Is Thrifting Better?

The internet started out as such a fun thing.  It was a quirky little place where you could have fun and meet people or find things that were unusual.  It quickly became a way for everyone to be in everyone else' business and all these strangers seem to think they know what's best for everyone else.  Eesh!  Thrifting seems to be another one of those topics which sparks some pretty intense emotions, especially from people who seem to think that buying second hand gives them a moral advantage over everyone who does not.  

So, here's the deal with thrifted stuff--it really is NOT a MORAL ISSUE.  Like nearly everything else it's not a matter of right or wrong, but merely a matter of each individual weighing out the pros and cons, factoring in their own budget, lifestyle, item availability, goals, and personal beliefs.

1.  It is cheaper.  Yes, when you buy things second hand, they cost a little bit to significantly less.  And it is incredibly fun and satisfying for bargain hunters such as myself to find a beautiful piece at a great price.  The trade off for many things in thrift shops though is that the price is reduced based on how much life they have left in them.   Items that have been worn and well loved may be on their last leg, and it has happened more times than I care to recall that I bought something second hand and it tore or fell apart within just one to two wears, so it was basically wasted money.

2.  Brand names will always cost more.  Yes, even thrifted, brand names tend to cost more.  And, yes, as mentioned above you can score an amazing bargain now and again, so never give up.  However, every time I go into my local thrift shops, I find things with brand name tags on them and hefty price tags to match that are stained, faded, or have holes in them,  I've even found some things that should have been thrown away, but they were still put on the thrift rack and still cost a lot because they're a name brand.  Now and then you can find good bargains, and it never hurts to keep an eye out, just be a savvy shopper and if you wouldn't buy it without the label, don't buy it just because of the label. I mention this because I paid $35 for this Anthropologie red shirt dress thrifted and it arrived from a major thrifting company with all of the above flaws, it is stained, has holes, and is faded in spots.  But, because it's Antro, they sold it and I very stupidly bought it thinking it was just a good price, not in horrible condition.

3.  Someone has to pay full price. Clothes can't just start out in thrift shops so we can all buy second-hand.  While it's wonderful to reuse items of clothing and save landfills from unused fast or slow fashion, the simple matter is that someone out there has to pay full price and then eventually decide to either donate or resell that article of clothing in order for others to get a good thrifty deal because companies can't afford to start out their products at thrift prices and we can't endlessly recycle the current clothing in the world.  So, the idea that we should all be thrifting all the time has some serious logic flaws. 

Personally, I love to combine all forms of shopping to have a wardrobe I love at prices I can afford.  Sometimes I thrift, sometimes I buy new, and sometimes I pay through the nose to support a small batch local brand.  Sometimes I resell my expensive stuff, sometimes I donate.  None of those options make me a good or bad person.  And while I am all for thrifting, there is no such thing as a perfect or one-size-fits-all solution to anything.  Do what works best for you and don't worry too much about the rest.

Outfit Info:  Thrifted Anthro Shirt dress, Samantha Pleet Illuminated Corset,

 flats from Shoe Carnival

Porcelain Options

This adorable little Porcelain Cottage Puff dupe caught my eye and this was one of the rare occasions that there were dupe accessories released in this print as well, so I thought it would be fun as a throwback to my early blogging days to try this dress all three ways in a single post.

So, right off, let me say that this is a very nice dupe.  The colors are nice, it's a good length for this style of dress and it feels like cotton or a cotton blend, not scratchy or plasticky.  I bought a small and it fits like an XS or XXS I would say, so pay attention to the size chart when you buy.

In addition to the dress, I got two different styles of corset belt to go with it.  The corset vest is a slightly different color of blue but appears to be made of similar fabric, while the corset belt is spot on for color but is made of a stretchy spandex-like material.

Wearing the corset vest, you can see a slight color difference, but I actually like it because it creates a little more contrast, and of the two accessories, I think this one is my favorite because it really creates a waist and helps tame those puffy sleeves a little.

Once again, I ordered a size small on this vest and I cannot lace it all the way closed because it is too tight.  I like the open front so that's not a complaint, but be advised that you will likely need to size up for this piece.

This second corset belt arrived first and you can see it being worn in my haul video for this collection, I'll post it at the bottom.  I like it way more than I thought I would and I think it makes the dress much more visually interesting than the dress by itself.  I don't know if the other cottage dupes are this nice, but I love this one and I really hope they come out with these corsets in more prints!  I'll keep you posted if they do!

Shopping Info: Porcelain Corset Belt-$13.05, Porcelain Cottage Puff-$22.51, Porcelain Corset Vest $12.61

Well Orange You Feeling Sunny

Ok, the pun is a little labored, but this is the season of orange after all, so I thought it would be appropriate to wear this citrus-y outfit from the sunflower fields.  I know that right about now the orange hues typically come from leaves and pumpkins, but there's something to be said for thinking outside of but pressed right up against the box.

Have you ever had a piece of clothing that you bought but weren't sure why--This really isn't me, but I just have to have it--and then it ended up being one of your favorite things?  That's how I feel about this orange bustier.  Just saying it, Orange Bustier, it just doesn't sound like something I would love, and yet, I do.  

