Pastel Princess or Easter Egg?

White, frill collar tank- Ann Taylor LOFT outlet ~$20

Purple shorts- Land N Sea (via TJ Maxx) ~$15 

Light green ¾ cardi- No tags (via Goodwill) ~$3.50

Silk scarf- Vera Bradley (gift)

Pink sneakers- Keds ~$20

TOTAL COST: Approx. $58.50

            I want to wear these purple shorts weekly but I have restrained, dear readers, so that you can see more of my wardrobe. That has been a very happy side effect of documenting my outfits- I am wearing much more of my collection. Even with hundreds of choices, I have favorites that I feel pulled to wear again and again. I never know when something I buy, new or thrifted, is going to become a favorite- I mean, I liked it enough to buy it, didn’t I? I hate to boil it down to only a few factors but I assume versatility, wearibility and flexibility are all important to consider. These shorts are definitely all three!

            I look a little like an Easter egg, which I gracefully accept. This isn’t a color palate I wear a lot, I prefer bold or deep colors, so it’s refreshing to pair a few pastels together for a new vibe. Something is missing though— frilly socks that all the little girls wear to church. Do they sell these for adults? I guess I should Google that…

Tell me readers, Do you think wearing multiple pastels automatically makes you look like your fashion inspiration was the Easter bunny? Inbox or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Looks Good Standing Up...

Pink button-up dress- Issac Mizrahi for Target (via Goodwill) ~$5

Paisley cardigan (swatch pictured)- J Crew (?) (via Goodwill) ~$3.50

Bow earrings- Forever 21 ~$5 (multipack)

Green faux-suede skinny belt- Target (via Goodwill) ~$1

Brown wedges- Target ~$20

TOTAL COST: Approx. $34.50

            See how good this dress looks standing up? Yeah, I know, such a pity that my hips and the extra small nature of this dress didn’t become better friends. I found it out the hard way, while at school where I’m supposed to be looking professional… Eek. My dressing room routines are going to need to expand to trial sitting. This means I’m now pursuing a replacement of some sort, likely in a solid color, but maybe polka dots.

            The cardigan, although not pictured, is one of my favorite GW snags, which is saying a lot considering the number of pieces currently in my wardrobe from GW is around 100. The tag has been cut out, but the quality of the fabric and buttons leads me to believe it’s a quality brand. The pattern and style make me think J Crew, but who knows! Regardless, it’s a wonderful addition to my (large) cardi collection.

            As my recycled/upcycled/refashioned wardrobe grows, I cannot wait to see how low I can get my outfit costs. This is a good indicator. I’m going hunting tomorrow with my mom, so perhaps I’ll find my replacement dress or a new-to-me vintage gem.

Tell me readers, What are your thoughts on the button-up dress as a trend? Inbox or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Heapin' Haul

On my last trip to Goodwill, I had an excellent haul for the menial cost of $27. Did I mention I bought 6 pieces of clothing and two belts? WOWIE! One dress, a grey private school style romper, is not pictured (it’s getting dry cleaned). I’m always so impressed with what I can get for the regular price of ONE new item. As I mentioned before, I am building my belt collection and these two are great additions. The baby blue one is a vintage piece I snagged for 97 cents! I’ve already worn it a handful of times, it’s so versatile! The emerald green faux-suede belt was a new with tags Target belt. Original price? $12.90. Goodwill price? $1.00. Virtual savings of $11.90. HOLLER!

My favorite clothing piece I snagged is definitely this red iris print vintage maxi-skirt. It’s a print that isn’t a pattern, which I find interesting. The black and white print short sleeve secretary blouse is also vintage (tag reads: Ship N Shore). The silk star-print wrap dress is not very versatile seasonally speaking as it has long sleeves but a shorter hem, but I look forward to the perfect opportunity to wear it. Maybe a date?

The lilac button-up is a perfect condition Eddie Bauer. The pink button up collared dress is sadly, a post purchase regret. It looks lovely standing up (I have one outfit post in this dress) but sitting down, it’s a bit too tight and the buttons gape a bit, making it inappropriate to wear out. Luckily I have a more petite friend (My designer friend, Monica- check out her site here http://monicatulay.foliohd.com/) who I’m passing it along to. I have been told that you can make returns to GW but I’m not sure that I would. I either donate it (again) or find a better-suited friend.

Can’t wait to find ways to incorporate these items with my existing closet!

Tell me readers, Ever had a particularly good haul? Tell me about it! Inbox or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

No Bras Shall Be Worn

Tropical bird print romper- Department store (sorry, don’t remember) ~$20

Straw cloche- Disneyland ~$25

Orange cummerbund- borrowed from another dress

Silver gladiator sandals- TJ Maxx ~$5

TOTAL COST: Approx. $50

             My apologies, followers, no thrifted items in this outfit. I loved this look too much to leave it out from my blogging. This romper was purchased during my “romper phase” (about 3 summers ago). I loved the print (and the pockets!) so much that I bought it despite its backlessness (see other photo).

A backless romper or dress presents a problem- do I wear a bra? No. Error, error, mayday. NO BRAS SHALL BE WORN. If you’re a busty gal, or just not comfortable going braless, just ignore this daring trend.

Even though I had purchased this piece, I ignored it for the first year almost entirely. It’s taken me time to realize that bold style choices do not have to ruin my life or stop me from changing my later fashion choices. I won’t lie, I do a lot of checking when I wear a piece like this. Am I covered? Am I comfortable? It can be a challenge. But I’m not going to get any younger, and therefore, any more appropriately aged to wear a piece like this. While some pieces, like cardigans and pencil skirts can follow me for years, this romper’s life in my closet is limited and it should be worn now. The outfit served me well for an evening concert in the park- lightweight to combat the heat and the casual setting made the revealing nature of the dress perfectly acceptable.

