Category: Thrifting Fun

This month, I had two opportunities to go to my favorite thrift store. On the first try, Travis and I went together and walked away with just one item each. I visited again late in the month because I had a coupon for $15 off a $40 purchase and had much more luck!

Here’s what I found this month:

Talbots Shaker Stitch cardigan, $2.50

Travis and I hit up my favorite thrift store on 50% off day and holy guacamole was it crowded! We each ended up throwing a few items into the cart and then narrowing it down to just one item for each of us. I ended up with this shaker stitch cardigan from Talbots, tagged at $4.99… so it ended up being just $2.50. I LOVE the thick cotton knit and the fit of this sweater. At first, I didn’t love the blue (and was thinking about dying it green), but it’s growing on me. This particular cardigan was sold at Talbots for $99, so I’m very happy to add it to my comfy cardigan rotation at such a low price!

As for styling, this will absolutely be one that I throw over top of a t-shirt and joggers for telework days or with jeans for leaving the house.

Woolrich Corduroy shirt, $8

Not my typical style, but I really liked the heavy corduroy feel of this shirt. It’s a classic black with little pops of plaid inside the collar and if you roll up the sleeves. I’m planning to try this as a layering piece over a solid v-neck tee, or graphic tee and jeans. It seems like a good ‘in between’ sweater and coat piece, so I’m curious if it will work in my closet.

Cardigan with sequins, $9

This may look familiar, because I own multiple sequined cardigans. However, they really get so much wear and I’ve had a few in rotation since before Jack was born! I love the Cable & Gauge brand cardigans (you can find them at Nordstrom Rack) and this sequined version has black sequins on a black knit, which is a bit different than the ones I currently own.

LL Bean sweatshirt, $11

I really liked the color combo on this sweatshirt and it’s nice and oversized too! It is a bit of a thinner sweatshirt material, which I love for year-round wear. This one will get lots of wear with joggers and leggings.

Hygge socks, $6 for all

I don’t normally shop the socks section, but I was checking out the men’s belts and these jumped off the rack at me. They are nice and thick, obviously never worn, and super cute designs. I figured I’d give them a try!

Dog Treat puzzle, $2

This is one of the items that was on my thrift list, so I was thrilled to find it! I bought Cooper (our new rescue dog) an easy version of a dog puzzle a couple months ago and he solved it within a few minutes. However, I didn’t want to spend $20+ to buy him another version if he was just going to solve it immediately. I’ve been checking the kid’s toys sections for my last few visits, assuming that the thrift people would think a dog puzzle was a kid’s toy… and I was right!!! I got this puzzle (which I had been eyeing on Amazon) for just $2!

Vintage Woolrich 56×70 wool throw, $19

Also on my ‘thrift list’ is that I’ve been low-key looking for a Pendelton throw blanket forever. They are so gorgeously made and I love the designs, so I hold out hope that one day I’ll find one for cheaper than the current Poshmark prices. Well, in my latest search, I found this vintage Woolrich wool throw! It’s not Pendelton, but it is Pendelton-adjacent.

Orange is my favorite color, so I had no problem paying a bit ‘up’ for this purchase. As I do with all thrifted items, I threw it in the washer. And then realized that wool blankets were dry clean only or hand wash… but luckily it turned out fine and was not felted at all. I did realize my mistake before sticking it in the dryer, and I let it lay flat to dry. I did some research and I think this is a Woolrich heritage wool throw from around 2000 which sold for anywhere from $180-250. Resale values range from $150 – 250, especially because it was made in the US. As it is, I’m not planning to resell it, but to enjoy it for many years to come.

This month’s thrift haul is a mix of clothing finds from the thrift store and a handful of jewelry treasures I scooped up at antique and consignment shops. The funny thing is, most of these pieces feel a little outside of my usual style and don’t blend in with the rest of my closet. But, that’s what makes this haul fun! Trying out new looks feels a lot less intimidating when you’re shopping secondhand.

Let’s take a look at what I found this month:

Soma Camisole, $5.99

Okay, hear me out on this one. This is very much giving me 90’s slip dress vibes. In fact, I remember wearing silky slip tops with jeans and a cardigan in perhaps the late 90’s? I recently saw someone I follow on Instagram style a beautiful, thrifted lace and satin teddy-looking thing with jeans and a textured knit cardigan and it must have stuck in my head when I was out and about.

Anyways, I loved the saturated blue of this as well as the delicate lace around the neckline. It is a bit oversized on me, so I plan to do a little tailoring to make it fit perfectly on my figure. Here is in a ‘try on’ pic where I just threw it on with the black leggings I had on:

I have a couple plans on how to experiment with this piece, so welcome into my brain… First, I’m thinking it will be super sexy paired with a pair of black jeans, studded boots and a simple topper (black cardigan, denim jacket or moto jacket?) for a date night. I’m also thinking this would be super flirty underneath an oversized sweater when the weather gets chilly – maybe with just a little peeking out of the top. Cute, right?

Eileen Fisher Linen and Leather Tank, $5.99

Yup, that’s a $198 Eileen Fisher top right there that I thrifted for $6! It’s a loose woven linen knit with leather edging around the neckline and armholes. I found the original style photos and it was shown layered over a simple black tank top, which does look really cute:

Source: EileenFisher.com

However, when I first saw it, I was thinking it could be a fun UNDER layer for visual interest. I have some spaghetti strapped tops that I don’t wear a ton because I hate lining up the correct bra underneath… so by adding this to the mix, it could make things a little more interesting:

It’s a work in progress, but I’m excited to try it out with what I have in my closet.

