Recycled & Reworn

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:44:08 -0600

Thrifting Addiction

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:57:07 -0600

Thrifting Addiction

Podcast: Let's Talk Shopping

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:08:00 -0600

Podcast: Let's Talk Shopping :

Listen to Amanda from My Diet Starts Tomorrow, Anjli from Wanderland, and I talk about our mutual love of shopping.

These are some of the latest runway trends, which I recreated...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:05 -0500

These are some of the latest runway trends, which I recreated using completely thrifted outfits (minus the shoes). I have a soft spot for new shoes.

My Thrifted Halloween Costumes

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:40:01 -0500

My Thrifted Halloween Costumes

Halloween on a Budget

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:42:00 -0500

Goodwill is a great place to shop for Halloween costumes. They sell new, packaged costumes as well as a great selection of clothing that can be used to create unique, personalized costumes.

Jackie Kennedy searches through the racks outside the store for a costume to wear to the elementary school where she student teaches. She found an Olive Oyl costume and wig for $15.

Goodwill encourages you to donate your costume back to the store after Halloween. The store’s return policy normally allows for exchange or store credit.

Being a zombie bride is usually a cheap and easy option, but Goodwill priced their used wedding dresses between $40-50. That’s not so affordable when you’re planning to pour fake blood all over it.

Customers dig through the clothing deemed by Goodwill as costume appropriate. Although some of the items are obvious (firefighter jumpsuit, baseball uniform, etc.), some require more creativity.

Goodwill also sells a variety of unused costumes, ranging from classic vampire to Grecian goddess between $10-$40. Even though some prices are comparable to a costume shop, it’s easy to pass over the expensive items for a cheaper, more unique costume ideas.

In addition to new wigs, Goodwill sells used wigs for about half the price.

There are bins filled with accessories and props for customers to dig through. You’re sure to find the hat, handcuffs, axe, shoes, etc. that you need to complete your costume in one of these bins.

Secondhand Shopping Map

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:29:00 -0500

These are the most budget-friendly thrift stores and resale shops in Austin. I’ve personally shopped at only about half of the those I pinned, but I’ll be visiting them all before I create a list of my top five favorite secondhand stores in Austin (coming soon!)

View Thrifting in Austin in a larger map

A closer look at a local Austin thrift store

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 15:39:39 -0500

A closer look at a local Austin thrift store

Frugal Fashionistas

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:56:00 -0500

These are some of my favorite fashion bloggers who often write about wearing and shopping for thrifted clothing.

Indiana of Adored Austin is always shopping at the local thrift stores and posting about her thrifted treasures. She’s a huge advocate of buying secondhand clothing and recently wrote a post featuring other blogger’s favorite thrifted finds.

Elissa from Dress With Courage writes a Thrifting 101 series (now on Part 26!) that ranges from general information such as Tips for Newbies and How to Wear Vintage & Thrifted Clothing to more specific topics including Thrifting Etiquette and The Best Days to Thrift. If you’re interested in learning more about thrifting, she’s got it all covered.

Sammy from Sammy Davis Vintage is a really interesting blogger who focuses not only on vintage fashion, but on the thriftiest vintage finds. She offers tips on how to navigate thrift stores to find those hidden gems. Her video series, Thrifting the Runway, is really helpful and fun to watch!

Stacy of Goodwill Huntingg is thrifting genius. Her daily outfits are usually inspired by current trends and runway fashion. Instead of buying retail, she scours thrift stores to recreate her own fashionable secondhand version.

*All photos and rights belong to each respective bloogger

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:05:06 -0500

Helpful Austin Thrift Store Guide

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:47:15 -0500

Helpful Austin Thrift Store Guide:

I found this on Hipstercrite, a pretty cool blog based here in Austin. I thought it might be helpful for my fellow thrifters!

How I Thrift

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:06:05 -0500

Shopping for clothing at a thrift store can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done it before. I felt like a chicken with its head cut off the first time I went thrifting. It’s easier now that I have some strategies to navigating the many rows of used clothes. I’d like to share them with you, my thrifty friends, using my most recent trip to Savers as an example.

