Ah . . . change of seasons, time to take stock in my summer wardrobe. Time to go out and splurge on a brand new wardrobe for the new season. Yikes! Not going to happen, here.
A week ago, I took my daughters to St. Vincent de Paul's, for their Sunday 99 cents/ all clothing. (Yes! They started that back up!) I was looking through the jackets for something lightweight for summer, and I stumbled across this one.
When I saw it on the rack, I thought it might be too small, but I tried it on anyways. And it fit, and was flattering. And it was 99 cents! Does fashion get any better than that?!
It's become my favorite, go-to jacket of this summer. I wear it with casual, distressed-by-life jeans (why pay extra money to have a pair of jeans "distressed"?) or a skort, as well as more polished-looking dark denim or black jeans. I grab it when I'm going out to the store, or when I visit a friend. I wore it to church the other morning.
On Sunday, I got a compliment on the jacket. I looked down at the rest of what I was wearing, and I chuckled to myself over the rest of my outfit:
jacket . . . 99 cents, thrift store
sleeveless, black cotton sweater . . . 99 cents, thrift store (this past March, before my trip to SF)
black jeans . . . on sale, with $10 off coupon at Penneys, 4 years ago, I believe I paid $14 OOP for them (I take good care of jeans, and hang them up, in between wearings)
sandals . . . on sale, with $10 off coupon at Kohl's, about 2 years ago (I think they were $14, on sale, minus coupon, bringing them down to $4 something plus tax)
handbag . . .Target in 2006. It's my only purse, used every day, and still looks good
I thought to myself, you know, it really doesn't have to break the bank to look put-together. I don't need a $200 Dooney & Burke handbag, or to spend $100 on clothing, or have expensive shoes, to pull an outfit together.
I'm willing to spend more money on jeans than tops, as a good-fitting pair of jeans makes a difference in how I look and feel in my clothes. But my idea of "spending more" on jeans just means I'll spend $14, instead of 99 cents. LOL!
I've found, with tops, there's such an abundance of good-quality, excellent-condition tops on the second-hand market, that buying tops, brand new is a waste of money that can be spent in other areas.
In contrast, with jeans, it's hard to find a classic style jeans, that are super comfortable, and in good condition, at a thrift store. At my mature age, with mature taste and style combined with the desire to wear comfy clothing, when mature women find good-looking jeans, that are comfortable to wear and are flattering, they hang on to those jeans like a life-preserver in the white-water rapids of a rushing river. Those classic, yet comfortable jeans, with the minimizing panels/fabrics designed to slenderize us, just don't make it to the second-hand market very often. So my thoughts on jeans, my plan is to use a coupon, combined with a sale, and find a pair that fits and flatters.
Casual jackets can be another good find at a thrift store. My daughters have found several casual jackets that they've worn and loved to death, and I've found this khaki zip-up. So, thrifted casual jackets can save a bundle on the clothing budget.
As for handbags, I'm surprisingly satisfied with just a plain and inexpensive one from Target. It does the job. I used to think I "needed" a fancy-schmancy handbag. Now, I think I'm ultimately satisfied with a handbag that lasts for many years, so that I don't have to think about buying another one for a long while.
And the sandals. I almost feel like shoes are a controversial subject on frugal blogs. Some folks really want a certain type of shoe, or certain level of quality, while others can wear less expensive brands of shoes and be satisfied. For me, with sandals that I will likely wear for 2 to 4 hours at a stretch, I go for inexpensive, but comfortable. So these sandals, at $4 have worked well for me. I've worn them every Sunday for the past 2 summers, and an occasional day, mid-week.
So, this year's big splurge on a new wardrobe, for a new season -- 99 cents.
I love that St. Vincent de Paul's has restarted its 99-cents-all-clothing-on-Sundays deal, again. My daughters and I have decided that we'll check back there twice a month, this summer, for items on our wish-list.
What have been some of your favorite clothing finds at thrift shops or garage sales?
