My favorite! My uniform of choice would have to be a soft (but still a little crisp) cotton, sweet and tiny floral print button down paired with perfectly broken in faded jeans or a denim skirt. I'm sort-of a prairie girl at heart. I would like to make 84 of these in all different prints (with the pattern changes that Liz suggests in her photo description).
See how sweet!!
Not bad I say, not bad at all. Now here's the thing, every single Wednesday is 50% off all clothing at our local Sal's which is 5 minutes from my house yet I rarely remember to go. I need someone to gently (or boldly) remind me when Wednesday comes around to get over there and spend just fifteen minutes looking around... you never know! Truthfully, for all the thrifting I do I'm not much of a clothes person to begin with so I don't make this stop a routine visit. But it is nice to look somewhat put together for work (which starts up again in approx. 3 short weeks!) and maybe leave the hippy-dippy wrap skirts that I've owned since high school (and wore one earlier this week...!) at home. This isn't a Dead show afterall...
Here are a few tips/guidelines that I use for buying second hand clothing...
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If it looks good on the hanger, it will likely look good for countless washings to come... can't say that about brand new clothing! ;)
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Always check zippers and buttons. Buttons are easier to replace than a broken zipper. It's nice to know what you're dealing with before you get home.
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Check the arm pits of tops! Yellow stains are just a little too gross for me...
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Always go to the men's section for great sweaters, especially cardigans.
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Infant clothing is easy to find and gently used. Once the clothing reaches toddler sizes and up things get a little more worn... BUT... it's not impossible, and dresses are almost always in great condition at any size.
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The dressier the better condition rule applies to adult clothes as well. The above pile is a good example, while not real dressy, they are perfect for most dress-casual work places and there isn't a single thing wrong with any of them.
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Jersey and various knits often look a little worn at the thrift store (refer back to the first rule when deciding).
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For some reason, I have found the best overalls throughout the years at second hand shops... which of course speaks to my inner prairie girl.
What about you? Have you found anything amazing lately while thrifting? Do you have any of your own steadfast rules or tips for thrifting? Care to share?
