Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The Art of the $12 Outfit.

This is the kind of girl I am: When I was traveling last week, a girl came up to me at Jamba Juice in the airport and told me she liked my shoes.

My reply? "Thanks. They were only five dollars!"

Yes, that was my response to a stranger. I am obviously classy. (Do you also feel inclined to tell random people just how little you spent on an adorable piece of clothing? Let's be friends.)

So when I realized that my casual, comfy, but still work appropriate outfit today cost me a mere twelve dollars, I knew I had to share.

The Art of A Cheap Outfit
Shirt: Forever Twenty-One, via Plato's Closet, $5
Pants: The Limited, hand-me-down, $0
Hair: A hot mess.

Shoes.
Shoes: SO, via Plato's Closet, $7
Red Feet: WTF?

Earrings.
Earrings: Made my me, soon to be in my shop, $0
Hair: Messy buns rock.

I adore second-hand, consignment, and thrift stores. Not only are you getting an amazing deal, you're recycling (or would it be reusing? I get confused about the 3 R's).

38 comments:

  1. I ALWAYS tell people how little my clothing costs when I get compliments. I guess it's because I don't think "thanks" is enough. haha.

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  2. I am always out for deal on cute stuff. I love thrift stores/vintage and hate paying full price for anything. I am also guilty of sharing too much on how much I paid for stuff. haha

    Way to go on your cute outfit!

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  3. I do that too! I tell people all the time where I get my stuff & how much I paid for it when they compliment me. I'll be the first one to exclaim, THANKS! I bought it at a garage sale for 2 bucks! It's partially embarrassing, but on the other hand, I love the looks of disbelief I get from people when they hear that most of my clothes are secondhand. :]

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  4. super adorable outfit. and for $12? excellent.
    i'm the exact same way with my very classy, "OH YOU LIKE IT? IT WAS ONLY $3!!"
    so yes, let's be friends =)

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  5. I do that as well. I love thrift shops. Lately one of my friends and I have been hitting up all the stores in our area a few Saturdays a month. It beats going to the mall where they always have the same stuff week after week. Its always an adventure of sorts.

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  6. Haha... I totally do that too. It was only $X, I got it on sale, yada, yada.

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  7. ARE THOSE THE CUTEST SHOES EVER!?! I THINK SO!! (Sorry, I had to yell, because they're so cute and only $7!!) Nice job!

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  8. hahaha! I ALWAYS do that! So funny, the less money I pay for my clothes the more excited I am about them! Those shoes are ADORABLE!!! seriously and I"m really lovin the pants, well ok the whole outfit is cute woman! SCORE!

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  9. Such a great outfit.

    I do the same thing. Today it was "oh, I like your dress", and my cheerful "$10 at Zellers!" I get really excited about good deals.

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  10. Um, I always do that if someone compliments something I got for cheap. And I live in fear that someone will compliment my purse, because it wasn't cheap, and then what will I say in response? "Thanks, it was really expensive"? I don't think so.

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  11. We can be friends!! I'm forever telling people how little I paid for something. I consider it to be a sport though. In college, we'd each take a set amount of money to wherever and see who could get the coolest stuff. I usually won. (Or tied.)

    Besides, if you don't volunteer the info right up, they're just going to ask. It's streamlining the conversation. :)

    The cute little kitten healed shoes I'm wearing today? $14 2 years ago and I wear them almost daily. Sure they've gone to the cobbler for a fixin' but I LOVE them.

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  12. Cute cute cute. I need to find ways of doing that in England. Everything seems expensive here, even in charity shops!

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  13. I tell people all the time what I paid for stuff when they compliment me. I didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Heh.

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  14. I tell people when I got a deal too. It's like a knee jerk reaction.

    That outfit is adorable!!!

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  15. So beautiful! I do that too - I can't stop myself! lol Maybe I should make up outrageous facts about my the history of my clothing items instead and see how that goes over lol

    Maybe I'll stick to the price after all.

    Love your thrifty fashion! Nicely done!

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  16. I always tell people too. I'm quite proud of my killer deals when I have them, as I think anyone should be! :) Love your outfit...too cute and the price makes it even cuter!!

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  17. I'm trying to become more fluent in thrifting because I LOVE a good deal!

