LBD

Collarless tweed jacket- Focus 2000 (via Salvation Army) ~$6

LBD- Ann Taylor LOFT (via Goodwill) ~$5

Gold strand necklaces- Consignment ~$6 (for 2)

Paisley tights (gift)

Purple mary-jane shoe- Delias (gift)

TOTAL: $17

            This outfit is a great example of how tiny modification to “good” thrifted/consigned/vintage items can make them classics. I already blogged about the haircut I gave the fringe on this collarless jacket after buying it, but I’m not sure that I mentioned this dress. It is one of my first pieces from the LOFT (thrifted of course) and it fit SO PERFECTLY (and an appropriate length!) that I overlooked the fluted sleeve.

 It wasn’t terrible in its original state, but its seasonal versatility was low. I couldn’t put a jacket or cardigan over it because of the sleeve volume, so I decided to do some 101 level alternations. I used a tiny pair of scissors to cut the thread holding the fluted sleeve to the regular sleeve. I then hand sewed the sleeve. It is now a very classic LBD! It was the perfect basic dress so I could feature my new jacket.

Tell me readers, Do you ever do basic alternations to your clothes? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com or tweet me at BsGoodwillHunt

Thriftfully Yours,

B

To Donate or Not to Donate- That is the Question

Pink ruffle top- Target (via Salvation Army) ~$2

Tan skirt with embroidery- Ann Taylor LOFT (via Goodwill) ~$4

Bauble necklace- JEWELIQ (gift, retails for $25)

Tan sandals- Target ~$20

TOTAL COST: $26

            This top is just the cutest, right? Though it’s season is just about over so I hurried to wear it before fall takes over. It’s light weight but not too sheer. It’s a Target brand (maybe Mossimo?) which I generally do not buy at a thrift store, but I made an exception (it was 50% off Wednesday). I loved how it pulled the pink details out of this tan LOFT skirt that I’ve had for a while now. I always get compliments when I wear it, but I never immediately pull it out of my closet with joy, feeling “I must wear this skirt today!” It just doesn’t happen. I figured I’ll wear it a few times in fall and decide if it’s time to re-donate it or not. Finally, I topped off the outfit with my JEWELIQ bauble necklace (in Crème Brulee) because I thought the v-neck on this top made the perfect frame for a necklace this shape.

Tell me readers, What items to do hold on to even when they’re not your favorites? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com or tweet me at BsGoodwillHunt

Thriftfully Yours,

B

My Goodwill Fill (+Today is my BIRTHDAY!)

       

     Mother and I have visited yet another Goodwill in the surrounding area, this one near a grocery store (Wegmans) which we like to shop at 2-3 times a year. This Goodwill had some excellent brands, so we will probably be back (on our next out-of-town grocery trip). I snagged 6 pieces for myself, 5 of which were fall/winter pieces. I did make one summery exception, but we’ll get to that.

            Starting with the four square photo (Top L, going clockwise) This long sleeve grey J Crew tee is soft and warm. Not to mention, perfect for layering. Ann Taylor put out this fold over collared long sleeve tee in dusty teal- it’s a much more dressy take on the long sleeve cotton shirt. This navy and white long sleeve Gap is the fall/winter companion to the very similar looking Gap tee I found at the Junior League $1 bag sale. It’s cozy and nautical. Finally, this ½ sleeve lightweight sweater cardigan by Express is perfect for fall. It will allow me to wear some of my tank tops for a few more weeks. I also snagged two bottoms: these seaweed patterned J Crew chinos and this vintage purple wool pencil skirt. I had to snag these J Crew chinos- they retail for upwards of $40, so for $5 I have a giant savings AND J Crew shorts. The wool skirt is going to be great with a number of my secretary blouses. Can’t wait to start styling for fall- I’m getting bored of my summer wardrobe.

Tell me readers, Have you started fall shopping? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

PS- I will do an outfit post about my Birthday in a few days, so stay tuned :)

Con Accento

White and brown print tank top- Ann Taylor (via Goodwill) ~$3.50

Khaki shorts- Old Navy ~$20

Gold slip on shoes- TOMS (gift, retails for $54)

Gold 24” strand necklace with pearl accents- Consignment (no brand) ~$3

Gold 20” strand necklace with pearl accents- Consignment (no brand) ~$3

Army green belt- Target (via Goodwill) ~$2

TOTAL COST: $31.50

            It’s rare to see me in an all neutral palate outfit, but here it is! I still manage to get some pizzazz in my ensemble with gold accents. The necklaces are recent thrifts from a consignment store and I just love them. They will mix well with many looks, casual and dressy. I am still new at the art of jewelry layering, so this is my “bunny slope” attempt.