Tell me readers, Would you ever wear a daring backless romper or dress? Inbox or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Bermudas: Two Ways

Outfit #1

White polo- Ralph Lauren (via TJ Maxx) ~$20

Black and white print Bermuda shorts- Old Navy (via Goodwill) ~$5 

Straw cloche- Disneyland Park ~$25

Light blue skinny belt- Vintage (no tag, via Goodwill) ~$ .97

Green slip-ons- Toms Shoes ~$54

TOTAL COST: Approx. $104.97

Outfit #2

Black scoop neck t-shirt- Old Navy ~$7

Black and white print Bermuda shorts- Old Navy (via Goodwill) ~$5 

Silver necklace- Flea market ~$1

Red braided belt- H&M ~$5

Black wedges- TJ Maxx ~$10

TOTAL COST: Approx. $28

Same Bermudas, different outfit AND different price point. What a difference the cost of accessories can make, right? I could really go on and on about this cloche and these shoes, but that would go against the mission statement of this blog- I strive to provide information about the purchasing and styling of thrifty clothing.

These Bermudas, on the other hand, were an excellent deal. I call them my Betty Draper’s. They are versatile despite their bold appearance. In fact, it’s reminding me of Grease with “Sandy 1” and “Sandy 2.” Sandy 1 is conservative and clean cut whereas Sandy 2 is more sexy- tighter outfit and higher shoes.

That light blue skinny belt in outfit one? EXCELLENT find at Goodwill. 97 CENTS for a belt?! That’s unreal. I’ve got to check those belts out more often. For a girl who hates belts- I now have 6 and could use a few more basic ones.

            Tell me readers, Which piece of clothing in your wardrobe do you find to be super versatile? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

 

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Fashion, Fit & the Fourth

Red top with white detailing- Calvin Kline (via Goodwill) ~$3.50

White and gold pencil skirt- JC Penny ~$7 (on sale)

Earrings- Local artisan ~$5

Light blue skinny belt- no tag (Goodwill) ~$ .97

Sandals- Lands End ~$10  Nine West (Via Bon Ton) ~$20

TOTAL COST: Approx. ~$26.47/36.47

            I love dressing with purpose and holidays often provide me with an opportunity to do so. Here’s my not-too-costumey Fourth of July ensemble. This post may be a good time to talk about sizing. I don’t put a lot of stock in women’s sizes. Each manufacturer does it differently and aside from that, the type of garment effects sizing too. For example, a tight, body hugging dress would require a larger size (for me) than would an empire-waisted dress, as I have a more pear-like shape. When shopping, especially true while thrifting, it is more important to look at the garment itself, and don’t get hung up on what the tag says about size. This Calvin Kline top was labeled extra-small, but it looked more like a medium and the print was so excellent that I had to try it. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it takes only a few moments to try something on. So when we look at gain v. loss, it’s a fabulous top to gain, and only a few seconds to lose. This skirt, while not from a thrift store, was so classy and versatile (and cheap! $7 is an excellent deal) that despite it’s Petite sizing, I tried it on- and voila! Instant wardrobe staple.

            You might notice I am wearing a different pair of shoes than I featured in the detail box. A good friend of mine who is also an excellent style blogger, (http://sugarandspicebyavb.blogspot.com/) said that while my outfits are stylish, my shoes are lacking, and recommended my gold heels, so here they are! While we’re talking about SugarSpiceStyle, she is also a talented nail artist (she’s tried tricky techniques like water marbling). I decided to do something patriotic for Independence Day!

            Tell me readers, Have you ever used a holiday to inspire your look? Inbox or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B

Instant Inspiration

White Button-up- Express (via Goodwill) ~$3.50

Denim Bermuda shorts- via JC Penny ~$20

Navy, white and green nautical square scarf- local consignment shop (no tag) ~$6

Pyramid spike post earrings- H&M ~$5 (multipack)

Yellow and brown leather bag- Perry Ellis (via Goodwill) ~$2

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

TOTAL COST: Approx $36.50

            You might remember this shirt from my Wish List post (http://bsgoodwillhunting.tumblr.com/post/26160395305/my-fashion-wist-list)- I really couldn’t wait to wear it and whilst reading Pink Peonies (http://www.thepinkpeonies.com/), I came across this photo:

Instant inspiration! I don’t often try to recreate a photo, but I needed a semi-casual way to wear a white button up shirt and this fit the bill. Of course, I dressed it up with the scarf (Feels so Hampton’s/Ina Garten-y) and today’s photo is the end result.

            Speaking of that scarf, in a previous post where I wore my other newly thrifted scarf as a gigantic hair bow, I mentioned that I had found an excellent graphic on Pinterest (Follow me! http://pinterest.com/ladypsychology/) all about ways to tie triangle scarves and here it is:

(full website link http://vmacandcheese.com/2011/09/20/how-to-tie-a-scarf/#comment-3498)

            Now that I have a few scarves in my collection, I plan on trying out and incorporating all of these styles into my outfits! Can’t wait to share them all with you.

            A note on the other accessories: These are the other earrings I was talking about! They’re understated but different. The purse is one of my few accessory finds from Goodwill. It’s leather, has a snap closure and is highly portable- LOVE IT! And for 2 dollars, what a find!

            Tell me readers, What is your favorite way to wear a scarf? Comment or email me at BsGoodwillHunting@gmail.com

Thriftfully Yours,

B