Tag: thrifting fun

6 Month Thrifting Check-In: Winners & Losers

While it feels hard to believe that half the year has flown by already, it’s time for my 6-month thrifting check-in. I started doing these a few years ago to hold myself accountable. Even after many years of thrifting, I still make mistakes. I get a little price blind. I get a little brand blind. I figure, it’s so CHEAP just DO IT.

It seems even rougher this year, since they’ve closed most if not all of the thrift store dressing rooms. Sure, you have a week to make returns (for a store credit), but my favorite stores are more than 45 minutes away… so I can’t always return to them within that time period. So for my mistakes, I typically will list the item on Poshmark or just add it to my donate pile so that the next thrifing queen can enjoy it.

Since we are halfway through 2024, let’s take a look back at my thrift winners & losers. (PS you can find all my thrifting posts here: Thrifting Fun)

January 2024

Winners:

  • DRU Holland Dutch Oven, $6.99
  • Glitter Converse One-Star Shoes, $8.99
  • Rain boots, $5.99

Losers:

  • Athleta Arrival skirt, $13.49

Loved the addition of the dutch oven to my china cabinet and both pairs of shoes have gotten use in my closet. However, as much as I liked the Athleta skirt, it just didn’t fit me well. I listed it in my Poshmark closet and after their fees and shipping, I made $5 dollars on it.

February 2024

Winners:

  • J. Jill Embroidered Top (mustard), $5.99
  • Two Vintage Enoch Wedgewood Tea Cups, $2
  • Charter Club embellished cardigan, $8
  • Laura Ashley skirt, $7

Still Deciding:

  • Soft Surroundings Coruh Gauze Top (blue and white), $7.99
  • L.L. Bean Cotton Cardigan (blue), $3

Love the embroidered top, tea cups, cardigan and OHMYGOD that Laura Ashley skirt. They’ve all been used/worn over the past few months and will continue to be remixed. Rather than having ‘losers’ for this month, I have two items that I’m still trying out.

I’ve worn the Soft Surroundings top once and it’s just kind of ‘eh’ for me. I need to try styling it again. As for the cotton cardigan, it’s pretty heavy and I only had one or two times to try it out when the weather was cooperating. I plan to style this again in the fall/winter when the weather gets chilly. If I can’t make them work, both items will be hitting my Poshmark closet.

March 2024

Winners:

  • South Parade Hoodie, $15
  • Birkenstock Arizona Sandals, $40

Both these items were secondhand purchases off Poshmark. The hoodie is super comfortable and the sandals were for Jack, for his summer shoes. They’re holding up great and I’m kind of excited that he’s only a couple shoe sizes away from MY shoe size… so I’ll be getting his hand-me-downs soon!

April 2024

Winners:

  • Universal Threads v-neck t-shirt, $2.79
  • Don’t Be A Salty Heifer t-shirt, $5.99
  • Vintage skirt, $8.29
  • Handmade Pottery Tray, $6.49
  • Jeannette Cube Sugar Bowl, $7.99
  • Birds Outdoor Pillow, $4.49
  • Egg Crate jewelry dish, $5.99
  • Leather Braided Belt, $3.49

Still Deciding:

  • Old Navy Fern top (green), $12
  • Line of Oslo Blouse (purple), $5.99

Lots of fantastic scores in April, much due to our fabulous Tuscan, Arizona trip. Everything in the ‘winners’ list has either been absorbed into our house décor or worn happily. On the still deciding list are my two ‘maybe’ items. I wore the fern top once and it was fine. I need to try it again styled differently – I thought I would like it more, but it’s just okay. As for the Line of Oslo blouse, I dyed it purple and it’s very pretty… but I haven’t actually worn it yet. So, I’ll need to make sure I reach for it soon, or it will hit the chopping block!

