Dark Floral for Spring: Thrifted Outfit

DARK FLORAL FOR SPRING:
Thrifted Outfit

Spring has finally arrived in West Michigan. Life has been crazy here; beyond the ever-warming temperatures and budding trees, planning for a wedding, full-time work and full-time college(plus preparation for upcoming speaking engagements and appearances) has definitely hindered my blogging frequency. 

If you've been following Thrift Trick, you know that I've also been preparing for my re-branding (behind schedule, of course)! No matter the chaos, I'm still predictable in my fashion patterns: I always get down with the dark floral in spring. (See this old post, and this one!)

This outfit is 100% thrifted. I feel good about that because I know that, by buying secondhand, I am reducing waste, and also helping to pad funds for wonderful causes such as the rescue mission in Holland!

Dress: Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift, Grand Haven

Jean Jacket: Hope's Outlet, Grand Haven

Purse: Dibs on Resale, Muskegon

Boots: Goodwill, Grand Haven

      

Animal Tendencies: $2 shirt

ANIMAL TENDENCIES: $2 shirt

Oh, HELLO! It's been a while since my last post! Make no mistakes, I've been squandering money at the thrift store left and right (I keed, I keed)...but yes...life has been full of change, business, and work! Also, there have been beach days...lazy, lazy beach days. For me, actually being able to "turn off" my brain and completely relax on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan is a wonderful luxury. As a person who struggles with sitting on the couch long enough to make it through a 30 minute sitcom, finding a little "zen" in my day can be next to impossible. Therefore, as this summer blazes by, I've been taking advantage of any spare time I have with wonderful, indulgent sunning by the lake with my friends, family and boyfriend. And life is good.

What have you been up to?

As the title suggests, I picked up this little knit leopard print turtleneck shirt for $2 at Hope's Outlet on Saturday, along with some other neat finds. I promise to make more of an effort to share my thrifting gems with you. I feel as though I've missed a thousand blog opportunities with all of the cool items I've bought secondhand this year, and they deserve to be brought to light!

Before that happens though, I have both a guerrilla fashion tutorial and a DIY coming this week! Stay tuned!

OUTFIT DETAILS: 100% thrifted

You've been "Thrift Tricked!" : An InStyle Red Blazer outfit recreated with secondhand clothes!

You've been "Thrift Tricked!" : An InStyle Red Blazer outfit recreated with secondhand clothes!

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I’ve blogged before about my little style book. It’s the binder that I keep (actually, I have several) of magazine clippings of clothes, printed Pinterest outfits, and any fashion inspiration that is worth saving from magazines.  Almost daily, I pull it out and browse through for inspiration on what to wear the next day, be it casual or professional. It never ceases to motivate me! I'm going to show you what's inside and how I organize my thoughts in the next week or so--stay tuned for that!

For a while now, this great red blazer outfit (a feature in my style book) has been catching my eye, but there was one problem—I didn’t have the jacket! Until last week, that is. I was lucky enough to have thrifted this light Pendleton fitted blazer for two dollars at Hope’s Outlet on Sherman Avenue in Muskegon, Michigan!

A blazer outfit might seem a touch heavy for summer fashion, but actually, the chambray shirt and light fabric of the jacket made it quite weather appropriate, especially if you consider that up until this last week, much of Michigan was still struggling to break 60 degree weather! For those of us working in cooler office environments, a light blazer is not only something to stave off chilly arms, but also the perfect solution to dressing up jeans for a casual Friday.

The BEST part about this outfit is the $986 I saved thrifting it. You heard me right—the InStyle version of this outfit was actually a little OVER $1000, and my version was done 100% thrifted for $14. Not bad…not bad at all. 

If you want to know the truth, I think I knocked this one out of the park!

ELEMENTS:

Red Blazer (thrifted at Hope’s Outlet for $2)

Chambray dress shirt (thrifted at Hope’s Outlet for $2)

Jeans (thrifted for $3 at Goodwill)

Nude peep toe heels (thrifted for $4 at Goodwill)

Wrist watch ($1 at Hope’s Outlet)

Vintage ring ($1 at Hope’s Outlet)

Blue vintage clutch ($1 at Hope’s Outlet)

Multi-strand Necklace: (Freebie! I "DIY"d this a few years ago, check out the post here!)

FASHION TIP: As you can see from the original photo above, I did a NUDE heel rather than a leopard print heel.  There were a few reasons for this. Namely, though I do own some leopard print wedge sandals, I did not have a leopard heel (but it’s something that’s really on my thrift wish list right now).

Also, I felt that this outfit looked more polished with heels rather than a high heeled sandal.

Additionally, it’s always good to remember that you can exchange and match nudes with colors/accessories/elements the same way you would with animal print and vice versa. Where nude goes, so does animal print. Try this trick in your wardrobe to spice things up a bit if you are a fan of nude, and if you’re a fan of animal print, the reverse could bring a little needed change into your daily ensemble!

