embracing second hand

With thrift store shopping becoming widely acceptable, maybe you have recently discovered "new" treasures at very satisfying prices.  I certainly remember a time when it wasn't cool to be looking for a prom dress at Savers, but from a very young age my dad taught me that my dollar would stretch three times more there, than at Wet Seal.  I still remember the days when I would score an Express sweatshirt or an Esprit dress for $2.99.  The best!  I have to admit every time I see a pair of Guess jeans hanging on the Good Will rack, my heart skips a beat.

Today there is no shame in my game.  I proudly get myself into any thrift store I can get with in a mile of, buying up everything from hats to shoes (yes shoes), purses, linens, and dresses.  I've scored bedding, jewelry, books, belts, gloves, dishes, and more awesome furniture than you could imagine.    

Right now, let's focus on used clothes.  If you're a seasoned second hand shopper, you'll know what I'm talking about.  If you're new, welcome.  Here are my top 10 helpful tips.  I've been at this for 32 years and if there's one thing I know, it's how to pick over a thrift store.

This year's Christmas Card.  Everything we're wearing in this photo except my boots and jewelry came from a TS. ({Nino's} face is blurred for privacy purposes).

1.  Let go of prejudices.  Some people consider thrift stores and used clothing shops nasty, dirty places. Some are, but most aren’t.  Explore your neighborhood and find a shop or two that you like and you’ll be hooked.  Don't fixate on the fact that you'll be wearing clothes that someone else has worn.  Why do you think we have washing machines?  Pretty soon you'll be so happy with your good fortune, you'll get over it.

Recently I was a bridesmaid for my dear friend, {Nicole's wedding}.  I wore this dress I bought at Savers for $5. 

2.  Take your time.  At normal clothing shops, everything is neatly organized. Not so much at thrift stores. While thrifting, it’s important to be patient, to browse the racks methodically.  Go when you have a couple hours to kill and you're not in a hurry.  DO NOT take your small, hungry, tired children.  Doing so will suck the energy of the thrift store Gods right out the door. This is the last thing you want.

3.  Go with a friend.  Sometimes it's hard for me to judge if a piece of clothing is really good, or just the best thing I've seen all day.  It's helpful to have a second opinion. Your friend should have an eye for what looks good on you, and vice versa.  It's also good to have another mind to help you think outside the box.  For instance, Jilly might find an adorable shirt with a stain on the sleeve and rule it out.  But I might convince her it would look brilliant under a cardigan with a skinny belt.  That's what friends are for.

4.  Experiment.  I've brought home several items from a TS with the intention of re-purposing.  I cut the top off a dresses to make skirts, made several a pairs of boot cut jeans into skinny jeans or shorts, and I've taken in the seams of countless shirts for a tailored fit.  The good news is if you screw up, you probably only spent a few dollars.  Not the end of the world. 

My Easter dress I found at Savers for $5.99, taken in a few sizes.

5.  Watch for sales.  Almost every thrift store has it's weekly sales.  Our Good Will has 50% off day every other Saturday and always has 20% off coupons on-line.  Savers has a weekly colored tag on sale and dollar days.  Check with your local stores to see when they offer discounts.  The store might be more crowded than usual, but it's completely worth it if you have some time to stand in line. 

This outfit cost under $25

Citizens of Humanity Jeans- $10 St Vincent de Paul (Retail at Nordstroms for $172)
Chevron T- $4 Name Brand Exchange
Gray Cardigan- $2 Last Chance (Nordstroms return outlet)
Silver belt- $2 Good Will
Yellow Wedges- $6 Good Will

6.  Try things on.  Sizes vary widely between manufacturers and even by eras. (Today’s clothes have a looser fit).  Some places don’t have dressing rooms, so it’s smart to wear a modest, thin layer in case you need to strip down in the aisle.  I have no patience for returns so I try on everything from the waist down and I don't buy unless I know I'm going to keep it.

7.  Examine each item thoroughly.  It stinks to get home to find your new shirt has a hole in the pocket, or that the pants you thought were a steal actually have a broken zipper.  A few years ago, Jilly thought she'd found an authentic pair of Parada boots. Cinderella relentlessly tried to shove her size 7 foot into these size 6 shoes, only to look more closely and find they were a brand called Parade (made exclusively by Payless).  We laughed so hard our sides ached. 