May 2024

Winners:

  • Lou & Grey joggers, $6.99
  • Jofit skort, $6.99
  • Madewell Walker Chelsea suede ankle boots, $5.99
  • Athleta v-neck lightweight sweatshirt, $9
  • Pyrez “Zodiac” casserole dish, $8.50

So many winners for the month of May and most were scores from our visit to Naples, Florida. It was already too warm for the booties, but I can’t wait to wear them in the fall. The joggers and the sweatshirt were both so comfortable, so they will see a welcome return to the front of my drawers in the fall too. I’ve worn the Jofit skirt regularly on my evening walks and the Pyrex bowl happily joined the rest of my collection. Hmm… is this proof that we need to revisit Naples?

June 2024

Winners:

  • LAND Backpack, $7.49
  • Max Studios skirt, $6.99
  • Workout shorts, $4
  • Chana Dress, $30
  • Starbucks ceramic mug, $3.99
  • Dona Joe Running Skirt, $7.99
  • Leota dress, $12
  • Coach Dakota purse, $29

Losers:

  • Lacy/Crochet Cardigan (black), $3
  • Kate Spade Viva Colores Sidney Skirt (floral skirt), $11.29
  • Anthropologie Skirt (black and white), $5.29

First, let’s talk winners. I haven’t used the backpack yet, but I’m planning to try it as our snacks/drinks bag at the beach this summer. The skirt, dress, running skirt and dress are all winners for me right now. I’ve used that ceramic mug probably a half dozen times already. And OH the Coach purse is divine. As for the workout shorts, they’re growing on me. They are a bit too fitted in the tummy, but I’ve been wearing them for evening walks and they serve their purpose.

For the losers, that cardigan was an experiment that didn’t pan out. That one is already in the donate pile. As for the two skirts, one was too big/short and the other was too tight, so they both are currently in my Poshmark closet and I’m hoping to break even on them.

Total Spent:

Just to hold myself super accountable, let’s total up all the thrifting purchases from the last 6 months. According to my handy dandy excel spreadsheet that I pulled the info into, my total for 6 months of thrifting was: $346.46. Which equals out to $57.74 per month. I didn’t pull Jack’s sandals out of that number, but perhaps I should have since I would have paid retail prices if needed. While my thrifting total/monthly breakdown is not an insignificant number, this is my main ‘fun money’ I spend on myself. I very rarely buy books (I use the library and my kindle religiously) and make 90% of my coffee at home, and most importantly… our budget can afford it.

Overall Favorites:

Oooh my favorite part, looking at all my thrifting purchases over the past 6-months and picking my favorite items!

Home Décor Favs:

  • DRU Holland Dutch Oven, $6.99 (January 2024)
  • Handmade Pottery Tray, $6.49 (April 2024)
  • Pyrez “Zodiac” casserole dish, $8.50 (May 2024)

While the age of thrifting amazing mid-century items may be passing and it’s getting harder and harder to find true vintage… these three scores made me so happy! The dutch oven and casserole dish (after a quick little rehab) are in my china cabinet, where I get to admire them regularly. As for the handmade pottery tray, I have it in my den next to my reading area, and it’s perfect for keeping my random stuff contained and looking pretty.

Clothing Favs:

  • Laura Ashley skirt, $7 (February 2024)
  • Birkenstock Arizona Sandals, $40 (March 2024)
  • Vintage skirt, $8.29 (April 2024)
  • Madewell Walker Chelsea suede ankle boots, $5.99 (May 2024)
  • Coach Dakota purse, $29 (June 2024)

Both of the vintage skirts I thrifted are my favorites right now. That Laura Ashley skirt is so special and every time I wear it, it just makes me smile. As for the other vintage skirt… it’s just the right amount of swishy and flowy and I’ve already worn it at least a half-dozen times. Jack hates socks/sneakers, so as soon as school let out, he went straight to his new Birkenstock sandals for daily wear. He will easily get an entire summer’s worth of use out of them. He may be able to use them for vacations throughout the year, but I fully anticipate he will grow out of this size before next summer.

