Thrifty Tips, Tricks, and Treasures

I love finding great deals at thrift stores and on clearance racks! Especially when money is tight, those are great ways to be stewards of the resources God has blessed us with. A long time ago, I promised to post pictures of some of the good deals I've gotten at thrift stores, on clearance racks, as hand-me-downs, and as gifts. So, since you asked for pictures for the next few weeks, I thought this might be a great time to post them! However, let me warn you that these pictures were my first sorry attempts at fashion photography (I can almost hear you all saying "I hope she didn't quit her day job" ;-), and I had to climb up on my lofted bed to take pictures of the outfits I laid out on the floor, so the angle's a little odd. (Just for the record, no, my bottom half is not really that much larger than my top half ;-). Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun taking the pics, and have been looking forward to sharing them with you. In between pictures, I will share tips and tricks for navigating thrift stores. Enjoy! Outfit Stats: This fun shirt was a hand-me-down from my dear friend Katelyn, so it cost me $0.00! The black dress pants were practically brand new from a local thrift store, costing $3.99. The necklace I got so long ago that I don't remember the price, but it goes well with the outfit ;-). And the shoes were on clearance at Payless for $8.00 (marked down from $23.00). Thrift Store Tip #1: Only visit the thrift store when you have lots of time on your hands (I'd say at least an hour). The huge quanitities of clothes in thrift stores can be overwhelming, and you will need time to hunt for your treasures! Outfit Stats: The brown cami was $6.00 on a half-off sale at DEB. The white blouse was another freebie from Katelyn (Thank you so much, Katelyn!). The denim skirt was about $4.00 at a thrift store, and the necklace was a Christmas present from my favorite big sister (Thanks, Jules!) Thrift Store Tip #2: Go in with a plan! Have a list of items you could use. Be specific (i.e. "a white blouse" and "two pairs of jeans"). Then go directly to the sections containing items you want. This will save you loads of time! Outfit Stats: This denim skirt (no, it's not the same as the one in the last picture;-) was $3.95 at a thrift store. The warm, fuzzy sweater cost $1.97 at JC Penney's, and the necklace was on clearance for $3.24 at Target. Thrift Store Tip #3: Try on lots of clothes! Even if something looks too small, too big, oddly-shaped, or whatever, just try it on! You may be surprised by what looks good on you! Outfit Stats: The white cami was $6.00 on a half-off sale at JC Penney's, the purple flowered blouse was $1.75 at a thrift store, and the knee-length denim skirt was $2.95 at a different thrift store. Thrift Store Tip #4: Do not buy anything that is ripped, stained, stretched out, worn out, etc. If you're like me, you may never get around to fixing it, and your money will have been wasted. Pardon the wrinkles on this last outfit. I had to take it off to get a picture of it, and after a full day at preschool, my clothes are not always in the best shape :-D! Outfit Stats: This hoodie was $5.00 at a thrift store, and the jeans were $8.00 at Kohl's. Shirt Stats (Below): Each of these shirts cost between $3 and $4 at local thrift stores. Thrift Store Tip #5: Bring along a trusted friend or relative to give you honest opinions about the clothes you try on. Remember that as daughters of the King of Kings, all of our clothes should be worthy of being worn by princesses (for that is what we are!). They should be modest, feminine, attractive, and functional!