Ye Olde Thrifty

On Monday, I was given the joyous news that the Husband was going golfing after work. The reason that this was tidings of great joy was because it meant that I got to go thrifting with my friend Kim! (Kim writes a thrifting blog for Goodwill. Make sure to check it out.)

In my experience, thrifting with others can be awkward...what happens if you have a similar style and you happen to come upon a cute scarf at the same time? It can also be weird if they come across something they think you'd like and it's REALLY not your style- how do you politely say "That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen, did you go colorblind over night"? 

OR! What happens when you find something you THINK you like but you aren't sure so you ask, "What do you think of this?" and they are like, "Yes I love that so much!" thinking that you meant it for them? Do you say, "Back off right now, Girlfriend!" or do you hand it over *hoping* it doesn't fit?

As you can read, I am terrified of the possibility of offending someone. Luckily, Kim and I figured out each other's thrifting etiquette pretty quickly.

On that note, let me tell you about the rude thing I did. 

Kim spotted a set of four of the following soup bowls and said, "Wow! Look at those! Aren't they cute?"...

$.99 per = $3.96 for all 4

...and I said, "They ARE!" and I promptly grabbed all four and put them in my cart. Aaaaaand then I realized, maybe she meant they were cute for her. After much apologizing and saying 34 times, "Are you SURE you don't want them?" Kim assured me that I could have them. 

**Awkward Ally**

Note: Am I being OCD because I feel like I can only eat soup out of these bowls? I.e. "These are clearly meant for soup, and for soup alone. Thou shalt not eat cereal from thither bowls."

Note 2: I used an Old English translator for that commandment. Like a boss.


(Editor's) Note 3: The next day after this post was written, I got on my Facebook and saw that my sister had written the following on my wall:
  

GOING THRIFTING (like a boss!) WITH MY FRIEND (like a boss!) SEE SOME SOUP BOWLS (like a boss!) MY FRIEND LIKES THEM (like a boss!) GRAB THE SOUP BOWLS (like a boss!) SHE MEANT FOR HER (like a boss!) SHE LETS ME HAVE THEM (like a boss!) CAUS SHE'S AWESOME (like a boss!) AWKWARD ENDING (like a boss!)

 


Enough words. Here's what else I found (@Goodwill, 1040 Patterson Rd, Dayton):

Ann Taylor Shirt: $3.79

Retail:  $58-$88

 Worthington Pencil Skirt (50% off): $1.99

Retail: $25

J.Crew Green Corduroys (50% off): $1.99

Retail: $80+

Copper Bracelet: $.99

Retail: $10+ (similar)

Obnoxious Neon Pink Silk Shirt (50% off): $1.99

Retail: $36-$45

Merona Black Wedges:

Retail:  $25

For the (golfing) man:

Express Polo: $3.79

Retail: $30

 Huzzah.

Is thrifting with others ever awkward for you, too?

Maker of Jorts

I want to say "THANK YOU" again to all of you for your well-wishes for my interview. I did get a call back for a second interview and I am supposed to hear a final decision sometime this week! 

And so I wait. And I blog to make the time go by faster.

I'm also doing some crafts to make the time go by faster.

So many of you are crafty with your thrifted finds (ahem, Jasilyn and Mongs). But "Craft Queen" is up there on The List of Nicknames Friends Would NOT Give Me. Among others: Mullet Lover, Turtle Herder, Formal-Dress-Wearing-Jogger (you know...that person who wears formal gowns to workout.) I am neither a runner nor do I attend many fancy functions, so that's why you probably won't hear anyone call me this. On that note, let's take a moment to re-evaluate Turtle Herder. I do love turtles. But turtles don't come in herds which is why you wouldn't find me...herding them. Conclusion: Turtle Herder stays on the list.

All that to say: I completed a craft!

A couple thrift trips ago, I found this pair of jeans that fit me really well "up high" aka around the waist and such. It was the "down low" that was not so swell aka the jeans were crazy long. So I didn't buy 'em. 

BUT THEN! I read this tutorial on making jorts (by Lindsey from Thrift and Shout) and what do you know...I found those exact same jeans for 50% off the next time I was in the store. They are the perfect jort jeans.

Before (Up High)

Before (Down Low)

After (Up High and Down Low)

Yay.

Anyway...I just wanted to tell you that I did a craft. If you'd like to see how- you can read Lindsey's tutorial :)

Tutorial Writer is another non-nickname of mine.

By the way! I have another future craft planned. I just read Thrift and Style's DYE DIY Tutorial and I have all kinds of plans for this dress I thrifted a year ago:

I absolutely love this dress, and I actually also really like that it's white. But the only event I can see myself wearing this to is a summer wedding and there is one color I'm not allowed to wear to weddings. Oh yes, that's right. White. 

What color should I dye him?!?! I'm thinking teal or red. Thoughts?

Sincerely, 

The Non- Turtle Herder

because i don't know how to dress myself

Thank you EVERYONE for your kind wishes and words for my interview! I was told I'd hear by noon today if I'm selected for the second round of interviews- updates to come :)

One of the main reasons I don't love posting outfits is that I have zero faith in my outfit-making abilities. Often, I get dressed and worry that I'm about to step out of the house looking like that five year old girl who thought she'd assert her independence by picking out her OWN outfit this morning. 

