I love going to the thrift store! It feels like an adventure, because you never know what you might find and you also can feel confident that really no one will probably have anything you happen to buy there. I think I kind of like going there because it reminds me of all of the things I used to have or wear when I was much younger. Granted, most of the stuff at the thrift store makes me laugh because it is still woefully out of style. But there are absolutely treasures to be found. See my tips for shopping at a thrift store.
I went yesterday. I must have had a stressful day at work because I felt the need to go to a thrift store and dig. Here is what I found:
Minnetonka Moccasins $5
These mocs were the highlight of my trip. There was this young hipster looking girl right near me at the time, and I am shocked she didn’t zero in on these in a heartbeat. But I did! Here there are online for $42.00 http://www.zappos.com/minnetonka-kilty-suede-moc My mocs were never even worn. I love it. People get grossed out thinking about a thrift store like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, but there are many items in these stores that are completely brand new, never worn, sometimes with tags still attached.
Minnetonka Moccasins are made in Minnesota, they are well-made with high quality leather.
Forever 21 Houndstooth Jacket $3
This is the one item about which I am still not sure how I feel. Which is a no-no because according to my post on Thrift Shop Success, I should not have even purchased it. But. I. Did. People. So here is my argument to myself about why I should keep it. It reminds me of something I always see my cute hairstylist wearing and I think to myself that I could never pull it off. It has half-length sleeves which are perfect to camouflage trouble areas, like my arms. I love the swingy-ness of the bottom and the way it skims my mid thighs, making me look as thin as I can! I like it. Maybe not love. But for $3 I can’t really complain. It would definitely look good on a pregnant lady. It’s too bad they don’t make more fabulous clothing for the pregnant ladies. But I digress…
Vintage Pink Italian Cotton Scarf $1
I don’t know what drew me to this piece. But it just reminded me of the 1940’s or 50’s. I can see it wrapped around my neck with amazing sunglasses, very Coco Chanel-like. I also love that things were made so well back in the old days. Not like now, if you wear something and wash it even once, you are no longer surprised that it might fall apart. That is so sad. I always advise people to buy quality, well-constructed items. But those are hard to come by these days. This scarf has an intricate edge and stitching details that instantly made me think quality. And it is in perfect shape. All for a dollar. It still had the tag on it, and it was from Dayton’s. Dayton’s was a Minnesota department store until the 1990′s. Many Minnesotans still wistfully talk about Dayton’s. It was the stuff fashion dreams are made of. I was so excited to find the tag, I have never found anything at a thrift store with a Dayton’s tag still attached.
Fashion Night Out T-shirt $3
I was on the fence about this t-shirt. I usually don’t like shirts that say anything on them. But the construction of the shirt, the fabric and the length made me buy it.
Finding t-shirts made out of premium cotton is amazing. If you have ever bought a t-shirt made of superior cotton, you know that you really can never go back to wearing the scratchy old shirts you used to wear. Finding a t-shirt that is made well enough that it is not just a giant box on your frame is also a win. This shirt, like other more expensive and well-made t-shirts have a more flattering fit because they were designed in a way that attention was given to such details. I love how the shirt is a bit longer. It will hit me right a the lower thigh area, making me look my thinnest. I can wear leggings without showing the world everything that I have, which is something I am not into these days. See my post, Law of Fashion: Balance Your Outfit. That is exactly what I am doing here, balancing the tightness of the leggings with a looser fitting, but still flattering top.
Although, not exactly totally ideal for me, since I don’t really love shirts with writing on them…this t-shirt was a great deal because it is made of really great cotton fabric and is cut nicely so it fits me well. Worth the $3 dollars I spent on it, when you can find similar items that retail for over $60!
All that for $12 measly dollars. If I purchased these items for what they go for at the specialty retail stores, theoretically, I would have saved about $88 in my conservative estimate.
I love to supplement my high-end fashion with items from thrift stores to balance the look and add just a little unique character to my outfits!