A Plaid Thanksgiving Recap and Contest Winners!

A PLAID THANKSGIVING RECAP...

And contest winers!

Outfit Details: 100% thrifted vintage blouse, plaid blazer, fitted jean and Nine West red suede Platform heels. Vintage rhinestone earrings and clutch as well. (Hope's Outlet, Goodwill in Grand Haven, Mi)

Hope everyone has had a peaceful and wonderful holiday weekend thus far! I've enjoyed mine and was lucky enough to spend it with some dear friends (pics below!). We got into a little bit of plaid spirit this year! (Oh, who am I kidding? I'm always in the spirit for plaid. Check out my Love Plaid Pinterest board here!). 

The food was yummy and plentiful!  I brought the old staple: deviled eggs, with a small twist--original deviled eggs garnished with fresh basil, dijon with fresh dill, and curried/red pepper with red onion! They were pretty tasty if I do say so myself. ;)

Also, I'd like to congratulate Rebecca Perkins on winning our Thrift Trick Makeover Giveaway contest!!! Stay tuned for updates in blogs to come before our fashion show event...and don't forget to check out the Thrift Trick FB page so you can stay updated on news for this amazing event on December 8th, 2012!

     

Please don't forget if you are in the Grand Haven/Muskegon/Ferrysburg/Spring Lake/Grand Rapids Michigan area, I'm available for portraiture of all kinds! Check out Pineapple Chantal Photography on Facebook for rates and my portfolio!

Build me up...Buttercup and snakeskin!

BUTTERCUP, GOLD AND SNAKESKIN

I wore this outfit on Friday night (hence the indoor night time pictures!) and there's something I just LOVE about the color and texture palette, so had to share some inspiration with you all! The pattern below is from a thrifted and vintage blouse I was wearing with a buttercup vintage and thrifted cardigan as well. The dark fitted jeans are Merona and were a new purchase a few years ago, and the 5 inch snakeskin heels with gold are Guess...another new purchase recently from T.J. Maxx. (Mommy bought them for me! Haha!)

Are you as much in love with this combo as I am? What can you build in your own closet that fits this color and texture scheme?

Don't forget--if you're the type who struggles with the age old question of "what to wear"...I'm giving away a shopping consultation, free makeover AND a free thrifted outfit as a precursor to the official Thrift Trick Fashion Show and Clothing Drive! Check the linked blog post and the Thrift Trick Facebook page for more info!

Golden Nuggets: What I've learned from a lifetime of thrifting

PSSSSSST.....the entire outfit above (from head to toe) was thrifted for about ten dollars.

GOLDEN NUGGETS: What I've learned from a lifetime of thrifting...

Jesus lacquered on to wood slabs…murderous porcelain clowns…three hundred dollar designer hand bags and tons of fabulous dresses….these are amongst the treasures too numerous to recant that I have encountered in a lifetime of thrifting!

I’ve loved it all; from housewares to shoes.  In my twenties, I was notoriously kitschy—ridiculous vintage prints, wacky posters, shirts with howling wolves. (Wait—that sounds like me in my thirties?) Well, it’s true. I’m still drawn to the fascinating entertainment value of goofy paintings and loud prints. I have, however, gotten much smarter about my thrifting as I’ve matured, and today I’d like to share some of those lessons with you!

·     Try it on. Admittedly—I almost NEVER do this with dresses, because I just KNOW when they will/won’t fit me. That said, when it comes to shirts, blazers, pants or shoes, it absolutely makes NO sense not to try it on before buying. Nearly every thrift store I’ve ever been to has a dressing room. Don’t be a wuss. Just do it. Three dollars wasted, even if it is ONLY three dollar wasted, is…well, three dollars wasted.

·       Take time to dig. It’s why I find good stuff. People ask me all the time, “HOW did you find that? UGH! I want to come shopping with you!” “Well,” I tell them, “Come along next Saturday and wear comfortable shoes. Eat a turkey sandwich beforehand and make sure you grab a strong cup of coffee on the way.” J  Perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit, but FREQUENT and THOROUGH perusing is exactly how I find my items.

