them into bootcut pants. But for $2, who can pass them up?! The top isn't my usual style either, but I saw it for two weeks at the shop before trying it on. Every time I grabbed it but put it back, finally I tried it on it was too comfy to set back down! The sequin heels were purchased for last New Years, $5 for pure fun! The purse was not something I'd normally pick up, but I couldn't resist its vintage cuteness! And truth be told, I use it all the time and get compliments everywhere I go!

I take no credit for these glamorous photos! Taken by my mother, whom I'm currently teaching photography to! Cropped and edited by yours truly, and unfortunately that 15 year old looking kid is me (although I'm 24 not 15)!
•Post may be linked up to Wednesday-Monday link parties•

5 Ways to be a smarter thrifter

We've all been there, your standing in front of the perfect [insert item here], and you're debating whether or not this piece deserves a spot in your closet/home/garage/friends home-how do you decide? When is the right to time to say no? And when is the right time to say yes to the impulse buy? Have no fear, whether you're shopping at the mall or at your favorite thrift store, Dear Wallet has figured that out for you!
When to say yes:
1. When your head over heels in love (DUH)!
2. When your mind dives into overdrive seeing all the potential in the item for where you can wear/place/give it too
3. When the price tag says "you'd be crazy not to"!
4. When you've been searching for the perfect XZY for-EVER!
5. When you walk away and realize how disappointed you'd be if it wasn't there when you got back.

When to say no:
1. When you really like it...but don't love it.
2. When you feel little-to-no inspiration regarding where you will put/wear/give it to
3. When the price makes you cringe
4. When you have no need or really want for it
5. When you walk away...and forget to come back!

Seems self explanatory written down right? But HOW do you walk away when you fit into maybe 2 points on each scale? Here's how:

1. Leave your wallet in the car-this forces you to put not only mental, but physical exertion into your decision making. Trust me, if you don't LOVEitHAVEtoHAVEit-you will pass on it!
2. Pay in cash-this is an old trick that works! Credit cards trick the mind into thinking plastic isn't money, making impulse buys more common. Cash is real and a physical loss, if you don't need it or really want it, this can and will help you from making impulse buys.
3. Create a wishlist, set a budget...and stick to it! -sounds easy, but can be difficult. Pre-think of all those great items you want and need for your home; furniture, summer dresses, shoes, etc-create a list either visually (like Pinterest-hey add me if you haven't already!) or a text list. And set a budget for each item, for example "I won't spend any more than $50 on a console table for the living room, and $15 on a new summer dress", finally, set a monthly or trip budget such as "I will spend no more than $200 on furniture this month, and no more than $50 on new shoes, or this shopping trip my budget is $25"-even if you go over your budget, (and I'm not referring to financial budgets: just shopping budgets to try and keep you from impulse buying) if you put this work into it, and really make the choice to go over-its because you really, really want it.
4. Evaluate the reasoning behind the purchase-is it functional or emotional? Maybe you love the dress because the color makes your smile, or you had a really stressful day at work and those shoes look amazing right now...these are emotional purchases, ones that once the emotional feeling you get during the impulse buy wears away, you won't feel towards it anymore. More importantly, decide which side the purchase falls behind-functional or emotional, and decide how that makes you feel. If the color makes you happy- that's not a bad thing, just make sure its something that will continue to make you happy over the course of its lifetime!
5. Choose your shopping buddies wisely-much harder than it sounds, but certain friends and family can bring out the impulse buyer in you. If you're not sure if they are affecting your shopping habits, grab your last ten receipts and look for clues! Who was with you, why did you buy these items, who were they for? You may notice things about your shopping habits you never noticed before, and choose wisely. If you need to cut back on your impulse buying, then choose a shopping buddy that doesn't encourage it, or go by yourself!

Would you add anything to this? Let me know!
•linked up to Sunday & Monday Link parties•

halloween shopping pt2: how to do it right!

By now you've all seen the newest segment of INSPIRATION [halloween decor]--right?! If you like anything that pertains to Halloween, you'll love it, or at least be inspired from it! So in part two (part 1 here) of Halloween Shopping done right, I want to show you how you can use the same 'formula' to do your Halloween decorating!

