in the same vein of my Goodwill Dance Party video, i wanted to do a little sumptin sumptin demoing outfits based around Goodwill and thrift store finds. of course this time i did it against a green screen...no wait, i'm actually floating in the sky and in weird neon green space-land!
here are my basic rules when it comes to thrifting for clothes:
- try to find basic pieces first. ex: white blouse, long loose tank, slips, blazers, neutral colored items
- snob out on fabric quality. that's the benefit of thrift store shopping! you can get silks and linens and wools for way less than you would new. i'm not opposed to a once in a while polyester blouse or blazer but remember that synthetic fabrics hold on to body odors and cigarette smoke smell more than natural fibers…so use your sniffer as the judge!
- think outside the box. ex: a great muumuu-type dress that looks hidious in it's current comforter-sized state, but cut off into a mini and possibly belted and voila, a whole new piece! same goes for high waisted jeans cut into short shorts, etc.
- buy too big rather than too small. it seems to be a rule, in my opinion, that things look better slightly larger than too small. if your item is hugging too tight it will cheapen the look and not flatter your figure. but, if it's a little slouchy and the fabric has room to move, it elevates the quality of the garment and looks way more flattering. plus, you can always have it taken in! you only paid $7 for the dress so get a $15 tailoring job to make it perfect!
- wild card pieces. sure, get that printed blazer, or geometric print dress! just know that you're going to have to play against type and pair it with something simple, etc. (see look #3 in the video). i'd stick to the basics first and if you're going to go wild, get a great blazer, jacket or a muumuu to cut as your first out-there thrifted piece.
- find #1: thrifted leather mini skirt paired with slouchy white tank and black bra from urban, poncho from LF, shoes from Nasty Gal, random silver jewelry
- find #2: thrifted knit white tank dress paired with my sister's sheer black cardigan, vintage statement necklace and converse high-tops
- find #3: thrifted muumuu which i cut to mini length paired with thrifted white lace pumps
- find #4: thrifted white blouse and plaid blazer paired with J Brand skinny jeans and Marc Jacobs pumps, Mr. Kate Bark Ear Cuff
- find #5: thrifted velvet maxi skirt and black dress worn as a top, paired with thrifted scarf worn as a turband, Jessica Simpson wedges and Mr. Kate Spork Necklace
