With last year just days away, you’ve probably got New Year’s resolutions on the brain. Amirite? There’s definitely something about a fresh calendar year that jump starts our desire to make positive changes. Being surrounded by friends, family, and co-workers who are also brainstorming ways to improve makes this an especially ideal time for such endeavors. Bonus!

Over the next few weeks we will be exploring some of the most popular New Years resolutions in a new series of blog posts. Be sure to come back and let us know which of the featured resolutions that you will be committing to, or to suggest tips for sticking to new resolutions.

The most popular New Years resolution is always… drumroll please… Get In Shape!
There are countless ways to do this, and here are a few of my favorite tips and fitness products.

The best in-person fitness option is Groupon
Seriously, Groupon just obliterates your excuses for not trying something new.
The discounts are insane, and you get lots of local options to choose from.
Bootcamps, personal trainers, and unlimited fitness classes for a month are just a few of the fitness related Groupons I’ve seen listed.
Why not try a new style of exercise this year? Who knows, maybe you’re a Capoeira master and you just don’t know it yet

The best at-home fitness option is a Kinect.
An Xbox 360 with Kinect was totally The Best gift I got this Christmas!
Nike+ Kinect and Hip Hop Dance Experience are my favorites for straight up fitness.
There’s just something about workin’ and twerkin’ at home in my undies
But you know what? Even the non-fitness game titles – like Adventures – give a pretty decent workout, too.
Plus, there is a huge variety of niche exercise games like Zumba, UFC training, and of course lots of dance games.

No matter what option you choose, be sure to set clear fitness goals for yourself, get plenty of rest and pure water, and maybe most importantly…

Be playful about fitness!

Studies show that when we approach a task with a playful mentality – also called “beginners mind” – we reach our goals faster and have a better time along the journey.

So speak kindly to yourself as you’re transforming your body, and remember to approach exercise like a game.
You’ll have more fun

I’m getting an idea and it’s going like this:

“Hey doc, I wake up with super stiff muscles. It’s effecting my work performance and quality of life. Definitely.”

That’s when doc writes a note and the insurance company ponies up for one of the ungainly named “Contoursleep Bed Wedge Systems“.

And that’s how I get free adult furniture. That I can comfortably sleep on, too.

What part of that isn’t genius?

Pirates are still in style and there are some especially jaw droppingly awesome sexy pirate costumes for ladies this year.
One of the Mable’s favorites is the Exotic Rouge Pirate with corset. This one will definitely turn heads as well as win some awards for best costume. (click pic on right for detailed view)

Another Mable’s fav is the ultra smart reversible sexy pirate costume. That’s 2 costumes in 1!

There are so many colors and styles available in pirate costumes this year it might be a little hard to choose your favorite. Be sure to check out Mable’s Sexy Pirate Costume page to find more deals and steals from all over the Internet.

Fifties fashion has been gaining popularity since the 90′s and those sexy retro styles keep coming back every year. Is it the simple elegance of a “proper lady?” Or is it the way curvy women looked so sexy with so little skin showing? Maybe it was the care free feeling of the time after the war?

Whatever it was, it’s still there in the 50′s clothes, big poofy hats, cat eye glasses and accessories. Which is why we all are still clamoring for the fifties fashion.

Mable’s 50′s clothing store is dedicated to showing the latest fifties fashions up for grabs on eBay. The ultimate in green shopping.

Are you looking for a 50′s costume? Poodle skirts, 50′s wigs, Marilyn dresses, the sock hop, Grease and more found on our 50′s costume guide.

Perhaps you want that 50′s retro look to inspire your new age clothing? Be sure to check out Fashion-Era & WikiHow for ideas and inspiration, and how about some videos for more ideas and attitude from the 50s.

Spring Break is upon us all over the US, and Summer is fast approaching, but what ever will you do about that vintage swimsuit you’ve been dreaming for?

Vintage Swimsuits weren’t always easy to find without some serious searching online. Don’t fret my pet, Mable’s Crew has done the hard work for you and found a way to put the most sought after eBay auctions for vintage swimwear on one easy to view page. We call it our totally fab Vintage Swimsuit page, but you can just call it bookmarked. *hint hint*
Vintage Swimsuit: find rare womens or men’s retro swimwear from the hands of those who scour the US for truly retro styles.

Be sure to check out our already extensive line of retro and vintage clothing today and get yourself some stylin’ threads from the past without leaving your home.

For even more selections on retro swimwear browse through the always hip PinUpGirl Clothing’s line of quality vintage swimsuits.

It’s all about the little things that really make a Halloween costume “the best costume ever.” Case in point; our post about Wonder Woman Underoos and the new for 2009 Wonder Woman Wig.

Both are the perfect accessory to your Wonder Woman Costume for Halloween and any other day of the year.

Sexy tip: Wear your Wonder Woman underoos underneath your costume and when the night is over some lucky Halloween goer gets to see the sexy side of the Amazon Princess Diana of Themyscira.

Sometimes having too many options can be a little overwhelming, but when entering the Pink Quartz Minerals shop I feel like a kid in a candy store! Doree is a one woman DIY powerhouse who makes a variety of all natural makeup, but she always makes time to create any item to your exact specifications. What color do you want that lip balm? How opaque do you want the color? Want to add a flavor? An all natural sweetener? How about customizing the label with any text you want? Even cooler, these options are standard and there is never an extra charge for them. I have been loving my marshmallow flavored, stevia sweetened, deep rose lip balm for months and I’m actually excited to order a few more.

