January Thrift Finds

January was a fruitful month.  Let’s start with the finds:

Another plaid blazer from Merona, this time in cerulean – such a great combo of navy and bright blue to perk up cold days:

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I’ve worn this puppy several times already.  Here’s an example of it in action:

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I like including awkward outfit outtakes for your viewing pleasure. 

And again:

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More on the blazer here.

 

snow leopard vest from Old Navy, blogged more about here:

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So snuggly in cold temps!

 

Coach riding boots for one tenth of the retail price; more about them here:

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These need some inserts to make the hard soles comfier but so far I’m happy with them otherwise.

Ba-blam:

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I re-found these metallic pants by Rock and Republic which I had regretted passing up several months earlier:

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on

They fit like a dream. Now I just need to concoct a date night where I can wear them with this:

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Bandolino metallic wedge sandals to replace my worn out Clarks (more here):

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I’ve also worn this chrysanthemum cardigan by Isaac Mizrahi Live! (yes yes, a QVC brand – surprisingly good) several times:

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After thrifting a muted red shirt for a friend, I’ve been looking for one, knowing it would go with pretty much all the clothes. This red Banana Republic shirt gets the color just right, is a great blend of linen/cotton and has a much higher quality than the Old Navy one I’d had my eye out for:

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Sorry about those undergarments showing through.  I should better coordinate my lingerie when thrifting.

Excited to wear this come spring (and maybe even a little bit before the end of winter!).

 

I’ve had the same two pairs of pajama pants forever – one since highschool and the other, preowned by a roommate, for almost 10 years.  They were both baggy and didn’t do a great job of keeping my legs warm.  One day I spotted a man wearing essentially sweatpants but cooler, and it dawned on me that I never felt cold in my childhood when wearing sweatpants with elastic cuffs.  Since these are now popular again (having been rebranded with the fancy moniker “joggers”), I figured I could pick some up at the thrift store and I was right:

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So cozy.  I love that they don’t ride up and feel like a sweatshirt inside and the marled fabric makes them cool.  Plus, pockets!  I promptly donated my other two pants to Le Goodwill (after thanking them of course).

 

At the tail end of the month a thrift-loving friend came to town and we blew through a few thrift stores, including St. Philip Cathedral Thrift House, where I found a perfectly blue casual dress that was just slightly too big – wanh wanhhhh – and this chic little jacket by Kenar:

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I like the texture (surprise) and the cut.  I haven’t figured out exactly how I’ll wear it (apart from over my casual red dress), but I’m sure I’ll think of something.  It may replace my snakeskin blazer…

 

I’ve been looking for a sleeveless denim dress and really dig this number…

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…minus the floppy pockets that add bulk to the bottom half:

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But yes, I got it, with plans to have my mother-in-law help my cut off the pockets and sew the seam closer to the shape of my body.  I don’t think it will be super complicated but her legit sewing skills will help make up for the fact that I can’t remember how to thread a sewing machine.  (Yes I could get it tailored but I’m going for some bonding time instead.)

 

 

 

Blooper Reel

A couple of also-rans in the search for a muted red shirt:

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I have a fondness for Lauren Conrad’s color palette and patterns (though not for her TV shows):

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Sadly, too big.

Looking for a top with some yellow in it since it would play well with the rest of my closet.  This marinière by Gap was not it – it hit funny at the waist.  Too bad ’cause it had a great split hem:

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Oh, how I wish this blazer in my favorite blue hue had been slightly less baggy:

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Oh PS, it retailed for $229.  Wanh wannnnnh.  I suppose I could’ve paid to have it tailored although I don’t know how expensive that would be… but sometimes when I find something expensive and pristine I just want to leave it for the next person whom it *will* fit to a tee.  You feel me?

 

I liked the color on this and the gorgeous buttons but oh hi, that split is getting a little close to my lady parts:

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The side view was pretty revealing in the bustal area as well.

 

This shirt dress with roll-tab sleeves by Speed Control was right up my alley but the color was a little intense and the fabric a little cheap:

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I was so sad about this simple, super-soft, casual dress in my favorite blue also being too big.  It would’ve been a great blue version of my casual red dress which has paired so well with so many things:
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That’s it for January.  What did you thrift/skip this past month?

 

What I Wore & How I Styled It: Steve Urkel Chic

Last week, without realizing it, I dressed like a great style icon of the 90s – Steve Urkel:

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I subbed a belt for suspenders, but otherwise I had his look down: coordinating cardigan, high-waisted pants, high hems on those pants, and ankle socks:

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Swiss dot cotton button down by Merona – thrifted
Wine corduroy pants by Style & Co. – thrifted

Merino wool cardigan by Talbots – thrifted
Leopard print hair belt by J. Crew – thrifted
Socks by Target – retail
Shoes by Clarks – retail

How’d I get to this fabulous combination?

