I made a mistake this week on vacation. I walked into some high end retail clothing stores that I haven’t frequented in years. My reason? To literally start pricing some of the items that I am featuring every week, and make sure I am up to date with the latest trends.
You know where that browsing landed me? With a huge case of the “gimmes.”
Give me one of those and oh, let me just try on one of these. Did I need a thing? Absolutely not!
The benefit of that shopping trip was that I have a lot to process about how consumers are so influenced by the ploys of these amazing marketing groups. Quite a few thoughtful posts are swimming around in my brain about personal finance and all from a little”harmless” browsing.
I didn’t purchase a thing, but that didn’t stop me from being “convinced” that I needed quite a few new items.
Bottom line: Remove yourself from temptation. 🙂
Now, on to my thrift designer outfit of the week. I apologize that it’s only one. The Frugal Fashionista was not thinking ahead and I went out of town without my other pictures….oops.
In the past, wearing silk has scared me. It’s the kind of fabric you wear once “you’ve arrived,” and my bus has yet to get there on time.
On top of that, silk is truly special. Just think how amazing it is that God’s remarkable creature, the silkworm, worked especially for us so that we can wear something really fancy.
I surely wouldn’t want to hurt his feeling, so when I came upon this BRAND NEW (yes, tags still on) 100 Silk, Coldwater Creek dress at Good Will for $6, I hatched, I mean snatched it up without a protest. I did it in honor of the silkworm. 🙂
This is a style that is forgiving with any figure. If your arms aren’t your favorite feature, don a cardigan or wrap. Since I have fallen of the wagon with both my exercising and my eating, the pounds are slowly creeping back on. I plan to remedy that soon, but in the mean time, this style hides a good ten extra pounds with it’s straight lines, and my weight gain is barely noticeable.
Here is another example of how the right piece of jewelery makes an outfit. This $2 purple yard sale find necklace doesn’t go with much, but I am thrilled that I didn’t pass it up because it completes this outfit. Simple, yet elegant.
Again, imagine my excitement when I saw these like new shoes at a yard sale the weekend after I purchased this dress. I am disappointed I can’t share the brand (since they’re in my closet and I am not, 🙂 but I do know they were made in Italy….yes, only the best of Italian Leather for my silk dress.
Shoes – $2 and I doubt they were worn more than once – no visible scuff marks or any signs of wear.
Total for this head to toe designer Frugal Fashionista outfit? $10
I have the same problem "browsing" certain blogs…or seeing certain "friends" status on facebook….it really makes me stuggle with envy and contentment. I start wondering- why can't we go on a vacation to NY? or have a goregous home like that? Forgetting that we used our funds differently…great dress, and a great post…looking forward to the rest of the posts "swirling" around in your head!
Weight gain? Pshaw! You look lovely in that dress! I had a gorgeous purple silk dress with tiny hot pink polka dots that was very similar to the style you are wearing, but it had a little belt. That was about 4783732 pounds ago…wish I could wear it again. 😉
Great outfit for only $10!!!
Very nice. You are well prepared to attend a summer wedding. 🙂
Very cool how each item seemed to come together..dress, shoes, necklace.
I found some great things at the thrift store/garage sales lately, too as far as clothes and shoes are concerned. Which thrills me to no end! 🙂
I love the new outfit! So very cute! You are such a beautiful woman!
I also love how reading your posts make me re-think my priorities. I am getting out of debt, making the hard choices. Learning to love what I have. To be thankful for all that I have, food, shelter, clothes, friends, God. Sometimes the "I wants" creep back in…thanks for the reminders!
I want to live where you live! I've looked and the quality and variety you find at garage sales and thrift stores amazes me! 🙂
Wow! What great finds. Why can't I find anything like that around here? I need to find a new thrift store 🙂
This dress looks great on you!
Pretty color, too.
Melanie@Bella~Mella
You have inspired me to start really looking at clothes when I yard sale and thrift. I have found some great name brands for $0.50 each the past few weeks! I am saving so much because your stories have given me the push to try to find clothes that are right for my family and me. The best part is I start finding pieces that go with other things I've picked up when I just wait to find the coordinating piece at a yard sale instead of running out to some dept. store. Thank you so very much for EVERYTHING!
