Rate My Look: Elevating on the Cheap!

I'm no stranger to second-hand shops. Consignment shops are my favorite because the items tend to be carefully curated, or at least more so than your typical thrift shop. However, quality pieces can be found at thrift shops if you're willing to do a little digging. Lucky for me, I didn't even have to do the digging this time. My mom was at our local Salvation Army on Wednesday and she found an adorable (designer) outfit for me for just about five bucks!

Yuppers. You read that right. Wednesdays at the Salvation Army are half-price days. They use color-coded price tags and every Wednesday, certain color tags will be half price. So, as if $6 for a skirt wasn't cheap enough, my mom scored it for just $3! And the top was originally $4, so after knocking the price in half, my adorable new outfit was a whopping total of $5! But wait! It gets better!

The top is a brand-new Ann Taylor light-weight fitted sweater and the skirt is Michael by Michael Kors! The average price for a comparable sweater at Ann Taylor is about $60-$70 and similar skirts by Michael Kors retail for around $120. The point I'm trying to make is that you can elevate your wardrobe without dramatically lessening your bank account.

The skirt was about 2 inches too big all around, but fortunately I have skilled seamstresses at my disposal pretty much every day. But even if I didn't, taking in a skirt like this is a simple project that takes just a few minutes and any tailor could do it for a minimal price. Even investing $20 in the tailoring would have been worthwhile for such a great piece.

As for the rest of my outfit, I kept the accessories minimal to highlight the bold pattern of the skirt. You can't really tell in the photo, but the white pattern on the skirt is covered in clear sequins, so that the skirt actually sparkles a great deal without looking super bling-y.

Have you found other inexpensive ways to elevate your wardrobe? I'm always a fan of a bargain shopping trip, but shopping isn't the only way. Leave a comment with your ideas! And as always, thank you so much for reading my blog!

Rate My Look- Rebel Without a Cause

You know how skinny jeans are all the rage right now? Well, I'm throwing caution to the wind and wearing.. drum roll, please... WIDE LEG TROUSER JEANS!!!

I am such a rebel, I can hardly stand it- next thing you know, I'll be riding off into the sunset on the back of a Harley. Just kidding. If you ever see that happening to me, call 911- I've been kidnapped. Not that I have a problem with Hell's Angels or anything, it's just not my style. But I digress... back to my outfit. 

You all know I've been challenged with adjusting my wardrobe to accommodate FLAT shoes and boots. It is no small task. I have lived the last four years in sky-high heels, but the amount of time spent on my feet at my new job just doesn't allow for it. The shoes and the jeans in this photo are both new and purchased specifically for my new work wardrobe. The shoes came from a new DSW that opened in the next town over. They sent me a coupon for $15 off a purchase of $49.95 or more. I must have tried on every pair of low-wedges in black, grey and brown in the entire store. Finally, these by Dr. Scholl's passed the test: 

Dr. Scholl's Magic Wedge, DSW, $49.95

While a super-basic shoe is not something I typically go for, I made an exception with these in the hopes that I will get a lot of miles out of them in the next few months. I've already worn them to work twice since I bought them. What I like about them is the fact that they are not flats- even that little 1-inch wedge makes a difference to me. They also happen to be the perfect height for my new wide-leg trouser jeans. (Segue...)

The local Salvation Army has a sale every Wednesday- they pick a certain price tag color and discount it even more. For some reason, the things that I like are never the right color- I always end up paying full price, but since I'm at the good ol' Sal's, that's not saying much. For example, these jeans were only $6.99. They're incredibly comfortable and I like that they are a dark wash. They are very high-waisted, which could make for an interesting retro-look if I wore a top tucked into them. Very Katherine Hepburn, if you ask me. The hem had fallen out of one of the pant legs, but it only took about two minutes to remedy that once I got them home and laundered. I debuted them at work yesterday to rave reviews. And they were comfortable for a long day, to boot. 

Since my outfit was pretty basic, I decided to add on some fun accessories in bold colors: 

(Please excuse my shiny skin- I took this photo last night when I got home from work.) 

The bright earrings and cocktail ring helped me feel a little less blah. Although some people might say the polka dots should have been enough, more is more in my world. Yesterday evening at work, Kerry, one of the sales consultants said, "I love when a new person starts because we all get to see their fashions every day." I said I feel the same way, except in my case, everyone else is "new" to me, so I get to take in all of THEIR fashions. It's true that it's a stylish place to work. Liz, the company owner, sets the tone for a stylish and professional workplace and everyone follows suit, but with their own unique taste. I've got co-workers who vary in their personal style from rock n' roll, to vintage/retro, to ultra feminine, to everything else you can imagine. 

