Budget Wardrobe Building: It's Time to Shop!

So we are coming to the end of the Budget Wardrobe Building Series. If you are just joining us, click here for the rest of the series (scroll to the bottom to go chronological style). There are a few more things to discuss. Now, only you know what your budget is, and what your list of needs and wants includes, but I can give a few general tips that might make getting what you need easier.

Spend more on pieces that will last multiple seasons, and items where quality really varies by price range. For example, a basic tee at Gap will cost you $19.99 and a similar one is $8 at Target. The difference in quality doesn't merit the difference in price. On the other hand, certain items like outerwear will have more meaningful quality to price relationships. So, make sure to get the most for your money.

Look for quality in shoes, especially those that are more than just special occasion wear. In the category of footwear, price and comfort are often directly related. Non-leather materials don't adjust to the shape of the foot and will often rub and cause blisters. Cheap heels are often unbearably uncomfortable. Don't worry if your budget is small, if you shop smart you can get great shoes for the price of awful ones, but more on that in a minute.

Look before you buy. If I know that I want something, I start looking for it in a multitude of places online, just to get a feel for variety in style and price range. There are a thousands of variations of the pencil skirt, the blazer, the little black dress. Details do make a difference; get a feel for them before you take the financial plunge.

Browse in person. Start at the highest end and work your way down. See the styles and feel the fabric that cost top dollar. Like I said before, details make a difference. Browsing should be an education; it will help you know quality when you see it. This knowledge is invaluable in recognizing the best thrift store finds and avoiding the pitfalls of cheaply made yet expensive goods (yep, they're out there, in abundance).

And related to the previous tip... Know what real leather looks and smells like, and see the difference between high quality and low quality leather. Similarly, all wool (even 100% wool) isn't created equal. Be aware that there can be huge variations in quality even in the same material.

Look outside the box. Don't limit yourself to the usual department stores. Once you know exactly what you want, hit the thrift stores, resale shops (like Clothes Mentor), consignment shops, ebay, etsy, and estate sales (great for unique accessories!).

Some people are weirded out by "used" shoes, whether from the thrift store or a consignment shop. I encourage you to reconsider this position. I have often seen like new or new with tags shoes in such places, so it's worth a look. I would advise you to avoid anything that has signs of wear or was cheap to begin with.

Check the clearance racks. As far as regular retail, I have often had excellent luck with the clearance rack at DSW. Sign up for the free loyalty program and you will occasionally receive $$ off coupons. I combined a couple such rewards (one issued for my birthday, another for accumulated points from previous purchases) and ended up paying $19.99 for a pair of leather heels that were originally $100.

Buy at the end of the season. Get what you need most urgently, but don't be afraid to start thinking ahead to the next several seasons. Last fall, I purchased a pair of leather sandals from PIPERLIME that originally retailed for $75. Because of drastic markdowns, I paid a third of that price. Is the wool of your winter coat worn? Coats are drastically reduced right now; start looking!

Sign up for email notices from your favorite retailers. Never miss a coupon code or sale. This practice also helps you get a feel for how big and how often sales occur. Such knowledge is key when deciding whether to buy or hold out for a lower price.

Check into store cards. Do you use a credit card frequently? It seems that more and more people are doing so for everyday purchases such as gas and groceries because debit cards are more vulnerable to theft. Let me be very clear, I never recommend going into debt for clothing, or paying interest on credit card balances. Yet, if you regularly use a card and aren't getting much in the way of rewards you might want to look into a different credit card. Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy cards offer rewards that can be used for any of those three retailers and Athleta and PIPERLIME, and also special cardholder sales. Other retailers also often offer rewards for in and out of store purchases, so if you regularly buy items in such a place, it might be worth looking into. Please note that store cards often have higher interest rates than other credit cards, but if you don't carry a balance that fact is irrelevant.

Do you have any tips to share with the budget wardrobe builder?

Thrifting Tip and Link Up

For those of you who saw Friday's Quick Takes, this link up comes as no surprise.  To take part, all you have to do is write a post with your best thrifting tip or trick. Include or don't include an outfit photo; it is completely up to you. Then, link up below to join the fun!

I'll go first... I had a difficult time choosing a tip to share with you, but I finally settled on one that I think is the foundation for all the rest. Are you read for this jewel of wisdom?  Do not purchase an item from the thrift store if it does not please you 100%. 

And there you have it. But I will elaborate. Because I always do. If an item is worn out and cannot be fixed do not buy it. Check pant hems and cuffs for fraying. Look for spots, pilling, fading, and stains, especially inside the collar, down the front, and in the armpit areas. If an item almost fits, do not buy it (unless you can and will make whatever adjustments it needs). If an item leaves you with a "blah, it's okay," kind of feeling, do not buy it. If an item is about to go home with you only because  you feel like you can't leave empty handed because then your shopping trip was pointless and because then you have proof (in a negative sense) that your afternoon was wasted..... Don't buy it! And one more clarification about the above statement. If you are 100% pleased with something, but it scares you just a little bit because it is outside your comfort zone, buy it!

