100% Thrift

dress -- Maggy London (thrifted)

boots -- Laredo (thrifted)
bracelets -- (thrifted)

It's no secret that I wear a lot of thrifted clothes. I have been shopping in Goodwills (Goodies), Salvation Army's (Sals), flea markets, garage or yard sales (is it a garage sale or a yard sale?), and so on pretty much all my life. But probably what you don't know is that I didn't always like it. In fact, I really hated it when I was growing up. I was terrified that I was going to go to school one day, and somebody would say, "You're wearing my clothes."

My mom, who got lost driving anywhere outside a 25-mile radius around our house, would see a sign for a garage sale, and off she would go. Homing pigeons had nothing on her. It didn't matter what errand she had to run, it would wait until we followed those god-forsaken signs* -- to the end of the earth if that's where they took us. And of course, there was never any good stuff at those sales (at least not from what I could see)! Oh no! Never. But the worst was when there was a sale right around the corner from my house. Because then, horrors of all horrors -- somebody I knew might see me. I would slouch down in the car and make myself as invisible as possible. No way was I going to get out of the car.

*You know the signs I'm talking about -- the ones that are sideways on a telephone pole, the ones that you can't tell which direction the arrow is pointing, the ones that look like they have been up for months, the ones that you can't even read ...

Of course, now that I'm older and wiser I realize that it wasn't all junk. In fact, most of it was actually pretty good stuff. Unique. One of a kind. Interesting. But also weird. Or strange. Or something that would make you go, "MOM. Why? WTF?"

Okay, I didn't actually say WTF? but you know what I mean.

Although my outfit was 100% thrifted -- my bracelets, my dress, and my boots -- my boots were the real score. (They're not really my boots, they're my daughter's, but I was with her when she got them.) They were in like-new condition -- no scuffs or flaws, and they weren't stretched out -- for $12.50! Honestly, they didn't even look like they had ever been worn outside. I thought the dress was a real find as well (I think it was $7.97), except that it's dry clean only -- I love the beadwork on the yoke. (Pet peeve: Why is something that is 100% cotton dry clean only?) I put it in the washing machine, hand-wash cycle, and crossed my fingers. I wasn't all that enamored of the final look though. In fact, I was kind of disappointed. I thought this would be the perfect dress to wear with the boots, but I dunno -- something just seems to be off. Maybe the dress is too short? I seem to be able to wear other skirts that are that length though, so I'm not sure if that's the problem. Maybe with a pair of cropped leggings underneath it, and then a pair of flats? What do you think?

Today Every Body Every Wear is thrifting.
Take a look at some of the amazing outfits that have been put together from thrifted goodies.

I'm also linking up with Spunky Chateau's Thursdays Are for Thrifters

(a two-for-one day!)