Thrift Store Chic

I think I have mentioned before that I love thrift stores. For some reason, I seem to have a knack for stumbling upon crazy finds of all kinds. One thing I really love to buy at thrift stores is clothes. I know some people are not a fan of this, but I am, because I know that there are treasures galore to be had. I am by no means a fashionista, but I am much better dressed now, than before I began shopping thrift.

  

I love, LOVE clothes. I use to love getting dressed up each day for work. However, I have been a homemaker for the past 6+ years, and I will admit that I did spend quite a bit of time trapped in the rut of the stay-at-home mom - - sporting my "uniform" of jeans and t-shirt, not really caring what I looked like. I still wear jeans most days, but I during the summer I like to wear skirts or dresses most of the time. I also love fun tops and sweaters, and I love to get dressed up for church, or a rare night out with Steve.

 

The best thing about shopping at thrift stores, in my opinion, is that I dress better now, than I did when I paid full-price for clothes. All of the clothes I use to fantasize about having, I now can have! I know this sounds strange, but it is true.  In my experience, there are two brands of clothes that I see in nearly every thrift store I go into, and they are Banana Republic and Ann Taylor Loft -- two of my favorites. About 50% of the time, the items either look brand new, or still have the tags attached. What I want to know is, who ARE all of these people who spend oodles of money on expensive clothing, only to never wear them, and then surrender them to thrift stores?!? Whoever they are, I hope they keep doing it!

 

 

Take yesterday, for example. I have been in need of some new long-sleeved shirts. I purchased the three shirts pictured above from two different thrift stores. I'm pretty sure none of them had ever been worn (I'm getting pretty good at being able to tell!). The shirt on the left is from Target and probably retails for about $10.00. I paid $1.45. The Shirt in the middle is from Banana Republic and retails for $49.50. I paid $3.99. The shirt on the right is from Ann Taylor LOFT and retails for $39.50. I paid $3.95.

 

 

Above is an example of one of my finds with tags still attached. This is a beautiful silk dress from Banana Republic. As you can see, the retail price was $150.00. It was marked at $3.95, but I got 50% off that price, so it was practically free.

 

 

I love slip-on shoes, and couldn't believe my luck when I found these never-worn Cole Haan Nike Air slip-ons. As best I could find, they retail around $130.00. I paid $3.75! I am pretty picky about buying shoes at thrift stores - - they have to look completely new for me to buy them. I cannot believe how many never-worn shoes can be found in thrift stores.

 

 

I absolute LOVE these Aerosole suede boots I found recently. They are so comfortable! They retail for approximately $130.00, and I paid $5.95 for them. Good deal, I'd say!

 

 

Last, but not least...I have wanted a genuine kilt from Scotland for as long as I can remember. You know,  the ones with the big kilt pin near the hem? One day, I stopped in at a consignment shop that I love, and stumbled upon the above gem. It is a genuine Lochcarron of Scotland kilt in the Isle of Skye tartan, tags still attached. It was marked $12.95, but was 50% off. Perhaps I was the only person around in the market for a kilt (safe bet). Anyway, when I got home, I had to get right on the Internet and look it up. I knew "real" kilts weren't cheap, but was pretty surprised to learn that this particular one retails for $185.00!

 

I have found that since I started making a concerted effort to shop for my clothing at thrift shops, my wardrobe is a lot more varied and a lot less boring. While I am not a "label person" (meaning, could care less what brand of clothes I wear),  I love being able to buy clothing that I could never justify buying, much less afford, in real life.

 

Happy thrifting, everyone!