Flea Market Finds

Made it to a flea market at the first of the month and a couple of garage sales. Found a few treasures for the house that I decided to post now so you can try and catch my vision . . . 

The two old wood boxes ($5 each) will be used as shelves somewhere - maybe a bathroom, maybe a bedroom? 

The yellow flashlight ($5) is going to be a decor piece in CJ's navy and yellow room. 

The green cabinet door ($5) will be used above my coffee bar. I'll use chalk paint and paint the word "coffee" on it, of course. 

The pink shelf ($2) is for the girls' room.

The window ($8) will be cleaned up and hung over the little girls' play kitchen set. 

This shelf is a mint color ($18), perfect for the girls' room to hold some of their books.

These two metal carts were $2. I plan to clean them up, remove the wheels and add wooden knob legs, possibly reinforce the sides with wood (that I would paint white), and spray paint the metal a shiny metallic copper. These will be the master bedroom nightstands.

This pretty piece is a sewing cabinet that I got for $25 to use as the powder room vanity. I plan to get a white vessel sink to set on top and get a faucet that will come out of the wall instead of atop the vanity.

This ornate mirror will probably be used in the powder room as well - I got it for $20.

My last little find was this rustic looking, blue candelabra for $6 - perfect for on the piano or the mantle. 

It will be a while, but I can't wait to show you these finds when I have them fixed up and in their right spots!

7 Thrift and Clearance Shopping Tips

1. My number one piece of advice for clearance shopping is to buy items at the end of the season. Best time to shop for summer clothes - September. Best time to shop for winter clothes - February. By shopping this way I've scored quality swimsuits for $10 or less, genuine leather boots for $20, shorts and tank tops for $3, and winter coats for under $20!

 

The pieces above are all end of season clearance buys that I got for under $5 each.

2. Learn which quality brands offer the best clearance at department stores. For instance, for a leather bag, Fossil, Sak, Tommy Hilfiger, or Tiganello have affordable clearance prices. For leather shoes, Nine West, Aldo, Banana Republic and Gap clearance out their shoes for rock bottom prices.

These leather soled and leather upper heels I bought at the Nine West store - they are the Boutique line that I got on clearance for under $20!

3. Speaking of leather, if you must splurge, splurge on genuine leather products. Leather bags, belts, and shoes will wear well. I try to avoid faux leather items and am willing to spend quite a bit more just to ensure I get genuine leather.

I bought these Cynthia Vincent leather soled and upper sandals on clearance for $60. A fortune for me, but it was worth it to have a quality sandal that would withstand walking the streets of Europe for 10 days straight.

4. To find genuine leather for the best price try Goodwill, garage sales in wealthy neighborhoods, eBay, or end of season clearance shopping at the mall.

I got this genuine leather cross body bag for my trip to Europe a few years ago at a garage sale for only a quarter!

5. Learn to recognize brands so that you can weed through the piles of clothes at Goodwill or thrift stores. In other words, brands like Faded Glory or Circo are Wal-Mart and Target brands that you can generally find brand new for the same price as the pre-owned Goodwill versions. If you know your department store brands, you'll be able to discern whether the Goodwill price is actually a good deal. For instance, I.N.C. is a brand Macy's typically carries. Antonio Melani is typically a brand that Dillard's carries. Style & Co. is a Macy's brand that usually clearances out for very low prices.

Five years ago I thrifted this BCBG cashmere blue cardigan for $7. The fact it was cashmere alone told me that I could never buy it new for that price, but I also knew that BCBG never clearances out for prices that low. It was a fabulous deal!

6. Research the stye forecast before you buy. You may find an end of season boot that you love, only to find out when it's finally time to wear the boots that square toed/platform boots are no longer in fashion. If you must buy a trendy end of season item, opt for a trend that is just beginning to get the most wear out of the item.

I bought this "wild orchid" colored blouse last year at an end of season clearance sale for $3. Lucky for me this color was named the color of the year by Pantone.

7. Know your measurements, not just your size, when it comes to online shopping. This also helps when thrift shopping. If you know your hip measurement is 36", you can eyeball a pair of jeans to see if, when laying flat, it has about 18" across in the hip area and will fit you. Don't stick to just one size - try on anything that looks like it might fit.

I bought this vintage dress without a size marked on it at The Salvation Army, knowing it would fit me because I knew my actual measurements, not just my size.