    I've been to my local plato's closet to sell back things (aka GET EASY MONEY) but I've never really taken the time to shop in there. Now, I will definitely make the time, considering your cute finds.

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  18. i'm such a bargain shopper too i'll always tell people how much i spent, i can't help it, haha.

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  19. What's wrong with telling someone you got a good deal on something? I think it makes things even nicer!

    I just scored a bunch of pants my sister was giving away. Free!!! I had to lug them home on the train in a very heavy suitcase, but it was worth it!

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  20. You're so pretty and awesome. The end.

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  21. haha! i do that ALL the time! well actually not as much as i used too - i thought it was normal (why wouldn't anyone want to hear about a great bargain?!) but then one day i also told a complete stranger how much my skirt cost and the response i got was "i didn't ASK how much it COST, i was just TELLING you i thought it was NICE!"
    (uhmmm.... okay! sorry?)

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  22. honestly, i'd rather tell people how little i spent than how much i spent. it feels too much like bragging if someone asks me about something that costs more than $50 when it should only cost half that, but when someone asks me about something and i can say it only cost me $5 and then if i can direct them to where i found it, then i feel helpful AND feel good about myself :)

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  23. Oh I totally do that. For some reason. Not sure why.

    Your outfit is super cute!

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  24. totally cute outfit and even better because it was only $12!

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  25. Platos' closet rocks! We have them in AZ AND they have a frequent buyer card!

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  26. Oh man, we could be twins!! The crown jewel of my bargain wardrobe was a 100% wool mini from The Gap...97 cents. I can never, ever resist telling people about my bargains and I pride myself on pulling together nice outfits for very little cash. Working in a very professional office (i.e., suits almost everyday) was a challenge, but it's been a ton of fun seeking out bargain, putting new outfits together, and getting complemented on them.

    A little while ago my Dad told me very diplomatically that it wasn't nice to go bragging to people about my cheap clothes, so I have toned it down a little, but I still get a major thrill just knowing that I can put together a whole office-worthy outfit for very little. And I still find it really hard to resist telling someone I got my awesome sweater for $6 on the sale rack at TJ Max....

    Keep up the bargain hunting!

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  27. I would have done the same thing! I think it's awesome if people like what I'm wearing and I didn't pay a fortune for it!

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  28. You are the cutest ever! I love those pants! And those shoes! Eeeeee the shoes! love love love!

    Oooh and the earrings are so adorable too!

    I love you Ashley Veggie!

    Oh, and yes, I'm totally the same way! It's like it's impossible for me to just say "thanks" -- I have to name the price or say "Target!" haha

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  29. I am the SAME way! I always feel so proud for having found a bargain - I got this AMAZING messenger bag at a charity thrift store around here for $4. And PS - those shoes ARE adorable!

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  30. Hahaha! I love you for this! I'm totally the same way. The first thing that spills out of my mouth is something like, "Dude! $6! Clearance!" But you know what? I love when other people are totally honest about their fashion steals, so, I figure that I should be, too.

    Ahhhhdorable outfit, by the way. And the earrings are too sweet!

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  31. I tell people if I got something really cheap or if there's some equally-thrifty or unique circumstance surrounding the item. I have a pair of madras-print knee-length shorts that I used to get compliments on all the time (now they're looking a bit old, and I've--um--grown into them). I bought them at Wal-Mart (when I still shopped there), so I would always tell the complimenters that.

    I have to wonder for me if I'm trying to relate some good experience to the person or if I'm just uncomfortable with the compliment, so I feel the need to say, "Oh, this old thing?"

    I'm looking forward to finding some good thrift stores where I live now--unfortunately, when you're living in a poorer area, the thrift stores leave much to be desired.

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  32. So fun! I love stuff like this, and I love whenever I can pull an outfit together completely for little to no money. It makes me heart happy, and it makes me so happy knowing that you do it, too!

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  33. i always do that too. someone goes "oh i love your shirt!" me: "thanks, 4 dollars." its a sickness i tell you!

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  34. I think I love you.

    I do that all the time!! My friends call me the Olympic Shopper because finding bargains is the only sport I am good at. I tell everyone when I got a good deal. Which may mean that in 50 years I will be eccentrically handing out lace doilies to my teenage grandchildren and explaining that I found them for $2 at a garage sale!!

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  35. wow thats so cute! i love clothes and shoes, what is your shop name i love the earings!

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