·        Don’t be afraid of a little grunge. Sometimes I hear my friends say that they don’t care for stores that seem unorganized or dirty (this happens in the thrift world quite often). I get it…I love things to be clean and aesthetically pleasing as well. Yet, I’ve grown to appreciate the smell of a little grungy rummage shop because what I smell when I enter is a DEAL. Pretty=markup on prices. Deal with it!

·         Junk for Jesus. I’m actually not kidding! Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, mission thrifts like St. Vincent De Paul’s, Rescue Mission shops and ministry thrift stores are historically cheaper than corporate or independently owned shops. Also, they are most likely not for profit and their proceeds will go to noble causes like feeding those in need, etc.

·         If it’s broken, leave it behind. If I had a nickel for every broken item or artifact in disrepair I’ve “rescued” over the years…I could have paid for the garbage bags I’ve used clearing them out of my house. Unless it’s an item with patina or character that you love and will immediately find a niche on display at your home…leave it. You’ll never get around to fixing it. Trust me—I know.

·         Talk to people. Talk to cashiers and other folks who are thrifting/hunting to find out where their favorite digging spots are. You will uncover some valuable insight, I promise!

·         Ask about deals and don’t be afraid to negotiate. Learn to dicker and deal. Unless it is a corporation (and even then you can sometimes negotiate), a little haggling can go a long way.  My favorite spots usually have great prices…but when I see imperfections or an opportunity to reduce the price further, I take it! Gather your guts and make a deal…you’ll feel all powerful and smart afterwards!

·         Ask when new items are put out. Many employees will let you know how their inner system works (“We usually put new clothes out on Tuesdays”, etc.)

·         DO be a "brand whore". I won't often pay much for brand new things because, well...I'm cheap. However, I'm no fool. I fully understand the difference between a quality tailored jacket and a mass produced rag.  Do get to know quality brands and look for them. I own Vera Wang, Kate Spade, Coach, Micheal Kors, etc....because I thrifted carefully for those items. And I paid pennies.

·        Bring your pictures, check your Pinterest boards, mark your wish lists. Perusing secondhand with no goals is fun and a great way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon! However, if you are serious about building a great collection of any kind (particularly a wardrobe) go thrifting with GOALS in mind. Example: “I’m looking for a black blazer, short skirt with print, and a pair of nude heels”.  My thrift shopping experience got much smarter when I limited most of my purchases to “wish list” items. Otherwise, I found that I was notorious for coming home with repeat items that I ALREADY HAD IN MY CLOSET. Oh—you’re nodding your head now, right? Mmmhmmm.

Hope you've found these thrifting tips helpful! Don’t forget that if you live in the West Michigan area and you’d like a personal shopping trip and consultation, I’m giving one away with a makeoverand other prizes as a precursor to the awesome Thrift Trick Fashion Show and Clothes Drive in Muskegon, Michigan on December 8th, 2012!

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…

Tuck it in!

TUCK IT IN!

I was inspired by this month's issue of Lucky Magazine! I love tucking my blouses into a high waisted skirt, but I was reminded to try this look with a sweater in the December 2012 issue. (See the actual look below!) In honor of Britney Spears gracing the cover I decided to throw in a little "Oops I did it again" with some plaid school girl charm! HAHAHA! Oh, Britney. You're not my favorite. Not my favorite.

The owl necklace strikes again! It's a fall staple for me and it's 

graced the blog so many times.

What do you think? Will you try the sweater skirt tuck? DO IT! DO IT!

Check out this "20 Slimming Sweaters" Glamour feature--extra points for cute collars!

In other news...the fashion show is coming along! Don't forget to stop by our official event page on Facebook! Make sure you stay with me to find out about the SUPER EXCITING GIVEAWAY I'll be doing before the show...it's going to be an amazing prize!

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!