OK, so that's all I've got for now. I'm sure some of you can add quite a few more tips and I'd love to hear them!

The Diaper Bag Dilemma

I'm obsessed lately with finding the perfect diaper bag, which is requiring hours and hours of perusing online till all hours of the night.

Here are my top ten requirements:

1. Must be a normal bag, not an actual diaper bag so that I can wear it out with or without babies. 

2. Must be high quality so that it will last forever (100% genuine leather). 

3. It has to wear well (100% genuine leather usually wears well). 

4. It has to be able to stand on its own (in other words, little feet at the bottom of the bag and nothing that slouches). 

5. It has to be roomy, preferably with some compartments. 

6. But it can't be too big that it dwarfs my short stature. 

7. It has to have handles for carrying on my arm and also a detachable cross body strap.

8. It has to look luxe. 

9. It has to be a neutral color but not white.

10. It has to cost $120 or less.

I wasn't sure these requirements were possible until shopping this past weekend when I saw this bag of my dreams which started this whole obsession in the first place. At the time I saw the bag it was 30% off its original price, with an additional 30% off for that day making it come to a grand total of $136 - only $16 over budget!

I passed it up only because I was sure I could find something better.  Thanks to eBay, I did find almost the exact bag a little cheaper on eBay (also here). 

Because of all my research, I learned which brands to look for that offer genuine leather products for the best prices. If you're in the market for a quality bag, I suggest running searched for these brands:

1. Fossil

2. Sak

3. Calvin Klein

4. Emma & Fox

5. Antonio Melani

6. Vince Camuto

7. Tiganello

8. J.Crew

9. Zara

10. OrYANY

Not even sure where to run your online searches? Try these stores:

1. Neiman Marcus Last Call

2. Off Fifth Saks Fifth Avenue

3. Overstock.com

4. T.J. Maxx

5. Marshalls

6. Shopstyle.com

7. eBay

8. J.Crew

9. Zara

10. 6pm.com

Check out these eBay steals that meet most, if not all of my top ten requirements:

Cole Haan off eBay starting bid at $29.99!

This Kate Spade bag also looks like it meets my specifications and it's going for as low as $85:

Here is a J.Crew bag that almost fits my specifications for only $100!

Or how about this DKNY beauty up for bid, right now at $6!

I found this one and almost bought it for $96.99, but was too late and lost the bid. I'm hoping to maybe snag it the next time around.

This B. Makowsky satchel is only $79.99. Maybe this is the one for me.

Caveat for eBay shopping - be sure to choose in the advanced search option "US only" products so you don't get duped by a foreign company copying a brand and lying about its authenticity. Also, be careful to look thoroughly at the pictures of the item presented, as well as read the descriptions thoroughly. Many of these bags are being sold at such a low cost due to a missing part or defect.

Many bags meet so many of my requirements, but there's only one thing missing - a detachable strap. I found these great  detachable leather straps that I could buy if my dream bag has everything but the missing strap.

What are your dream diaper bag requirements? Any suggestions on where to find one?

On Thrifting . . .

A lot of people feel overwhelmed when they walk into a thrift store like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or the like. Until you get used to or just enjoy perusing the hundreds of (often times) disorganized racks of clothing, just plan on thrifting one of three items that you're almost guaranteed to find.

1. Thrift a blazer. Thrift stores are full of racks of blazers. They aren't generally organized by size, but that is a good thing. Shrunken, schoolboy, fitted, and oversized blazers are trendy now. Shop the boys' section for a schoolboy blazer, try on a smaller size for the shrunken look, and just roll up the sleeves of an oversized blazer for the voluminous look. All shapes, colors, and sizes of blazers are very trendy right now. Thrift stores are full of retro blazers. Afraid of shoulder pads? Cut them out. Afraid of bright colors? Don't be. They look great with jeans.

Found this image on Pinterest with no website reference. If anyone has the reference, I'd be happy to list it.

