"not too bad for a monday"... and this week's recycled goods

7:50 am... monday morning... you impressed? cause i am. it's a beautiful morning in the city and i'm glad i'm starting the week right, although this will probably be the only day i get up this early. tomorrow me and blaze head down to LA for one last week of summer awesomeness and i plan on not setting any alarms.

so. "recycled goods?" you inquire on this lovely monday.
yup. recycled clothes in fact.

i am often shocked (and confused if we're being honest) by the money people put out on clothing. if there's an industry i could spend all day ripping on, it's the clothing industry. but uh, i'll save that for when i'm more awake. 

i'm a thrifter. thrifting has been embedded deep into the hearts of pretty much everyone on my father's side, from the moment we've been placed in our hand-me-down cradles. some of my best childhood memories include garage sales, church bazaars, and trying to sell my used stuff to other people.

unfortunately clothes are something people seem to be more afraid of when it comes to second-hand. and i understand. i've been in those dark, musty hole-in-the-walls where i'm afraid to touch the clothes, nevermind wear them. luckily, thrifting has come far. so far, in fact, that i have gone long periods of time (we're talking years here), without buying a single new clothing item.

what's better than clothes at a super cheap price ... that aren't bad for the environment... or taking advantage of poorer cultures... nooooooot much.

check out some pictures of my latest and favourite thrifted finds, along with some tips for new thrifters.

scored this banana republic vest at a goodwill. can't wait to use it more this fall.

 

this collared top was like three bucks and it's everything i've ever wanted in a white button down. so soft and comfy, but still dressy enough.

if you don't like browsing for hours on end (or your husband just keeps saying it's time to go..), make a list ahead of time of what you need. almost all second-hand shops are organized by style and colour, so you should have no problem saving time!

this dress was made by buffalo. i'm not a lover of a specific label, but if you are, i can guarantee you that you'll be able to find its clothing in a thrift shop with a little dedication and patience! 

sometimes it's tempting to just buy everything that you touch when it comes to second-hand, because things can be cheap if you go to the right place. but be cautious. in my teenage years i bought a lot of things because of price, when in reality they didn't flatter me and just sat in my closet. this can happen in any shopping situation but it's usually harder to avoid when thrifting.

this dress is one of those examples. i've loved wearing it at a couple special things over the past months, but in reality is just doesn't fit right. i always have to use a belt, and the waist isn't in line with my own. thank goodness it was under ten bucks so i feel no remorse for re-donating it or giving it to a friend!

all these featured items cost between 3 and 9 bucks. find out when stores are having their 50% off days if you want to spend even less. admittedly some places can be a pretty pricey these days. that's why i usually avoid stores labelled vintage. 

i realized after looking through these pictures that all these pieces are from goodwills around norcal. this isn't usually the case, but because i don't know all the best places around here yet, i've stuck to goodwill a lot. 

^sk8er boi wanted a little feature too. thanks for being my photographer boo!

^now that's TALENT. i had an awful sprain recently and have been using a brace/crutches. woohoo for stupid ankles.

i hope this post has inspired you to at least consider second-hand next time you're on the hunt for something to wear. remember, it may not be brand new, but it's new to you!

have a great monday everyone!