And for the outfit details. If you read the aforementioned Quick Takes you will already know that I have been contemplating whether or not to include more details about each outfit. Since readers either said that they preferred more info or were neutral, I will oblige. Jeans: Old Navy // Merino black cowl: Banana Republic thrifted // Navy long cardigan: Eddie Bauer "thrifted" from a friend's "about to go to Goodwill" bag // Belt: 7 Hills from Piperlime // Boots: Fugu Malibu from Piperlime // Watch: Citizen Eco Drive  (gift) // Pearl stud earrings (gift).

  

A Tale of "Bling and Book" and Giveaway

Good Monday! I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! While making a quick milk run on Saturday, I received a text from my dear husband that there was a "Bling and Book" sale going on at a church just minutes from the store. How fascinating, I thought, so I headed there first. The sale turned out to be a fundraiser hosted by the Ladies Sodality, and included books and all manners of accessories. I passed on the books because we already have a collection large enough to start a small college (while I read every book I was ever assigned during my education, my husband purchased every one...) and found some great little treasures at great little prices! 

For myself, I snagged a beautiful vintage camel clutch (circa 1970's) that is in great condition. One neat detail - it has a built in mirror that takes up very little of the precious interior real estate and makes touch ups a cinch! This treasure set me back one whole dollar. I also bought a pair of earrings for myself, and scored three beauteous pairs to share with you! Just follow the rafflecopter instructions at the bottom of the post to enter to win (if for some reason you are unable to comment in the combox, you can do so on the FB page and it will count, sorry for the inconvenience!). Thank you for reading!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

High Waisted Pants and Seeing Outside the Store

How do you feel about high waisted pants (why does that sound like some drug and/or alcohol reference...)? Personally, I like them, because they can do two great things to one's figure. First, because they hit at the narrowest point of the waist, they give the illusion of a tiny waist and a more hourglass-like figure. Secondly, they extend the line of the leg more than any other cut, giving the illusion of height and legs that don't stop. Add a pair of heels, and you've got the next best thing to growing a few inches and shedding a few pounds! 

As much as I love said pants, I usually have a difficult time finding the proper fit - if good at the waist they are too short to be worn with heels. This cotton pair at Net-A-Porter would probably fit correctly (based on the measurements given), but even at 40% off, they are not within my wardrobe budget. Plus, I'm not much of a dry clean only kind of girl. Imagine my utmost delight when I found the vintage pair that I am sporting below at a mere fraction of the cost, literally, at 1/100 the sale price of the other pair. Price aside, they are a machine washer friendly polyester blend. Polyester gets a lot of grief, but it really holds color beautifully and maintains a pleat while being wrinkle resistant. 

I paired them with a simple black v-neck tee and basic accessories to keep the look modern - I don't want to look like I fell off the time machine somewhere between 1975 and 1976! What do you think? How would you style these pants?

 

Now maybe you are wondering why I bothered to bring up the Net-A-Porter pair of pants in the first place. Other than to brag, that is. I did so, because beyond the benefits of high waisted pants, I want this post to impart to you a lesson about thrifting. Let's call the lesson: See outside the store. This is the key to recognizing the brag worthy finds! If something catches your eye in the Goodwill, close those eyes and envision it elsewhere. Forget about the unglamorous racks of used clothing and picture it with a pair of killer heels, or your favorite jeans. If you can imagine yourself wearing it with swagger in your walk and a glint in your eye, it's probably a keeper. It might even give Net-A-Porter a run for its money...

Sweater to Snood DIY

After seeing the fur neck warmer in the Celine fall collection (pic below),  I mentioned via 7 Quick Takes that I was going to try this faux fur neck warmer DIY if I could find the time. 

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Well, I stopped by the fabric store and I wasn't super impressed with the faux fur options that I found, or with their prices. I didn't buy the fabric and I just put the idea aside. Last night I was struck with the notion that maybe I could use an old sweater. I raided my sweaters and found an angora and wool blend Express turtle neck sweater that I had thrifted about eight years ago. Sorry bunnies, this project did involve you after all... 

I cut off the neck and the sleeves. The result looked like this (I apologize for the poor tutorial pics; I did this on a whim at 9pm last night): 

I quickly stitched the neck hole and the bottom shut. I then folded it into thirds and stitched the layers together. It looked like this: 

And finally, I turned it so the folded over parts were on the outside, sewed the two ends together to create a ring, and flipped it right side out. The whole process took fifteen minutes. Please let me assure that I am not an experienced sewer or crafter, and it still only took 15 minutes! Here is the end result:

As I was sewing, I was also skyping with my sister Virginia, who suggested that I use the turtleneck portion as an ear warmer. Good call, Gin, good call. She also suggested that I save the sleeves for leg warmers. Nice.