2. Thrift a dress. You would be amazed at the dresses people discard to a Goodwill just in time for you to snatch it up! Special occasion dresses especially. Women often buy a dress for just one event, never wear it again, and send it off to a thrift store. I find dresses are easy to thrift because they usually look brand new, as opposed to the worn out jeans, t-shirts, work pants, and slacks offered. Look for classic shapes, quality fabric, and don't worry about minor alterations. Just take the dress to the drycleaners for a low cost hem or removal of sleeves. You might also be brave enough to thrift a vintage dress and alter it like I did with this one:

3. Thrift a pencil skirt. Pencil skirts have been around for forever. They have a classic shape that never has nor will go out of style. This means that you don't have to worry about how new the skirt is. Someone could have donated a 30-year-old skirt, and it may still look modern and perfect for you now. The other bonus is that today just about any print or color pencil skirt is trendy right now, so all you have to do when thrifting one is find your size and make sure it's free of stains or rips.

 

Happy thrifting!

 

For more advice on thrifting, check out the FAQ tab above.

Re-Fashioning

Found this vintage dress at Goodwill the other day, and immediately saw its potential. Take the sleeves and collar off, shorten the hem, and take out the heightened waist seam so it falls back down to the princess waist, and voila! You have a great, fashion forward dress!

 I still need to shorten the dress more, iron it, and roll the edges of the armholes...and possibly choose a different belt and shoes...but this gives you an idea of where I'm going with it.

What do you think?

Sneak Peek For Spring

I went thrift shopping today and found this outfit that I'll probably wear this spring: an amazing leather pink jacket in just my size for only $3! The white t-shirt hangs just right, and it was only $3...and these orange Pepe London jeans for only $3!

Refashioning Vintage Clothing

I went to Goodwill over my lunchbreak and found some amazing finds. A genuine crocodile skin vintage bag for $2, two amazing pieces of wall art for under $8, a cute little top for $3, and this amazing vintage dress for $5!

I just fell in love with this dress. It is so romantic and feminine!
I tried to imagine myself wearing it as is out somewhere, but I just don't think I can pull it off.

So I took lots of pictures of it so I could remember how it was originally...

And then got scsissor happy...

I need to finish off the hem, so these jagged edges won't be here forever, but now I have a very unique vintage dress that is completely wearable for 2010!

Now I just need to find somewhere to wear this to.

Answer to a reader question...

I just found your blog today and wanted to commend you on your creativity. Your ability to turn simple outfits into bright and cheerful ensembles is really inspiring. One thing I want to know is, what state you are in. I used to live in Michigan and would always find great deals in thrift stores. I have recently moved to Washington, DC and I am finding it really difficult to find thrift stores over her. I would really appreciate it if you have any pointers for me.

First of all, thanks!

Second of all, I just recently moved to Northwest Ohio after living an hour from DC, so I can give you some pointers on thrift shopping out your way.

My go to store for thrifting is Goodwill (even when I lived out East). Every city has one nearby. Here is the DC Goodwill. Goodwill's are usually very large so you have to do a lot of digging, but if you know what you are looking for, it helps. I've found Goodwill to have the best thrift store selection and prices. I've never tried The Salvation Army, but you could always check them out too.

When shopping at Goodwill I usually go straight to the bags. I'll buy a vintage clutch, or anything that is genuine leather, because I know it will last. Bags are usually priced at about $3-$4 and clutches are even cheaper! Next I go to the belt section. Every Goodwill I've been to so far charges about $1 for belts. Like the bags, the only belts I buy are genuine leather. I've scored some amazing bags and belts for the change in my car ashtray!

I will also look for shoes, but my shoe size isn't very common (size 5). Usually the only shoes I find that work for me are leftover Target merchandise. Since the Target shoes are brand new and usually priced at $3, I'll buy them.

Lastly, I look for blazers and dresses. You can find some really neat vintage jackets and dresses that are totally in style now.

I rarely dig through the racks and racks of tops, shorts, jeans, and skirts, but if you have the patience, it can be really fun to sort through.

Besides Goodwill, I find great jewelry at antique stores and garage sales. In the small country towns surrounding DC, you can find some really neat little antique stores where you can score great vintage costume jewelry for very cheap prices.

As for the garage sales, go to the richer neighborhoods and only go when it's a community garage sale so you can check everything all out at once in the same general area.

Out in the small town where I lived near DC, I also frequented Once Upon A Child. The one near me (Purcellville, VA) carried some adult clothing and juniors sizes.

Here are a couple of great consignment stores in DC that I used to hear great things about, but never actually visited since consignment stores tend to be pricey because they carry designer clothes. Either way you should check them out:

Georgia Avenue Thrift Store
Secondi

And for links of several other thrift and/or consignment stores in DC, go here and here.

Good luck on your thrift shopping endeavors!