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Next Friday, May 15
Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show Link Up Party

I often chuckle at the before and after make-over pictures in magazines.
It’s as if they purposely try to make the person look as horrible as possible to make a statement. The sad reality is that quite often some of us are content to stay in the “before” frump mode because we really just don’t care.
We use lots of excuses.
“I just can’t afford to buy new clothes. I’m at home with the kids all day. I need to lose some weight,” are just a few that I hear. They are seemingly viable reasons, but come on…break away from that mentality. With just a few ‘frump to fantastic’ tips, it will make a world of difference in how you feel about yourself, and how you portray yourself to others.
This week I almost passed up this gem of a find at our local thrift store.
I know you’re all jealous because I paid only $0.75 for this two piece suit. Since many thrift stores discount winter items, it was clearanced off the clearance rack.
Doesn’t it bring out my best side? Is this the epitome of the Frugal Fashionista?
I just couldn’t resist a classic “before” shot.
If any of you look like this when you go to church…stop it right now. There’s no need!
I knew that underneath this dated jacket, with shoulder pads that made me look like a house, there was potential. For the summer, the dress length hit perfectly above the knee and the cut was classic. (You are one of the few that get to see me in my glasses, and no make up. Yes, those are my glasses).

Ahhh…much better…what some lipstick, earrings and a great necklace won’t do to round out a $0.75 outfit.
Seriously, I am pretty much a no-primp kind of a girl. I have no problem going out with wet hair (shh) and without much make-up, but my motto since high school has been “never leave the house without lipstick and earrings.”
Lipstick and fun earrings complete an outfit. They really do! Accessories are the key to making something go from frump to fabulous, and that’s all I did here.
Shop your closet first.
See what hidden treasures you may have forgotten about that will be just the perfect addition to an old boring outfit (like my scarf).
Now for the total cost of the outfit…sit down for this….
(Please imagine the full sized body shot showing the great sandals that got cut off in the picture).
$2.50 with the leather sandals ($0.50 yard sale).
Since my photographers are only nine, the blurriness on the last picture comes with the package. Here are the earrings – $1 from a yard sale. The necklace? ONE QUARTER! I can adjust it in all different ways…even crookedly if I want. 🙂 I will do an entire post on accessories.
Another way to dress up an otherwise frumpy fashion faux paux is by layering a scarf. I bought this silk scarf at a yard sale just waiting for the right outfit. This is it. With long pink earrings, it takes the focus off of the drap brown and brightens the whole outfit.
For the cooler evenings, I would lose the scarf, and drape a pink shawl over my shoulders, giving it a very classy touch, but I’ll show you that when I post on accessories.:)

Please note this awesome pair of jeans. LOVE.THEM. Want to be that skinny.

Don’t love the price. Here is my adorable sis in love…remember her? The mom of ten? Yes, ten children she has birthed through that cute little tummy or wherever. 🙂
Well, we are cohorts on this frugal fashionista thing, and she is sporting the exact same jeans. Difference? The price! She found hers…Frugal Fashionista style!! Whoot Whoot! These jeans are really versatile. I have seen her look like she could walk the red carpet with them, or as shown below in this cute casual look.

On a side note, we both hit the clothing mother load of all yard sales this weekend. I was calling her on her cell phone and she wouldn’t pick up…I was leaving frantic voice mails…”Where are you? You’re missing it.” More on that later.
One great way to go from frump to fabulous is to ditch all your T shirts that have words or characters on them. You know the ones that state your latest family trip location across your frontal area? The ones that make you look like a cardboard box? I know they’re so comfortable, but look how fun you can be without plain box T-shirts. Match a colorful tank with a happy (yet extremely cozy) jacket and there’s no need to look frumpy ever again.
And yes, this is another great designer outfit for under $15 courtesy of my sis. She came to drop something off and I made her model for me since I knew she had her “it” jeans on. hee hee
I put this picture in my last yard sale post, but it’s also a perfect example of taking the old T-shirt look up a notch. I bought this black shirt for $1 and it’s incredibly comfortable. There’s no reason for me to put on frump when I can put on $1 worth of fabulousness. 🙂

Now…MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Next Friday, we are going to have our Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show. Every one who has been emailing me with the fun things you’ve found will have the chance to write a post about it and then link up here. We will all go around and see what you’ve put together. Please realize that you don’t have to have the entire outfit from a yard sale or a thrift shop. Just make sure that at least one of your core essential wardrobe pieces is second hand. This is going to be so much fun. Let’s make believers out of everyone. 🙂
If you’re not quite sure if something is “dated” or not…just shoot me an email.