First up: base pieces.  I started off wanting some warm hues after a week in my travel wardrobe‘s polar palette, so I paired this button down with these pants:

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The current iteration of this shirt, you may have noticed, is a true button down instead of the former popover tunic. I swapped the tunic version (too narrow in the chest/hips) for this same brand/print in a slightly larger size.  Yes, I cried a little to lose the popover cut and length, but I wanted to wear this great textured pattern more often than the constant tug-and-reposition act was inspiring me to do.  Comfort over style, people – or rather, style informed by comfort.

Next: a topper. My workplace is chilly in some spots but the temp outside was supposed to hit 66 F – hey Hotlanta, I love you so much this time of year! – so I decided to add a thin cardigan I could layer/unlayer with ease.  I went back and forth between the one on the left (from my spring wardrobe), which would have made for an interesting contrast in hem lengths, and the one on the right, which brought some extra punch in the pattern department:

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Hmm, the outfit on the left is basically this same outfit, translated for warmer weather.

Surprise surprise – I just couldn’t resist the contrast of two great patterns (one subtle) in related colors and chose the cable pattern one.

I buttoned the top several buttons because, left to its own devices, the top button flops around and doesn’t stay put, but I left the bottom several unbuttoned because I wanted the contrast in patterns to show through:

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Since the hem on this shirt isn’t as long as it used to be, I next had to decide whether to tuck or untuck.  The relatively similar length of the button down and the cardigan answered that for me – I’d much rather have a visual contrast between hem lengths than have them line up in a way that cuts me off:

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Well, then, of course the high waist drew attention to itself and looked funny with no belt.  Out came my trusty leopard belt – a print that functions like a neutral:

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A little less of a closeup:

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Last but not least, metallic bronze flats that would pick up the warm browns in the belt and the shiny gold of the cardigan buttons; and striped socks with all the constituent colors represented (a feat that makes me ridiculously happy):

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That’s a lot of sock showing.

 

So what do y’all think of my high-tide, pattern-mixing homage to Urkel – is it “No sweat, my pet”?  Or more along the lines of “Got any cheeeeeeese”?

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Scroll down to comment!

 

Friday ReBlog: When You’re Uncertain How to Style Something Outside Your Comfort Zone

Hey, it’s Veterans Day (aka Armistice Day)!  If you’d like to honor a veteran in your life, consider donating to Justice for Vets to support life-saving and life-changing veterans treatment courts. 

This week’s Friday ReBlog is really just an excuse to talk about an outfit I wore this week.  But it’s my blog so I’ll just go ahead and claim it.

Caroline at Un-Fancy wrote recently about how to style something new to you that’s a little bit outside your style comfort zone.  Essentially, she said: pair it with other slam-dunks in your closet to help the new piece feel less out there and to help you feel more confident.

In somewhat related news, I stared at one of my favorite cardigans this week as it hung, lonely and unworn for much of the last year, in my closet.  Inspired by The Spirited Thrifter’s minimalist closet game, I was weeding out my closet and it was hard to justify keeping something the colors and pattern of which I love but which never gets worn.  (Traditional cardis are hard for me to style without looking like a twinset – which is just not me.)

Then I looked up to where I keep my blazers – a space increasingly filled with statement pieces – and realized I could style my patterned cardigan like a statement blazer to make it fresh.  So I paired it with a pattern like I had done with my plaid blazer earlier in the week and the print-mixing instantly took it from staid (and a little twee?) to visually engaging:

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on

 

So that’s my semi-related revelation for how to mix something that doesn’t really seem to be your style anymore back into your wardrobe.  What’s something y’all have been keeping in your closet that doesn’t really fit your current look but that could be restyled to play along?

 

PS My newest accessory:

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Explanation here.

 

Have a great weekend, Thrifters!

 

My Love Affair with Texture

This fall/winter as I continue to restyle my cold weather wardrobe, I’ve been looking for just the right pieces to hit my sweet spot – classic with an interesting detail that makes an outfit go from blah/bland to ooooh, yes!  in short order. An unexpected color/pattern, a fresh hem or decorative seam, metal trim or other embellishment all do the trick; but a particularly easy way to do that in cooler weather is with texture, since a funky knit or some velvet instantaneously conveys that cozy “sitting by the fireside with a hot drink in hand” vibe.

You may have noticed that I started to figure this out last year with this sweater:

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Yes, that’s a literal hot drink in hand.

See the contrasting knits along with the split hem? Yum.

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And this dress:

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Also with the contrasting knit (plus a zipper – bonus!):IMG_2753

 

These were two of my favorite pieces last fall/winter, so I wanted to take what worked here and apply elsewhere.  Thus you saw in my fall/winter wardrobe preview these luscious numbers:

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Chain detail!  And metallic weave!  I’m such a punk.