The only major fashion restriction we all face is wearing black on Saturday. I'm determined to find some fun and funky ways to make sure black is never boring. Maybe I'll have to do a little creating at the sewing machine... 

Enjoy your "hump day" today! 

Getting Thrifted Clothes Clean

I spent the morning at Salvation Army with my mom- we LOVE bargain hunting and you never know what kind of treasures you can find at the local Goodwill, Salvation Army or any other type of second hand shop. I love a great bargain more than just about anything else, but I don't love how I feel so grungy after pawing through the racks. Some nicer consignment shops require the pieces they sell to be dry cleaned immediately prior to taking them, but shops like Sal's and Goodwill aren't as discriminating.

If you're like me and get the heebie-jeebies when you think about wearing another person's dirty clothes, then this post is for you. I never wear a second-hand item without cleaning it first. Even if the garment still has the original tags on it, there's something about it being on a rack next to all the other potentially dirty clothes that gets my mind reeling and before I know it, I'm having nightmares about microscopic bugs infesting my closet. Ok, you really didn't need that visual, I know, but it's definitely something you should think about if you shop second hand.

I've bought clothes and accessories from vintage and thrift shops and not noticed their smell until I was home and it wasn't until then that I realized how overwhelming it was. Of course everything I buy second hand goes through the wash, but that doesn't always do the trick. Strong cigarette smoke, body odor and even some perfumes are absolute nightmares to get out. Fortunately, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for just such a situation.

For starters, make sure that you inspect every garment carefully in the store before you purchase.
1.) Look at all the seams to make sure they are all secure and free of holes or tears.
2.) Always check out the armpits and necklines for staining and discoloration- those are the areas that will have the worst discoloration. Deodorant may keep us from being stinky, but it is not always kind to our clothing.
3.) If the garment has a lining, check to make sure it is in as good shape as the outer part of the garment. Linings on coats, jackets, pants and dresses can be close to disintegration while the outside appears brand new.
4.) Hold knits and felted knits up to the light to look for moth holes. If your local thrift shop is warehouse-style and not particularly well lit, carry a small flashlight with you to get a really good look at the garment.
5.) Make sure all zippers and closures work and are fastened securely. The last thing you want is for a button or hook & eye to fall off immediately after you purchase.

Once you have determined the garment is in good condition and worth the purchase, go for it. Have it cleaned or take it home and wash it prior to wearing. If the garment still smells musty, or has a residual scent you want to get rid of (perfume, cigarettes, B.O., etc.), then grab a bottle of- you may be surprised- VODKA. I'm not kidding. Straight vodka acts as a disinfectant and deodorizer when used on clothing and even upholstery. Simply use a spray bottle filled with straight or slightly diluted vodka and saturate the garment, just like you would with a bottle of FeBreze. (I find it to be most effective if you spray both the outside and the inside of the garment.) Hang the garment in a well-ventilated area and let it dry. The vodka kills any bacteria in the garment and when it evaporates it leaves no scent behind. In my experience, vodka has removed all offensive odors from many different types of fabrics and textiles. In extreme cases, I've had to apply it two or three times before the smell would go away entirely. In those cases, it was usually the smell of stale cigarettes that was the culprit.

If a garment I see in a thrift or second-hand store has any kind of stain, I will always pass on it. Generally, the stains are old and set-in and I don't consider it to be worth my time to try to get it out. I would rather move on and find something that is stain-free. Occasionally, however, I won't notice a stain until I get home. In that case, I try to determine what it is and go from there. I posted a few months ago about getting different types of stains out. You can view that post here and apply the various methods to the stain you've found. In other cases, I may find I've stained a vintage garment myself. Usually it's that I've managed to get lipstick on the neckline or my foundation has rubbed off somewhere. In that case, I want to get the stain out, but because the garment is old, it's more delicate. I don't want to just spray it with Shout and toss it in the wash! That's when I go to the shower and pull out my clarifying shampoo. It doesn't have to be an expensive brand- in fact, I've had success with both White Rain and Suave brands in the past- usually they cost around a dollar or two at the most for a pretty large bottle.  To remove a stain using clarifying shampoo, simply take a damp washcloth and a small amount of the shampoo and massage the stain in a circular motion, allowing the shampoo to foam up a bit and continuing the motion beyond the stain. Rinse the area thoroughly and repeat until the stain is gone.

These tips can of course be used on clothing that has not been thrifted, too. Happy thrift shopping and cleaning!