Monday ReBlog: Making a “Not My Style” List

I didn’t get to a Friday reblog last week (life…work…toddlers…you know), but I found a great blog post over the weekend so I thought I’d share it today.

Making a list of what constitutes your style can be really helpful as you’re piecing together a wardrobe. But Anuschka at Into Mind flips the concept on its head – make a list of things that aren’t your style to help weed out what doesn’t work. I particularly liked her idea to make a subcategory for “love it on other people, not for me” as those items can be distracting and disappointing when honing your own style (“I LOVE this, but I never wear it…” “This looks great on my friend, why doesn’t it work for me??”).

A “not my style” list is even more helpful when you’re thrifting a large portion of your closet. If you’re not rock solid on what constitutes your personal brand of style, sweet prices, the scarcity-based feeling that there are only so many secondhand clothes to go around, and the sheer smorgasboard of styles can combine to make you splash out on a great piece that isn’t really you.

So let’s make a list. Here’s mine:

Great on others, not for me:

-skinny jeans (I keep trying these on, they keep refusing to let my circulation move freely)
-button down shirts
-dresses with short hems
-button down cardigans
-superoversized sweaters (I have one, I wear it at home or while pregnant)
-anything sheer (I’m not prudish but I’m definitely lazy and don’t want to add another layer to make sheer work appropriate)
-jewel tones

I just don’t like them (even if they’re on-trend):

-military parkas/utility jackets – always look too casual/busy with doodads and add-ons. Also I’m not in the military or going fly fishing anytime soon.
-culottes
-super wide-legged pants
-twinsets (although one of my coworkers absolutely ROCKS these…shoutout to Patti!)
-faux suits – dressing all in one color when it’s not a suit (apologies to Janice of The Vivienne Files, and my mother-in-law). I need more variety!

I’m sure the list could be longer but it’s late and my brain just overdosed on dulce de leche cheesecake.

Alright, Thrifters, let’s see YOUR “Not My Style” lists in the comments! And tell me – do you think this is a helpful concept?

Print Mixing 101

On Tuesday I talked about where to put your prints, arguing that the simplest way to a streamlined closet was to pick just one place for your patterns.

Where’s the fun in that, you say??

Well, if you’re a print lover (or you want to be), this post is for you.

Tips for Mixing Prints (from dipping a toe in to daring)

Mix subtle and bold. As mentioned Tuesday, a pinstripe, tiny polkadot, glen paid, very faded/light print, or even a seersucker stripe will read neutral when paired with a larger, bolder print.

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Apr 27, 2016 at 2:36pm PDT

Use texture as a print. Like the subtle prints mentioned above, lace, tweed, cable knit, etc. all walk the line between full-blown pattern and solid and will help ease you into the world of print mixing.

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Nov 9, 2015 at 6:34am PST

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Mar 14, 2016 at 8:32am PDT

Break it up. Use a wide, solid belt or a color-block top with solid on the bottom and pattern up top to create visual interest without visual overload. My favorite way to do this is with fun shoes on the bottom, a solid pant, and a printed top:

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Mar 21, 2016 at 7:25pm PDT

Stay in the same color family. If the main background colors of your prints are pretty close, it’ll read as a variation on a theme instead of competing narratives. Likewise, think about whether your prints are generally the same warmth/coolness* or saturation – layering neons over rich autumnal colors is just gonna make everyone queasy.
(Check out these two Into Mind posts for an intro to color theory – e.g. what the heck is saturation? – and examples of harmonious color palettes for your wardrobe.)

Ps #printmixing ftw

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Jan 12, 2016 at 1:36pm PST

Mix two different genres. Floral + stripe. Stripe + animal. Polkadot + tweed. Monochrome check + bold cartoon colors.

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Oct 9, 2015 at 10:40am PDT

Speaking of monochrome…

Black & white + color. There’s enough of a contrast between black-and-white and colors that our eyes tend to read them as background + foreground (or vice versa). For your colors, stick to bold and bright, more saturated hues if you don’t want to muddy things up (i.e. navy is probably not a great idea here, nor are super-soft pastels, unless you tone down the black in your monochrome to a correspondingly soft grey).
I have very little black in my wardrobe so I have no outfit examples to show you, but the graphic at the top of the post is a good illustration of how well this works.

What are your tips for mixing prints? Do you love to live on the leopard/zebra/tiger stripe wild side, or are you print-mixing shy?

*Apologies to artists everywhere. Saying more blue/yellow/red instead of warmer/cooler is pretty confusing for us non-artists.

