Pocketful of Joules - August Thrift Haul

August Thrift Haul

I’m so excited to share this month’s Thrift Haul with you, because I think it might be the BEST haul of the year! I went out to my favorite thrift store for some ‘medicinal thrifting’ for my mental health and I found so many amazing goodies.

Let’s check it out:

Black Cotton Slip, $6.79

I actually own this exact slip in white, which is why I recognized it as a slip and not a skirt when I was flipping through the racks. I bought it a few years ago from Amazon and the current cost is $23. I’m quite happy to add this to my closet for less than $7 for any black slip needs that may arise in the future.

Pink Tulle Skirt, $6.79

This is another ‘cheapie Amazon find’, but I really liked it and it was secondhand, so I’ll allow it. On the website it’s called a ‘prom skirt’ (for $30) but it’s just a sparkly pink skirt with a layer of tulle overtop and a stretchy waistband. This is surprisingly cute on and I feel like it will pair well with a pair of Docs and a graphic tee. For $7, I couldn’t pass it up. Especially because I have a niece obsessed with sparkly tulle skirts and she will totally think I’m a princess in this.

Eileen Fisher Cotton Skirt, $9.49

As you all know, I have a weakness for Eileen Fisher, so to find this classic skirt for less than $10 had my heart racing. There was no sizing tag though, so I just eyeballed it and crossed my fingers it would fit. And… it does! I thought that this might be linen, but according to the side interior tag, it’s 100% organic cotton. The retail price was somewhere between $158 -198 according to my research. As it is, I’ll be pairing this with a graphic tee or comfy tank top this summer.

Kerri Rosenthal Vacance Pintuck Skirt, $9.49

Even though I didn’t recognize the designer’s name, I had a feeling that this skirt was one of those items that had a shocking retail price. Some things that tipped me off: the cotton of the skirt is a really nice weight, the pintuck/lace details are done really well, and there is a full cotton slip underneath to give it an extra swish factor. Also, the fact that the brand did an extra embroidery detail of a heart on the back of the waistband… cheapo brands don’t spend extra time/money with those little details. So, I was surprised, but also not surprised, to find that this was the “Vacance Pintuck Skirt” from Kerri Rosenthal that retails for $328!

Once again, I didn’t try it on until I got home… but unfortunately the top tier fits me a little wonky. BUT, I’ve done this exact tailoring trick before where I move the waistband to the top of the second tier, so I got right on that. Here’s the “after” and I’m super happy with how it turned out!

Okay, let’s stop here for a sec because I just want to point out that with the last four items I paid $33 and the total retail prices equal $539!

Thrifting is the BEST!

On to the last item… and it’s a doozie!

Dooney & Bourke All Weather Leather Tack/Marble Bag, $44.44

The thrift store had a big hanging display with a bunch of purses behind the counter, so I was squinting over at it and saw the profile of this little saddle bag. I asked the nice lady to let me take a look, took a quick peruse, and purchased it ASAP before she took it away from me or someone else tried to steal it out of my hands!

I saw that it was fully leather, had an old school Dooney & Bourke “Made in the USA” tag inside and looked like it was in perfect condition. That was ALL I needed to know. Once I got home, I did all the research and found that it is the All Weather Leather Tack bag that is also called the Marble bag in British Tan. It was sold sometime between 1988 – 1992 and retailed around $200.

I would say that this is pretty comparable to my vintage Coach bags, in that the design is so classic and the leather is so hearty. I absolutely love it and it fills a hole in my closet for a small brown leather bag. It’s the perfect crossbody to hold my wallet, glasses and phone while I’m out and about on my daily adventures!

Quick DIY Fix for Tiered Skirts That Fit Weird

I thought I had shared this tip before, but I did a quick look through my previous posts and didn’t see it… so I wanted to make sure this idea gets ejected from my brain in case it helps someone else. Okay, so you know how I love, love, love a good flowy skirt? Obviously. And I find myself drawn to those tiered skirts of the mid-90’s because they are just a fabulous kind of boho chic.