Plan. Plan. Plan.

(Ring a bell?) Start at home, research for inspiration, then go shopping.

1. So here are some of the goodies I dug up around my own home:

2. Here is some inspiration I found:

3. Want to know what I came up with? Gotta wait until October 30th to find out!

[Insert witches crackle here!]

INSPIRATION [halloween decor]

In keeping with the Halloween theme, I decided to branch off of general halloween inspiration, and bring some decor to the table (er..blog).

Have a question, or finished a project? Let me know! I'd love to see and share your outcomes! Contact me today!

As always, these prices are based on thrifty shopping, at places like Walmart, Dollar Tree, and Goodwill!
Check out other great INSPIRATION themes in the INSPIRATION tab, and check back each Tuesday to see what theme is next!

Thrifting Adventures

I like to call my thrift purchases 'projects'. Why? Because whether it's a nice cleaning, or sewing buttons on, or spray painting it, there's always something to be done. Therefore mini projects! Today's thrift adventure features three items I found recently during my excursions. So meet my new projects:

First is this adorable yellow cropped jacket, I have always wanted one. Why, I don't know. But I did and it was cute-did I mention it was only $4?

This gem is H&M, found at Deja Vu in a Dress, in Roseville, CA.
 I love the pleated arms and the large button. Unfortunately as you can see it's not only missing a button, but the top one fell off shortly after this picture was taken. TLC time!

My second find that day is a cute little scarf, perfect for a fall day where you need something to keep the warmth in, but not really 'keep you warm'. Hand knit in all it's imperfection glory, this find was just $2 at the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop in Roseville, CA.
My last find was actually  purchased a week before the others, while shopping in Auburn, CA Goodwill. $1 for an owl toothbrush holder. Hasn't been cleaned yet (other than a quick soap and water rinse), and it's definitely not in use yet either. Did I mention I LOVE all things owl? This little guy is no exception!  Kudos to my friend who found it for me!
 Make sure you check out my thrift post on how to clean your purchases! What thrifty goodies have you picked up recently?

Halloween Shopping: How to do it right!

I walked in Target recently and was bombarded with all things orange, black, cute and spooky! I love Halloween! It's my favorite time of the year (as is Christmas, New Years and my dogs birthday...but that's a different story)! I love the bold contrasting colors, (orange and black, or green and black), the ambiance, the underlining excitement, the changing weather (yay scarves and jackets!), black cats, pumpkin carving, hot chocolate, pixi stix...what was this post about again? Fortunately, or unfortunately, its the one time of year its not cohesively 'frowned' upon to shop thrift. In fact thrift stores as a whole rank number 1 this time of year in sales. The good news is, you can shop with pride, knowing exactly where to look and be in and out quickly (why would you want to?!). The bad news is, things get picked over quickly, lines are long, merchandise gets trashed and prices tend to hike. So how do you use that to your advantage?

PLAN. PLAN. PLAN.

1. Whether you're looking for holiday decor, party items or your costume-START AT HOME. Haul out everything from your shed, kitchen and closet for an in-depth look. Many might want to do this second, but if you already know what you have, you may look at something from a different perspective and see potential in other items in your research!

2. Then begin your RESEARCH. Whether it's google or pinterest to find your inspiration-do it! Head to Target, Walmart or the mall. Take pictures on your cell phone of anything you like, or that inspires you.

3. Figure out what you need based on what you already have and then go SHOPPING!

Here's how I do it:

1. Home. I looked around and found some cute dresses I could use as potential costumes.  I use a board called Polyvore, I like it because you can 'pin' things like pinterest but you can also compile them to create layouts for things as well. (INSPIRATION threads are created using Polyvore!) I found similar items to the ones I had at home and put them on this board.

2. Research.Using polyvore again, I began compiling ideas of what could be fun. Here's my 'inspiration' put together with what I have!