Where to Put Your PRINTS

Have you ever looked at your closet and despaired at the mish-mash of prints that rarely go together in wearable combinations? Or do you have a gigantic wardrobe with too many pieces because you bought those solid pants to go with that printed top and that solid top to go with that printed skirt, ad infinitum?

The solution is elegantly simple, but it requires a little bit of discipline: Put your prints in ONE PLACE.*

Pick bottoms, for example, and go nuts with printed pants (so fun!) or skirts. Stay more simple on top and you’ll never worry about patterns clashing.

Or do what I’ve done and keep all your patterns in your shirts, leaving the bottom half solid…and then firmly tell yourself to walk away from all the amazing lobster pants out there.

OR concentrate your prints in your toppers – cardigans, jackets, etc. – and let your tops, dresses, and bottoms take a back seat. (The reverse with dresses/toppers works, too – if you have a love affair with patterned dresses, go for solid toppers.)

Wherever you put your prints can also be home to solids, of course – solid pants + print top OR solid top – since solids play so nicely together.

And wherever you put your solids can also usually stand subtle pattern, like pinstripes, a tiny polkadot, or a finely textured weave.

Also, feel free to change up where your patterns live between work/casual wardrobes or hot/cold weather wardrobes for a little variety without major wardrobe exponential crises. See what I did there?

(For example, as mentioned above I’ve given center stage to prints in my tops and let my pants/skirts/dresses/blazers/cardis do the supporting work. But I’ve just figured out that sticking to my solid winter turtlenecks underneath the toasty patterned toppers I love will keep my eyes from bugging out on print overload.)
If you just can’t resist ALL THE PRINTS, check back Thursday for some ideas on how to successfully mix prints.

*I have Janice over at the Vivienne Files to thank for this brilliant concept. She illustrates it beautifully here (scroll down to the 2nd and 3rd templates). Check this out especially if you are a visual person.

Friday ReBlog: Podcast Interview with The Vivienne Files + The Uncluttered Life

I’m in the middle of listening to this ~50 minute interview with Janice Riggs of The Vivienne Files and I love the way she thinks and talks about clothes. So far she’s covered quality vs. quantity, uniform vs. capsule, signature style, and the stellar idea that your clothes should reflect your personality but not take up so much of your time that they get in the way of doing the IMPORTANT STUFF in your life. (It’s also really fun to hear the voice behind all the words I read at her stellar blog.)

The interview is conducted by Betsy Talbot of An Uncluttered Life, a new-to-me blog and podcast about removing the extraneous in your life so you can have the freedom to focus on your true passions – whether that’s family, your own business, hobbies, service, travel, etc. I’m just starting to dig through the archives but have found some good stuff, and love the straightforward, clear writing style.

The interview with Janice is part of the Talbots’ Life Lab registration-only course, so unfortunately you can’t download it for listening outside of a browser window. I know nothing about the Life Lab other than that Janice’s interview is included in it, but if you want more information you can sign up for updates here.

A note to all of you readers who trek over here from The Vivienne Files – thank you, I’m so glad you stop by so regularly! This post may be old news to you – or it may be a reminder to listen to this great podcast you saw on The VF but never got around to actually opening.

Do you dig podcasts and want more featured in Friday ReBlog? Or do you prefer blog posts you can scroll through and read? Let me know!

Happy Weekend, Thrifters!

Grand Opening Finds

I talked Tuesday about how much of a circus, shopping-wise, the Goodwill Grand Opening was. I got there about 2 hours before the doors opened to tour the store and check out the merchandise, so I had spotted a few things I was interested in, but by the time I got around to shopping, a few of them were gone (I’m looking at you, blue dresses).

However, I did nab a stellar J. Crew white denim jacket, which, while not on my current thrifting list, will serve as a great thrift upgrade for the Calvin Klein jean jacket I got on sale for $25 in college:

The blue color means it reads decidedly casual, which limits its versatility a bit. But more importantly, a decade and a half on it now has a tear – sad day:

This baby, however, spruces things up considerably:

It’s work appropriate, and a perfect layer for our Southern climate where it is sultry all summer long (starting with 90 degrees at the end of April) but we insist on air conditioning the living tar out of our interior spaces. You better be prepared to cover up that sun dress, Sugar.

I also found this lovely top, which, while unlined and probably not stellar quality, put a smile on my face. The bold colors and the plump little birds just make you want to sing, no?

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Apr 28, 2016 at 6:16am PDT

The sleeves are long (to the beginning of the elbow) and fitted, which is a different and cool detail, and the shoulders fit great, but the rest of the top is sort of swingy – much larger down below. I’m debating whether to have it tailored to a more boxy silhouette (a la this top). Having the armholes altered will probably cost a pretty penny… curse my lack of sewing skills! If I can’t make it work tailored, I very well may hang it against the back of my closet as wall art.