As for the booties, they’re so gorgeous and I have big plans for them in the fall. I’m imagining them with long dresses, short dresses and tights and rolled jeans too. And last but SO VERY MUCH NOT LEAST, that Coach Dakota purse. Perhaps one of my best thrift finds of the entire year!

After years and years of thrifting, I feel like I’m finally doing better at being more selective. Only a handful of losers and a few more items that are on the chopping block. Not too shabby!

Like what you see? Share me with your friends!

My Style: June 2024

Apparently, I got dressed to leave the house A LOT this month, which is pretty surprising considering that I feel like I lost a week of my life in the middle there when my son broke his arm. Keeping with my goal to continue purging items from my closet, this month saw a bunch of different items in rotation. However — spoiler alert — nothing much hit the purge pile.

Let’s take a look at my June looks:

First up, three ‘casual’ non-work looks. I wore the first outfit for a graduation cookout event, the second was for errand running and the third was for a day of errands with a business-ish lunch with my accountant.

All the items have been in my closet for a while, other than that vintage Coach crossbody bag, which was a recent addition. And nothing is getting purged, but will continue to be restyled again and again.

Here are three of my office looks. I picked the colorful dress up at a consignment shop for just $30 this month, so I pretty much immediately needed to style it for the office. Love the swish of the skirt and the deep pockets. The blue maxi dress is one of those that I feel looks better in person… but honestly, it does feel like wearing a comfy nightgown in public.

As for outfit #3, I’m still unsure about the white linen + lace top. It is a beautiful top and the fabric and drape are great, I just don’t love white. I’ve considered dying it a different color – but I’m not sure if the fabric, lace and thread will take the color evenly, so I keep putting it off. All keepers again, however I am starting to think the blue maxi dress from Anthropologie may hit my Poshmark closet at some point.

Two casual outfits with the same skirt, as this gingham skirt is on the chopping block. I just don’t reach for it as much as I do the same style in solid colors. This month, I tried it two ways – topped with a graphic t-shirt and topped with a linen blouse. Still trying to decide if this one is a keeper or if it will be hitting the resale group by the end of the summer.

The floral skirt from the first outfit has been in my closet for years and it’s just a randomly luxe cotton skirt from TJ Maxx that I love. As for that black linen dress, I typically style it under a tied blouse because it fit me so oddly. However, this month I actually took the time to adjust the tailoring on the straps and bust… so now I can wear it over just a little tank top! All keepers now that I took the time to sew a little.

And three more work looks. For look #1, I typically wear this dress as a casual dress, but I decided to top it with a cardigan for work. By lunchtime, I was regretting it because it shows off a bit more bust than I like for the office. So this one is back to being a weekend dress. The middle look is a re-wear of that black linen dress I tailored, this time I topped it with a starbust beaded cardigan for the office. And the last look was a last-minute throw-things-together-outfit, and I feel like it turned out very nice!

New vs. Secondhand Talley

This month, I count 10 items that I purchased retail and 23 items I purchased secondhand!

Like what you see? Share me with your friends!

June Thrift Haul

This month was a big thrifting month for me, but honestly I made some missteps and they aren’t ALL winners. Luckily thrifting mistakes are relatively inexpensive mistakes to make, so let’s go through what I found during the month of June.

LAND backpack, $7.49

Okay, stick with me for a moment because YES I am aware that this is a diaper bag backpack. I was looking for an insulated bag that we could use for the beach, as we currently stick food and drinks in a grocery bag and then shove them into either a larger beach bag or the back of one of our beach chairs. So, when I saw this insulated diaper backpack I was intrigued. It has a bunch of organizing pockets, an insulated area, it’s huge inside, water resistant and even has padded straps. I feel like it will actually be pretty fantastic for a beach food/drink bag, and I can’t wait to give it a try when we go to Ocean City later this summer.

