This week I feel sexy…

Dress: ASOS (thrifted). Shoes: Feet First

…and thrifty in these second-hand scores!

Until this past year, I rarely thrifted. Not because I have anything against previously-loved duds, but because the prospect of hunting through racks and racks and RACKS of randomness to unearth those hidden gems kind of scared me. Have you been to Value Village? That place is huge, yo!

Then one afternoon I was on the shop for a new dress to wear for a night of dancing. When I couldn’t find anything at Old Navy my usual retail haunts, I made a last-ditch stop at AMH Style, a consignment shop in my ‘hood. The small boutique meant a more managable selection. I found sexy little number that was perfect for boogie. It was good quality, in great condition and I landed that shizz for fifteen dollars!

Why hadn’t I been thrifting all along?

Small consignment stores are a great way for thrifting neophytes to ease themselves into second-hand shopping. The selection is smaller and they seem stock more current styles than department thrift stores.

After a few good consignment experiences, I felt brave enough to try my luck at Value Village.  The challenge of Value Village, at least for me, is that my style is fairly contemporary and their stock spans a multitude of eras.  When I scan the store as a whole the merchandise looks very dated to me.

The great thing about The Village? The price points are outstanding. I’ve rarely paid more than ten dollars for an item of clothing. And the current stuff? It’s there — you just have to do some digging. I paid $6 for this sundress and only $1 for the fun silver belt!

Dress: Audrey Mai (thrifted) Shoes: Ambiance (gift fromThe Man of Mans)

One of my favourite things about the low cost of thrifting is that I’m more likely try items I’d otherwise refuse.  I’m nuts for the bubbly print on this dress. When I tried it on at the store, I wasn’t *entirely* sure I loved the rest of it, but it had potential. For $18 dollars I was willing to take it home, play with some accessories and give it a chance to shine.

I added the red shoes and suddenly I have a dress that I like a LOT! I may invest in a little tailoring and hemming down the line. I have plenty of cash left over for the alterations.

This is me tossing my hair and trying *very hard* to be sexy.  Mostly it just looks like I’ve been invisible bitch-slapped.