Last but not least, The Grouchy Ladybug, a childhood favorite, in toddler-friendly board book form:

We probably own 10x my child’s weight in children’s books.

What delicious finds have you discovered in thrift stores lately?

To Stock Up – Or Not?

This post accidentally published yesterday; if you saw it yesterday, please enjoy the same text but with photos!

My thrifting list got something crossed off it recently when I found a replacement for my too-short winter white turtleneck.

Well, technically, I found four replacements.

I’d been looking for a few months (thrifting in the off-season to give myself time to find juuuuust the right piece) and ended up finding the perfect cream turtleneck(s) by Coldwater Creek. The fit is not too tight (and also not too big – Coldwater Creek runs large), the length will prevent chilly skin exposure, and this shade of white will warm me up instead of washing me out:

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on Apr 6, 2016 at 10:04am PDT

The fold lines were still in these babies, so I figured maybe Coldwater Creek had ended up with some leftover stock which they donated to Goodwill. (I’ve seen this often at Goodwills in Florida and New Hampshire; not as common in Georgia.)

But there were no tags…so maybe someone was really neurotic and bought 4 to stock up and then NEVER. USED. THEM.

Which brings me to my dilemma: to stock up, or not?

I mean, 4 practically brand new tops in a style and color I love and know I will use, at a fraction of their original price. Tempting.

Having multiples of a staple item means less wear on each individual garment, and it means you always have backups if one gets lost/torn/shrunk/stained. (Hello child who loves to eat frozen berries and then wipe that cute little face on me.)

But how many backups do you really need?

How many resources do they tie up? (Not as many if you’re thrifting, but still about $24 for the 4 of these.)

How many other people could use these if I left some on the racks?

And how much do backups promote a fear- or scarcity-based outlook on life?

This last question makes me think of a few illustrations from Marie Kondo‘s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the woman who hoarded 20,000 Q-tips just in case, or the man who stockpiled 60 toothbrushes because they were a good deal.

We’re guilty of this last one, though thankfully on a smaller scale. Costco toothbrush 10-packs, anyone? The cost-per-toothbrush was cheap and it’s annoying to find yourself without a toothbrush because your toddler is always carrying them off somewhere…but really, getting a toothbrush from the dentist every 6 months suffices. (Plus just 1-2 extra per year if we’re sticking with the ADA guidelines.) Or a miswak stick.

Because what happens when we stock up based on good deals and scarcity is we end up with a toothbrush holder that looks like this:

And we’re STILL using old, busted toothbrushes, in part because it’s much harder to keep track of all those extras and whether they’re in a usable state. (I recently evacuated half the sock population from the spouse’s drawer for the same reason – JUST. TOO. MANY to keep clean/folded/sorted/screened for holes.)

Look, it’s not pathological to have one backup of a frequently-used item; it’s practical. But what if you had that one backup for every item in your closet? You’d own DOUBLE the clothes.

You got room in your closet for that? I sure don’t.

Too many backups also limits your creativity. I’ve seen doubles and triples of this staple summer shirt in the thrift stores but I refrain from buying, because even though I love that top, there will come a time when I’m ready for something fresh. If, when that shirt dies, I have two or three more just like it waiting in the wings, the sunk cost will discourage me from evaluating whether it’s still “me” and what else might fit into that slot instead.

And fear not – with mass production these days and, therefore, mass donation, it’s easier than you might assume to find an exact replacement when something you’re not ready to let go bites the dust. You may even have better luck than with retail, where specific styles are often produced for just one season, then discontinued.

So how many of the four turtlenecks did I end up buying?

Two. Ha.

I told myself it’s suuuuuch a neutral staple that I’ll never fall out of love with it…but after my proposal to wear nothing but turtlenecks this coming winter, it’s entirely possible I’ll be sick of them by 2017.

On the other hand, there’s always the danger of being drawn on with permanent marker by the small person who lives with me.

Still a work in progress over here, folks. :)

What’s your take on stocking up? Do you find you go through garments so quickly you need to replace them? Or does it clutter up your closet to have extras? Scroll down to comment!

A Goodwill Tour & Grand Opening – Decatur Store

Accidental double post this morning, y’all – check back tomorrow for that post updated with photos!

Oh my goodness, y’all.

A Goodwill Grand Opening is like Black Friday. People wait outside in a line for hours and then the store is mobbed in a rush of craziness. Polite craziness, no killing-each-other-over-TVs craziness. But still craziness.

Every cart looked like this.

Never again. Because the checkout line? It took an hour to get through. My legs hurt just thinking about it.