However, sometimes the top tier is a bit rude in how it fits my tummy.

At some point over the last few years, I realized I could just CUT THE TOP OFF. So, instead of having a too-tight top tier, I cut the top tier off entirely and then reattach the waistband to the next tier (which has more room).

I did this previously with a Laura Ashley skirt

And I just did this again with a newly thrifted Kerri Rosenthal skirt. I thrifted the skirt for under $10 and when I did my online research after the fact, I found that it retails for $328. Sure, I could have listed it for sale to try and make some money off of it, but I LIKED the skirt. And the whole idea of thrifting is to buy things to wear and keep them out of a landfill, right?

So, I grabbed my trusty scissors, chopped the top tier off and then reattached the next tier to the existing waistband. I didn’t even get my sewing machine out, I just hand sewed it. After I got everything in place, I then chopped the interior slip a bit shorter (so it didn’t stick out) and did a quick running stitch by hand for a new hem. That was it!

And now, I have a gorgeous flowy, cotton and lace skirt that fits my body well. For $10 and a little elbow grease.

I Bought a Bunch of Shoes

Sometimes I get fixated on things. And apparently without realizing it, I disassociated from life this summer and accumulated FIVE PAIRS of shoes to add to my closet. Which is pretty much unheard of for me. However, no regrets. Actually, one regret. Maybe.

Anyways, let’s take a look!

Doc Martens Voss II Sandals (a different color)

I purchased these at the beginning of the summer. At the time they were on sale for $68ish, and I really liked that they look like Docs + Platforms + Sandals had a baby. They’re kind of a badass version of the Eileen Fisher sandals I wear all the time to work. The Docs sandals are super-dooper comfortable and I paired them with skirts all spring and summer.

Ked’s Revival Mary Jane Nylon/Suede Shoes (still for sale here)

I purchased these 100% because I was sucked in by a Facebook ad. This exact pair were pictured on the ad and I immediately needed them. I clicked through and there was a special promo code I could use, so they ended up being $53. I. LOVE. THEM. Oh my gosh, the colors, the comfiness, the cuteness. They are so great! So far I’ve worn them with skirts, but I think they will also be so super cute with cuffed jeans in the fall.

Rothy’s Criss-Cross Lightweight Wedge (sold out)

So, here’s what happened. My husband was looking at sneakers at Nordstrom Rack and I wandered over to the women’s sale sandals. And BOOM I found these gold sparkly Rothy’s wedges and they were basically calling my name. And by calling my name, I mean they were $179 retail and then on sale, on sale again, and then on ‘clear the rack sale’… for $45.

They are SO SPARKLY! So, I was obviously helpless to resist.

Eileen Fisher Shea Strappy Sandals (sold out)

I mentioned that I have a couple pairs of Eileen Fisher sandals that I wear to work regularly because they are super comfortable. They’re like the mullet of shoes – sandal on top and sneaker on the bottom. But they still look nice enough for work and I can be on my feet all day long. I have been keeping my eye out for similar styles to pop up on Poshmark and this pair appeared. They retail for around $120 and I scooped them up for just $34. They’re fantastic!

Rothy’s Mary Jane Espadrilles (on the Rothy’s website)

Here is my one possible regret from when I (apparently) blacked out and bought all the shoes. I purchased a pair of the Rothy’s ankle-tie espadrilles from TJ Maxx last year and they are great. So, when I saw that they came out with this cute Mary Jane version, I stalked them on Poshmark and found a new-in-box pair for $60 (retail was $150). I bought them in the same size as my other pair… but they are a bit too tight in the toes. Sigh.

With that being said, I’m currently trying to stretch the toes just a bit (I shoved an old plastic easter egg in there) and if that doesn’t work, I’m going to try to switch out the insole to a thinner version. If THAT doesn’t work, I’ll be re-listing them on Poshmark to hopefully make my money back.