So there you have it, old sweater to chic snood (sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it...) in fifteen minutes! What do you think? Would you try this?

UPDATE: Since living with this snood for a couple of months, I decided to make a change. It was just too warm, too substantial... So I pulled out all of my stitching, and cut the front and back apart along the existing side and shoulder seams. Doing this effectively gave me two pieces of fabric for two snoods. I then re-sewed the snood following the same steps as above. I really like the result; check it out HERE. Need some more crafts? Check out Ana's Link-Up!

A Thrifting Challenge

This morning I had two realizations as I was rushing out the door to vote (if you haven't done so, git 'er done): One, I really like this outfit, and two, this outfit is head to toe thrifted (except for the watch). If you have read my Thrifter's Apologia, you already know how I feel about thrifting. Now, the lady in me doesn't like to talk numbers and brands, because it's my personal philosophy that the correlation between those things and style is not a direct one, and the images I post are meant to express my personal style and/or illustrate some fashion point I am making.  I will break my code though, this once, and give you the fiscal facts (still no brands, désolé), in hopes that it will impel you to give thrifting a go. 

THE BREAKDOWN

Black wool coat - $15

Electric blue button down - $1.50

Black skinnies - $4

Black leather belt - $1.50

Black leather shoes - $5

Total - $27

And now, I have a challenge for you, my friends. Here it is: 

Go thrifting. 

Make an outfit. 

Take pictures.  

Record the fiscal facts. 

Send them to me (marytboctor@gmail.com or to Mary Boctor on Facebook). 

And I will post them. 

OR 

If you are a blogger, you can participate link up style.

A Thrifter's Apologia

Part I: The Apologia

Some of you may know that I love to go to thrift store shopping, just as I know that some of you love it as well (I won't mention any names). I also know that some of you have yet to be won over to this particular sport of skill and instinct (again, I won't mention any names). What started as a necessity - my sense of creativity and style couldn't be accommodated by the mall and my high school income - has really blossomed into an enjoyable adventure. For some, the term thrift store conjures up images of dirty spaces filled with heaping, disorganized piles of stained and tattered clothing, a faint whiff of smelly feet and armpits in the air. Though such places do exist, they are few and far between. Most "chain" thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc), sit pretty high on the spectrum of cleanliness and organization, and many carry overstock goods from large retailers (such as Target). That being said, here are a few of my strongest arguments for becoming a "thrifter."

You try brands you might not otherwise, and are often pleasantly surprised. I recently found a pair of jeans from The Limited that I love. The Limited is not a place I regularly shop, I just don't, but now I know that their size... fits me perfectly.

You find styles that aren't widely available. Sometimes trends that just don't work for your body can really take hold, reducing other options, or an item that you love isn't trendy at the moment so it disappears. Two examples. One, when low rise jeans reached their zenith, many retailers reduced their other pant styles to accomodate the trend. This style is not the most flattering pant for people with a pear body type, though many attempted it. Two, the turtleneck. Turtlenecks are making a comeback this season, but I have never fallen out of love with them, even when nobody sold them because they weren't cool. Go ahead. Judge me.

You can get more clothes and better quality on a tight budget. This is one aspect that really got me from the start. I would often find special occasion dresses (often from Banana Republic or Gap) that were of much better quality than what was available for teenagers in "teenage" stores, at a fraction of the price.

You can create a unique look that isn't strangled by trend, but is "pre- trend." When I thrift, I might try on fifteen things and take home just one. I try to select things that are in colors that I know look good on me, but are styles that aren't currently ubiquitous. Some are flops, and they go back to the rack, but others just feel right even though not alot of people are wearing it. For example, before dolman sleeves were all the rage, I found a really unique sweater with this type of sleeve in its most dramatic form. It was in excellent condition, was a color that flattered, fit perfectly, and just felt like it "worked." The style seemed a bit iffy at the time, but for $2 I could take the risk. It turned out to be a real winner, and people alway ask where I got it. Consider my secret revealed.

And finally, you do the earth a favor when you reuse, well, most things.

Part II: A [Plaid] Practicum

On a recent visit to the local Goodwill, I ran across this red and blue flannel button down shirt. Which, as you can see, I bought. Not so adventurous, you say, but I have a thing about plaid flannel. I just can't seem to wear it and feel pulled together. Maybe its because I'm from the country and I associate flannel with farmers and cozy pajamas, or because I wore a bit too much of it in the grungy days of the 90's. Whatever the reason, this is the first plaid and/or flannel shirt I have bought in years. Well, the colors were flattering, the fit was good, and the price was right, so I took the plunge despite my fear of looking sloppy. After some playing around, this is how I styled it for the transition into fall. I include this gratuitous Part II because I know you people like pictures.

 

And a special thanks to my photographer.