Don't get bamboozled!

Whoever said they couldn't afford to look good was bamboozled, I don't know who lied to them! Yea we look at magazines and base our fashion do's and don't's off of what the latest celebs are wearing but that's just not realistic. The average person is NOT living off of a million dollar salary first of all, nor do they have a personal stylist or seamstress at their beckon call. This being said, once reality sets in, you're left there to figure it all out on your own. 

Now I know many people get anxiety attacks with the mere thought of thrifting simply because they don't have the patience to fumble through the massive, fairly unorganized racks just to find articles of clothing that you're not even sure what to do with. Truth be told, the average person gets their "what to wear" ideas from the mannequins in the windows and unfortunately the average resale shop either doesn't have mannequins or they haven't done them justice, thus creating one more obstacle for second-hand newbies.

What many folks don't know is that often times you can find brand new items at resale shops for a fraction of the original cost. The one thing I love most about thrifting is finding those hidden gems, those rare throwbacks that were last seen 20 years ago but have managed to re-surface, that one beaut that just makes me shout "you ain't got theeeeeese!" I mean I'm not trying to be funny but really though, you tell me one person who actually enjoys walking into a crowded place and the only thing you see is the person across the room wearing the same outfit that you spent all week trying to find, searching the mall high and low, stopping at every store and finally at the last minute you managed to pull it off, just to discover your long, lost twin staring back at you! So in keeping balance, go ahead and buy those expensive jeans that fit you just the way you like and get that blazer for the low, or those Giuseppe stilettos to match your high waisted skirt that you just copped for a whopping $2 bucks at your neighborhood resale shop!

A few key points on balancing your wardrobe and budget:

1. Spend your big bucks on your accessories which you'll have more versatility with and they'll usually lasts longer too!

2. Don't be afraid of a needle and thread! You may find a unique piece that may not be perfect, you can always make adjustments to it later.

3. TRY IT ON! Often times as women, our weight fluctuates, on top of that, designers seem to choose whatever size chart they want when measuring their garments. So when shopping, say you normally wear an 8, but you see a 14 and think there's no way you can fit it, it may actually run small or vice-versa. Perhaps the cut of it is different and it fits like a glove, no two garments are alike, especially when talking retro! 

                

                    It's all about balance

               Blouse: .50¢ at Estate Sale

               Pin Skirt: $5.99 DD's/Ross

                 Michael Kors Bag: $300