Jen rocks it again! Great scores, friend. I know, I hardly ever browse anymore, but I know exactly what you mean. It takes me back to when I thought that was the way to shop sales.
What a great outfit for $10.00! I like to look online at the high end stores for fashion trends, then I visit sites like eBay and 15dollarstore.com to find a cheaper version.
Jane
once again, clearly I am not finding the right garage sales OR the right goodwill stores! Sigh. I stick with Kohls!
I love these posts, and that outfit is fantastic!! Still amazed that 20 years ago, I would have turned my nose up at shopping thrift, but now it's such a thrill! Eager to have time to scour the racks of clothes, but with my children in tow, all I can do is scan the housewares and furniture and make a quick getaway.
My grandmother gets Coldwater Creek catalogs. You definitely got a STEAL on that dress.
We saw some bags in the catalog that were over $400. I can think of lots of things to buy with $400.
You are FABULOUS in that dress! The shoes and necklace are a perfect touch. I know exactly what you mean about just "browsing". I always go away feeling like I *need* much more than I have. And then I feel sad.
This outfit is beautiful! And I LOVE the shoes! I am finding it refreshing to be content with what I have & appreciate you reminding us of that.
Great tips. I shop Goodwill also and find some great things.
You look great! What great finds! I tend to forget Goodwill and SA has clothes. I mostly go in looking for house stuff. I need to broaden my scope!
Jen, you look amazing in this dress. Both the color and style are dead on. I never find the shoes at garage sales or thrift stores. I have a 5.5-6 and it seems like most are 8-8.5. Maybe one day I will find someone with great taste getting rid of a bunch 🙂
Jen, thank you for your honesty. It is so easy to acquire "the gimmes". 🙂 I like blessdtwice's comment. "Godliness with contentment is great gain." Such a good thing contentment is but isn't it easy for all of us to forget it now and then?
Also, for everyone who thinks they don't have "the right" thrift store, I'll just say that I went to a neighboring town the other day to check out their thrift stores. The first two were worthless to me, the next two were okay and the last one was a JACKPOT. I almost gave up but I guess my encouragement is to just keep looking. 🙂
Kelly
Wow, our GW doesn't hold a candle to yours. That outfit is great, and looks great on you. I have a little more than 10 lbs to hide, but working on it once again. Jackie
You are so good! That is an adorable outfit.
I never really thought about the harm in browsing. But you are so right…it brings on the unnecessary gimmes and I needs. That's definitely something to consider when trying to watch pennies.
Am I the only one who has difficulty with shoes? Clothes I can do tolerably well with finding ('though I'm a hard-to-fit size, so it's a bit tougher than for those in more average sizes), but I never, ever, ever see halfway decent shoes at yard sales or thrift stores, or even at inexpensive retail stores. Am I the only one who has trouble in this area, or is this common?
Beautiful!
When times are "lean" for us (like right now), I pray for the Lord to help me strangle my "wanter". Then I list what I "need" for my wardrobe in my prayer journal, and wait and watch to see how wonderfully the Lord provides.
I love your frugal fasionista posts! 🙂
YOu are so.. drop dead gorgeous. I am jealous, but I know our heavenly father makes all things beautiful in his time! Godly, frugal and gorgeous. Do you have ANY friends? just kidding. Love your fashion series. I need to go through my closet ad get rid of some things and start getting creative.
Lovely dress with lovely lines and the shoes and necklace accompany beautifully. Keep up this category of your finds—so inspirational!
That outfit is beautiful!
You look lovely! You are so lucky to be able to wear what you find at deals like that, you'd look gorgeous in ANYTHING, so that helps! You have found some amazing things! Thanks for the inspiration!
blessings,
Melissa
Wow~! You did a great job finding those awesome deals! =-D
I am really enjoying your fashion additions to your blog. What a beautiful dress! It just goes to show you don't have to spend a lot to look great.
Gretchen
birdnestcottage.typepad.com
Classy, all of it!
Great advice to remove myself from the temptation and let you go price things for me instead 🙂 You are lovely!!!
Okay, this may be my favorite so far of your Frugal Fashionista features. I think my feelings about linen are related to your feelings about silk. But a dress like that for $6?? You're amazing. Throw in the necklace and those perfect sandals and your beautifully coiffed hair and–what a picture. Gorgeous.