A LITTLE ON MY HAIR: To get this look, I actually put my hair in soft rubber rollers the night before, mostly dry. I used Clairol "Lock and Roll"...remember those?  They are actually some of my favorite, but honestly--not the most comfortable to snooze in. ;)

Once my curls had set over night, I took them out, seperated them gently with my fingers, parted my hair on the side and pinned it hair back into this very messy twist with a multitude of bobby pins! This look really doesn't work without the unique volume of curler set hair!

What shall I wear?

WHAT SHALL I WEAR?

I've been so wrapped up in preparing all the models and details for the Thrift Trick Fashion Show that I haven't even given one thought to what I'M going to wear for the event! EEK!

I have a Facebook poll going at the moment...pop over and give me your opinion!

I hope to see lots of new faces at Watermark 920 (920 Washington Ave) in Muskegon, MI on December 8th! The doors open at 7 and admission is FREE if you donate clothes to a Hope's Outlet location OR bring a donation right to the door!

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AT THE EVENT? Here are some highlights:

--Event is all ages (kids 13 & under are free)

--Cash bar for cocktails and catering from Fatty Lumpkins (yum) sandwiches and hors d'ouvres

--Runway sets with models in great thrifted outfits

--Interactive Expo Displays

--$1.49 clothing racks to shop!

--All table decor is for sale!

--We are also raffling off a personal shopping trip with yours truly and a free outfit from Hope's Outlet!

All proceeds from the event go to our sponsor Hope's Outlet Ministries, a 501c3 not for profit organization that does SO much good for the Muskegon and Grand Haven area!!!  Cash proceeds from the event will go directly to the Hope's Outlet Christmas Giving tree, which provides direct assistance to families in need this holiday season.

I will also be talking and presenting some fun information for you in an interactive way. I'm looking forward to meeting you and talking with you...hope to see you there!

Growing Up Thrifted: An interview with Ann Tabor

GROWING UP THRIFTED:

An interview with Ann Tabor

Since her teenage years, Ann Tabor's parents (Tim and Kathy Tabor of Hope's Outlet) have owned a thrift store. As you likely may know from my blog, Hope's is one of my very favorite local thrift stores and also the sponsor for the Thrift Trick Fashion Show and Clothing Drive! Beyond having quite the eye for fashion herself and working hard as a full time senior student of the nursing program at GVSU, Ann is also a model for the fashion show. Recently, when Ann stopped over with some items for me to alter with my sewing machine, I nabbed the opportunity for a quick interview. I thought my readers might enjoy hearing Ann's thoughts on "growing up thrifted" and how that has inspired her fashion sense and life in general. Read on below to hear all about it!

Did you "rebel" against the idea of thrift store shopping because your parents owned a thrift store?

Ann: "It's kind of weird. Before we owned a thrift store, I was literally embarrassed to go into them. And there were times in my life when I had to--it was what we could afford! But once we OWNED them, I thought--"OK, I get why people do this". I guess I felt relieved because I had an excuse to be there. Then when I was 15 or 16 I went the total opposite of how I had felt before. I went kind of crazy--I was really into the vintage and weird. I had this big vintage yellow skirt with huge red ladybugs on it. I wore a red shirt and crazy big beads with it. I've toned it down now to just a few crazy pieces."

What was the craziest thing you've ever seen donated to Hope's Outlet?

Ann: "Outside of cool vintage pieces, we've had people donate BOATS. A straight up speedboat. Even broken down cars."

Do you feel that growing up around thrifted clothes has helped to develop your sense of fashion and style?

Ann: "I think it has! It's exposed me to all kinds of crazy wardrobe options--and it's allowed me to experiment with things. What amount of vintage can I handle? I also appreciate the nice Gap clothes that come in. WOW-bargain. I began to appreciate ugly hipster sweaters and the right mix of crazy." (Laughs all around).

What is your typical "go-to" outfit?

Ann: "Skinny jeans and a flowy top. It could be cotton or lace or tie-up. Generally just skinny jeans with some interesting top! And flats. I'm not usually too creative with my hair. If it's not in a ponytail, it's down. " 

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For the record, despite proclaiming non-creativity with her hair, Ann's red locks are pretty stunning! Thank you, Ann, for taking the time to answer my questions for the blog. And for your participation in the fashion show!

See Ann rocking some great looks on December 8th at Watermark 920 in Muskegon at the Thrift Trick Fashion Show and Clothing Drive! Remember, you can get free tickets at any Hope's Outlet just by bringing in a clothing donation. They will also be available for sale at the event.

Thrift Trick Makeover Giveaway! And a 2 second DIY tie belt!

THRIFT TRICK is giving away a MAKEOVER!!!