As someone who really doesn’t wear much makeup – usually some tinted lip balm or mineral foundation – my affinity for Pink Quartz Minerals might seem surprising. Keep in mind though that I’m a really particular shopper; I always know just what I want… and what I don’t want.

Unlike most products out there, all of Doree’s handmade goodies are safe for your eyes, lips, skin, and face, which says a lot about how “natural” they really are. The ingredients consist of only 6 minerals (except the lip balms of course), and there are never any preservatives, chemicals, or animal-based ingredients. Everything is vegan friendly, and truly hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. I was visiting family recently and took a peek at the ingredients on my little sister’s sparkly lip balm set. Talk about night and day! There was a huge list of chemicals and it was petroleum based, too. Yuck! What bums me out is that makeup containing dangerous, junky ingredients is standard. Thank goodness for businesses like Pink Quartz Minerals who have integrity and create only safe and exquisite makeup items.

I also had the pleasure of trying the mineral foundation and the fabulous vegan kabuki brush. Both are amazing! I bought the sample kit to find the perfect shade for me, but you can also have a color custom blended. I’ve been asked so many times “Are you wearing makeup? Your skin looks so nice.” Could there be a better testimonial? During the visit to see my family, my mom tried the kabuki brush and could not stop raving. “It’s so much softer than the expensive one I bought and doesn’t shed all over the place either”. Since she doesn’t stop by this blog too often I’ll let you guys know that I’m going to order her a brush and sample kit, too

Unless you’re madly in love with your makeup and can identify all the ingredients on the label, I really encourage you to try some of the lovely handmade products from Pink Quartz Minerals. They’re safe, affordable, and bring out your natural beauty so you’ll look and feel like a million bucks.

Look at my new vintage bathing suit! That beautiful blue and black polka dotted one-piece from eBay is my newest swimwear. A homemade bikini was actually in the works, because we took the Wardrobe Refashion Pledge. But like most great wardrobe choices, that bathing suit was love at first sight and I had to have it!

I haven’t worn a one-piece in years and frankly I didn’t think that a genuine vintage bathing suit would be very comfortable since a lot of them were wool. But I put those concerns aside and decided to be adventurous.

I’m so glad I did because not only is this skirted one-piece cuter than any of the bikinis I have been watching, and it’s made of super comfortable cotton. Even better, it was “new old stock” (commonly noted as “NOS” on eBay) so although my Lee Swimplay suit is probably from the 1950′s, I’m still the first one to wear it!

If you’re still searching for the perfect swimsuit (or one of many) and want something really unique for summer then you must see the selection of vintage bathing suits on eBay.

Left to Right: some girls vintage, Love Spy Vintage, and Mel’s Shoppe Vintage

Here are a few of the hottest vintage swimsuits being bid on right now. It surprised me that, almost without exception, one-pieces are the hottest sellers. Despite the popularity of the modern bikini – and I swear it’s not hyperbole to say that nearly everyone in southern California wears one – it seems that a new retro-loving generation is discovering the one-piece.

Some truly fantastic maillot swimsuits did come from seasons past; highly styled designer suits of the 40′s and 50′s, the profusely psychedelic prints of the 60s, deep V necklines and bias cuts of the 70s, and uber high cut legs and fluorescent colors of the 80s. Whether you’re a vintage fashionista or a lover of all things retro and ironic, there’s a style for you.

Find the perfect retro vintage inspired swimwear on our Vintage Swimsuits page for both women and men!

SALE ENDS SUNDAY JULY 20th!

GreenLoop doesn’t fool around during their Summer Sale. It isn’t one of those sad “summer sales” where all the winter wear goes 10% off. They have discounted pretty much everything on their site at 20-70% off. If you’ve ever visited their store – or any green retailer for that matter – you’ve probably coveted lots of the sustainable, organic, recycled, Fair Trade eco fashion and accessories, but loathed the price tags. Honestly, they can be pretty ridiculous sometimes. But when they’re discounted up to 70% off, it’s a really smart time to pick up a few organic wardrobe cornerstones. Here are a few of my favorite picks;

• Stewart+Brown Organic Cotton Collar Scoop Shell
• Simple Green Organic/Recycled ‘Toe Stir’ Vegan Skimmers
• Anna Cohen Silky Soy Halter Dress

New items will be added all week long so check back every few days for fresh eco friendly fashion and accessories. And if you sign up for their newsletter, you will get a coupon for an additional 10% off. Shipping is always just $5 flat rate and it’s carbon neutral!

SALE ENDS SUNDAY JULY 20th!

On the Mable’s Vintage Clothing page we list our favorite vintage eBay stores, but every now we just got to feature sellers who stand out from the rest. Enter MakiMaki Vintage: a vintage boutique specializing in one of a kind dresses and other exclusive items.

MakiMaki features vintage clothing from the 1950s, mod ’60s, hippy 70s, and radical 80s. Shae, the store owner, used to be a stylist and it shows in her fabulous photos that sets apart MakiMaki from the other vintage clothing sellers on eBay.

MakiMaki has been making waves lately in the media and has been featured in VenusZine, Dorian Magazine, as well as on MTV just to name a few. I imagine one of the reasons her store is so popular – besides her great clothing & photos – is the intuitive navigation that categorize by shoes, dresses, jackets, etc. which is a huge plus for an eBay store.

Be sure to stay up to date with their latest vintage finds by subscribing to the MakiMaki Vintage blog, or by becoming a friend on MySpace or Facebook.