Thrift Hard

I thrift hard. Sometimes with a vengeance.

[thrifthard]

Shirt Brand: Gap Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army, I think (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Cropped Wrap Cardi Brand: Ann Taylor Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Skirt Brand: no label Purchased: I forget (London, England) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new.

Dear lord everything looks sickly in evening photos of my living room. And this is after I applied a filter to make everything look less yellow, if you can believe that.

[thrifthard]

Shoes Brand: Oh…DEER! Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: $5.99

All other items purchased new, which is why I didn’t bother with a full-body shot.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Zara Basics Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new.

Was experimenting with a camera timer app, which isn't bad. What is bad is my bedroom lighting at night. Will post a closeup of the pattern in the dress later.

Bonus Cat!

She's not exactly thrifted (though I did inherit her third-hand), but she's pretty damn cute.

[thrifthard]

Sweater Brand: Hardwire Purchased: Crossroads Trading Co. (Berkeley, CA) Price: I forget

Jeans Brand: Red Engine Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Belt Brand: Hot Topic Purchased: Goodwill (Berkeley, CA) Price: $3?

All other items purchased new.

It's a simple sweater, but I love the detailing on the collar and cuffs. Please excuse the jeans, which are starting to look terribly frumpy—I've lost weight since I bought them.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Skirt Brand: BCBG Max Azria Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new.

Damn, I've gotta take pics in better lighting.

[thrifthard]

Preview: closeup of the silver and gold beading/embroidery on the waistband of my skirt.

Full pic to come later.

[thrifthard]

Shirt Brand: Bega Purchased: St. Christopher's Hospice Charity Shop (East Dulwich, London, England) Price: I forget

Skirt Brand: no label Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Bonus (Hidden) Thrift Find!

Bra Brand: Victoria’s Secret Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: $1.99

All other items purchased new.

Handily, the belt detaches from the skirt and both gives me a waist and breaks up the black of the shirt.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Merona Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: $6.99

Bonus (Hidden) Thrift Find!

Bra Brand: Victoria’s Secret Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: $1.99

All other items purchased new.

I cleaned my desk! Hooray for me!

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Lack o' posts

Sometimes you will notice a lack of posts. It's not because I'm not wearing thrifted stuff—most days I'm wearing at least one thrifted item—but sometimes I either don't get a chance to take a pic or don't feel up to being photographed. Some days a girl just looks a little rough, you know?

Oh, and then there are the three days in a row you spend in (non-thrifted) jammies because you're fighting a multi-day migraine. Those days are the worst.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Calvin Klein Purchased: I forget...one of the thrift shops in Brooklyn Price: I forget

Jacket Brand: Anne Klein Purchased: Unique Thrift (Chicago, IL) Price: $14

All other items purchased new.

Love this dress, but it's missing a belt, for which I have yet to find a satisfactory replacement.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Merona Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Cardigan Brand: Banana Republic Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Shoes Brand: Sofft Purchased: Crossroads Trading Co. (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new.

The belt was $10 at a Betsey Johnson sample sale, so that was also a pretty sweet deal. It goes with a lot.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Shirt Brand: Rock Steady Purchased: Buffalo Exchange (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Jeans Brand: Red Engine Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Belt Brand: Hot Topic Purchased: Goodwill (Berkeley, CA) Price: $3?

Shoes Brand: Converse Purchased: Pretty Penny (then Berkeley, now Oakland, CA) Price: $7?

All other items purchased new.

I like sailor-inspired clothes. Personally, I think I showed great restraint by not layering this top under a nautical-themed sweater, too.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Free People Purchased: Either Crossroads Trading Co. or Buffalo Exchange (both Chicago, IL) Price: $13?

Slip Brand: Eloise Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Shoes Brand: Sofft Purchased: Crossroads Trading Co. (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new.

Despite all appearances, I am not actually in a dungeon. It was a subterranean tiki bar. Weird lighting. Very dark. Fun, though.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Shirt Brand: Gap Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Skirt Brand: Elie Tahari Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new, except antique black bracelet inherited from my great-great grandmother.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Betsey Johnson Purchased: Crossroads Trading Co. (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Cardigan Brand: Banana Republic Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Bonus (Hidden) Thrift Find!

Bra Brand: Victoria’s Secret Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: $1.99

All other items purchased new.

Yeah, I know the shoes are cut off in the pic. It's okay. They're not thrifted. And do need to be polished. I've had them since, like, 1999? 2000? They're old (but cute).

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: Lesley Evers Purchased: Wayside Inn Assistance League Thrift Shop (Lafayette, CA) Price: $8

Purse Brand: no label Purchased: I forget Price: I forget

Bonus (Hidden) Thrift Find!

Bra Brand: Native Intimates Purchased: Family Thrift Salvation Army (Chicago, IL) Price: $1.99

All other items purchased new.

Photo courtesy of Heather Billings.

[thrifthard]

Dress Brand: New York & Company Purchased: Unique Thrift (Chicago, IL) Price: $10?

Shoes Brand: Sofft Purchased: Crossroads Trading Co. (Chicago, IL) Price: I forget

Purse Brand: Betseyville Purchased: Buffalo Exchange (Chicago, IL) Price: $13?

Cropped Trench Brand: B's Closet Purchased: Crossroads Trading Co. (Oakland, CA) Price: I forget

All other items purchased new.

Not a good shot of the purse (hell, you've seen that before and will see it again) or the trench, which is hanging over my cubicle wall. But it seemed wrong not to mention them when both were in fact thrifted. Ooh, and the tights were purchased on crazy sale for $3.

Photo courtesy of Jen Lindner.