Ben Amun Two-Tone Necklace, $14

You may recognize this necklace from my recent Instagram reel, if you follow me over there. I found it on a wall of cheap jewelry at one of my favorite consignment shops and was immediately suspicious of it because it was VERY heavy. I even tried looking at the tag with my phone magnifying app when one of the salespeople caught me and asked if I wanted her to check it out with her loupe. As she gazed at it, she said they check brands when they arrive to price them properly so this one was probably nothing special. She thought it said “Benjamin”, but when I looked into it further, it was actually Ben Amun and DANG it was a pricey piece!

Ben Amun jewelry is sold on his website (he operates out of New York), as well as at Neiman Marcus and runs from $150 – 500 depending on the design. This one looks like it retailed for $220, which makes it a super score for just $14! I love that it is two-tone and especially how heavy and chunky it is. I anticipate wearing this one alone, as well as stacking it with other pieces for a fun look.

Vintage Chainmail Necklace, $5

I found this necklace in an antique/consignment shop collective where lots of different sellers had booths. I picked it up and put it down a few times, before deciding to just buy it because it was only $5. After some research, I learned that this is a handmade Persian four-in-one vintage chainmail necklace. The four-in-one refers to how each link is woven into the next to make the chainmail. On etsy something like this runs anywhere from $50 – $250 depending on the artist who makes it. It is so pretty in person with a gold/silver look to it – I’m thinking it was gold dipped and it wore off a bit over the years.

My initial thought was that I’d shorten this for a layering necklace. But after doing my research, I’m hesitant to rip it apart. I may add a little jump ring to cinch it up without ruining the weave. Or, I may just wear it as it is!

Vintage Wells Company Starburst 14k gold filled Jade Cabochon brooch, $10.80

This brooch screamed Mid-Century modern at me when I saw it sitting in a bin at a consignment shop. I liked it and the price was right, so I snapped it up. After doing my research, I found that Walls Jewelry Manufacturing Company was based in Massachusetts from 1923 – 1976. This piece with the Jade Cabochon center was most likely sold between 1940-1960.

This was in great condition with no bent or missing pieces to the starburst. I just liked it so much that I had to have it.

This month’s thrift haul is quite the cornucopia of vacation thrift and consignment finds, and a quick run out to celebrate National Thrift Shop Day. It just goes to show you that while you may have a ‘thrift list’ of what you’re looking for, you never know what you’re going to find…

First up, some thrift + consignment shop finds from North Naples, Florida:

Modcloth Linen skirt, $7

While my husband once again had all the Florida thrifting luck with shorts and pants, this is my ONLY item I thrifted on our vacation. It’s a linen Modcloth skirt and it’s probably 1-2 sizes too large for me in the waist. With that being said, I feel confident that I can easily add elastic into the channel of the waistband to cinch it to my size, while still leaving all the wonderful volume through the hips.

I think that this skirt will look adorable in the fall and winter with booties, tights, lightweight sweaters and maybe a denim jacket.

Eileen Fisher linen sweater, $20

I love Eileen Fisher sweaters and this linen sweater is so soft and pretty. It’s a v-neck dolman sleeve cut, which is super flattering. This is one of those tops that will be great for telework days (since it looks professional on a Teams video), but also super cute with a pair of distressed jeans and some sparkly necklaces. For $20, I couldn’t resist!

Johnny Was Workshop shirt, $27

I love Johnny Was brand clothing and I’ve been lucky enough to pick a few pieces up secondhand over the years (since retail prices are ridiculous). This top is from the Johnny Was Workshop brand, which is where they re-imagine menswear and retailed around $300. It has super soft flannel on the front, and then the back is velvet with embroidery! It’s oversized and eclectic and I love it!

As for styling, I will play up the ‘grunge’ by layering it over a graphic tee and leaving it open over jeans for a warmth layer. I’ll also button it over a tank top and pair it with comfy joggers for telework Teams meetings. It’s super fun and I can’t wait to try different ways of styling it with what I have in my closet.

National Thrift Shop Day was on August 17^th, so I hit up my favorite thrift store to take advantage of their 50% off sales. I also had an additional 10% reward in my account, which took the prices down even more!

Black cotton/linen Target dress, $7 on sale for $3.14

Just a simple dress – I just liked the feel of the cotton/linen fabric and the cut of it. It also has an open back with a tie that secures it (right at your bra line), so I’ll probably try layering this over some slim fit tank tops as well as some of my exercise bras/tanks that have fun strappy backs.

Jenny Yoo Annabelle Convertible dress, $15 on sale for $6.74

I was initially drawn to the pretty purple color of this dress and all the tulle. The tulle placement on the bust is just so gorgeous! While in the store, I did a quick google to make sure this wasn’t some sort of Shein brand. I found that this exact dress is still sold on the Jenny Yoo website for $280 and that it is a convertible dress where you can style it in like a dozen different ways.

It was a couple sizes larger than I wear, but I tried it on over my clothes and it fit… so it looks like its bridal sizing. With that being said, I LOVE the style of the dress and have a couple weddings on the horizon. I have no idea what the dress codes will be though, but it’s always good to have options. Also, I have had to attend Gala events over the years in my line of work, so it makes sense to scoop this up for less than $7 just to have it on hand if I need it!

Converse embroidered high tops, $13.50 on sale for $6.07

I’m pretty sure someone was hiding these shoes. I was walking past the kids toys section and found them tucked away with the toys. They’re Converse high tops + fantastic embroidery + MY SIZE, so they were obviously waiting for me to find them. Ironically, I added them to my cart and was walking around and another lady stopped me to tell me how cool the shoes were and inquire about the size… so I almost had to throw hands to keep them.

They were a little scuffed on the toe and sides, but a quick rubdown (inside and on the rubber) with a bleach wipe returned them to perfect. These retailed for $90 and I got them for $6! I can’t wait to pair them with leggings, joggers and oversized hoodies in the fall when it gets chilly.