BUT.

The part before the doors open was super cool.

I got to roam the newly stocked aisles all by myself, and dang if they weren’t gorgeous. It was hard to look at some great finds and then walk away until it was time to shop.

It’s like an I Spy game. Check out my Instagram feed (sidebar on the right) for more pics.

And I wasn’t super quick on the draw when it came to the doors opening (that was also tour time behind-the-scenes…), so I missed a few things I had my eyes on (like the hangers lower right above. Sigh). But if you can’t have a sense of humor about your luck and let others enjoy good finds, too, where’s the fun in it?

Re: lines snaking out into the parking lot, I asked Sidney, who was a lovely host and works in marketing at Goodwill of North Georgia, what the big deal was. Turns out Goodwills (at least here in northern GA) like to put out their best stuff for grand openings, and they have weeks leading up to the big day to select the top tier items out of the backlog of donations they’ve received while the store was in the final stages of preparation.

So you get shelves that look like this:

(Special price shoe wall of my dreams:)

And racks that look like this:

And some really amazing finds, like a whole shoe section full of Vans from baby- to grown man-size:

Yes those are all Vans.

An hour later, though, that shelf is going to look like this:

If you can’t stand rushed shopping situations, stay home. But if you love the adrenaline of trying to nab the best deals alongside some stiff competition, get in there and enjoy yourself!

My advice if you want to get in on the grand opening goodies is to go in right when it opens and spend 15 minutes cruising, then hop right into the checkout line. You can always come back and enjoy the ever-changing merchandise at your leisure.

Also, bring something to do in line (for me it was work email on my phone). Or talk to other shoppers waiting their turn at the cash registers. I met some great people that morning.

Pre Show

Various folks involved in making this Goodwill happen spoke before the tours and door opening, and despite the potential for such speech-making events to be dull, they were engaging and told a great story.

Did y’all know that Goodwill of North Georgia has 2.9 million donors every year, opens 3-5 new stores per year (that’s mind-blowing), has revenues in the millions and used that money to put 16,000 people to work last year? Their goal for this year is to assist 20,000 folks with job training and placement and they’re on track to exceed that amount. This location’s new career center will be a huge help towards in achieving that goal.

Diara shared his experience as a graduate of the career center program, vice president of the alumni program, and now a participant in GoodBiz, an entrepreneurship program he’s using to get his web development and marketing business off the ground. He teared up talking about how his 9-year-old daughter sees herself as a content contributor now that he’s a small business owner and how it’s changed his whole family’s outlook. (He also recently went to DC to talk with legislators about Goodwill’s work. Awesome.)

The eminently tall Diara telling his story

Like I needed another reason to donate and shop…

Behind the Scenes

We got a tour of what lies behind those double swinging doors you commonly see in Goodwills.

Donations get dropped off here and immediately sorted for what’s usable/not:

Some things do get trashed but pretty much everything that can be sold, either on their floor or to salvagers/recyclers, is. Here are bales of extra clothing that isn’t in good enough condition to be sold; they’ll go to a clothing recycler:

Usable items get sorted by store area and tagged with the color of the week, which helps the store track how long merchandise has been on the floor. Typically, if an item is going to sell, it’ll do so within a month; items on the floor at the end of that time period get pulled for recycling.

Fun fact: to help with that rolling inventory concept, the color of the week changes on Sundays, so stop by that day or Monday to nab things that have just been marked down.

Detailed instructions for pricing and tagging items:

Then merchandise waits its turn to travel to the floor (which happens several times daily).

The smooshed angle of this shot gives you an idea of how crowded it was…

And then you buy it!

Store Review

As I mentioned, the shelves were lined with their best stuff, so I won’t know until my next visit (and believe me, there will be a next visit) how their selection shakes out. But I was pleased with what I saw – Willi Smith, Loft, Gap, Talbots, Vans, Justin boots, etc. – and with the organization (by color). Nothing was crammed or in disarray.

The changing room doors have locks on the inside, which means they don’t automatically lock when you close them, hallelujah! That’s one of the biggest frustrations of other area Goodwills with self-locking changing room doors – no one’s using the stalls but you can’t get in without tracking down a store associate. (They also had a call button at the fitting rooms, though, so it’s possible the doors do get locked back up periodically. You’ve been warned.)

The store is spacious and well-lit and the aisles are decently wide. One downside is that the line to the cashiers runs parallel to about half the dress section (just like in the Piedmont store), which means it’s harder to get at those dresses if there’s a line.

Big bonus: oversized try-on mirror for all your quick over-the-clothes try-ons. (This is also where the best thrifting camaraderie happens.)