If it’s your first time shopping at a thrift store, I’d recommend going to a store like Savers because they have everything organized by style and size. Some thrift stores, including the Goodwill closest to the UT campus and the Family Thrift Center in south Austin, don’t have sizes separated, so you have to eyeball your size.

I usually head straight for the women’s dresses because that’s my favorite thing to wear. After dresses, I peruse the skirts, and then blouses. If I’m looking for something specific, say a red blazer, I check that section, too. The most important thing to keep in mind while shopping at thrift store is to stay focused. It’s easy to get discouraged when I notice I’ve only made it halfway down an endless row of clothing.

I go down entire rows, pushing item after item out of the way until I see something that catches my eye. It’s usually the color or pattern that that I’m drawn to first and then I pull it out to further inspect the style and cut of the item. If I can see myself wearing it, I try it on.

I usually end up with a full basket, but that’s the whole point of thrifting. Everything is so cheap, you can buy something that you couldn’t normally afford or even find at the mall. I go into the dressing room a couple of times, depending on how fast my basket becomes full.

Although Saver’s has fitting rooms, many thrift stores don’t. It’s always best to dress in something simple so you can try things on quickly or even over your clothing, if you need to. You don’t want to waste time in the dressing room buttoning up your shirt or buckling your sandals when you could be shopping!

This was the first round of items I tried on. I liked the light grey dress in the middle, but then I took a closer look after I hung it back up.

There was a button missing! I can fix a button, but I didn’t like the dress enough to make the effort. It’s always important to check the buttons, zippers, and seams on clothes before you buy them. It’s really disappointing to get home and realize the item needs a repair.

I usually save the shoes and accessories for last because you don’t need a dressing room to try them on. If I already have a lot of things in my basket, I’ll avoid them just to save money.

By the time I’d been to the dressing room twice and used the many mirrors around the store, I had a pretty good haul. It took me about an hour to end up with these items. Thrifting isn’t easy, but it sure pays off!

The cashier was fast and friendly even though there was a whole line behind me. I signed up for the Super Savers Club Card, which is a free program that gives me access to extra coupons and early sales. I’m a sucker for reward programs.

I only spent $26 for 9 great items! That’s some serious savings. I bought a vest, three blouses, a skirt, a belt and a couple of nightgowns.

It’s important to realize that thrifting takes time, but so does shopping at a mall. Plus, thrifted clothing costs a fraction of what retail clothing costs. If you’re willing to put a little extra effort into digging and seeing an item’s possibilities, thrifting is for you.

How I Re-Wore It

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:10:05 -0500

I went to Saver’s 50% off Labor Day sale last week and found some awesome stuff. These outfits include a few of the items I bought.

This sheer black blouse cost $3. I wore it to class Tuesday with Gap jeans, Montego Bay wedges from Payless, and earrings from Claire’s.

This cream blouse cost $2.50. I wore it to class Thursday with pants from Cream Vintage, a belt from Goodwill, L.e.i shoes from Walmart, and Forever 21 earrings.

This skirt cost $4. I wore it to class and work Friday with an American Apparel t-shirt, a belt from Goodwill, and Payless wedges.

This vest cost $2.50. I wore it to work Sunday with a dress from Target, a Forever 21 necklace, and Payless wedges.

My next post will be about how I personally navigate a thrift store. Whether you’re a thrifting pro or just a newbie, I can offer some advice about successfully shopping for secondhand clothing.

The Closet de Natalie

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:40:00 -0500

The Closet de Natalie:

This is the link to my personal style blog where I post my daily outfits. I’m obsessed with mixing secondhand clothes with “new” clothes, so my style is pretty eclectic. I also work at a local vintage store, Cream Vintage, which is where about a good amount of my clothing (and inspiration!) comes from. I hope you enjoy reading and checking out my outfits!

Watch and listen as I explain why I wear secondhand clothes....

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:13:00 -0500

Watch and listen as I explain why I wear secondhand clothes. This was my first attempt at vlogging, so excuse the lack of technique! You can expect more videos, as well as how-to posts, store and clothing reviews, and everything else related to thrifting.