Sunday Style - A Little Bit of Sparkle

I've been MIA lately, but I'm getting back to it!!  My closet is filled with lots of classics.  I own many gray, black, and white items.  Most of these items can be worn year round and mixed and matched with lots of trendy and/or bold items.

I picked up up this sweater at my local Salvation Army for $4.99.  The original tags were still on it!!  I love when I find brand new items at a thrift store.  It is a simple silhouette that can be worn a multitude of different ways.  My pants are one of the oldest items in my closet.  I picked them up at Goodwill one of the first years we lived in Kansas City and they were only $1.  They are a bit on the longer side, so I love to add a pair of fun heels when I wear them.

You can't really see my shoes, but they are amazing!!  Next time, I wear them I will be sure to get a better picture of them.  I purchased them on clearance from Kohls for around $20.  I got them to wear to a ball I attended with my sister several years ago.  They have super high heels, zippers, and are quite uncomfortable, but I still love them.  Beauty is pain, right!?!

To finish my look, I added a simple vintage necklace.  It's a small sequined little purse necklace that belonged to my Great Grandmother.  This is actually the first time I've worn it!!

From head to toe, my outfit cost $25, including my shoes!!

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Friday Finds

I had blast teaching a Thrifting 101 class through Longview Community College's Community Education program.  I was thrilled to have five students learn about local thrift stores, their missions, and of course, how to shop!!  I hope to teach the class again in the future.  If you are interested, let me know!!  

This week I was able to shop with my students at Goodwill in Lee's Summit and snagged some awesome deals!!

Jacket

$3.99

I immediately spotted this jacket as I walked in the door.  It is perfect to throw on as I'm heading out the door to the gym.  I love the fun zippers and thumb holes.

Vintage Dress

$5.99

I couldn't pass up this dress!!  Yes, it's black and I already have a couple of black dresses, but look at this beauty!!  I love the bow detail on the shoulders and the simplicity of the cut of the dress.  It has some major shoulder pads, so I am debating of getting rid of those!!

Red Sweater

$2.99

I was looking for a basic red sweater and this one is perfect!!

Basic Henley

$.99 (1/2 price)

Mulan DVD

$1.99

 Children's Place Sweater

$1.99

Gymboree Sweater Dress/Tunic

$1.99

This is adorable!!  I can see this with fun striped tights or leggings!!  It's only a year old - it was manufactured for Gymboree's 2014 Holiday line.

 Tribal Pants

$4.99

I've been on the hunt for some summer/vacation items and these pants fit the bill.  They have an elastic waist band and they are plenty long!!

Also at Goodwill, I picked up a tub of wooden beads for a friend for just $2.99.  She was thrilled!!

This week, I also swung by two other favorite thrift stores, Majr-Thrift and Family Thrift Store.

Gap Tunic

$.99

Denim Skirts (2 different sizes)

$.99 each

Gymboree Corduroy Dress

.99

Waffle Knit Top (2 of them)

$1.98 each

My sons love shirts like these to layer in the winter time and so I picked up a couple in different sizes and colors.

Old Navy Jacket

.99

Mickey Top

$1.99

Our family is planning a big vacation to Florida this year and this is my first official item for the trip!!   I will be on the hunt for more Disney items this spring!!

Mirrored Tray

$3.98

I adore this tray!!  It will be perfect to display some of my jewelry on my dresser.   I need to tighten the screws holding it together and polish the silver.  I may end up painting it white as well.  We will see!!

Any favorites??  

Sunday Style - Christmas Cheer

I love dressing up, especially for just about any special event or holiday!!  What I love even more is being able to do so for next to nothing!!

I picked up this gorgeous Ann Taylor Christmas red skirt for just $4.99 at my local Goodwill store.  I was drawn to the bright color first, but then upon further inspection, I fell in love with the gorgeous cut outs around the hem and the POCKETS!!

I paired my skirt with my basic Talbots black sweater.  I have featured this sweater multiple times and I will probably million more.  It is such a versatile piece!!  The wind was quite fierce, so don't mind the crazy voluminous hair going on!!  I did try to curl it, but it didn't quite do what I was hoping for, but you just have to go with it some days!!

I also added my black boots, herringbone tights, vintage earrings, and a snowflake necklace.

My outfit comes under $20!!  

Enjoy your Sunday and Merry Christmas!!

Sunday Style - Dots on Dots

I love polka dots, what can I say!!  This outfit makes me think of June Cleaver - very classy, but I think I've given it a modern twist.