It’s so exciting! In honor of our up and coming fashion show on December 8^th, 2012 at Watermark 920 in Muskegon, I’m giving away a style makeover!

Together with our sponsor Hope’s Outlet and our lead cosmetologist and hair stylist for the show, Miss Cecelia Hughes, we are providing one lucky winner with the following prize package! It includes:

n   A guided shopping experience, consultation and free outfit! Our winner will receive a one-on-one THRIFT shopping session at one of three Hope’s Outlet locations and also ONE FREE OUTFIT! During this time we will learn about flattering items, dressing best for your figure and also tips on how to score the best thrifted items for your money!

n   A makeup and hair styling Our winner will also receive a haircut, hair and makeup styling and learn some new beauty tips and tricks.

n   A personal style shoot and a guest appearance in “Thrift Trick”! Receive a professional photography session and a guest appearance in the blog at www.ThriftTrick.com!

n   Be a guest of honor at our event! Last but not least, our winner will be a guest of honor and receive a free ticket to the fashion show event!

HERE’s HOW TO WIN!

1.    You must be an active attendant on the guest list at our official     event page. Click here to view the event and RSVP!

         https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/404557269613353/?fref=ts

2.    Become a fan of the Thrift Trick Facebook page at:

http://www.Facebook.com/ThriftTrick

3.    Leave a comment on the Facebook page letting me know why you’d like to be the contest winner!

Good luck to everyone…our winner will be selected at random on Tuesday, November 20^th, 2012 and must come to the Muskegon/Grand Haven area on an agreed upon date to recieve the prize! Can’t wait to meet our future winner…

NOW, ON TO THE 2 SECOND BELT DIY…

I love the bow belt look. Admittedly, a DIY leather bow belt is really no big deal; they are so easy to make! However, if you are even LAZIER than that, and want a quick fix, AND if you are tired of your old traditional belts lying around…well, this two second thrifted DIY is right up your alley!

WHAT I DID:

I scored a light pleather belt with a buckle for 50 cents at a thrift store! I simply snipped the buckle off and tied it around my waist instead!

The effect was a “bowish” knot, and it looked really cute over my sweater/vintage shift dress as well as my coat, which is getting TOO BIG for me…like all of my clothes!

Why not try “tying” some of your belts instead? I prefer this look with a trench.  A softer pleather belt provides the perfect “structure” in terms of holding you “in”, yet ties and knots well. 

Give it a shot!

By the way… At the moment, I am very busy organizing our fashion show details, but as soon as the event passes, I will be organizing a dress sale to clean out my closet from some of the items that are no longer fitting me! Stay tuned…

When the cat's away...

Josh, a volunteer model for the fashion show event, shops for an outfit after hours at Hope's Outlet on Washington Ave in Grand Haven, Michigan!

...THE MICE DO PLAY!

Wow, October has been tremendously stressful and busy. I've barely been blogging as I prepare for the fashion show in December! I'm craving an outfit shoot and just random fashion/thrift ranting in general, but I will likely continue a once or twice a week blogging entry habit as the show approaches and I have a tremendous amount of preparing to do!

CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL FASHION SHOW EVENT PAGE (It's Saturday, December 8th at Watermark 920 in Muskegon, Mi) here:

THRIFT TRICK FASHION SHOW OFFICIAL EVENT PAGE

Also remember that you can receive a FREE ticket for the event simply by making a clothes donation to Hope's Outlet in one of three locations! Visit the Hope's Facebook page for address details.  Make sure to ask for a ticket if you are interested--they have arrived!

In the mean time, enjoy these after hours pics from Hope's Outlet in Grand Haven, Michigan! (That's my wild little red head riding a scooter around the clothing racks...thanks to owner Kathy Tabor for allowing him the privelage of being so entertained during our fitting session!)

Size 14 black leather pants from GAP...

wish they weren't too big for me! 

SEE YOU SOON!

16 ways...Scarf Tutorial #9... "Scarf" Your Sunglasses

PRETTY & PRACTICAL

That’s what I think about this vintage scarf tutorial (#9 in my 16 ways—see them all on Pinterest here!). Of course, you could tie a vintage scarf around your bag to add a pretty pop of color any time, but why not wrap your sunglasses (you know, the ones that are rolling around in the bottom of your purse, without a case, getting scratched and smeared in lip gloss?) in it and do a “double duty”? That’s what I’m saying! Try it out!

This last photo just for fun...look closely to the left and you'll see me taking a picture in the reflection of the glasses! But don't look to closely...I'm in my pajamas with no makeup on. LOL!

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As usual, you can stop by any three Hope's Outlet thrift stores in Muskegon or Grand Haven to pick up a few FREE scarf prizes! Just mention the blog and choose from the stash!

Hope's Outlet Thrift Stores are located at:

2424 Glade St., Muskegon, MI 49444

1974 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon, MI 49444

1100 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Find Hope's Outlet on Facebook!

