Tag: pants

Winter Wardrobe Recap

I haven’t had much time for reading blogs this week so instead of a Friday ReBlog I’ve got a brief winter wardrobe recap before taking a look next week at what I have planned for spring.

Tops
Remember how I thought I’d be all into turtlenecks? The best laid plans of mice and thrifters… I wore turtlenecks sparingly, opting instead for sweaters or thinner shirts under blazers/cardigans. (Well, one of those sweaters was a turtleneck, so I guess that counts:)

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I didn’t wear this puppy at ALL but I still really like it, so I’m tucking it away in my box of classics until I’m ready for it to come back into the lineup:
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(You may recall that’s also where my sailor pants are living. Yes I know they’re back in style now but I seem to have a hard-headed allergy to wearing trends when they’re, you know, trendy:)
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Pants
I converted to all corduroy pants (plus one pair of jeans) and was very happy with the results, particularly after I added some color to the mix.

The hands-down faves for both color and fit – that off-white color (bleached out here a bit) is just so classy for winter:
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The best colorful addition – surprisingly versatile!
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The one I felt “meh” about by the end of the season:
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I got sick of the color and need a break from these to see if I get excited about them again next winter.  If not, I’ll look for a replacement that’s a different take on the red/berry/burgundy family and a bit longer. Those hems are SHORT and I got a bit tired of styling around them.

 

Blazers
For the first time I made blazers (instead of cardigans) a major part of my winter style. I let go a couple of neutrals that weren’t serving me well (camel and a fuzz-attracting navy) and let myself go wild with color and pattern, paring it back down by the end of the season to what I reached for over and over:

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I added a vest for leisure wear and loved how snuggly it was:wp_20170107_14_04_40_pro-1

Dresses
I was too enamored of my new corduroy pants collection to reach for my dresses all that often. I did, however, embrace layering warm-weather dresses, though, as part of falling head-over-heels for caramel and red:
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I have a few dresses about which I need to make decisions.
Pockets always pooch out; give away or cut ’em off and sew ’em up?
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SUCH a good shape, cut, color, thickness; but lining is all wonky (tailor fix?) and it’s too short to wear without leggings:
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Shoes
Still loving my snakeprint ankle boots, bronze flats, and Pumas:
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On the fence about my Coach cognac riding boots. I need inserts to make them not so flat-footed and therefore hard to walk in, and I’m still not sold on the width:
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And that’s the general gist of how things went this winter. Excited to put it all to the side in my closet to make way for spring things!  Next week I’ll share what I’ve tossed from my winter wardrobe (as well as a few things that didn’t make the cut for my upcoming spring wardrobe).

 

Shaving My Blazers and Other Fall Wardrobe Maintenance

Apologies for the incomplete post last night. I discovered that blogging while supervising a painting toddler results in posts with pictures missing and black paint (thankfully washable) splattered all over the dining room wall.

It’s actually a bit cool in the mornings now in Atlanta!  I still couldn’t talk myself into truly needing a blazer, but that weather will be here soon.  In preparation, I took care of some pilling on a couple of cool weather blazers.  And my winter weather pants came back from the tailor!  (I realize in looking back on my preview post that it may not have been clear that I was having the legs tapered on the pants on hangers – I was on my way out the door for some much needed vacation. Also, take a look at the updated version to see the items that did not make it into last week’s wardrobe preview due to technical difficulties.)

And now, shaving my blazers. Continue reading “Shaving My Blazers and Other Fall Wardrobe Maintenance” →

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Wrangling Pant Hems

What do you do when your pant hems fail you?  Maybe they’re too long, or the thread comes undone leaving you with a sloppy one-sided pant mess.

If you are a whiz with a sewing machine, just ignore this.

But if, like me, you can barely remember how to thread one (Ms. Drust, my Home Ec teacher, is pulling out her hair somewhere), this crib sheet is for you.

Obviously, if you have time you should take ’em to your tailor.  If your tailor is kind of out of your way, like mine is, or you keep forgetting to put your pants in the car so you can actually bring them to tailor (ahem), I’ve got a few options for ya. Continue reading “The Lazy Person’s Guide to Wrangling Pant Hems” →

Currently on My Thrift List

Here’s what I’m looking to thrift these days as I head to my neighborhood thrift stores:

