Thrifty Thursday: Get Premium Denim for Nearly Nothing

I want to talk about jeans. Before we begin I will encourage you to take half a Xanex and grab a glass of wine - this is a stressful topic.

I've never met a woman who likes shopping for denim. Actually, everyone I know loathes it. For such a wardrobe staple, that's really pretty strange. Everyone wears jeans (at least every now and then) but they are ridiculously hard to shop for.

When I was a teenager, my go-to brand was Old Navy. They fit me like a glove, and their denim blends were nice and soft - just how I like them. But midway though college, their whole line went through a major restructuring, and suddenly the waistbands all seemed to hit in funny places. Plus, as I was getting older, my ass was getting larger - REAL TALK. The super-ultra-low rise pants of my teen years now showed an unholy amount of buttcrack.

I suffered through a few pairs of okay jeans before I finally found my denim soulmate at Plato's Closet: 7 For All Mankind Kimmie Bootcut, size 26. 

The first time I put them on, I understood how a pair of jeans can make you look like an actual rockstar. Remember Liz Lemon and her "Made in USA" revelation? These jeans became my favorite piece of clothing.

But then disaster struck; only six months later, the fabric split at the crotch. 

I was in shock. I refused to throw them away, choosing instead to wear them with really dark underwear, and only when running errands. I'm not proud, but GUYS THEY ARE SO COMFORTABLE, I JUST COULDN'T BEAR TO GET RID OF THEM. Forget about replacing them - 7 For All Mankind is a premium brand, retailing for almost $200.

For months, I've scoured the racks at my favorite discount stores, hoping to strike gold a second time. It's been futile. When the solution hit me, it seemed so obvious - how had it taken me so long to get there?

EBAY.

If you know your preferred brand, size, and style, eBay is the perfect place to look. I ran several searches on variations of "7 For All Mankind Kimmie Bootcut 26," and within 15 minutes I had two great options - a Buy Now for $15, no shipping, and an auction at $1 with $4 for shipping. When the auction closed the next day, I had agreed to pay $10 for the pants. 

For less than $30, I bought two pairs of jeans - they both arrived with the tags ON.

And, if I do say so myself, they look fantastic.

Thrifty Thursday: The Perils of Lace

Last Thrifty Thursday, we talked about dressing like an heiress on a starving-artist budget. If there's one absolute, all-encompassing tip I can give you on that topic, it's this: avoid elastic lace. It will betray you. That's a tip for life - not just for thrifting. Whether you're at Target, TJ Maxx, or Bloomingdale's, no matter how much you like something, if it has elastic lace, run.
Here's why:
Oh, look at this pretty navy blue dress. It's slinky and has fun sleeves, and would probably look great on your body.

Except that OH NO!

Elastic lace will hold up for one, maybe two, maayyyyyybe three wash cycles, and then it disintegrates. While that doesn't technically ruin an item (you could wear it without facing disaster), it does betray it as a piece of fast fashion. Remember, the goal of this series is to look like you paid a lot of money.

Compare that to this other dress.

This lace is inelastic; there's no stretch at all. Instead, the lining is slightly stretchy. 

The difference is enormous. On this dress (which is from Target, BTDubbs) there are no flyaway threads. There's some very slight pilling (just enough that I can tell it's been worn), but the garment still looks great. I took this dress home, shaved the pilling with a cheap razor, and it's as good as new.

Thrifty Thursday: Look Like a Million Bucks When You Only Paid Five

There are risks to shopping exclusively at thrift stores - namely, someone noticing. If someone asks if you got something at Goodwill, it means one of two things:

1. You often shop secondhand, are vocal about it, and this individual wants to know if your ensemble is part of that historic lineage
2. You look like a pile of garbage

No judgies, here - remember what I said about pulling it off? Style is whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you like hobo-chic (or just hobo), then go for it. But if you want people to think you buy everything brand new, you'll need to be a touch more selective. 

First off, only buy items that are in great condition. If the hem is frayed, the fabric is pilled, or the collar is warped, you should let it lie. Any signs of wear make the garment off-limits. If you want to fool the public, you'll need to be discerning. I tend to see everything as a fixer-upper - "I'll replace the buttons/add a belt/take it in." All those tactics are great, but not when you want to look like a J Crew model. 

Also, pay close attention to fabrics. There's a huge difference between real silk and a polyester blend, and someone who wears the real thing everyday will spot an imitation in a heartbeat. If you want to trick someone into thinking you spend a lot of money on your clothes, avoid blends as much as you can. It can be hard to find nice cotton and silk, but the difference is noticeable. Also, check the washing instructions on the things you find; if a dress is labeled dry-clean only, make sure that the fabric looks brand new. When dry-clean only fabrics go through the dryer, they can lose the slight shininess that makes the fabric so lush. Take this Ann Taylor dress:

I gasped aloud when I found it - I didn't notice a single flaw. The fabric is still soft and shiny, and there are no frays, stains, or pills. While I wouldn't wear this dress to, say, a night at the theatre, it's perfect for a job interview. This dress would probably have cost me  more than $50 from the store, but I found it for a tenth of that price.

I love my funky style, but it doesn't scream, "adult who knows what a 401k is." Just don't think you have to abandon your thrifty roots in order to dress like a future CEO.