Thrifting might run in my genes. From a very young age (young enough to run a lemonade stand for several years) I remember putting on an annual garage sale with my family, and that continues to this day. I also remember how every year my Mom, sisters, and I would take turns running the show so the others could stop at the rest of the weekly sales, even while our own was happening. You might say we have a little problem.
Okay, so "problem" is in the eye of the beholder. Being raised thriftily has been one the greatest blessings of my life. In this outfit alone the blouse, skirt, belt, and purse were all found secondhand and have been wardrobe staples for awhile.
When friends compliment a piece and I tell them I got it for two dollars, it's often followed by a sigh of dismay that they can never find anything good when they go. The secret to this so called luck? It isn't just luck - ask any serious thrifter. It's frequency. When I lived in Michigan, it was a once-a-week ritual to make rounds to all the main shops, and Saturday mornings in the summer were undisputed garage/yard/estate sale time. Since making my cross-country move it's been hard to stick to the weekly thing, but the trade-off is far greater variety when I do go.
If you find time to make it to the mall each month, you can make it to the thrift stores. And when you do find that perfect piece used instead of new, the same heavenly light shines upon it, and the same choir of angels sing their chorus (albeit a bit sweeter, as somehow it just seems meant to be that you were in that particular store on that particular, fateful day).
Blouse - $1.89
Skirt - $3.79
Another important thing to remember when thrifting (or shopping in general) - the rack can be deceiving! If you find a stellar color or fabric but think it looks shapeless on the hanger, try it on anyway. Worst case scenario: It's only the fitting room, not the runway. I almost passed on this golden-honey blouse because on the hanger it looked like a tent. Now, it's my favorite for tucking and creates a breezy silhouette that can't be replicated with any other piece from my closet.
What I'm Wearing
Blouse - Adiva
Skirt - Banana Republic
Belt - Thrifted
Shoes - Beverly Feldman
Bag - a.n.a.
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