I love the way it brightens up my outfits.  This color really packs a punch!  And I've enjoyed finding pieces to accompany it to create stand out looks.

Oh my gosh, is she really going to spend this entire post taking about an orange bustier?  Um, yeah, I just might, because it's my blog and I get to do whatever I want.  Yay for blogs!

Ok, so I saw one or two people wearing these big sunhats months and months ago and I just kept thinking, where do I find one of those?!  Finally, thanks to a BST group with a person willing to share where they found their stash, I found one at a really great price and it is definitely going to feature in many, many spring and summer pics next year.  Don't worry, I'll share with you too, just keep scrolling.

This was such a beautiful afternoon in the sunflowers and of all the photos we took there, I think these do it the most justice.  There's something about that orange in this skirt and top that just makes the sunshine a little sunnier.  And that's what good outfits should do.

Shopping Info:  Orange bustier top from FemmeLuxeFinery.co.uk, Skirt From Collectif, Similar Dress from Collectif, Heels from ModCloth, Gemvie Hat from Aliexpress

Snow Storm

Snow Storm 

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o’er the fields,

Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hills and woods, the river and the heaven,

And veils the farm-house at the garden’s end.
The sled and traveller stopped, the courier’s feet

Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed

In a tumultuous privacy of Storm.”

Shopping Info: Blouse and Skirt from: SHEIN, matryoshka purse, hat and heels are old

Quite Comical

It's eaaaaaarly and it's coooooold!  The sun is late in rolling out of bed this time of year, and after a few minutes out in this wind, I'm beginning to think I should have stayed in bed too.

This is the only time I can take photos on this street without it being crowded with people though, so I decided to suck it up and brave the cold.  Yes, that's how much I love you, dear reader.

They say laughter is the best medicine, and over the years I've often found that to be true.  Laughter can mend most wounds and time will heal the rest.  I can't imagine what life would be without laughter.  I laugh every chance I get even if I have to create most of those chances myself, because real life just isn't that comical.

Today's post touches on the comical with this Comic Print mini skirt.  As one of my sewing projects earlier this year, I featured a Comic Print dress in fabric call Sewing Woes.  You can see that project here.  I've never been a huge fan of comic strip prints in general, but certain kinds just catch my attention, like the Sewing Woes fabric.  Nothing has come along since then until I saw this print.  

Truth be told, I own the skirt, the top, and the leggings in this print, and if they come out with anything else, I'll probably buy that too. I love the print and the colors.  The translation isn't perfect, but it certainly is humorous and that makes it all the more endearing with statements like "friends should not eat at home."  Ha! Delightful!

Color, print, texture!  This outfit has it all!  As promised, this is the second outfit with my Corset Top from FemmeLuxe.  The previous outfit featured a long snakeskin print pencil skirt, black heels and pearls. (you can see it here)  All very sophisticated and grown-up.  This time I thought I'd get a little more playful with the print and colors.

Shopping Info: Top from Femmeluxe, Skirt from: SHEIN, Cardigan from ModCloth, Yellow Wedges from ThredUp, use my link to sign up and save $10 off your first order

Comic Print Mini Skirt - $7.00

Leather Tops & Printed Skirts

It's FemmeLuxe week!  This is one of my very favorite times of each month when I get to collaborate with FemmeLuxe on some amazing outfits.  Yesterday we talked about some holiday tips and I'll be bringing you more of those later in the week, but for now I thought we'd press pause on the holiday talk for a day, because it's a little early for holiday overload.  So, today's post features one of my favorite and most used items from FemmeLuxe, corset tops and crop tops!

 

You've heard me sing the praises of crop tops before and I've been writing love posts to animal prints for months now.  I thought it was time I combine my two latest fashion loves into one dynamic outfit, and I'm so excited to show you the results.

I've styled Pu tops in black, burgundy, and snake print, but this Black PU Hook And Eye Scoop Neck Crop Top - Mariah is my first PU top that has a hook front and sleeves.  It's unique from the rest in that way, but it still brings that classic vixen edge to any outfit, which is why I love it so.  For today's post, I'm keeping that diva vibe by pairing this top with a snakeskin print pencil skirt. 

Now, I know what you're thinking, December is typically the time of bulky layers of wool and acrylic not form fitting vinyl crop tops and and pencil skirts.  Hello, Shapewear!  I promised to make a mention of it in the outfits that I used shapewear, so may I present the first.  While the snake print does a wonderful job of hiding some of my trouble zones, the shapewear does the rest.  A little tummy slimming and bummy smoothing never hurt anyone, and if it makes you feel better about yourself then I'm all for it.

 

The Mariah Top looks great right out of the packaging.  No wrinkles to iron, it's just ready to wear.  The front hooks run all the way down, so there's no wiggling to get into it, which is nice since I tend to do my hair and make-up before getting dressed for the day, and I've ruined more than a few meticulously styled hair-dos by not planning to put on a tight pullover afterwards. 

