I mentioned last week that I had a bit of a Spring Break off work last Monday and Tuesday. Of course, being Maryland it actually snowed on Tuesday… and then I was snowed in with Jack on Wednesday and Thursday, but I didn’t mind the time off a bit!
One of my main goals for that Monday was to go by my favorite thrift store and spend as much time as I wanted wandering around. It was SUCH a treat! It was also weirdly crowded for a Monday, so I was a bit concerned that there wouldn’t be anything ‘good’ to find, but WOW did I find a bunch of great stuff:
{Pssst, you can read about my previous thrifting adventures here}
I tried on a TON of items, which takes quite a while when you are only allowed to bring 8 into the dressing room at a time. I ended up putting a bunch of stuff back based on fit, but I still scored some awesome finds!
Carry Me Company Tote Bag, $7.99 on sale for $5.36
This tote bag is so adorable with the little crabs, starfish and seahorse. It’s brand new with tags from a little company in Pennsylvania and originally cost $37.99. I basically use tote bags for everything, so I’m happy to have another cute one to add to my collection! This one has a snap to hold it shut, an interior pocket and a key hook too.
Oshkosh swim trunks, $2.49 on sale for $1.67
Continuing on with the crabby theme, I couldn’t resist these cute crab swim trunks for Jack! He will have a couple swimming days at summer camp each week, so a cheapo pair for less than $2 is perfect for him to destroy this summer.
Gillian O’Malley shirt, size XXL, $3.99 on sale for $2.68
This is a Target brand for sleepwear, but I’m totally going to just wear this as a shirt. Is there some sort of rule about that? The sizing is absolutely ridiculous because it’s marked XXL and fits like a standard large.
Eci dress, size Large, $19.99 on sale for $13.40
This brand is one that is sold at stores like Nordstrom and Macy’s and typically is around $90 for a similar dress. I really liked the fun green pattern on this one and I feel like I can totally wear this with tights to work now and then with sandals during the summer. Super cute and really flattering too with the wrap-style top.
I’m wearing it today with a cute beaded sweater, tights and booties:
Boden dress, size US10, $11.99 on sale for $8.04
I love a good Boden jersey dress, so I decided to scoop this one up for $8. It is in perfect condition and has really cute pockets too. It looked fine on me in the store, but I didn’t like it as much when I got it home. So, I went ahead and washed it and then listed it for sale. It sold within 7 hours of listing for $40, so I’m calling it a win!
Loft Snow Leopard print car coat, size Large, $24.99 on sale for $16.75
I found this adorable jacket on the Loft website and it was sold for $168 in winter 2014. It actually has 140 reviews and averages 5 out of 5 stars. I remember seeing this when it came out, but it never went on sale low enough for me to buy. The person who bought this one must not have loved it though, because it seems totally unworn and even still has the protective stitch holding the back flap closed (it is such a pet peeve of mine when people wear clothes without cutting this stitch open!).
This coat was my absolute favorite find of the day! I love how it’s a grown up shape with a bit of extra sass. The tag says dry clean only, but I threw it in the washing machine on cold and then let it hang dry. It turned out perfect and I’ve been wearing it nonstop while it’s still cold outside:
Eileen Fisher sweater, size PL, $5.99 on sale for $4.02
I just can’t leave $5 Eileen Fisher behind at the thrift store. This green elbow-length sweater is 85% cotton and 15% cashmere. It will be a great work topper for the spring and summer to keep my arm tattoo under wraps.
Land’s End wrap dress, size medium (10-12), $9.99 on sale for $6.70
Much like I can’t leave Eileen behind, I also have it ingrained in me to try on every wrap dress I see. This one is a solid navy version from Land’s End. It appears unworn and fits great, so this will be immediately washed and put into my work rotation!
Mexican Embroidered dress, no size, $11.99 on sale for $8.04
I shared this dress with you all last week (read the post here). I love the embroidery on the top of the dress, so I’m planning to cut it down into a shirt like this one or these. I may also cut the sleeves off to make it a tank top. Stay tuned!
Hei Hei Juneworthy bomber, size small, $14.99 on sale for $10.06
Hei Hei is sold at Anthropologie and this adorable navy bomber went for $78 earlier this year. This one is in perfect condition, so I decided to take a chance on it and list it for resale. Fingers crossed that someone wants to buy it!
For fun, I decided to add up what I spent thrifting and compare it to the retail cost of each item:
| Item | Thrift Cost | Retail Cost |
| Carry Me Company Tote Bag | $5.36 | $37.99 |
| Oshkosh swim trunks | $1.67 | $15.00 |
| Gillian O’Malley shirt | $2.68 | $15.00 |
| Eci dress | $13.40 | $88.00 |
| Boden dress | $8.04 | $85.00 |
| Loft Snow Leopard Car Coat | $16.75 | $168.00 |
| Eileen Fisher sweater | $4.02 | $198.00 |
| Land’s End Wrap Dress | $6.70 | $100.00 |
| Mexican Embroidered dress | $8.04 | $35.00 |
| Hei Hei bomber | $10.06 | $78.00 |
Estimated Retail Cost total: $819.99
Thrifting total: $76.72
Total savings: $743.27!
That should scratch my thrifting itch for a while!
I’d love to hear your thrifting stories! Did you find a diamond in the rough (literally or figuratively)?
I have never thrifted, but after seeing all your finds I may have to consider it. How did you figure out that wrap dresses work so well for you? That Eci dress looks amazing on you!
Try it… you’ll like it! =) It took me lots of trial and error to figure out what works best on my body. I’ve got a um… generous bust and butt, so if I cinch it all in with a wrap at the waist I look so much better. And thank you!