Secrets of a Secondhand Shopaholic

This was a nice outfit – simple, neutral, comfortable.

Price Breakdown:

Sweater set:  “g” $3.89 (Goodwill)

Skirt:  $9.99 Amanda Smith (Fashion Junction consignment store)

Shoes:  $24.99 Franco Sarto (DSW)

Total Cost:  $38.87

I bought the sweater set about six months ago, pre-blog, pre-Inspiration Calendar.  Now that I’ve been incorporating more color, patterns, belts, etc.  into my style, however, wearing this plain ol’ colorless sweater set just seemed kind of  boring to me.  So a “Black and Cream Combo” gave me the perfect excuse to wear something so pizzazz-less.

And that’s not a typo – the brand is “g”.  Never heard of it, but it seems to be well-made.  Cute little square black buttons, some stitching detail on the sleeves and front of the under piece.  Like I said, it’s a nice, simple, comfortable look, albeit kind of boring.

Throwing in the purse to add some color didn’t fool anyone, did it?

I just noticed the sandals are very similar to the ones the model is wearing in the example photo.  Perhaps I should have worn brown socks, too.

Not!

Last summer,  I went on a dress-buying craze  and bought like eight dresses in one month (full price at retail stores, not secondhand stores, mind you!) .  I wasn’t even looking for sales – I was just in full blown “I love dresses” mode.  I spent anywhere from $20 – 75 on each dress (remember this one from Target?).  That was when I was just an ordinary shopaholic, not a secondhand shopaholic.

Needless to say, I spent alot of money…..but I ended up with some really cute dresses!

Here’s one:

Price  Breakdown:

Cardigan:  Casual Corner (from a 2-piece set) $3.89 (Goodwill)

Dress:  Lily $50 (JNK Wears – at Kaleidescope Mall downtown DM)

Shoes:  Unisa $19.99 (DSW)

Belt:  Banana Republic $1.59 (Goodwill)

Total Cost:  $75.47

I love the color of the cardi with the black dress – and I wore a brown belt to give it a little more contrast, like in the example photo.

I was going to show you how much I have evolved with the help of the Inspiration Calendar, by showing you how I wore this dress originally – with just a plain ol’ black cardi.

But it actually, it looks pretty good with the short black cardi, too, doesn’t it?

No matter how I wear it, the only thing I really need with this dress is a tan…..

Price Breakdown:

Boyfriend Blazer:  Banana Republic $4.69 (Goodwill)

Shirt:  Banana Republic $9.99 (Banana Republic outlet store, Fredricksburg, Texas)

Capris:  Tribal $3.39 (Goodwill)

Sandals:  Franco Sarto $15 (Bargain Basket Thrift Store)

Total Cost:  $33.07

I love the shirt, I love the blazer and I love the capris.  I’m just not sure they are all working together.

The capris are a great Goodwill find – they are Tribal brand, which I have found at boutique-type stores for around $60.

I love the boyfriend blazer, but I think a shorter one like the one in the example photo would probably have worked better, wouldn’t you say?  I only chose to wear it with this outfit because the fabric seems the closest consistency to the capris than any other blazer/jacket I own.  But in looking at this photo, I really lose my waist with this long jacket (or maybe it’s the pose?).  I have been looking for a short, black jacket, like the one in the example photo, for quite awhile and haven’t had any luck yet….

The shirt is really cute – I bought it about 10 years ago at an outlet mall when I lived in Texas.  That day I bought 3 or 4 small, tight-fitting shirts like the one pictured here, thinking I’d be all stylish and cute, but then I’ve never had the guts to wear them in the summer.  In the past, I’ve always reached for my longer, loose-fitting polo shirts.  Covering my rear and my hips have always been my #1 fashion mission, and the fact that I was also covering my waist just didn’t seem to matter.

Now, with the Inspiration Calendar, You Look Fab, and incredible encouragement from you, I’ve gained a lot more confidence in wearing tighter, better-fitting shirts!  Look out summer – my untucked, over-sized polo shirt days are over!

The sandals are a new acquisition I picked up at Bargain Basket – the Junior League Thrift Store in town.  They were selling for $20, and when the manager saw me put them back, she dropped the price to $15.  Note to self – prices are negotiable at BB!

Leave it to me to nickel and dime a charity!!

So I’d give this outfit a 3+, with the understanding that a short blazer/jacket might push it up to the 4 or 5 range.  Would you agree?

Wow!  Thank you for all the comments from yesterday’s post, Dress and Denim Jacket Combo!!  It seems I hit a home run with that outfit….

I’m trying to ignore the fact that this was the first outfit I’ve worn with no secondhand purchases, and I’ve received the best, most flattering and complimentary comments than any other outfit.  That’s just a coincidence, right?  Surely my secondhand clothes are just as stylish.  My sense of style is getting better – that’s what’s happening.  I’m starting to recognize styles that highlight my body type, and it’s just a mere coincidence that yesterday’s awesome outfit consisted of items I purchased new.  Right?

(Cleopatra – Queen of Denial!!)

I mean, really.  Secondhand clothes can be just as stylish – I just need to hone my fashion skills, and recognize what works and what doesn’t.  That’s all….

Which leads me to today’s outfit – Belted Vest.

Price Breakdown:

Vest:  Ann Taylor $9.99 (Fashion Junction consignment store)

Peasant shirt:  Mossimo $3.89 (Goodwill)

Capris – Mossimo $3.39 (Goodwill)

Shoes – Etienne Aignier  $39.99 (DSW)

Belt:  $1.59 (Goodwill)

Total Cost:  $52.58

The sandals are new.  Do I get points for that?