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Cartonnier blazer with salmon/cornflower marl – I can’t even believe this fantastic update to the boring (to me) ol’ grey/black marl exists:

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Two-toned blue sweater by Liz Claiborne – yes please!

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Colors are more accurate in the pic above but I wanted to give you a closeup on that contrasting knit:

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Toppers with stuff happening in them!

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Okay so technically I guess those last few were visual texture (aka pattern) instead of actual texture – knit has a texture of course but these are pretty flat.  I don’t really like sweaters that feature standard Aran knit or cable patterns in the weave – too preppy I guess?  Too expected?  Though other people do make them look lovely…

 

Back to actual texture  – corduroy pants with a wale so soft you’d think it’s velvet!

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And I recently snapped up two more pairs in navy and a cranberry/burgundy/oxblood color featured in these two posts LINK:

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Even the shoes have texture.  PS These pants are also featured in Sunday night’s post.

The navy ones (not pictured) will probably replace my Uniqlo navy pants; even though they are lower rise than I would like, they just feel so much more polished than the Dickies-esque flat texture of the Uniqlo ones.

 

Finally, on the same trip I found the red cords, I also nabbed the rayon/acrylic/cashmere beauty featured here. It’s by Joan Vass Studio and likely retailed between $70 – $90.  I love the rounded hem, the length, the color, and the texture contrast:

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(You can see more pics of me wearing both finds here.)

The tapered vertical lines (a little hard to see in the first pic) and the color reminded me of this top…

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…which I am starting to think is too athleisure for my taste – and also a little too casual for my workplace.  So I’m gonna swap it out and swap in the Joan Vass with a thrift upgrade.

 

As I home in on what I love about interesting, unexpected, contrasting textures – both visual and tactile – I’ll likely fine tune my cool weather wardrobe a bit more.  It might seem like a lot of clothes shuffling, but as I talked about here, I’m a fan of living into my style and trying new things out for new seasons – both weather-wise and life-wise.  Figuring out where my style sweet spot is definitely involves trial and error, but because I love thrifting so much and the price tags are so low, I actually enjoy the process.
What about you – what’s your style love affair?  Do you like the textures I’ve included above or are they too subtle for your taste?  Do you feel like you have to stick with clothes you buy for a season, or do you feel free to swap ’em out as your taste evolves?  Scroll down to comment!

 

 

July / August Thrift Finds

August ends tomorrow, so I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m done thrifting for the month.  (But now that I think about it, I could conceivably hit up one last place Wednesday after work…tempting….)

Although I’m still feeling pretty satiated as regards my summer wardrobe, I have picked up a few new things since my last Thrift Finds in June, so I thought I’d share what I found.

Continue reading “July / August Thrift Finds”

Restyling an Off-Season Wardrobe

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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”

Fall Closet Rehab

It’s Style Rehab week here on Thriftshop Chic.  Take a look here at how fashion can help you feel your awesomest and here for how to improve your wardrobe stylistic sense; tomorrow we’ll build a kid’s wardrobe capsule!

Sometimes, you like most of the clothes in your wardrobe, but something is just off.  Outfits you think should come together nicely just look…weird.  Frumpy.  Trying too hard.

You ever been there?

Lucky for you, this problem does not demand a full-on sartorial engine replacement, but rather a simple style tuneup to get things running right again.  (I can’t help myself with these metaphors. Sorry.)

Two good times to do a wardrobe tuneup: at the beginning of a season and/or at its end.  For summer, I did it at the end of the season because I’d gotten into a good groove and knew what I had loved and what had sat, unloved, at the back of my closet. (See my summer wardrobe rehab here and here.)

For fall, I’m cleaning out a few weeks into cooler weather.  I had a little trouble getting started on the right foot; outfits I wore to work felt not quite right, not quite me—and I couldn’t really tell why.  After a summer of LOVING all the clothes I wore, it was really obvious that I wasn’t on the happy style train with my autumnal garb, so I decided to jump in early to figure out what wasn’t clicking and fix the problem.

closet rehab autumn Continue reading “Fall Closet Rehab”

What I Wore: Turtleneck Weather

This weekend it truly felt like fall.  We had a “cold” front come through—“cold” meaning lows in the 40s and highs in the mid-60s Fahrenheit—so for church on Sunday I busted out the tweed, the turtleneck, the long cardigan, and the fall accessories.  Oh, and socks with my dress shoes—it’s the first time it hasn’t felt sweaty to wear the two together!

I give you our pumpkin, Mr. Morris:IMG_2451

Continue reading “What I Wore: Turtleneck Weather”