3. Shopping. Want to see what I came up with and how much it cost? Have to wait! Coming soon though! ;) Which costume do YOU like?

How to tell if your thrifty designer finds are real or fake!

So today during an exciting thrifting expedition I encountered a Prada purse I couldn't leave behind. I'm not usually a Prada fan but I am a fan of purses (check), and uniquely shaped ones at that (double check). I had no idea if it was real, but at $7 it was safe to assume not and I snatched it up for my cute-purse-collection. When I got home I began researching it, and unfortunately I was correct. But that doesn't mean every purse in a thrift store falls subject to being a fake! In fact I've gotten lucky with a Coach (.50 cents!), and a Gucci's ($5!).



We see them every so often; dusty and cracked in the corners of thrift shops, under dirty clothes at yard sales and ridiculously priced at flea markets. But if you're not a designer-die-hard-super-know-it-all, how are you suppose to know what's real, and what's fake? I've compiled a few general tips to take into consideration when thriftin' designer items.

1.Search for an authenticity card. Usually, these are leather tags sewn into the inside of the purse with serial numbers. This should be the first thing you try, but remember not every designer uses them, not every bag style has one, outlet bags don't always have them, and vintage bags especially usually won't have them.  The tags can also be faked.
2. Look at the stitching. Designer bags are known for their quality, stitching will always be meticulously straight and even.
3. Look at the logo. Something will be off, if you are familiar with most designers this will be easy. The font will be slightly different, somethings things will be spelled oddly. For example, in Prada the 'R's leg will be straight (fake) instead of curved (real), on a Coach the 'C' on signature fabric will be more of 'G'. 
4. Any leather bag will be genuine leather, no pleather!
5. Most designers have their name engraved on the hardware, note not all do, and not all bag styles will though.  

Want to know a little more about a specific bag? Here are a few tips direct from representatives for the top 9 designer bags (In no particular order).
Have a different designer you're curious about-email me, I will do what I can to answer your questions!

GUCCI
1. 'G' placement in the signature fabric is meticulous, any imperfection is a dead giveaway. 'G's will always be touching, but not overlapping.
2. Real bags hardware are metal, no plastic!
3. The bottom of any Gucci bag will have a seam stitch going straight through the bottom. No stitch=fake!

COACH
1. On the Signature fabric the 'C' will be meticulous, no 'G's, the pattern will start in the dead center and feather out perfectly.
2. Tags on the handles will be leather stamped with the same color as the tag, or metal, embedded. Metal will not be shiny.
3. Signature bags will never have a signature lining. It may be solid, striped or say 'Coach' but never signature on signature.

PRADA
1. All the hardware will have the Prada name on it.
2. Inside tag will have 'PRADA MADE IN ITALY' on it.
3. Lining may be solid, striped or read 'Prada', but will never read anything else. (Fake's might say 'Italy')

FENDI
1. Logo will be engrained into leather-no imprints.
2. All Fendi hardware has their name on it.
3. Threads will be never be a contrasting color as the bag.

 LOUIS VUITTON
1. Signature prints start dead center and feather out evenly.
2.  Stitching will always be consistent on the handles. For example, hardware sewed on might have five stitches along the top, 5 along the bottom, and 5 along each side.
3. Since the 80s, LV's have come with date stamps under the D ring. In the 80s it was a 2-3 letter + 2-4 number code (IE: ABC1234), in the 90s and beyond it has changed to 2 letters + 4 numbers (IE: AB1234)

CHANEL
1. All Chanel bags have serial numbers, google the number on the bag, Chanel has used the same numbers for over 25 years. Any variation of those numbers is a definite fake.
2.All hardware on the strap has name engraved on it.
3. Patterns will always line up perfectly at the seams.

CHRISTIAN DIOR
1.Diors are only manufactured in Italy. Inside tag will read 'Christian Dior Paris', and the backside will say 'Made in Italy' any variation is fake.
2. All Dior's have a 6 digital serial number.
3. All Dior bags have a dark nylon lining, no other lining style or fabric is used.

