Totally Thrifted

A few kind friends at church complimented me on my outfit last Sunday.  One even asked where I purchased my clothes.  I admitted without a trace of self consciousness that I am a second hand stylist, it may even be obvious from the photo below.

This wool Ralph Lauren dress was picked up at a thrift store for $4 on my birthday date with Paul.  I don't care so much for designer labels except for the fact it guarantees lasting quality.  Originally the dress was a little bit big and since I wasn't up for extensive altering I threw it through a warm wash cycle.  It now fits perfect with the exception of the hem length, but I added a little ruffle to the bottom of the lining to compensate for that.

  

The blouse was picked up at a garage sale in Salt Lake City a few years ago.  It was $0.25 and constructed entirely by hand!  You can see where the lace is fraying along the collar, this piece will be worth mending over and over because I love both the fit and the style. Who knows the days' it has seen before my many wears.

This bracelet was also from a Salt Lake City garage sale.  The woman selling it said she bought it in Greece many years ago, she sold it to me for $5.

And now the shoes, these were picked up just last Saturday.  I earned a trip to Salvation Army after cleaning out all the closets and dropping off six bags of clothing.  

Without even reading the designer label I couldn't resist these - they were $10 and fit me perfectly so in the cart they went.  When I got home I noticed the Made in Spain label and a closer look led me to Rosina Ferragamo, I thought, oh Ferragamo knock offs.  But further research led me to learn Salvatore Ferragamo had a sister named Rosina who also designed shoes from the 60's to 80's.  I love vintage shoes because they have already stood the test of time, unlike other modern shoes (no offense Target) that seem to fall apart with in just a few wears.

Again, what I love about second hand style is the stories both gathered or imagined.  It is kind of like dressing in a costume that takes you to different countries and time periods.  It is so much more romantic that shuffling through a loud and sterile mall.  

Here's what else was picked up last Saturday - just for fun, international soccer T's.  William and Henry helped me pick them out.

My children actually love accompanying me on my thrift store adventures, maybe because I'm sure to at least pick them up a $0.30 book that they can read while I sift.  On one of our trips Henry picked out these pants, he calls them his "starfish pants".  He loves to wear them and I love that they were handmade.

Here is another pair of vintage boots I recently picked up for just $1.75.  They may not be designer but they do say "Made in Canada" and the shearling lining is still soft and warm.  They spoke to me so that is why I bought them.  I'll admit though, I've only worn them twice.

And if I don't wear these boots (or any of the above items) again in the next couple of months and they still have wear left in them, I'll be sure to pass them on.  Quite possibly to the same thrift store they were purchased from.