 

The Mariah Top is a crop top, so for the next few outfits  I put together with it, including today's, I'll be wearing it with midi skirts, but I would also recommend high waist jeans.  Maybe I'll try that next, because I also love FemmeLuxe's high waist jeans.  I would also recommend a balconette bra for this top.  A balconette is perfectly hidden with this scoop neck, whereas any other type will probably show at the sides, and you don't want that.  This top is making quite a statement on its own and you want part of that statement to turn into hey, look at how wrong my bra is for this outfit.

There's a reason we shy away from form fitting apparel at this time of year, and I'm not exception to that rule.  Typically I like to stay bikini ready year round rather than perpetually be in a state of “trying to get back into shape,” but this year, the workouts just aren't happening, but the invitations to places where they'll be serving delicious meals seem to be pouring in.  That's ok, I'm not one to shy away from rich home cooked food.  I'm going to enjoy my curvier body this winter and show off my shape a little.  That's why I love FemmeLuxe.  With their Satin Dresses and Co-Ords I always feel confident, not matter what the numbers on the scale say.

For accents, I've really been sticking with my pearl strands lately.  I just love the classic elegance they bring to any outfit.  Pearls are the LBD of jewelry, you can never go wrong wearing them.  Ankle strap heels however, aren't for every outfit,  They work best with taller girls and shorter hemlines as they can tend to make short girls look even shorter, so wear them with a touch of caution, but I do think they bring a classic elegance to this particular style.

Next week I'll be bringing you pics of this Mariah top with a different printed skirt and it promises to much more comical.  (hint, hint)  I can't wait for you to see, so join me right back here next week for that outfit.

 

Shopping Info: Top from FemmeLuxeFinery.co.uk, Skirt from: SHEIN, heels are old

Smooth Moves: Easing in to Snake Prints

If you've been popping by to read the blog over the last two weeks, you may have noticed that I have been on kind of a kick lately with snake prints.   When I get excited about something I am very unapologetic about the fact that I want to share, and I'm so glad that I have this blog and readers like you with whom to share all the beautiful things I discover and all the tips I find or create on how to wear them. I'm also glad I have a place like FemmeLuxeFinery that makes it so easy to find beautiful things. 

As promised from my previous snake skin post, this will be the piece de resistance in my the series, but it won't be my last post on this subject.  I've got at least one more outfit in mind for this particular Animal Snake Print PU Corset Top - Amy, because I find corset tops to be quite versatile in creating unique looks.  So check back with me in the coming weeks for the next great outfit I put together with this top. 

My last two outfit posts on this subject, which you can see here and here, involved how to wear and accessorize a head to toe snake skin print.  This outfit post is about using it as a coordinate rather than a full body print.  Snake skin prints are a hot fashion trend right now, but that's not the only reason I've become so enamored.  

You know I have a long standing  crush on novelty prints and while I haven't decided to give them up, there are times when I need something with just as much snap as a novelty print but in a more mature way.    Snake prints are just that classy grown-up counter part to the girlishness of novelty prints.  Not to mention they are so easy to style.

When out shopping with family and friends I often hear from them the same lament about not knowing what to do with prints and finding it too overwhelming to even try something new.  Perhaps some of you shy violets out there may be uncomfortable with prints too and if that's the case snake skin is a great place to start.  

As discussed in previous posts, but it's so important so it bears repeating, snake skin has a camouflaging effect on trouble spots and because it typically comes in neutral shades like black brown and gray like this black and white Animal Snake Print PU Corset Top - Amy from FemmeLuxe it goes great with any solid color. 

Maybe you're not shy with prints you just feel the need to start smaller and keep it simple when trying something new.  Instead of a head to toe print, start ultra small with a skinny belt, a scarf, or some heels or take a slightly larger leap of faith with a blouse or skirt.  Whatever you're looking for whether it's a full dress or just a top or small purse FemmeLuxeFinery has some amazing snake prints.

I'm such a fan of their corset tops that when I saw this Amy Top I  fell for it instantly.   This Amy corset top is a great example of something small for testing the water on snake skin prints.  It is cropped to fall at the narrowest part of the waist and I chose a solid black midi pencil skirt that is an inch or two higher then the hem of the top so that I can tuck it in nicely.  I also went with solid black because the contrast created between print top and solid skirt at this part of the waist highlight those feminine curves in just the right way. 

Of course, bare shoulders create an elegant look evening, but for daytime wear, especially in a chilly, air conditioned office, I think it looks very nice and, of course, work appropriate to add a crop cardigan.  Notice that the cardigan hem lines up with the waist of the skirt.  The cardigan is also very form fitting to create a sleek silhouette.  You don't want to ruin this look with a bulky, bunchy sweater.  For accessories, I always say you can't go wrong with pearls, but some chunky cocktail jewelry would also look lovely. 

If you're shy of adding color, no need to worry with this outfit because absolutely anything goes perfectly here, the brighter the better.  I added a warm red-orange bag and matching lip color to finish the outfit.  Et Voila!  A snake skin print coordinate outfit that's great for day or night, the office or the after party.  

Shopping Info: Animal Snake Print PU Corset Top - Amy from: FemmeLuxeFinery, cardigan from ModCloth, Pencil skirt from Express, necklace from Forever XXI