DOLCE & GABBANA
1. All D&G hardware is engraved and imprinted with logo.
2. A D&G is meticulously made, and each can stand up on it's own even after years of use. (Empty, not full)
3. Threadwork, purse color, zippers, and lining will always blend well together. No contrasting colors.

BURBERRY
1. All lines in pattern will align perfectly with the seams of the purse.
2. All Burberry's have gold or silver hardware, no bronze or nickel plated.
3.  The inside tag says 'Burberry London', the underside will say 'Made in Italy'.

Still unsure about your purchase? Take it to any dealer, they can authenticate right there! Many designers have hologram stickers that can only be read by a dealer. Sometimes searching a serial number on the bags website can help as well. Just remember, while you can get lucky sometimes, don't count on it. If you see a cute, cheap bag-pick it up because it's cute and cheap. Not because it might be real. I'm not a purse expert, these tips are were compiled after research. For real verification please see your local designer dealer.
Happy shopping!
Don't forget, after you've purchased your sweet find, check out my cleaning post to get it looking shiny new!

Bathroom cupboard into yarn storage

Once upon a time there was a girl with a rather large collection of yarn. After purchasing a few cabinets that were quickly overthrown with skeins, the yarn ended up in a trash bag. Then one day the girls mother went yard sale-ing and came home with a bathroom cabinet that happened to match the girl's other cabinets. And that is where this story begins...

It's true, I see potential in everything and therefore yarn becomes mine maybe a little too fast...Nonetheless, when my mother [I know, I know, how awesome is my mom?!] brought me this cabinet, I was skeptical my yarn collection would fit. Super Thrifty Mom to the rescue found this gem at a yard sale in South Auburn, it was the bottom half of a two-part bathroom cabinet set up for $25. She simply ASKED if she could take the bottom half and the lady said 'sure, $10'. Hello awesome! Similar sets run between $80 and $200!

Cute right? 19"x9.5"x36.5" I had the perfect little spot under my coat rack. I love the glass on one door, and the beadboard detail on the other!



Unfortunately as you can see something sitting on the bottom shelf had destroyed the top coat and torn it right off!

So here's how I fixed it:
First do your usual dusting, and regular cleaning. I used Simple Green.
Then I used diluted bleach to sanitize the whole piece, after which I used sand paper to smooth the bottom shelves damage.
A quick coat of white paint and whoa-la!  Good as new!

Getting back to my story, cute cupboard + trashbag of yarn = Perfectly adorable yarn storage! (yes they actually all fit, I even have room for a few more skeins--shh! Don't tell my boyfriend! ;))



I'm thinking I need some cute crystal doornobs! What do you guys think? 

Graphic Print Accessories

Graphic accessories are IN right now. Normally I'm not much a trend chaser, but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for bold, chunky graphics: so being trendy right now means they are easy to find in every price range. Recently I hit up my local Goodwill [Grass Valley HWY, Auburn, CA] to see what kind of goodies I could find. Of course Goodwill is over thrown with Halloween stuff right now, but you never know what you'll find. Unfortunately I didn't score much, but I did find a chunky bangle in teal with a lotus motif overlay print. .99 ¢! 

October is a great time to visit thrift stores, they usually stock up for this time of year and unleash bigger and bigger discounts until Halloween so they can rid all of the stock! Make sure you check back often as the merchandise is circulated from location to location weekly, and the deeper into October you get, the higher the discounts! I've said it before, and I will say it hundred more times:

if you want to save money when shopping, know what you're looking for before you go.

This is true no matter where you shop. Local thriftstore, or Neiman and Marcus! Have an idea in your mind of what you need/want and start there. Sure you'll probably find other goodies along the way, but having a goal in your mind makes it easier to say NO when you get to the counter.

Following the graphic prints theme I made a quick wishlist of graphic stuff that I'm keeping my eyes peeled for!
What are you looking for?

Click the image to go to Polyvore and find out who made these totally cute items!

How to clean your thrifted [clothes]

Dear Wallet,

You have a stain. It might be from the waterworks episode after my last shopping spree at the mall. But it's not very becoming on you. Please remove it. Thanks.