The Right Side of the Tracks

The Right Side of the Tracks

Ahh, the cliché splendor of the railroad tracks. But, you know, they still evoke that contemplative feeling. Standing on them at almost sunset to snap these pictures rendered me peaceful and pensive. Not a soul was in sight; the weather was perfect.

The outfit (much of which is thrifted, of course!)

--Gap vest (a gift) shown here and here

-My great grandmother's vintage bracelet shown here

-Owl pendant shown here

I was happy to bust out my Chuck Taylor high tops. You absolutely must, on occasion. The gold clutch you see is from the 1950s and was 25 cents at a yard sale. The best part was the backstory; the woman who sold it to me claimed her grandmother wore the clutch on her 50th anniversary dinner with her grandfather. :)

Finally—it’s a picture of me smiling with my teeth! I know, it’s weird next to all of the closed mouth smiling I’ve been doing. If you are a regular reader of my blog than you likely may know that stepping in front of the camera to put together outfits has helped me deal with some of the body image issues I have; constantly struggling (to no avail) to change my shape and size. Though I’m moving to a healthier place with all of that mumbo-jumbo, it’s no secret to those who know me in real life know that I SHOULD have had braces as a child. Alas, my family couldn’t afford it at the time, and my crooked smile was always something I wished I could change about myself.

I’m never ashamed of my smile in person—I love smiling. But for some reason, seeing the crooked eye teeth in my grin in photos was a little too much for me. I’ve since decided that I’m coming clean and I plan to throw at least a few of my imperfect smiles in each week…

Dress up a hat with a vintage scarf, or a scarf and a pin!

This hat, a white straw trilby hat, was ONE DOLLAR, from Dollar Tree. I purchased it, along with an identical navy blue one, last month! To make it extra special, I took a lovely gold vintage scarf from Hope’s Outlet and wrapped it around the base, tying it into a knot and then pinning the loose ends with a vintage gold pin. I love the way this turned out.

In fact, I love it so much that I’m a little sad to see this golden scarf with beautiful floral embroidery go. If you don’t pick it up from the Hope’s Outlet located on Glade St. in Muskegon this week, I may come back to fetch it myself!

Get the scarf for yourself at the Glade St. Hope's Outlet location, as early as Saturday by 2 p.m.!

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Hope's Outlet Thrift Stores are located at:

2424 Glade St., Muskegon, MI 49444

1974 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon, MI 49444

1100 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Find Hope's Outlet on Facebook!

16 Ways Scarf Tutorial #2: Left My Heart At Ludington Beach

I left my heart at Ludington beach...

Not the adorable and delicate vintage pewter heart locket my mother gave me--that would have been a tragedy! No, I left my heart in spirit on the beautiful calm waters of Lake Michigan at Ludington's downtown beach, the place where I grew up and still return to visit with lifetime friends and family. I feel recharged when I'm there--despite spending so many afternoons planning my escape as a teenager. I visited yesterday to see a dear friend of mine for her 2nd baby's shower, and couldn't resist snapping some sunset beach pics on what I consider to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I don't always wear pink, but on occasion I am drawn to it. Do you have a long scarf that you can "play along" with today? If not...remember you can win this scarf at the Grand Haven Hope's outlet on Washington Ave in Grand Haven, MI--it is there at this very moment! All you have to do is tell them Thrift Trick sent you, for tutorial 2!

The outfit was centered around a fun (SUPER EIGHTIES!) neon pink, blue, black and white blazer that I bought for mere cents at St. Vincent DePaul's in Muskegon. I paired it with tight black pants, a cowel necked black shirt, these black Micheal Kors heels (a consignment item I recently bought and LOVE), and of course...a fun scarf!

Normally I'm not so much a bow person, either--imagine that, pink AND bows today!--but it felt right with this outfit. It pulled things together and if you are a little bit on the heavier side, a bow or belt underneath the blazer and worn high can accentuate and flatter the parts you'd like to draw attention to--like a smaller waist! I preferred the way that the scarf looked tied UNDER as opposed to tying it OVER the blazer; but you can experiment.

Not digging bows at the moment?

Try it cumber bun style--check out this fun tutorial from Do it Yourself!

Don't worry--I didn't leave the scarf

on the beach.

Even though I left my heart, I remembered to grab the long, sheer pink accessory so that I could give it away to you!

Be the first to win!

in Grand Haven, MI at Hope's Outlet and win it for yourself.

I'd love to see the outfit you pair it with on my Facebook page!

Cheers and thanks so much for reading.

Enjoy this beautiful spring day, wherever you are!

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Hope's Outlet Thrift Stores are located at:

2424 Glade St., Muskegon, MI 49444

1974 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon, MI 49444

1100 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Find Hope's Outlet on Facebook!