8. Shop for accessories.  Why pay $30 for a new belt in a department store when you can get a better belt in your size for two bucks?  I shop at second-hand stores for hats, purses, jackets, wallets, gloves, scarves, jewelry, sunglasses, and shoes.  If I can't throw them in the wash, I use Lysol spray and Clorox wipes. 

9.  Get to know the sales associates.  If you go to the same store often, ask when they rotate stock and get their new shipments.  Most also have extra stock in storage. If you become friends with the owners, you might even ask them to keep an eye out for particular items.  Who knows, maybe the owner of Thrift Town is your new bestie.  

10. Make it fun!  Don't throw in the towel if you walk in to a TS for the first time and walk out empty handed.  Chances are you're not going to come upon the perfect dress for you daughter's Quinceanera the first trip.  Like any sport, this one takes practice.  Stop in and shop as often as possible to increase the chance of scoring deals.  I always go into thrift stores with an open mind and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

I cherish the memories of my three sisters, my dad, and I walking into the Thrift Center where we were cheerfully greeted by name.  Now it's so fun to take my own family treasure hunting on sale Saturdays. 

I can honestly say over 50% of my families wardrobe is made up of used clothes and accessories.  My man is thankful he doesn't have to work hard all day to spend his pay check on expensive jeans and I'm thankful to be stashing away extra money for a rainy day.  I'm grateful my dad taught me how to be resourceful, re-use, and re-purpose.  It comes in real handy when you're trying to stretch a buck.

Stay tuned.  Jilly will be posting all her best tips on thrifting furniture and home goods.

sockies tutorial

Please tell me you remember the very clever turtleneck Dickie........

The perfect thing to wear under your winter sweater without adding bulk.  I had one in every color.  They really were smart, back in the late 80's.  You with me?

Once in awhile, I have my very own original idea.  I decided to bring the Dickie back, with a twist.  It's called a Sock Dickie, or a Sockie for short.

You know the super cute socks that all the girls are wearing under their tall riding boots?  Upon investigation, I discovered that all the cute ones were $20 or more.  Not only did I want a pair or two, but so did the other girl in my house, which was going to cost a mini-fortune.  Mia and I were heading out for a day of thrifting and stopped by one of our favorite places, St. Vincent De Paul, where all the clothing was $1 per piece.  I loaded up on some sweaters of various colors and styles.

We also stopped by SAS, our local fabric and trim mecca.  Do not go in there hungry or with a full bladder.  You'll be sorry.

I cut my sweater arm off at 12 inches. 

The seam line of the sweater is going to go on the inside of your leg, so it will never be seen.  I cut a 1.5 inch slit down the side, and a little towards the front of the Sockie rather than right down the side. I just wanted a little detail to show if I was facing someone head-on.  I mean, who is going to notice it on the side unless they don't take their eyes off of you until they are behind you? I want to encourage people to look at me from the front, not the back.

I started at the back part of the slit with my trim, about halfway down.  I thought this would be the most least noticeable place for my raw edges to join up. 

I pulled the slit in the sock toward me until it created a straight line of sewing, and started stitching the trim on.

You want to figure your corner out before you get to it.  Just tuck your trim behind until you round the corner nicely, then stitch it on.

Now, for the top edge of the Sockie, you are going to want to stretch your sweater fabric, as well as your trim (mine was stretchy trim) as you sew.  This way it will gather back up when you are done.  I think it would work just as well if you were using trim that wasn't stretchy, just be sure to stretch your sweater fabric while sewing it on.

I just overlapped my raw edges about 1/4 inch, and cut off the excess.  Lastly, I sewed two little, white buttons on each one for that adorable detail.

All done!  Stylish Sockies for $1.50 a pair.  Are you excited?

If your super lucky like Mia, you'll find a sweater with a cute scalloped edge on the sleeves, and simply cut them off to create your custom Sockies.  No sewing necessary.

I fear there might be a cat fight when Mia comes to retrieve these from Jaci.  She loves them!

A cheap and easy way to boost your holiday wardrobe.  I bet your niece or sister-in-law would love a pair!  Hopefully they don't read this post and discover how cheap you are....... There's no question my family already knows I am!

DIY anthro necklace

Happy Friday!  Recently I found myself at Anthropologie online drooling over some couture that shall never be mine in this lifetime.  I stumbled upon the accessory page and when I saw this choker for $200.00, I immediately knew it was my duty as an intelligent woman, and lover of all things DIY to make a version of my own.  After all, I don't know if I could look my son in the eye one day and tell him I'd spent his first semesters college tuition on a necklace.  