Signed, Aria

___________________________________________________________

The infamous question of thrift shopping: is it clean and sanitary?
The answer? In general, no more or less than shopping at the mall. 

Here's why:
1. At the mall you can expect that 3-5 people are trying on a given shirt/pants/shoes each day. How long it lasts on the shelf can be 3 hours, to 3 months. It's not worth doing the math here. Never washed-only to collect the same sanitary concerns you were worried about. But here's the kicker: it's brand new with tags on it, so most people never bother to wash it before the first wear. ew...
2. At a thrift store you expect it to be dirty, and therefore never wear something without cleaning it first [1-thriftstore, 0-big box store]
3.  Chances are the person who wore the shirt/pants last, washed it and then decided to get rid of it. You can usually tell by the amount of stains/rips and smells expelling from it. And let's face it, if it's in horrible shape you're probably not going to buy it anyway. Something well taken care of and in good shape has probably been washed before.

Still not sold that thrift shopping is eqivalent to mall shopping? Check out these links:
Bedbugs on the rise, close pair of New York clothing stores
Bedbugs bite department stores

The moral of  the story is always clean your purchases, even new-with-tags [NWT]. And here's how:

First off, always read the label of your clothing to find out how to clean it. Certain items and fabrics require hot or cold water, specific soaps, dry cleaning or hand washing. Clean it appropriately to keep your purchase in good condition. For thrift clothes it doesn't hurt to send everything to the dry cleaners the first time. They use an ingrediant in their cleaners that disinfect everything. This can be expensive though, so for those who want the same clean but without the sticker shock read on:

Clothing:

I purchased a plastic kitchen tub that I fill with HOT (scalding hot) water mixed with a capful of baby shampoo and a capful of anti-bacterial hand soap. Soak the clothes in the wash until the water becomes touchable, then take out to look at for stains. Oxyclean is a great soap for stains to clean in a second bath.

 For any clothing machine safe, wash the items a second time in the washer using hot water. For delicates, repeat the first step 1-2 more times, and for items that say dry cleaning use your best judgement.

Jewelry:

Yes, even jewelry should be washed! Sanitary wipes, or a quick wipe down with rubbing alcohol will do the trick.
For silver items lay a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of a pie tin or pot. Sprinkle in some baking soda, place the silver items and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 2-3 minutes, rinse and your items will be sparkly-new! Another way of cleaning silver is using a toothbrush and white toothpaste.

Hats:

Hat's MUST be cleaned, kits for sanitzing can be purchased but here are a few methods from home.
Felt or wool hats: Use a soft brush to clean, swipe going in the direction the fibers lay. Place the hat on an item that allows it to retain shape (vase, peg, manikin etc). Use warm water with mild soap on a towel to clean the sweatband. Use a steamer to sanitize and shape the hat. Scotchguard after.
Leather hats: Leather must be conditioned once a year (using leather conditioner) to once a month depending on the amount of use. Insiders can be steamed LIGHTLY, or clean the sweatband with warm water and mild soap on a towel. Suede hats can be scotchguarded.
Cloth hats: Most cloth hats can be washed in the sink using the same process for clothing. Check the label to verify. Baseball caps can be washed in the dishwasher, or the washer if you have a cap cage.
Straw hats:  A light rinse, or sponge with warm water, and mild soap can clean the inside and outside of the hat. Scotchguard can also be used to protect it.

Shoes:

Most shoes can be cleaned using rubbing alcohol to sanitize the insole of the shoe. (Test on a small patch before cleaning the whole thing) Check with brand sites to see their preferred cleaning methods for any stains. Typically leather shoes can be cleaned with leather conditioner, fabric shoes can be soaked with water and mild soap and scotchguarded. Check before trying anything though!

Purses:

Purses work the same as shoes, check the brand site before starting any cleaning project. Typically on fabric purses warm water and mild soap, or fabric cleaner on difficult stains. Leather conditioner will work on leather purses.

 Have a specific item you have a question about? Or have a cleaning tip to share? Let me know!