Thrifty Thursdays: The Goodwill is my BFF

The first time my mom took me to a consignment store, I was in the sixth grade. It was in a Winn-Dixie shopping center, next to our family's favorite Chinese restaurant. Up til that point, I had only really shopped at Old Navy- I owned a lot of polos and girly graphic tees. But on this day, at this first thrift store, I discovered the magic of Clothes Someone Has Already Owned. My big find was a thin, pink and blue, 3/4 length sleeve top with Chinese letters and a peacock emblazoned on the front. It was so unlike anything I'd ever seen at Old Navy. 

From this first shirt, my personal style took off like a rocket. Before long, I was showing-up at school with chopsticks in my hair - not hairsticks, actual chopsticks. Ones I painted with glittery nail polish. Not surprisingly, I was teased. But I didn't care; I watched Charmed, and I knew that the things I wore, while strange at Crews middle, were hip and cool in the Real World. 

Here are some of my all-time favorite thrift store finds:

Plaid pants

Faux fur coat

Chartreuse coat

Bows tunic (As Topanga from "Boy Meets World")

G-Unit one-piece

Glittery Jessica McClintock

Blue rhinestone and pearl dress

Vintage Lord & Taylor

Old Hollywood cape/dress thing

Indian national costume

High school prom dress

Suzi Bass awards dress, 2011

Purple mumu

Appropriately enough, my roomie and I are going vintage shopping today in Little 5 Points. I'll let you know how it goes.