Tell me readers, What are your tips for jewelry layering? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours, 

B

Immediate Yes

Chartreuse tank- Gap Outlet ~$10

Bright pink ¾ cardigan- Gap Outlet ~$20

White and poppy print skort- Ann Taylor LOFT (via Salvation Army) ~$5

Tan sandals- Target ~$20

Deer necklace- Etsy (gift)

TOTAL COST: $55

            I love bright colors and pieces that make a statement- I think that this outfit communicates that idea. This Ann Taylor LOFT poppy print skort (for those of you confused, like my computer’s spell check function, skirt + short= skort) was an immediate yes. Of my 12 Ann Taylor/LOFT pieces, 9 were thrifted. It’s a brand I’ve come to appreciate much more as I get older and my fashion orientation switches from student to professional. Some brands just fit your body right, and Ann Taylor is one of those brands for me. Unfortunately, buying new from them on a regular basis is not an option. I still window shop- in fact, Ann Taylor has been selling these lace shell tanks (see below) for months now and they’re so fabulous, but for $98, I just can’t justify it (not even a little).

    

            I also wanted to share my manicure for the week. It’s OPI Hot & Spicy with China Glaze Fast Track (Hunger Games collection). It went quite well with the orange hues in the skort.

Tell me readers, Do you have a certain brand that fits you the best? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

One Blouse Two Ways

Black printed blouse- Ship N Shore (via Goodwill) ~$3.50

Grey button pencil skirt- Ann Taylor LOFT (via Goodwill) ~ $5

White pants- Ralph Lauren (via Marshall’s) ~$25

Grey pointy flats- Nine West (via Goodwill) ~$5

TOTAL COST:

Outfit One ~$11.50

Outfit Two ~$33.50

            I love finding versatility in my clothes. My plethora of secretary blouses can be worn in both dressy and casual ways. In look one, I paired my blouse with this excellent find, an Ann Taylor LOFT skirt I thrifted. The original buttons were plain so I swapped them out for these beautiful silver crest ones. In the photo, both pieces look like the same color, but there is more definition and separation when you see it in real life. I went for a more relaxed look in my second outfit. I would have never thought to wear them untied until I saw this photo from a favorite blog of mine, Pink Peonies (http://www.thepinkpeonies.com/). 

I also love the white pants with the dark top. This blouse looks plain from far away, so I included a close up of the print. 

It’s an interesting one and I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be, but I love the incorporation of orange and blue as small detail colors.

Tell me readers, Which look do you prefer? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

The Star Piece

White and black print tank- Ann Taylor (via Salvation Army) ~ $3.00

Off White cardigan- Vera Wang for Kohl’s  ~$5 (sale)

Black capris- Old Navy ~$10 (sale)

Red braided belt- H&M ~$5

Gold slip ons- Toms (gift, retails for $54)

TOTAL COST: Approx. $23.00

           

            When I saw this shirt at Salvation Army, I immediately hoped it would be my size. The print really spoke to me- it’s a common design on woven cane chairs and I’ve never seen it printed on any fabric. The collar is a bit different from a regular tank top, which I like- I think it makes it a more special piece. Ann Taylor for a couple of dollars is nearly unthinkable. Salvation Army offers a promo every day of the week. Items are tagged with colored price tags. Each day, a specific color is 50% off and every Wednesday, all items are 50% off. This shirt was purchased on a day when pink tags were 50% off.

            A note on styling: I generally do not wear so much black and white in one outfit, however, I felt this shirt was more likely to be the “star” piece if I wore understated bottoms. I actually wish I’d had a white belt when I put this together, but alas- red belt.

            Tell me readers, What do you do to make one piece pop in an outfit? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Sal-Val Scouting

           Mom and I decided to pop by the local Salvation Army for some thrifting. Our local GW is quite small compared to others I’ve visited, so when we’re really in the mood to search the racks, it is best to hit the Sal Val as it’s at least 3x larger. We did A LOT of picking and trying on. I came out with 6 pieces for a total cost of $23.00. Mom also added a few new pieces to our eBay account (http://tinyurl.com/eBayCraftmom).

            My favorite snag of the day is an item that was on my Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/ladypsychology/) wish list- a removable fur collar for a winter coat. I had pretty much given up on finding one in the stores I visit, so I was perusing Etsy for something well priced that didn’t look like a bad rug. I had found a few nice, real rabbit fur collars and some nice faux’s for anywhere between $15-$30. The price I paid for this little gem…?

$7.50. It’s faux, its lush, it ties at the bottom, it’s excellent. Another item off the Wish List!

