8 Last Minute Thrift Gifts plus SPECIAL printable tags!

For the fashionista: a vintage clutch and matching gloves won't miss. 
Add a current copy of Vogue, rolled and tied with a fancy velvet bow!

LAST MINUTE THRIFT GIFTS

AHHHHH!  There is only one more shopping day until Christmas. 
Are you in a pinch and out of ideas...or possibly, money?

Try these thrift gift ideas for a unique combo! Don't be afraid or embarrassed to tell the recipient of your gift about your statement in giving upcycled, vintage and thrifted gifts; not only is it eco-conscious, but it's also fun. Previously owned items have history and personality. Use that to your advantage and learn a little bit, if possible, about the item's history, or even more fun...make one up!

BONUS: I've included some gift tag printables for you below to make your gift even MORE special as a vintage or secondhand item! See this link and image below and click the pdf to print tags you can add to your packaging for that extra special touch. 

1. Give a sweater (or two). They are abundant at thrift stores everywhere, like this nice collection hanging at Lakeshore Rescue Mission thrift in Holland, MI on Riley street! Notice that several of the sweaters still have department store tags on them? If you like to mix and match new and old, pair a sweater with a coordinating necklace and earring set to complete your gift. If a PRETTY sweater isn't your thing, what about a HIDEOUS one? Everyone loves a good "ugly" sweater party...give your friend or family member a leg up on their ridiculous getup for a holiday soiree and gift them something goofy!

2. Give a nutcracker. I love vintage nutcrackers and pondering over their history; who owned them, where they were displayed, etc. It's especially fun when they are out of the ordinary, like this little golfing fellow above. Why not give a collection? At a dollar or two a piece (like these ones spotted at the Chicago drive location for LRMT), you can afford to toss a few extra into the box. Combine with some fresh holiday nut mix and it's a wrap!

3. Give some vintage glasses (and booze!) Find some interesting, one of a kind tumblers or any other kind of glass and pair with your gift recipient's favorite drink! 

4. Give holiday decor! I think anyone appreciates holiday decor as a gift but for those who are notorious displayers and decorators during the Christmas season, you really can't miss with secondhand additions to Christmas villages, interesting Santa Claus sculptures and vintage snow globes!

5. Give sentimentally! It's fun to take a trip down memory lane and try to find a secondhand gift associated with a loved one. For example: this Holly Hobbie plate reminds me so much of my grandmother. =) A dozen cookies on top with a note about a precious childhood reflection would have made this gift sweeter than any holiday treat! I regret not buying it while I was there...

6. Give a collection! I mentioned these pretty china dolls in my last blog about being proud to give thrifted gifts (see the article that Grand Haven Tribune posted about it here). Why not give a collection of vintage dolls for the price of one? If you have a friend who collects something special, such as red Avon glassware, it can be an exciting challenge to "hunt" for items to fit right in. Perhaps you even know a friend, or child, well enough to give them a head start on a collection they didn't even KNOW they wanted! (My son loves animals of all kinds, and I began to find him miniature vintage ceramic cats, which he was delighted with!)

7. Give goofy! I honestly think the "cheesy" ceramic above is an ashtray, and I'm not a smoker, but I'm drawn to this goofy item and I just love a bright bit of retro kitsch. "White elephant" items can really lighten someone's day, particularly if they double as something that is actually useful, despite its oddball appearance. If there is a back-story on an item and it becomes a conversation piece, that is even better!

8. Give it in a vintage suitcase! Make your treasure extra snazzy by packing it into a vintage suitcase! I've done this several times before and it is always a hit. If your intended giftee isn't the type for retro luggage, consider packing the gift in a special tin or a more contemporary purse, backpack or container that is also thrifted! (Yes, the collection above is my own, and I will be the first to admit that I'm a vintage suitcase hoarder!)

This last picture is just for fun... It would actually be a Christmas dream come true for me. This gorgeous antique stove was located at the Chicago Drive Lakeshore Rescue Mission Thrift. Besides the double ovens, the top left hand burner is actually a DOUBLE BOILER! So awesome. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. ;)

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THRIFT GIFT TAGS!

I've created these one of a kind gift tags so that you can proudly label your vintage, secondhand and thrifted gifts with pride. Please feel free to share and print...click on the PDF below for a sheet of 9!

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL PAGE (9 Tags) COLOR PDF

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!