Max Studios skirt, $6.99

Okay, don’t sleep on the high-low skirts because it’s such an easy fix! I loved the fabric weight, print and fit of this skirt, and it took less than 10 minutes to cut it, pin it and sew a new hem:

I love this skirt for summer and I’ve already worn it to work once so far.

Workout shorts, $4 (sale)

I grabbed these workout shorts and crossed my fingers that they’d fit because they got rid of all our fitting rooms. These have built-in bike shorts, with the floral portion fitting a little looser. I’ve worn them once so far and they’re okay. A little *too* fitted for me, but okay. I may put these in the back of a drawer to see if they fit better when my weight fluctuates down a little.

Lacy/Crochet cardigan, $3 (sale)

Once again, I was using my imagination for this one. I liked the lightweight lace, but fully acknowledge that it looks super dated when put over a top and shorts. Which is why I chopped it off at the waist to try it layered over dresses. And honestly, it’s not great and will most likely make its way back to the donate pile.

Chana dress, $30

I think this came from Anthropologie based on the tags that were still on it for $170. I love the fit of the dress and the weight of the heavy cotton fabric. I was a little flummoxed about that deep v though, until I realized that I can style it like a pinafore for work! By layering it over a blouse and topping it with a straw belt, it makes it much more casual and I can get so much more wear out of it. I think this one will also look fun styled for cooler weather with a black blouse and knee-high boots. Or a sweater on top, tights and ankle booties.

Kate Spade Viva Colores Sidney skirt, $11.29

I was super excited to find this colorful cotton skirt from Kate Spade, but when I got it home and tried it on it’s not really doing much for me. Weirdly, the waistband is way too loose (which yes, I can fix), but the length is also a little short on me. I tried it over top of a fluffier slip-like skirt for a two-toned look and it’s okay, but just not thrilling me. This has been added to my Poshmark closet and I hope someone else finds it and loves it.

Starbucks ceramic mug, $3.99

I have two Starbucks ceramic travel mugs and they are great for mornings that I want to sip my coffee on my way into the office. This one was pretty and in perfect condition, so I figured I’d add it to my cupboard.

Dona Joe Running skirt, $7.99

Another day, another running skirt. I’ve been very into skorts for our evening walks lately, so I scooped this one up (once again, without trying it on). It’s cute and I think it may also be a fun swim coverup later this summer.

Anthropologie skirt, $5.29

Sigh. Another skirt bummer. This one is new with $130 tags on it from Anthropologie and it’s too tight in the waist for me. I hate that they got rid of fitting rooms, because this particular thrift location is about 45 minutes away from my house. As it is, this one has been added to my Poshmark closet too.

Leota dress, $11.99

I love a good Leota jersey dress and the fit and colors of this one are fantastic. This is a great workhorse dress and I especially love them for packing for conferences since they don’t wrinkle. This one will be great in the fall alone, or topped with a blazer or denim jacket.

Coach Dakota purse, $29

I’ve been so jealous of the thrifting girlies who find vintage Coach bags and rehab them… and I’ve been keeping my eyes out for months/years(?) for a vintage Coach of my own from the thrifts. On this particular trip, I actually saw THREE leather Coach bags, but this one was the winner for me. Even though it was in absolutely terrible condition with scratches, pen marks, overall yuck and even paint splatter(?!) on the back. You can have a peek at my rehab on this video, but I’ll be doing a full blog post soon since I’m so pleased with the results:

I researched the heck out of this bag and found that it is actually pretty rare in that it’s from the Dakota collection and each purse was made by hand in 1992. While some of the purses were shown in a Coach catalogue, it doesn’t appear that they did a full roll-out to the public. I found this version in a navy blue and a green, but haven’t found any others listed for sale or sold in the exact version I have in red. With that being said, I’m not looking to resell it, but to enjoy it’s classic design for many years to come.

Like what you see? Share me with your friends!