             The remaining 5 pieces are all clothing: 2 (more) vintage secretary blouses (black with orange and blue accents {Ship ‘N Shore}, and the red, white and black vertical stripe {Knitmakers}), a Land’s End deep red with white cherry blossom print cardigan, black and white print Ann Taylor tank top, and a white Ann Taylor poppy printed skort. I will admit, I have a serious addiction to tie-neck, secretary blouses. With the addition of these two, I now have 8 of varying sleeve lengths (Perhaps it’s time to stop…). Not all of the pieces I bought are summer season clothes, so you’ll just have to wait to see how I work them into my fall/winter wardrobe. I’m sure the poppy skirt and black and white printed tank will be working their way into some up coming posts! I have a hard time waiting to wear my new pieces. 

Tell me readers, What item of clothing do you have multiples of? Inbox or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

~P.S. Check out this thrilling polyester number I tried on. Sadly it didn’t fit (wouldn’t zip up in the back) but I got a picture of it! Mom says its very “Laugh In.” I loved it. Don’t know where I would wear it, but what a piece to have around for parties or a photo shoot!

The Skinny Cargo

Grey crest t-shirt- J. Crew ~$15 (on sale)

Denim cargo pedal pushers- Ann Taylor LOFT (via Goodwill) ~$7

Brown leather braided belt- Vintage (mother’s)

Ship & map printed triangle scarf- Local consignment shop (no brand) ~$6

Gold chevron slip-on- Toms Shoes (gift, retails for $54)

TOTAL COST: Approx. $28

I don’t wear denim often- not even in the winter. I own quite a few pairs of jeans and the ones I wear the most are two dark-wash skinny-cut pairs. These denim pedal pushers were thrifted at the GW a number of years ago and I barely wore them-in fact, they were in my own donation pile before I had the wherewithal to rescue and keep them until my styling’s were a bit more on the mature side. The fit is great, the wash is dark and the length makes them workable for spring, summer and early fall. They even have these great cargo-style pockets that became significantly more popular after the “skinny cargo” was unleashed upon the fashion public two seasons ago. Ann Taylor LOFT was totally ahead of that trend- who would’ve thought!

While many looks I post here on BGH could be classified as “casual,” this seems even more so, and I attribute it to the denim. The heather grey tee and pedal pushers were alright, but needed something else to make the outfit more attention grabbing- thus the scarf bow. I’m not sure that it was the right choice for this outfit, but when I get something new, I can’t help but feel the intense desire to test it out as soon as possible. This fashion-impulsivity causes me to do some weird things, like wear out of season clothes or mix style genres. This scarf is one of two I recently purchased at a local consignment shop ($6 a piece!) and I am already obsessed with all the ways I intend to tie/wear it. I found an excellent graphic on how to tie square scarves all sorts of interesting ways and I will post it with another entry I’ve got on deck. My fashion muse for this scarf/giant hair bow is the lovely Blair Waldorf (of Gossip Girl, naturally). While I doubt this ensemble en total would be appealing to her, the vintage hair adornment is a classic-Blair.

Tell me readers, Do you take fashion inspiration from a TV/Movie character? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Tucked In & Together

Printed brown and white tank top- Ann Taylor LOFT (via Goodwill) ~$5

Purple shorts- TJ Maxx (brand: Land ‘N Sea) ~$15

Florescent chartreuse flower accent- H&M ~$3 for pack of two

White belt with leather closure- Vintage (mothers)

Purple and white stripe sandals- Lands End ~$10

TOTAL COST: Approx. $33

         Okay. Yes, I tucked in my shirt. Again. Does this make me a marmish teacher? NO! Why not, you ask? Because this outfit is too youthful. This is certainly NOT to say that an older woman couldn’t wear it, because that is not so. Youthful is a vibe, it is not an age. It’s having guts to wear purple shorts. It’s an attitude.

         I’ve had this top for a few years and just never really wore it. When I purchased it (at least 3-4 years ago), I’m sure I thought it was too conservative. A shirt that doesn’t cling to your abdomen? I’d never! Fast-forward a few years to graduate school and a job at an elementary school and I’ve found I’m into conservative-ism (sort of, I still wear outrageous outfits, so stay tuned). Throughout high school and college, I amassed many, many tank tops- few of which I’d wear for more than lazing around my deck now. More recently, I’ve been building (slowly) my professional wardrobe as I move closer to finishing my master’s degree and entering the work force as a full time professional. A decent portion of my winter wardrobe (yes, I have a second wardrobe for winter, don’t hate. I live in a state with 4 seasons) transitioned well to my job this year, but spring and summer were more of a challenge. As a result, I have been looking for new conservative (but unique) tops for the warmer months. For example, that sleeveless navy top with the orange polka dots from a past post was purchased after this realization. Of course, I love any excuse to shop and to hunt for a great deal, so finding a proverbial hole in my wardrobe gives purpose to my hobby. 

Tell me readers, Do you like to tuck in your tops? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B