Saturday Stuff

 

My goal is to dress nicely, regardless of the day of week. Now that I'm out of the workforce, it's tempting to just dress for comfort. But I am not lazy that way.  While my preference is for quality and style, I am also a thrifty shopper. In other words, I am a second hand/thrift shopper for most of my clothes. In fact, I try to stick to the .99 cent clearance tags whenever possible or buy what is marked down.  Most of my jewelry is either gifted or purchased new on sale, or with a little creativity.  My cross-body bag (leather) was a buck -- which is what I pay for most of them, and the same with shoes.

I have a love of cashmere. If I see a piece in my size that is in good condition, I might pay full thrift but often grab at half because I am not sure it will be around once the tag is down to a buck. If I remember correctly, this sweater (Lands End) was three bucks.  The yellow t-shirt under it (Liz Claiborn), just a buck, and 100% cotton. It didn't seem as if it had ever been worn! The black slacks were also a buck.

My coat was a Christmas gift a few years back. You might think there was no fashion opportunity in this big bright piece, but I beg to differ! The purple and yellow muck boots go with it quite nicely (new but marked down a lot).  I actually wear these boots hunting! I guess that gives new meaning to the word "sporty." Admittedly, someone once called me out because they are not typical hunting footwear, but I don't GAF.  Besides, once my dog is in the field, it makes no difference because she is a very good bird dog.  We both get muddy!

My jewelry is actually not as over the top as it seems. I like 14K gold but was happy to go for an 18K over bronze chain. This long chain is actually a necklace and bracelet combined.  Much of the stuff I purchase these days is from jtv.com, on sale, this with a $25 coupon too.  The "pearl" choker is actually glass bead that I strung myself. It's on the same magnetic clasp as a 14K gold chain I have had for years.  Those clasps make life so much easier.  Shrimp earrings were a big thing in the late 80's and early 90's -- and I have had them that long!  The plain gold band is probably that old too, and I love it because it's low profile and being made of 10K gold, it's durable.  Right hand/wedding jewelry was gifted.  The band is diamond (10th anniversary -- and I got him a sweater), but the big stone is actually moissanite. It's about four years old and set in 14k too.  This stone looks like a diamond and is very durable. It's in a six-prong setting.  And it was thousands less than an actual diamond.  I do love bling, but responsibly.

My purple and yellow outfit got some wear out in the real world. The first stop was an estate sale.  I picked up an umbrella stand and an iron for ten bucks. Everything was marked 50% and although one piece was marked down to $9, I offered five. Always check for original price tags. This one was being sold for the same amount it was bought for.  Meaning it was over-priced to start! It begged for a haggle.

Both purchases solved a problem. Our iron doesn't have much life left in it.  And the basket with our bumbershoots was always falling over. So now we have a better way to contain things at our door, and I don't have to spend $45 on a new iron. Especially since this one is in great condition.

This was certainly worth getting dressed for!