Mixed Fashion Design: garage sale purchases

Showing posts with label garage sale purchases. Show all posts

Thursday, September 25, 2008

What I got - Retro Floral Dress, White Blazer and more

It's been quite a while since I've had a successful thrift hunt but I got lucky last weekend and scored a few great items.

First up is this 50s/60s style abstract floral print dress that I bought from a garage sale last weekend for BDS$6.

Note: US$1 = BDS$2

To be honest, it didn't look very impressive when I first picked it up but I liked the colours and the print so I decided I would buy it anyway. However, it soon began to grow on me on the ride home and when I finally tried it on, it was instant love! The style is so cute and retro - it reminds me of those gorgeous dresses worn on Mad Men.

I could never wear these gloves and tights during the day in Barbados but I'm not going anywhere today and I love dressing up so I thought "why not?"

I also got this awesome white blazer from the same sale for BDS$8. Unfortunately, it's a little tight when I button it but I love it so I'll probably just wear it open.

I went to another sale the same day and got the two bags below. The first one is a black oversized clutch that I bought for BDS$5. It has a really beautiful relief design on the flap that isn't obvious unless you look at it closely.
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The other bag I got is this cool denim fringed Miss Sixty bag that also cost BDS$5. I've wanted a fringed purse for a long time but another reason why is love this one is because of the brilliant woven detail on the flap.

This last item is not a garage sale purchase but a bargain buy nonetheless. I ordered these amazing pewter caged heels from the Urban Original Ebay Store for US$10.49. I don't usually wear shoes this high so it's going to take some practice walking in them, especially because of the thin heel, but I think I'll get the hang of it eventually. I don't think this shoe style is still in stock but if you're interested in checking out more of their stuff, they also have a website you can visit.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

What I got - Saturday Shopping

Today I went on my regular Saturday thrift hunt and while the sales weren't as abundant as the last time I went, I still got some good stuff. This was a case of quality over quantity I guess. I'm on vacation now (whispers a silent thank you prayer) so I have a lot more time and energy to devote to retail therapy.

At the first sale I got a skirt and also a leather bag that the owner told me she bought for over $100 but never used it. Pity, but it's mine now haha!

At the second sale, I got a hat and a little purse from what I thought was a sweet old lady until she tried to sell me a mini April 2008 Marie Claire magazine for $5, non-negotiable. Fat chance! Yeah, I'm that ...ahem...frugal. At most garage sales I go to, used and much larger magazines sell for around 50 cents.

I took my hat and purse and left a happy woman with my $5, which I used later to buy a ring from a store.

Ah well, I still ended up spending it.

N.B BDS $1 = US $0.50

Pleated black and white skirt - BDS$3

Red and silver cocktail ring - BDS$5

Green netted hat - BDS$5

Navy houndstooth purse - BDS$5

Hieroglyphics Leather Purse - BDS$10

Saturday, April 19, 2008

What I got - Thrifting finds

Many of the best clothes and accessories I own have been discovered while thrifting. When I say thrifting, I don't mean thrift stores because we don't have any of those in Barbados, unfortunately. Almost every Saturday, someone holds a garage sale or flea market and this is the thrifting outlet for many Barbadians who are looking to get good deals on various items. I try to go as often as I can, but many times, I'm either busy or I wake up too late and the sun is way too hot at that time. Trust me, scorching sun equals misery.

These past two Saturdays, however, I was able to go to a few sales and get some pretty good stuff. Now the things I get cannot be compared to the amazing clothes and accessories available in other countries for dirt cheap prices (I wanna go away so badly!) but they're reasonable. Below are the items I purchased.

N.B BDS $1 = US $0.50

Red, Navy and White striped cardigan - BDS$10
Pink turtleneck - BDS$5

Full pleated pink striped skirt - BDS$5
Full tiered pink skirt (not dingy as in picture) - BDS $5

Large Square Clock Scarf - BDS$7
Large Square Dotted Scarf - BDS$7

Yellow and teal drop earrings - BDS$5

Brand new Grey Striped Shorts - BDS$7
(There was also a pair of Ralph Lauren shorts for BDS$5 but they were too small for me. Pity!)

Wide Brown Textured Belt - Free

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Fatal Attraction 2 - Statement Jewelry

Oh, how I love statement jewelry! I love it, I love it, I...okay, you get the point. I was born in the late 80s, so technically I cannot be called a child of the 80s since I didn't experience very much of it. The one thing that seemed to have rubbed off on me while I was there, however, is the love of big, bold jewelry. Anyone else out there like me?

I recently purchased this pair of white and gold flower earrings from a garage sale for $2.

I asked my mother, who would remember the 80s vividly, what she thought and she said "they are a bit old fashioned." Maybe they are, but I think they're lovely. Or maybe I was blinded by the beauty of a total bargain. In any case, that's the nature of fashion; many things that seem to be dead and gone make a trendy appearance a few decades later.

You can wear the absolute simplest outfit and pair it with a cocktail ring or a big, sexy earrings and it makes everything a whole lot more interesting. Trust me, statement jewelry can be one of the best conversation starters. With anyone who is willing to listen of course.

Incorporate some bold jewelry into your collection with the pieces below.