"After all, I AM five years old, MOTHER. I can dress myself." -Once said the woman who now thinks it's ok to wear fairy wings to the mall

...or a ballerina-elf outfit to a formal concert. I saw it:

(photo courtesy of my wondrous sister who ALSO took the header picture and the pictures down the right side of the page!)

I have confidence that were I left to my own devices, my outfits might get a little more sequin-y and fluffy than our friend above. It is for this reason that I strongly believe that I fall in the top 5% of women who NEEEEEEED Pinterest. NEED. Need. need.

Because, I thrifted this J.Crew shirtdress a year or so ago (1.99 @ Salvation Army in Cincinnati, Ohio)....

...and, yesterday while I was Pinteresting about, I found three outfits that I realized I could make using this dress. I tend to only Pin outfits that are made up of pieces of which I have a near-identical; there's less room for tragedies this way.

1

Inspiration pic:

source

Check it out. I thrifted a J.Crew blazer similar to that (3.99 @ St. Vincent De Paul in Cincinnati, Ohio):

Together. Not sure about the shoes?

J.Crew Dress: $1.99 @ SA in Cincinnati, Ohio

J.Crew Jacket: $3.99 @ SVPD in Cincinnati, Ohio

Payless Shoes: $3.99 @ Goodwill in Dayton, Ohio

Vintage Necklace: gifted from Mother-in-law

$9.97

2

source

This outfit made me really excited because I thrifted a Lauren by Ralph Lauren cargo vest a while ago (@Goodwill in Columbus, Ohio) and haven't worn it yet.

Together:

 J.Crew dress: $3.99 @ SA

Lauren by Ralph Lauren cargo vest: free (BOGO sale @ Goodwill in Columbus, Ohio)

Necklace: gifted from my aunt

Nine West Shoes: $15 @ Nine West Outlet

 $18.99

3

source

Mine:

J.Crew dress: $3.99

Sashimi Cargo Jacket: $6.00 @ Marshall's

Fossil Fur Vest: Christmas gift :)

Watch Necklace: $22 @ Soho in Columbus, Ohio

Nine West Shoes: $15 @ Nine West Outlet

$46.99 <---look how pricey I am!

My versions don't take much creative liberties with the originals. But on the bright side, there is not a single tutu in any outfit.

And that's all that matters.



P.S.  When I'm sharing pics from my Pinterest, do I need to site all of the original sites for the pictures? Can I just saw something like "From my Pinterest"?

Q & A

Personal news: I have a job interview tomorrow :)  

Like a good teacher, I've been studying up by Googling (should "Googling" be capitalized?) potential interview questions for Ohio teaching candidates. Then for some nerves-calming, I Googled (a Google search told me that yes, anything "Googl..." used as a verb should be capitalized, FYI) "funny interview answers" and was led to an awesome CNN article...43 Weird Things Said in Job Interviews.

These are few that made me giggle aloud:


Q:  What are your hobbies and interests?
A:  Well, as you can see, I'm a young, virile man and I'm single -- if you ladies know what I'm saying.

Q:  What are your assets? (as in strengths)
A:  Well, I do own a bike.  

Q:  What are your weaknesses?
A:  I get angry easily and I went to jail for domestic violence. But I won't get mad at you.

(this next one is my favorite)
Q:  Is there anything else I should know about you?
A:  You should probably know I mud wrestle on the weekends.

Q:  Do you have any questions?
A:  If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?

Besides conducting valuable research, I've also been doing some decision-making on what I want to wear for the interview. I actually have something picked out that I had intentions of sharing in this post. I even took pics of the outfit already. I thought this was a particularly good idea because I know that my posts have become very this-is-what-I-found heavy (and I've been given some reader feedback that you'd like to see more of other things- like outfits and such).

Soooo...here's the thing. My bestest bud Laurel came down this weekend and went thrifting with me (@Goodwill in Miamisburg). I found some things that I'm really excited to share! That's why this is another this-is-what-I-found-post.

 LOOK HOW FUZZY!

This stole has got to be one of my favorite finds of the century. Of the freaking century.

It's in perfect condition and it's so, so soft. Laurel thinks that it's real fur (sorry, PETA) and I think she's right given the fact that it smells like an attic. 

After all, it's a well-known fact that only awesome, vintage-y quality things smell like attic.

Madeline Leather Slingbacks: $3.99

These remind me of these Frye slingbacks that retail for $168:

 source

Nine West Leather Slingbacks: $3.99

Retail: $70-$100

Vintage Nine West Red Pumps: $3.99

(Like the sweatpants & pumps look? Sweatpants are quality interview outfit items. Google says so.)

Posting pics of what I'm donating is something I've forgotten to do lately. I need to start doing it again because it holds me accountable.

 (foot photobomb)

How do you balance blogging about what you WANT to blog about and blogging about what your readers want to read?

I'd be a happy duck just posting about what I find. 

Would you readers be ok with that, though?

(Speaking of happy ducks, please take a look at this orange duckling that hatched late. I love him.)

Linking up @
Thrifters Anonymous