I first started out the day with this gorgeous vintage coat, I picked up at an estate sale last summer.  I love how regal I feel in this coat.  My mom had to do some work to the hem of the coat, but it was worth the work to make this coat feel and look new again.  She also mentioned she thought my great grandmother had a coat almost identical to this one!!

The three clothing pieces I've chosen are all thrifted!! I picked up the skirt this summer at Goodwill for $4.99, my Gap blouse is a fun swiss dot polka dot button up that I picked up at Maj-r Thrift for under $5, and my hot pink cardigan is from Salvation Army that I picked up on their Black Friday 1/2 price sale for just $1.49.   You can check out my other great finds here!!

My boots are and end of the season find from Sears and my necklace is an online find!!

I'm excited to wear each of these pieces year round and mixing them up with other items in my closet.

From head to toe, my outfit came in under $35!!

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Thrifting It Out with Some Girlfriends

I want everyone to like thrift store shopping like me, so I invited a girlfriends out for a few hours of shopping therapy!!  

My friends Tasha and Tiffany met me at the Belton Salvation Army Family Thrift Store.  Tasha brought her cousin, Bree, along with her daughter.  I asked each of the girls to give me a list of three things they were looking for.   I also gave them my top ten thrifting tips.  Last winter, I wrote an article for Salvation Army with my tips.  You can find them here and here. 

Here is a condensed version!!

1. Make a wish list. I keep mine on my phone - items for my house, my kids, and me. You also carry swatches of fabric and paint, or pictures of items you are trying to match/coordinate with.

2. Go with a friend!! It is fun to help each other find items. Sometimes friends can also convince us to try on something that we may not want to!!

3. Thoroughly check your items. Check the condition of items and the care info before leaving the store. When trying on items, take a 360 degree view in the mirror. Then check seams and inspect for holes.

4. Be a good patron. Get to know the employees at your local Salvation Army Family Store. There are some pretty amazing people that work there.

5. Give back!! I try to go through my clothing monthly to see if there is something I can weed out. I also do this when I am putting away seasonal items.

6. Shop for seasonal items year round. I tend to think of what I want to have for the next season.

7. Think outside the box!! If I see an item I am not quite sure about, I will carry it around the store with me to think about it. Then I try it on and decide if I love it!! 

8. Size does not matter!! Do not stick to your usual size. Remember items have been worn, washed, and may have shrunk or been stretched out.

9. Shop with your eyes and fingers!! I tend to start in a section and just visually browse the row as I go over items with my hands. I am attracted to pattern and texture, so when I find one or both of those things, I stop and examine the item closer to see if it is my size, a flattering shape, and/or in good condition.

10. Be open to surprise! If you are a newbie to the world of thrift stores, plan a time to just browse the store with no expectation of buying anything.

The girls had a great time and found a few things on their shopping list.

Then a few days later, I met up with my friends Debbie, Jenelle, Alex, and her daughter Phoenix.   We tried a little thrift store tour of three shops in the same vicinity.  We hit up Salvation Army Family Thrift at 115 & Metcalf, City Thrift on Antioch, and Goodwill at 135th & Metcalf.

Again, I asked each of the girls for three things they were looking for.

These girls could shop!!  I was blown away at the deals they found.  They were each thrilled with how much money they were saving.  I was even able to find a few goodies - you can find them here.

One of my ideas for the future, is to offer my services in taking a group of ladies out to a variety of thrift stores and help them navigate the thrift store world.  I asked these ladies to give me some feedback on how to get this service started.

Thanks ladies for your encouragement and feedback!!

Let me know if anyone would like go shopping with me!!

Sunday Style - So, I'm not Julia Roberts

I picked up this amazing polka dress on my last trip to Goodwill.  As soon as I put it on, I thought of Julia Roberts in the movie Pretty Woman.  She wears a dress similar to this to a polo match with Richard Gere.  Her dress was tan and she had some amazing gloves and hat to complete her look.  I could have added some vintage gloves and my grandma's hat, but I just didn't think I could pull it off at church!!

This dress makes me feel so tall, even though I'm wearing flats!!!  I think I could also add a chambray shirt to this dress and make it look like a maxi skirt for a casual date night look!!

This outfit comes it under $20 - shoes, belt, and dress.  I have no idea how much Julia's cost since she shopped on Rodeo Drive!!

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Friday Finds

This week, I called up a couple of girlfriends and we went thrifting!!  It was soooo much fun!!  Stay tuned for more details on our shopping trip.  I did want to share the awesome finds I snatched up!!

Our first stop was Salvation Army Family Thrift on Metcalf. 

Crazy 8 Boots 

$4.99

Sunnies

.99

We then swung over to City Thrift on Antioch.  I had never been to this store.  This store helps support City Union Mission.  The store was small, but packed to the gills with items!!  Pricing is a little higher than I normally pay at Salvation Army, but the items I picked up were worth the price I paid for them!!

Homemade Sundress or Tunic

$4.48

Lauren Conrad Chambray Embroidered Top

$6.48

Our last stop was Goodwill on 135th.  I definitely spent most of my money here, but picked up some amazing items!!  We met another thrifter, who added a few more things to my pile to try on!!

Swim Shirt

$1.99

Express Chambray Skirt

$4.99

Old Navy Dress

$3.99

 Marc by Marc Jacobs Blazer

$5.99

I had to be talked into buying this one.  The photos don't really do it justice.  I love blazers, but I hardly end up wearing them!!  This one has amazing details - fun lining and exquisite seams. 

Vintage Polka Dot Dress

$5.99

I couldn't resist this dress!!  I was thinking of Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman when I found it.  I seriously think it's the same dress, just in a different color!!

Blouse 

$3.99

This is my absolute favorite find of the day!!  The color is incredible and the zipper detail mixes hard and soft, which I tend to gravitate toward.  Can wait to wear it!!

Any favorites??  Happy Thrifting!!

Sunday Style - Vintage Refashioned

I picked up this dress at the end of last summer at my local Salvation Army Family Thrift Store.  I had looked at this dress before, but didn't want to pay the $8.99 price, so I decided to wait to see if it was still available on a sale day.  I was thrilled it was waiting for me and 1/2 price.

I was drawn to the dress because of the beautiful watercolor print.  The sleeves and shoulder pads made the dress look dated, so I thought a re-fashion of the sleeves would freshen up the dress.  My mom was willing to help me take out the sleeves and give this beautiful dress a whole new look.  I also swapped out the crazy brass button, for a simple pearl button.

I paired the dress with a pair of thrifted heels and a spring yellow belt.  Total cost of my outfit from head to toe is around $10.

When I originally wanted to re-fashion the dress, I thought about just cutting off the bodice and making the dress into a maxi skirt.  I am glad I didn't!!  

Here's another fun way I wore this dress - almost looks like it's a maxi skirt!!  I paired my dress with my JCrew chambray, Born sandals, and Old Navy purse.  This look from head to toe cost around $15.

Have a wonderful Sunday!!

Friday Finds

I had a few hours to myself this week and find a new loop of thrift stores in Lee's Summit!!  I first stopped in at Goodwill and picked up a couple of blouses.

$3.99

This polka dot chambray shirt is from Old Navy.

$1.99

1/2 price tag

Gap makes the best knit tops.  They keep their shape and wash up well!!  This is fun take on a staple striped shirt.  I love the pop of kelly green around the neckline and cuffs and the addition of buttons.  This top will be great to layer with this fall, but will be fun with capris or shorts this summer. 

The next store I stopped at was a new one for me - Hillcrest Thrift Shop.  My neighbor had recommended several times.  This store is amazing!!  It was huge, very well organized, and the prices were wonderful!!  Each day there is a sale and the sale of the day was 1/2 price clothing!!

Gymboree Dress

.50 

Shirt

$2.00

Ann Taylor Loft Skirt

$2.50

Keds Leather Shoes

$1.00

Keds are a brand that I'm always looking out for.  I've been able to find a few pairs for myself, but I usually pick them up for my kids.  These will wash up easily.  When I pick up used shoes I spray them down with Thieves spray to disinfect them or if I'm able to to, throw them in the washing machine.

Joe's Jeans

$2.50

This is my first pair of Joe's Jeans.  They cost over $150 a pair online!!  Crazy!!  These are a bit of a bootcut and had a small tear on one of the back pockets, but I thought i could put a patch under it or take a razor blade and add a few more rips and tears. 

Croc Wedges

$2.00

This is my favorite find!!  I've never owned a pair of Crocs, but these are super cool!!  They are constructed of leather and cork, and are so light weight and comfortable.  My mom was quite jealous of these shoes and she looked up how much they would cost online - $69.50!!  

My last stop was Red Racks.  As for as pricing goes, I think Red Racks is expensive, unless the item is on sale.  Their stores are fairly clean and organized.

Peacock Skirt

$3.24 1/2 price tag

This skirt is adorable.  I love anything peacock, so this was an easy pick.  Can't wait to wear this one!!

Happy Thrifting!!