Because I find that I tend to post more often if I have a theme, I’m declaring Sundays to be thrift store days – where I show you what I’ve found on my weekly thrifting excursions, and give tips for better thrift shopping.
When facing a large thrift store I find that it’s best to know what items you have luck thrifting. For instance, I always search through the dresses, skirts, and jackets. I almost never check out pants (which I hardly wear, ) and I only give the tops a cursory exam (there are more tops than anything at most stores, and I find they are often worn out or too short for me.) I usually look through the slip selection too, because I love vintage slips and modern ones aren’t as pretty.
This week I had great luck with dresses, and bought yet another new coat. These items were all $5 each. I’m only showing the items that work pretty much as is – I also got some things to alter, but I’ll show those as I finish them!
I actually found this coat by chance – it was misfiled, and another shopper saw it, looked at me and said “This would be so cute on you – here!” and threw it into my cart. I find this happens pretty often – there is a curious sense of camaraderie among the dedicated thrifters! I love the velvet collar (in perfect condition!) and believe it or not I didn’t have a peacoat before. It looks like the coat is missing a button, but it isn’t – it appears to me that someone wanted a doublebreasted peacoat, and so they replaced all the buttons, neglecting to realize that there is only one buttonhole (the button is sewn on underneath.) These buttons are cheap, and I’m going to replace them with buttons befitting the age of the coat (which I’m placing as late 60s/early 70s by this label:)
I love this BCBG dress! The pattern is very me, and the fit is quite good (needs the belt, but dresses without a waist seam always do on me.)
Sorry for the darkness of these photos – I actually lightened them, but it’s a gloomy day! This dress is by Maggy London, and it’s a petite. There’s actually a black band at the bottom, but it’s still pretty short on non-petite me! I’m planning to wear it with leggings and boots as a tunic. Thrifting is a great time to experiment with shapes you wouldn’t usually wear. For instance: I usually wouldn’t wear this sort of 60s style shift, because it doesn’t have a waistline. But this is actually really cute, at least when it’s this short, so I’m happy to try it out!
The details are hard to see, but this Ann Taylor dress has some really cute embroidered and gathered details, and a pretty eyelet hem. In this color it will work for summer as is, or for fall with boots/tights and a jacket or cardigan. It’s a little big (Ann Taylor is a bad offender in the vanity sizing I think,) but only a little – and with a belt it fits perfectly!
That’s it for this week – I also have a few items to alter, including a cute purple plaid shirtdress, but I’ll get around to posting those once I finish my alterations.
This was a busy weekend – my chamber choir had their first full concert, which was a great success (we will have another right before Christmas, if any of my local peeps are interested… leave a comment and I’ll get you the info.) I have this whole week off! We’re actually staying here for the holiday instead of going to Cincinnati, though we will be going up there one day. I have sewing plans: to finish my shirtdress (I made the muslin last night,) and to sew two cardigans from a Jalie pattern.) I leave you with this photo of Marc and I, heading out for the concert (he’s drinking vermouth, which for some reason I do not understand he likes by itself.) You will note that I did not have time to make another dress yet, but I did wear different shoes which helped.
Green apples - Stitchywitch Creates 
Girl, where do you thrift??? I never see clothes this cute at my local Goodwill. I remember you mentioning in a post that you live in Louisville…I’m over in Berea in central KY! I’m in Louisville a few times a year and would love to check out your sources!
Love your blog it’s probably the only one I check with on a regular basis more or less. Though not yet a fan of thrift stores I love reading about you finds and making them work with your wardrobe. I do miss you knitting but understand the reasons for its hiatus. Knitting is time consuming (why most of my projects are either small or fairly simple in design). I am also off next week but for me it is time to catch up in one of my college classes.
That pea coat is amazing, can’t wait to see what buttons you choose, they can completely change the feel to an outfit! As is the BCBG dress, a great pattern. Well done, what a loot, I am remarkably jealous (in the nicest way).
Hi. You two are a beautiful couple. And I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that grey coat with the black on it. Absolutely gorgeous. I think that’s why a lot of us Canadians like to go to the US to shop!!! However I never have the chance to shop south of the border. And now we must have a passport. ug. So I order online. I took your advice and ordered wool from Knitpicks; I’m waiting for the delivery. Thanks for all your advice over the months.
I forgot to mention that I love your other finds as well. Well done.
Great finds! Interesting that they are all black, gray, and white. Love the coat, but I think one of the problems with the way it buttons is that you have it lapped backwards on the dressform. Women’s garments traditionally lap right side over left side, and men’s lap opposite (left over right). Or was it really made to button that way? Are there any buttonholes on the other edge? I guess you could make some if there are none.
That coat and that last dress are so very good!
Truly excellent thrift-scores!
I find that themes help me too! I love your blog and you are definitely rekindling my desire to hone my sewing skills!
Wow, you obviously have a very good thrift store near you. The coat would be wonderful with your long tartan vogue skirt blogged a while back (would have to see them together of course) and I love the dresses. What a great haul of goodies!!!
Nice finds! I love it when that happens at the thrift store. I too thrifted this weekend. I found a vintage camel trench style coat and a sweater dress. My daughter also had some great scores. Anyway, have a great week.
He’s not alone – Vermouth on the rocks – yum!
You really picked up some good finds. Our thrift shops are hit and miss, but I still enjoy going on “the hunt.” You and your husband make a lovely couple and I love the fireplace and woodwork in your house. I am an old house lover!
So jealous of your great finds! That BCBG dress is to DIE for!
So nice to see you and Marc dolled up! You’re a lovely couple. 🙂
Love your finds. When I dress myself from the Unique Thrift I just look like a bag lady… *sigh*
Any chance you might be willing to post about your fireplace? We have one just like that in our 1907 house- and it still works although I need to open a window if we run it because of the headache-inducing fumes. I’d love to learn about it, we have no details on ours. 🙂
I don’t really know too much about the fireplace. My house is almost the same age as yours – just 8 years older – and I know that many of the houses in my neighborhood, which were all built at the same time, have the same tiles. I don’t actually know if ours work – we do have the keys to turn them on, but I would be afraid to! I have read about the problem with the fumes. One thing that is interesting – they all originally had built it mirrors, with the wood of the mantel extending up the wall. They were all chopped off except the one in the living room – you can see where they were attached, and apparently that was quite common to modernize the fireplace, once the mirrors started to turn. That tidbit is from my Dad, who used to renovate old houses for a living. I do know that I love the fireplaces!
Man, oh man, you got some serious steals! Wow! Everything is beautiful. Continue having success (and much fun) with thrifting (wink)!
Great finds! It’s like a treasure hunt, you never know what you might pick up…
You have quite the talent for finding black and white dresses…..I’m jealous! I haven’t thrifted in quite awhile, as I’m horrible at looking through disorganized racks of clothes. I fear that I’m not the linger and look sort of shopper, unless I’m in a bookstore. For clothes I tend to be much more of a this-is-what-I-need-and-I-want-to-find-it-now sort of shopper.