My Dresses From Thrift Stores
Every now and then I love me a good thrift store dress. And while this is a thrifting blog, I typically post about all my thrift store furniture makeovers, not thrift store fashion (just check out my Project Gallery).
But thrift diving is in my blood. So whenever I go on vacation to different cities (read my post about the best thrift store in Seattle), I love to visit their thrift stores and see what I can find.
I’m going to share with you a few of those items that I have found along the way in my travels!
Thrift Stores Dresses in Hawaii
Several years ago I visited Hawaii for a friend’s 40th birthday. Well, have you ever wondered what fun things you can find in Hawaii? I was about to find out.
That’s my crazy friend, Angela, that I met with my group in Hawaii. She loves all things crafty and thrifty like me, so she was down for a little thrift diving, too! 🙂
So last week I emailed that pic to her and asked, “How would you accessorize this dress?
Her response??
“I wouldn’t. Animal prints are played out.”
Say WHAT?!
When did that happen?
So I knew I needed to ask my Thrift Diving Facebook friends, and you all were AWESOME and overwhelming agreed that my friend didn’t know anything and that animal prints NEVER go out of style and is classic! You gave some great suggestions, like pairing leopard prints with black accessories, fitted blazers or cardigan, black tights, maybe loafers or pumps; some said YES for pairing with red, some said NO WAY with red.
Also, some said animal prints are fine as long as you do one print at a time (not the whole sha-bang).
I tried to work with what I already had in my limited closet, and this is what I came up with.
What do you think?
I paired this dress with whatever I had in my closet. I loved the way it looked with knee-high boots, a black blazer, and a thick belt. I just have to make sure I don’t bend over. I’m a woman that just reached her 40’s. The booty can’t be showing at this age, am I right?
I wonder if big, bushy hairdo’s ever go out of style?
If so……then I’m in trouble!
Sometimes just a silly face makes you look good, no matter what you’re wearing.
One of my favorite thrift store dresses I found while digging through racks and racks of frumpiness is this designer dress by Rachel Pally.
SCORE!
While I know nothing about name brands, I know quality when I see it. The fabric was clingy and thick. I didn’t even try it on–I just knew the M for “medium” would look nice on me.
Later, when I looked up the name, Rachel Pally, sure enough–these designer dresses go for $160 – $260! That was a great deal.
The twisted, knotted bodice is so flattering and feminine.
I loved how the back scooped down.
Trying to have a mini-fashion shoot in the basement with your kids around can be a little challenging, but I had to take a moment to take some cute pics of my youngest son.
Don’t you love how toddlers always seem to lose one sock and walk around with the other one all day? Awwww…….
Anyhow, this next dress also came from that Hawaiian Goodwill. I love this one, too! I knew with a belt, it could be fabulous!
The colors were amazing.
And it even complimented my backside, which, in my opinion, is a MUST when you buy clothing!
So I tossed on a belt with it and I think it looks good.
I loved this picture so much that I made it my Thrift Diving profile picture. It’s become my signature pic!
It’s smart to add pockets to women’s dresses.
Here’s another dress I bought from my own thrift store some time ago. It 100% silk, and was $10. While I loved it, it was too tight throughout the bodice.
This is one of my favorite outfits found at the thrift store:
The entire thrifted outfit was under $10: the top was $4, and the pants were about $6.
(The shoes were $5.00 from another store).
This is the sexiest top I have ever found at the thrift store, for $7.00!
Here’s a look you won’t find me rockin’.
EVER.
But it sure was fun to try on for laughs at the thrift store. 🙂
Your Turn!
I want to hear from you all!
Do you like shopping for thrift store dresses?
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I also love shopping at thrift stores for clothes. So much cheaper!
Very nice black boots, super! I love it:)
Hey Serena, love your site. On another note regarding HAIR….heard you mention something about it. Just wanted to exclaim that beginning tomorrow, I will be going la-natural (transitioning)…Yay–Funny thing, once I made the commitment in my mind to do so. I gained this surge of new energy and sense of new-found authenticity…sense of liberation. Can you relate? …Had to share this somewhere…hope ya don’t mind.
Girl, YES! First of all, congrats on going natural! I went natural back in 1999, right before graduating from college. I just couldn’t do relaxers anymore! Why should I have to? Hair for is black women has always been a struggle. I remember being a young girl and hating that all the other races has long pretty feminine hair, and I had this dry curly ‘fro. Kept trying to get it as long and as straight as possible, but it was a losing battle. Finally I just stopped. And it was liberating, like you said. No more pretending I was something I wasn’t. So back in 2000 I had about 6 inches of new growth and 3 inches of damaged processed hair. I took out the scissors and chopped off the damaged stuff. Loved it! Have kept it curly ever since! Get hair products that work for you. It makes a world if difference. And celebrate your beautiful hair! 🙂
You scored some great dresses. I like the black one and the turquoise one the most. I don’t typically find great deals in the clothing department at thrift stores but did get a nice sundress for $5.00 once.
Nice dresses.. Great finds.
All of them awesome finds! Love the black one and I think your hair is gorgeous. 🙂
WOW Great Finds, especially at a thrift store. My 15 year old loves the 90’s style so I find us shopping there a lot ( I feel I have taught her well if she wants to go to the thrift store to shop!!)
Jesica, that’s awesome!! I was just posing the question recently to people on the Thrift Diving FB page if kids get teased for shopping at the thrift store! Back in my day, when I was younger (am 35 now), kids were teased. But now, it’s, like, the cool thing to do! I love that your teen is into thrift stores too!
They’re back??? I think I shall pass on that fad.
Never tried skinny jeans. I think my legs would look like stuffed sausages.
Yeah, I think they’ve been back for awhile! I could just never wear them, until I found that pair at BHWM. It’s all in the stretch, I think! LOL….stuff sausages…. 🙂
When you asked about animal prints, I was thinking my youngest (a college student going into fashion marketing and journalism) had recently purchased some animal prints. I checked her blog and yep, she did. And I was thinking black jacket or wide belt – so you must have been reading my mind, which was channelling my fashion diva daughter!! So ya did good!! 🙂 I LOVE the font of that black one!! So flattering!! I also loved the turquoise/lime green one. CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!
YAY! Wait, so I made a fashionable choice?!?! WHEW! Seriously, because I am a basic kinda dresser. I find tight tanks and jeans to be the most sexy look I have ever pulled off. LOL. So this is definitely going outside of my comfort zone. But I love playing with new looks, and for CHEAP! How cool that we’re on the same wavelength, Kathy! lol
🙂 I definitely think she’d approve. I am also a blue jean sort of girl. Trying to fight my way out of Mom jeans. Though I did stop wearing the tapered leg jeans when someone on Oprah said they make your butt look big. LOL
HA!! Wait, I thought tapered leg jeans were hot again? LOL. Just as long as they don’t make it look like you were hit with a board in the butt (READ: flat, wide butt). LOL!!!
I could never really wear tapered or skinny leg jeans. Makes me look like a CHICKEN! Although I did get a pair of sort-of skinny jeans from White House Black Market and they fit nicely!
Hi Serena,
My favorite dress in the line up is the black one, but you totally can rock that animal print one too, it looks great on you with the belt and blazer. and if big bushy hair goes out of style I too will just have to be out of style for a while because I can’t/won’t tame this mane. 😉
Yeah, the big bushy hair is going NOWHERE! It’s really probably my best asset, so I’m sticking with it! LOL Thanks for your comment!