  • Sleeveless or short sleeve shift dress in a blue anywhere from robin’s egg to “medium” blue – royal is a bit too deep for me.  Other qualifications: cotton would be nice (like this placeholder I shrunk in the wash); just above knee; no cap sleeves (someone please explain to me why these
    Something like either of these would do nicely:
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    source; source
  • Pajamas for my toddler.  She’s busting at the seams of the 2 footie pairs we have (1 gift, 1 thrifted) and doesn’t like to sleep in the short-sleeved Red Sox bodysuit I thrifted for her.  (To be clear: she does like to wear it awake. We’re raising a big time baseball fan; “Go Red Sox!” and “Go Cubbies!” are frequent refrains in our house.)
  • Corduroy pants in a medium-dark blue.  This is part of my top-secret* strategy for Phase 2 of revamping my winter wardrobe.  (*Not really that secret; just haven’t written about it yet.)  Other qualifications: not “skinny” but fitted, or tailorable to be fitted (I’m still stubbornly refusing to wear flares); mid-to-high waist (am I the only 30-something who can’t stand low-cut waists anymore?); thick luscious texture.  These need to keep me warm, not feel like cardboard!
  • Legging shorts.  You know, the above-the-knee kind that give you some extra coverage for shorter skirts but don’t make you feel like you live in an oven?  I want them to go with this dress which I love but which is a tad too short for work, and which sadly has not been worn much since June started (hello ATL heat).

 

What are you currently keeping an eye out for during your thrifting excursions? Scroll down to share!

 

Beyond “It” Colors: Searching for Cerulean Chinos

I’ve added tapered chinos in this color to my thrifting list:

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Not necessarily looking for Khakis by Gap, but I did love the fabric and fit…just a leetle too small

For blue pants I normally stick to navy, since it’s subtle and neutral, but this brighter, lighter hue will go with everything in my warm weather wardrobe (including navy) and liven things up a bit.   It’s almost summer, after all!

I’d call this color cerulean; it was definitely an “it” color a few (several?) seasons ago, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same as the cerulean featured in this clip from The Devil Wears Prada.  You won’t see it in most stores now.

Here’s what’s great about thrifting, though: you have everyone’s donated items from past seasons to help fill holes in your wardrobe, even if your preferred silhouette/color/fabric isn’t currently “in.”

Of course, that means you have to put in a little hard work to come up with your own style instead of chasing trends and the Pantone colors of the year.  But when you’ve figured out what you love (and it’s not just whatever happens to be hot in the mall nearest you), then you’re in charge instead of leaving your look up to fast fashion gurus.

And if you wear a color or cut that’s no longer “hip”?  Instead of seeming outdated,when you pair it with the rest of your purposely chosen clothes, it will read as “you” – part of your signature style.

 

Thrifting: you get to build a unique style, curating it with clothes from a much wider range than what’s currently in retail stores.

Win all around.

 

Do you have a favorite color or style that’s not “in” but that you snap up if you see it secondhand?

 

PS I’m seeing a lot of burgundy/oxblood pants currently in thrift stores…they were huge last year but if this color is YOU, don’t be afraid to get amongst it now!  Cobalt is also pretty prevalent.

 

Winter Capsule Wardrobe Update, Part 2: Pants

Just what you’ve always wanted, a multi-part capsule wardrobe update!

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Today: Pants.

So the goal for my winter capsule wardrobe project was to come up with a finite number of mix-and-match pieces I love, designed to get me through the season without shopping more or spending mornings in front of my closet groaning that I had nothing to wear.

Emphasis on the “pieces I love”: not just in theory, but in reality.  Like reach-for-this-and-put-it-on-my-body-with-EXCITEMENT reality.

My winter pants have been somewhat lacking in that department.

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on

Don’t let my expression fool you; it’s more about the full-length mirror than the pants. Continue reading “Winter Capsule Wardrobe Update, Part 2: Pants” →

Reader Question: How do I improve my wardrobe stylistic sense?

It’s Style Rehab week here on Thriftshop Chic.  Take a look back at how you can use fashion as a fun tool to help you feel your awesomest and look for a fall wardrobe tweak and a kid’s capsule wardrobe later in the week!

Ask me a question! (6)My sister (aww, she reads my blog and comments on every post!  I love you Sestra!) has a play/fun/home wardrobe with which she’s pretty happy—it’s comfy, it’s in colors she likes, and it’s a great expression of her artistic and geekgal sides.  (One of my favorite pieces? The CrashOctopus hat she designed.  Which reminds me—you should check out her blog because she is a stellar artist and she does commissions.  Christmas gift anyone??)

But her work wardrobe—corporate office in an Engineer-y field—is a tougher nut to crack.  She needs plus-sized business casual ensembles that are comfortable, not too form-hugging, work with closed-toe shoes, and, most of all, make her feel fab.  It’s hard being a woman in a field still dominated by men—on top of all the general cultural messages women get about appearance = values, she has to deal with male colleagues making sexist comments about female coworkers’ physical attributes (yech, misogyny).

In her own words:

What if you fail miserably in fashion sense and have no idea what cut works for you?  I’m so bad at fashion.  I base my wardrobe entirely on comfort; all my stuff that I love is not suitable for work. So I have a bunch of work clothes that work – ha – but I don’t love them.

Today, we will tackle her dilemma in 5 fun steps, sharing generally applicable style inspiration along the way!

Stylistic Sense (1)
 Continue reading “Reader Question: How do I improve my wardrobe stylistic sense?” →