thrifted Archives - Moving Peaces

Nifty Thrifty: Comfy Casual

January 12, 2015January 12, 2015Samantha Gratton

While some bloggers put together outfit posts, I put together thrifted outfit posts. Thrifting is not only a way to be creative and find something interesting, but also a very practical way to build a wardrobe. It’s both a hobby and even a lifestyle in a way as you stretch your dollar farther and reconsider the value and use of an item.

Believe it or not, you can put together a full outfit that was purchased secondhand. Today’s thrifted pieces are my shirt, jeans and purse. Each came from a different place during a different season of the year. It takes time to build a thrifted wardrobe so you’ve got to be patient as you sift through hundreds of items to find that gem you’ve been waiting for.

I first found these jeans on our most recent trip to Oregon. Some cities get the best thrifting luck and Portland is one of those cities so we make sure to set aside time for our favorite thrift stores. I grabbed a pile of my favorites to try on, but just so happened to need a pair of jeans to try on some shirts (Note: when thrifting, try to not wear dresses that day so it’s easier to try different pieces). I broke my own rule that day which meant I needed to try on jeans as well as a shirt.

I loved the way they fit. The ripped knee is my least favorite part about it because it’s harder to dress them up, but I knew this kind of fit wasn’t easy to come by. So, I walked away with a pair of Joe’s Jeans for $20. I was thrilled! If only they all cost that much, because let me tell you, designer jeans at that price are a rare find.

The next find was this top at a local GCF in October. When everything is organized by color, sometimes it’s easiest to just go for a print that stands out. This one grabbed my attention, but at first I questioned the fit. I’m glad I went for it because this has turned out to be one of my favorite shirts.

Originally from ZARA, I snagged this for $3.39. It’s casual yet seems a little more fun and something I could wear for a variety of occasions.

Finally, let’s talk about this purse I picked up from Plato’s Closet a few weeks ago. Most of my bags tend to be a crossbody style, and I loved how this had plenty of pockets but was small enough to to carry for long periods of time.

Originally St. John’s Bay, I paused for awhile to consider the $16 price tag. Consignment can make you feel like you are getting a good deal, but it’s always worth questioning if you are ready to spend that much on an item, thrifted or not. Ultimately, I decided it was a good price for a bag that I would inevitably get a lot of use out of.

In the end, you’ve got to take risks when you thrift, but you also have to continuously check yourself to make sure you are enhancing your wardrobe, not just adding another item to it.

What about you? Found anything fun while thrifting lately?

Special thanks to my sister, Clara, for taking these photos on such a cold and windy day.

Linking up: Let it shine , Visible Monday , Street Style Sunday , Watch What I’m Wearing , Sophisticated Style , Style to Inspire, How I fall

Nifty Thrifty: Boots and Denim

September 29, 2014September 28, 2014Samantha Gratton

I’ve been wanting something denim for at least a year. I’m sure of it. Whenever I’d try something on it was either out of my price range or just didn’t quite fit like it should. Telling my husband that “the internet said it was trendy” failed to help my case in either instance.

When I find just the thing at a thrift shop, I like to talk about it. I like to be comfortable and happy with how I look, but there’s very little budget to work with to make that happen. Finding it through thrifting just proves it can in fact be done. It takes a lot of digging and even more patience, but it’s possible for an entire outfit to be under $20.

So when I found this dress/tunic at a GCF in Asheville (yes, I thrift while out of town), I knew it was finally time to go after my denim dreams. At $3.55 (it was priced as a shirt), it was an even easier decision to make.

It’s a bit short to be a dress for me (which is why the lady ended up selling it to me at a shirt price…no harm in making price suggestions when you are thrifting), but it’s perfect for boots and leggings. Believe it or not, these are not only my favorite shoes, but likely one of my cheapest pairs of shoes, too. These beauties were found at a garage sale for $4 a few years ago.

Yes, $4. It was one of those deals where I asked the seller the price and as soon as she said it, I handed over the money and all but ran back to my car because it felt like such a steal. Some people will tell you to never buy shoes second hand. I clearly don’t subscribe to that rule, but instead say it depends on the condition and type of the shoe. I don’t think I’ve ever bought used flip flops or tennis shoes, but I have gotten a few dress shoes in the past and a couple pairs of barely used boots.

Under that scarf (which is basically my favorite accessory), I really liked the detail of the top. It’s simple but gives a little bit of a feminine feel to it since the rest of the piece is incredibly plain. And of course, I wear my home state proudly on a necklace from the hubby.

I think I’m about ready for fall, what do you think?

Want to see other Nifty Thrifty posts? Find other thrifted outfit posts here! Want to contribute your own thrifted outfit post? Email Me.

Nifty Thrifty: $2 Sweater

August 5, 2014September 28, 2014Samantha Gratton

So, we’ve all seen them, right? The fashion posts and the clothing reviews? Let’s be real, I am not about to begin being your number one spot for fashion. I like to look nice and have a few cute outfits, but that’s never going to be my main thing and I’m okay with that. I’d rather talk about moving or job hunting or just living life and what I’m learning along the way. At the same time, I still sorta love looking at those types of posts when other people blog about it. It’s fun and cute and interesting.

The latest trend is for all sorts of bloggers to give a Stitch Fix review. If you haven’t somehow come across it, basically you sign up for a month fix of style and receive five items or so in the mail. You pay for the items you keep and return the ones you don’t. The stuff is usually adorable, but also the average cost per item is $55. Therefore, I have never signed up for such a club, nor do I see it happening in the near future. In my time of unemployment, I’ve created a list of things for “when I get a job…” which ranges from new pillows for our bed to a bike tune-up. Wistfully, I added Stitch Fix to the list.

I’ve always been a thrift shopper though and have found some really amazing items over the years. So, while you may not find the same item, I figured we thrift shoppers should band together and start our own style reviews to inspire the nation to sift through racks of recycled clothing for that “new” piece. So here comes the part in the story where I say, let me tell you about my newest sweater which was purchased in the middle of the summer while it was 90+ degrees outside.

At first it might seem drab, but I just love the versatility of this piece. Gray tones can fit into almost any wardrobe. I can wear it with a dress to tie an outfit all together and dress it up a bit.

Shoulder of Sweater Or it can be dressed down with some dark colors like a purple.

2014-07-31 16.56.12

I love that it is just thin enough that you can get away with it in any season. My iphone pictures just don’t do this sweater justice!

Found at Passage Consignment, this was originally from Ann Taylor. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes from buying name brand items at thrift store prices.

Grey on purple

For a whopping $2 in total the decision was simple – keep! (but pay for it first, obviously)

Is this all satire? No. Okay, maybe a little. Perhaps one day I’ll join the rest of the bloggers doing real reviews, but maybe not and that’s okay. Regardless, I encourage those of you thrifters to join me in doing Nifty Thrifty reviews. Some people can afford $100 items, some can only afford $2 items. We’ve all made some great finds though, and it’s fun to share them no matter the price.