Overall, it’s a great store and a great location. This site used to be an eye-sore after an old K-Mart pulled out, but now the store, career center, and eventually Goodwill of North Georgia headquarters are bringing new life to the neighborhood. Just seeing the re-done parking lot and newly planted trees put a smile on my face. And I’m hopeful that the other stores in the existing shopping center will get a boost from this new anchor store. (Shoutout to Madras Mantra if you love Indian food – very tasty vegetarian food. Try the lunch buffet.)

Speaking of food…arguably the best part of the whole thing was the vegetarian breakfast frittata. The catering was done by a Goodwill career center graduate… I’ll get her name from the gracious folks at Goodwill to share with all of y’all in the Atlanta area because it was That. Good.

Hope you enjoyed the tour. Tune in on Thursday for my finds from this store!

Would you ever brave a grand opening like this, or do you prefer to wait a few days for things to settle down? Scroll down to comment!

Friday Moment of Zen: Rihanna “Work”ing at Goodwill

From yesterday’s grand opening at their new Decatur store. More to come next week!

PS 20,000 is the number of people to whom Goodwill of North Georgia will provide career and job placement assistance in 2016. Dang! And “Welcome to the Flagship” references the fact that this location will house not only a store and a career center but eventually Goodwill of North Georgia’s headquarters.

Happy Weekend!

Translating Style from One Season to Another: Tips

Tuesday’s post was an exercise in thinking out loud about my own winter style; I know it’s helpful for some of y’all to read about how another person strategizes about their wardrobe.

But I wanted to do a short reboot with universal tips based on what I learned, because not everyone wants to read my inner style monologue. If you process best via bullet-points and lists instead of story and narration, this post’s for you!

Thrift off-season. It gives you time to go slowly, consider where your holes are, and wait for the perfect piece.
Figure out what’s not working. What do you dislike about your current lineup? Is it the texture, the silhouette, the level of formality? The way things go together (or don’t)? Some ideas for getting your juices flowing to diagnose the issue:
- Write about it
- Talk about it with a friend who has an objective and stylish eye and knows you well
- Scroll back through outfit pics to see what worked/didn’t (this is the #1 reason I use Instagram)
- Go thrifting and try on some different styles to see if a new perspective helps
Figure out what works in a part of your wardrobe you love, then apply it elsewhere.
- Silhouette/cut. What’s the cold-weather equivalent of the silhouettes you love in your warm-weather clothes (or vice versa)?
  I’ve nailed down my summer work style – tapered pants and looser tops – so for me this would mean slimmer trousers + slouchy sweaters in winter.
  For you maybe it’s loving shorts and a 3/4-sleeve top in summer, so you do a miniskirt over tights/leggings and a blazer with rolled sleeves over a shirt in winter.
- Color scheme. What color scheme makes your heart sing in summer? Find a muted, darker, or bolder version for winter. Or vice versa, lighten up your winter creams into white, navies into sky blue, aubergines into mauves. Keeping it in the same color family also lets you use cross-over pieces in the transition months.
  (On the other hand, if you’re sick of one color scheme by the end of the season, it’s also a great time to adopt an entirely different palette.)
- Fabric/texture. If you love natural woolens or tweeds in the winter, try linen or cotton in the summer. Silk, depending on the weight, works well across seasons. If you love you some tencel, modal, or jersey in the summer, find the same fabric but in heavier weights (or just layer what you already have) for winter.

Caroline at Un-Fancy does this whole how-does-my-summer-style-get-winterized-or-vice-versa thing well if you need some visual inspiration. So does Janice at The Vivienne Files – she visually walks you through putting together and accessorizing an outfit for each month of the year, with all the garments sharing the same style philosophy and color palette. Amazing.

Do y’all prefer lists and tips, or narrative and story when it comes to thinking about style?

And what are your tricks for revamping a wardrobe you’re not currently wearing?

Restyling an Off-Season Wardrobe

I wrote last week about why I like thrifting garments off-season: it gives me several months’ breathing room to mull over my wardrobe, figure out what worked/didn’t and where the holes are, and assemble what I want in the lineup for next season.

Thrift shops make this relaxed, thoughtful process possible because they have all seasons of clothing available all year ’round instead of for just 2 weeks before everything good is sold out (thanks retail stores).

Since it’s almost May, that means I’m currently thinking about my winter wardrobe. (Not that I’m not excited about spring/summer clothes…I was thrilled to break out my first short-sleeved work top and dress last week.)

This may seem counter-intuitive, but the juxtaposition actually helped me get a handle on what in my winter closet needs fixing. Continue reading “Restyling an Off-Season Wardrobe” →

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