Hello!!

Ready for some trivia?

Question:  What is different about the outfit below than any other outfit I’ve worn….(an no, it’s not the glasses!)

Answer:  None of the items in this outfit was secondhand!  I purchased every piece NEW!!

Price Breakdown:

Jeans Jacket – Haute Monde $50 (Limerglam Boutique – Vally Junction)

Dress – Mossimo  $19.99 (Target)

Shoes – Etienne Aignier  $39.99 (DSW)

Total Cost:  $109.98

Ouch!  I bought those shoes, however, about 10 years ago, and they’re still in style and in great condition, so the value (cost per wear) is quite high.  I absolutely love them,  and I don’t feel I need to go out and get a pair of brown gladiator-style sandals, because these will do just fine.

I’m giving this outfit a solid 5, though.  Not a 5+, because the dress could probably be a little shorter…but hey, at least I’m not channeling Elaine Belis in this one!

Well, she did wear round glasses sometimes…..

Here’s an outfit I wore a few weeks ago, but never got around to posting:

Price Breakdown:

Dark Gray Cardigan:  Pendleton (part of a 2-piece skirt/sweater combo) $19.99 (Fashion Junction)

Light gray sleeveless turtleneck:  Casual Corner $2.29 (Goodwill)

Jeans:  Lucky Brand $35.00 (Plato’s Closet)

Boots:  Nine West $18 (Plato’s Closet)

Total Cost:  $75.28

Man did I need a haircut!!

Hello!!  Notice anything different? Yes!  New haircut!

Price Breakdown (the clothes, not the hair!):

Cardigan:  Ann Taylor $14.99 (Fashion Junction consignment shop)

Cami:  Express $2.29 (Goodwill)

Skirt:  Banana Republic $12.99 (Fashion Junction consignment shop)

Shoes:  Unlisted $12.00 (Plato’s Closet)

Total Cost:  $42.27

OK, I know I’m losing my waist in this outfit, but I still think it’s a solid 4.  (Check out my Rating System).  The think the silver necklace really clinch the “Chanel-esque” look, don’t you? (I don’t remember when or where I bought it, so didn’t include it in the price.)

Now back to my hair.

Apparently Erin Kiernan gets her hair cut at the salon I go to, so my hair stylist knew exactly what to do.   Unfortunately, because my hair is not the same texture, I would have to invest in a ton of hair products and probably spend an extra half an hour every morning to get the exact look, so I’m not getting too attached to the “Erin” look.

But guess what look I AM getting attached to?  Remember yesterday’s Inspiration Calendar’s outfit - Sheath Dress OVER Stripes? A look I said I’d NEVER try?  Once again, the fashion gods called my bluff, and today when I stopped into Goodwill looking for more Ferragamos, they led me to this Isadora dress, which was just SCREAMING to have stripes worn under it:

I tried it with both long sleeves and short, and I think “Sheath Dress OVER Stripes” might be a multi-season look.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Are you keeping track of how many times I have sworn off trying a type of fashion, only to fall in love with it within a week or two?

Have I mentioned that I never win big lotteries?  Never, ever, ever……

Do you hear that lottery gods?  Prove me wrong like the fashion gods do!

Hello!  It’s a new week, and a new opportunity to find out what kind of great outfits I can pull together using the Inspiration Calendar.   The IC has actually turned my closet from a cesspool of unrelated chaos into the “land of opportunity” of incredible outfits.

OK, now after I’ve pumped up the IC as the be-all-end-all saving grace for me, today’s suggested outfit is evidence that it is definitely not perfect.  A striped shirt UNDER a sheath dress?  Really?

So I declared today opposite day, and I wore a stripes over the sheath dress. What do you think?
You’re going to love it even more when you see how much it cost:

Sweater:  Ann Trinity $11.99 (Fashion Junction)

Dress:  Ann Taylor $5.89 (Goodwill)

Shoes:  Ellen Tracy $3.59 (Goodwill)

Necklace:  $6 (Plato’s Closet)

Total Cost:  $27.47

I love this outfit, and I’m going to give it a 5 (check out my Rating System here).

I think everything works here – the fit, the colors, the dress length, the COST, even the pose isn’t as dorky as usual!

Guess what happens tomorrow??  I get my hair cut!

Hey s’up!

(My boyfriend’s 10-year-old daughter Sophie thought my usual “Hello!” sounded too much like an old lady, so she made me start this post with a more youthful greeting!)

Last Thursday’s Inspiration Calendar outfit combo was a challenging one – “Add a dramatic flair with a large scarf”.

Well, first I didn’t have a large scarf, so I wore this shawl.  Second, the shawl wasn’t very dramatic, so I had to be……

The shawl/scarf was the perfect thing for me to wear that day because I had to be at an all day work retreat, and the room we were in was freezing.   It worked perfectly to keep me warm and cozy but it covered up this cute little outfit.

Price Breakdown:

Shawl:  Coldwater Creek $23.99 (Fashion Junction)

Jacket:  Petite Sophisticates $14.99 (Fashion Junction)

Cami – Banana Republic $2.29 (Goodwill)

Skirt:  Casual Corner $2.25 ( Bargain Basket)

Shoes:  Franco Sarto $3.59 (Goodwill)

Total Cost:  $47.11

This was a nice little outfit – it would probably be more fitting to wear in the fall, but the day (and room) ended up being quite chilly, so I think it worked.  I give the outfit a nice 4+ on my Rating System.  What do you think? Maybe you need to see some more drama to help you decide: