Tag Archives: thrifty

May 14, 2015 · 10:58 pm

Striped Dress with Bell Sleeves

I picked up this dress when I was in Portland a couple of months ago. It has a neat, retro vibe. I got it at a used clothing store, so maybe it is vintage. Who knows?

Dress: Crossroads Trading Co.
Earrings: DIY
Shoes: Arden Wohl x Cri de Coeur

This will make a great go-to summer dress, although tights will make it a year-round item. In the heat of August, I’ll probably wear sandals. But for spring, a variety of shoe styles will work.

I immediately thought of my Arden Wohl x Cri de Coeur vegan suede shoes. The red shoes highlight the bold red stripes.

When clothes are made hastily and patterns don’t line up, it drives me crazy! I’ve walked away from purchased because of sloppy sewing. This dress, however is deliberately mismatched. In fact, there’s no seam down the center. It’s printed that way! This I can live with.

I wore this out to dinner with hubby and a couple we know. We went to a delicious vegan restaurant, Sutra. The menu is local, seasonal, and organic, and changes every two weeks! All the more reason to go back.

Oh, I’ve joined High Latitude Style, Penniless Socialite, Rachel the Hat, and Happiness at Midlife for linkups. See what all the others are wearing!

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Filed under Ethical, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as Cri de Coeur, dress, fashion, style, thrifty, thrifty fashion

November 7, 2011 · 7:27 am

Burberry Kilt

I’ve always liked second-hand shops. But it’s only recently that I made peace with the idea of paying top dollar for gently used goods. Normally I pay a mere couple of bucks for a jacket or pair of pants at Goodwill or a small thrift shop. But with my Prada boots, Manolo Blahnik pumps, and now this, my Burberry kilt, I’ve been paying more.

Sweater: Target
Cardigan: Ross Dress for Less
Kilt: Burberry via Ragamoffyn’s
Tights: Roots Canada
Shoes: John Fluevog

The good news is, I’ve paid “normal” prices for designer items. This kilt retails for over $600. That ain’t happening! I got it at Ragamoffyn’s for $80. Not cheap, but it’s made in Scotland. I’ve never had anything made in Scotland before. Even the souvenir pen I bought in Scotland was made somewhere else.

I’ll still buy regular items at thrift stores, but when I do want a designer piece, or high-quality item that I know will last, there are places I can go to find them without paying astronomical prices.

Do you thrift? What your best thrifting find?

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Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as burberry, consignment, fashion, skirt, style, thrifty

July 26, 2011 · 5:50 am

Dress Up, Dress Down: Maxi Dress

Getting bang for my buck is important, and so is packing light. I took a look at a maxi dress in my closet and decided to dress it up and down to see how many looks I could create. By adding different pieces with this dress, I stretch my fashion dollar but I also lighten my suitcase. If you’re going away for a long weekend, a dress like this could keep you going for days. Throw in a pair of jeans, some white capris, and you’ll be mixing and matching like a pro.

I’ll start with the dress. It’s light cotton, was under $30, and is a great poolside dress or beach coverup.

Dress: Fred Meyer’s
Clutch: Crystalyn Kae
Sunglasses: Target
Sandals: Naturalizer

For an afternoon of sightseeing or shopping, pick one of the colors in the dress and find a T-shirt in that shade. I tucked the top of the dress into the waistband, which gave me less bulk under my top and added length to my now-skirt.

T-shirt: H&M
Bag: Shiraleah
Earrings: Claire’s
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Time for lunch? Find another color in the dress and pick a tank top and blazer to match. The light cotton blazer is great for summer. It’s cool in air-conditioned restaurants. Eating on a patio? Ditch the blazer and rock the tank.

Blazer: Forever 21
Tank: Charlotte Ruche
Necklace: Santa Fe street vendor
Belt: Roxy
Shoes: Payless

Fancy dinner in a dress from Freddy’s? You bet! I added a wrap for a more elegant look. Choose your shoes and accessories to fit the venue.

Wrap: Michael Stars
Earrings: Claire’s
Purse: Shiraleah
Shoes: Payless

Most of the items I used to change the look of the maxi dress are very affordable. The lunchtime heels were on sale for $3 at Payless. The blazer was $20. The T-shirt was $5. With all of these pieces (and jeans and a pair of capris), you’d have loads of mixable options for travel. How would you style a maxi?