Ashley tends to buy expensive pre-styled outfits that don’t yield much versatility. At our recent style session at the Goodwill in Lakemore, she was hoping to learn a few new thrifting tricks that will help her find affordable pieces that could pair easily with multiple outfits. Being a new mom, I sought out comfortable yet stylish pieces that Ashley can pair with her personal wardrobe.
One of the first things I shoot for when styling an outfit for someone are the blazers. As I’ve mentioned many times before in my style sessions, blazers are a key piece to elevate a casual look. I found a Cynthia Rowley gray blazer with orange trim for Ashley to wear with t-shirts and light sweaters that will translate well for three seasons; winter, spring, and fall. Cynthia Rowley blazers retail for about $100 and we scored one for $6.
Another one of my favorite finds was a burnt orange knit blazer and a pair of brand new fringed booties for $11 that Ashley can wear with rolled up skinny jeans.
Ashley was surprised when we found a summery maxi dress in the middle of January. Fun fact: you can shop off-season clothing at Goodwill all year round!
Something really important happened during our style session: certain pieces didn’t fit.The thing that’s unique about thrift stores is that there’s usually one of everything so if something doesn’t fit, you can’t just ask a sales associate to grab another size for you like you would at a regular retail store. The reality is that this happens sometimes, but you can’t let it discourage you from giving thrifting a second chance. These little hurdles presented really great inspirational opportunities. For example, when an Ann Taylor cropped snowflake sweater paired with a Madewell polka dot button down proved to be a little snug, Ashley was able to think of ways to style similar pieces that she already owned by pairing a chambray shirt with a printed sweater; something she hadn’t really thought of before.
Ashley indicated that she wouldn’t know where to start looking had she arrived at Goodwill alone with the intentions to shop for herself. I told her to first consider what she’s shopping for and start there. Then simply ask a sales associate upon arriving and they will direct you to where you need to be.
Ashley set a budget of $50 and only spent $48 after in-store discounts and a 20% coupon she received after making a donation.
Here’s a breakdown of all of Ashley’s thrifty finds:
1 jacket
2 blazers
2 pairs of shoes
1 scarf
1 sweater
1 blouse
1 tank
1 maxi dress
Happy Thrifting!
Facebook: Dina’s Days
Instagram: DinasDays
Twitter: DinasDays
Pinterest: DinasDays