Kindred Spirits

Teal sweater- Ann Taylor (via Junior League) ~$7

Snow leopard skinny pant- City Streets (JC Penny) ~$20

Brown leather braided belt- Vintage (from mom)

Tan moccasin- Lamb (The Shoe Department) ~$20

TOTAL: $47

            I love this sweater. I bought it over the summer when the Junior League was selling this 100% silk piece for just $7. It really doesn’t look like anything special but I have some strange special connection to it. I wonder who owned it before me? Perhaps we’re kindred spirits. Anyway, I finally got to wear it as it’s been a bit cooler. I love the pairing of textures in this outfit. Mixing prints is an art, but mixing textures is also a skill. I love these printed pants, but rarely wear them! They are so memorable that I feel the need to wait long periods of time between wears. Am I giving too much observational credit to my classmates?

            If you read this blog on the regular, you may notice that I RARELY wear my hair up. I think I look funny (read: bald) and it also hurts my head to wear it up for extended periods of time. On this day, I was headed to class after a bridal photo shoot and left my hair and make up from the shoot on all day. I’ll include a few behind the scenes pictures at the bottom.

Tell me readers, Do you think there should be a waiting period between wears for really loud or memorable pieces? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com or tweet me at BsGoodwillHunt

Thriftfully yours,

B

PS Does this outfit sort of remind you of this J Crew ensemble? Unintentional, but I guess not subconsciously!

 

Photo Shoot Pictures

 Photo from Tina's Salon & Day Spa

Photo from Tina Dolin

Pretty Paisley

Blue paisley tube dress- Target (via Goodwill) ~$4

Crème Brulee Baubles & matching earrings- JEWELIQ (gift, retails for $25)

Stretchy gold belt- Goodwill (no tag) ~$2

Silver gladiator sandals- Bongo (via Marshalls) ~$5

TOTAL COST: $11

            I  bought this dress a few summers ago because I was doing a photos shoot and the photog suggested wearing a dress while shooting in the water. Knowing the water source we were shooting in wasn’t the most clean, I naturally did not want to use something I already owned because it could have been ruined. 

Luckily, I didn’t end up getting the dress wet and I kept it! Sometimes I fold it over and wear it as a maxi skirt. It’s wonderful. It was also a great opportunity to showcase the BABULE NECKLACE I reviewed in my last post.

Tell me readers, Have you ever bought something for one purpose and ended up using it for something else? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com or tweet me at BsGoodwillHunt

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

Oops, I Did It Again (& Again)

            My favorite seasons for fashion are fall and winter. Shops like Goodwill and Salvation Army offer some out of season items at all times, which means I can be collecting special pieces all year round, regardless of the present season. At times, I find myself getting hooked on a specific type of garment. Recently, that piece is the secretary blouse. Three years ago, while participating in a Goodwill “up-cycle”/re-fashioned” fashion show, I was assigned this beautiful outfit…(check out that fabulous hat and those heels!)

I fell in love with the silk paisley blouse and purchased it (for $3.50) after the show. My sense of fashion was a bit different in 2010 and I hardly wore this top. However, it planted the seed for what has truly turned into an obsession with the secretary (or tie-neck) blouse. My interest in this garment really accelerated after I purchased this pink, purple, and blue paisley blouse.

I received many compliments on it and loved the special feel that only a vintage piece can give. I wanted more and so my collection began. Presently, I have 9 secretary blouses (varying sleeve length) that were all thrifted. These tops are on trend for the upcoming fall season, however, you’re not going to find them for a better price or more special looking than thrifting a vintage one.

Case and point?

(Left: Saks Fifth Ave, Right: Equipment {via Last Call: Neiman Marcus})

I like both of these blouses but with price tags of $69 & $139 respectively, I wouldn’t dare buy either. My entire collection of 9 secretary blouses (the remaining 8 pictured below) cost me around $32. If I have to choose between 9 different options for $32 or one blouse for $69 (or even $20 at a store like Forever 21)- it’s not really a fair fight :)

They’re silky and light-weight enough for late summer/early spring and with a cardigan, sweater vest or blazer, they work as a layering piece all winter long. I should probably stop buying them, but I could go for a few more in solid colors- as you can see, I only have one (the silky champagne blouse- all the rest are printed, though it’s hard to see). Maybe black or purple?

Tell me readers, What do you think of this trend? Do you have a favorite among my 9 blouses? What are your style suggestions for this trend? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B