Isn't it sweet?

I started by making the flowers.  It looks like they used about 5 flowers with three different materials.  I happened to have some grey satin, pink meshy fabric, and some lace laying around my sewing room, so that's what I used. 

Here's how I made the pink flowers.  Cut five 3" circles out of fabric. 

Take one of the circles and fold it into fourths.  Glue it down on a 2" felt circle.

Follow steps 2 through 5.  Circle number five is glued into the center to add some fluff.

For the grey flowers, cut two 1" pieces of satin.  The length is about 12".

Sew a large basting stitch down the center.



Pull one of the strings on the end and gather the whole thing tightly.

Form it into a little ball.

Glue it down on a felt circle. 

I used lace for the third texture and just glued it around and around on a felt circle.  It looks like they used some kind of rope, but I had lace, so that's what I used.

When all of your flowers are made, glue the felt circles to each other.

Then cover the back with one long piece of felt, mostly so the necklace doesn't irritate your skin.

I had some silver linked chain I bought at Michael's craft store, but it was way too shiny for this vintage look.  I grabbed my pewter metallic surfacer (also found at Michaels) and painted it on the chain to give it a more antique finish.

Then I took a needle and thread and sewed the chain onto the back of the felt.  Attach a metal clasp to the ends (also found at Michael's or any other craft store). 

And that 's it!  This project took me an hour and a half total (most of it was figuring out how I wanted to make the flowers) and I used everything I already had on hand so it was practically FREE!

I added a removable brooch for some texture but decided not to make it permanent in case I want to dress it down. 

Here's the finished product!

Do you likey?

appartment envy

Jilly and I have a friend named Lettie.
I remember the first time I met her. We were standing in the hall at church and I had to look up, way up, to see into her big, brown eyes. She stood about 6'4" in her open toed stilettos which made no apologies for her height. She was easy to talk to and right away we found a lot in common. Since then Lettie, Jilly, and I have become bosom buddies and through the past 6 years we've shared a lot of highs and lows. That's what friends are for.

Recently, Lettie got her own apartment (it's like she's a grown up city girl). Although me and Jilly love our families to pieces, once in a while we secretly fantasize about coming home to a quiet space, all ours, that we can put our girly touches on however we like.

This year Lettie hosted a birthday soiree in my honor and I got to see her big girl apartment for the first time.

The pictures you're about to see are really and truly her apartment. How did white walls suddenly turn into something that look intentional? How does standard grade carpet not even matter because there is so much eye candy you don't notice it? What? Re-wiring a chandelier in place of an old appt ceiling fan? Genius!

This is some APARTMENT THERAPY for every girl who thinks herself hopelessly confounded to a small space.

You're going to want to sit down for this.

Most everything in Lettie's apartment is thrifted, bought at an antique market, or re-purposed with a little paint and some elbow grease.

Don't be afraid to put larger pieces in a small space. Using a sofa, chair and ottomans, Lettie has comfortable seating for plenty of guests in her 300 sq ft living room.

I love the way a simple bouquet of fresh flowers can liven up a space.

Lettie has the same color palette running through her whole apartment which makes the spaces flow together so nicely. All shades of blue and yellow with a splash of other bright colors makes her space appear larger than it really is.

If there's anything Lettie knows how to do, it's accessorize. Sometimes more is more!

Lettie has incorporated her patio into the design. She has an extra table that seats 6 on the veranda and has included some live plants and more fresh florals to bring the inside, out. It's become an extension of her living room, and now she can easily seat 12 for brunch.

Do not rule out Thanksgiving dinner at your apartment!

Check your local nursery for plants that need low sunlight and little water. They're out there and they'll make your patio a stunning place where you'll love to be.

Throw pillows are an inexpensive and great way to add color and texture. Target has some great choices this year as well as TJ Maxx and Home Goods. They're so well priced, you can justify getting new ones every season.

Lettie has recently started doing weddings! Her little business is rapidly growing and gaining some great publicity. She has put her heart and soul into giving people stunning, vintage inspired, garden weddings that will take your breath away.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from her very first wedding.
You can see more of her work and get details for your dream wedding {here}.

We love you Lettie and wish you the best! There's not a girl on this planet who deserves it more.

xoxo
j+m