Thrifty Threads

The following is a reprint of a previously published Thrifty Threads post. I’m low on submissions, so please keep those photos coming! Meanwhile, if you missed it the first time, enjoy the story of Jane’s perfect sweater she scored for free!

Welcome to Thrifty Threads, AKA Most Stylish Compact-y outfit, where readers model their favorite secondhand clothes.

A compact-y outfit is used or recycled, from Goodwill, a thrift store, a consignment shop, a yard sale, craigslist, ebay, a clothing swap, or anywhere else you find used clothing.

Today’s model is Jane, from beautiful London, Ontario, Canada. Jane is wearing a gorgeous black sweater that she FOUND – lying in a puddle (!) – in the parking lot of her condo complex. Jane says she walked by it a few times before stopping to investigate. Upon discovering it was a size small Alfred Sung silk/cotton blend, she gave it a gentle wash, put it in the dryer a few minutes, and laid it flat to dry. It turned out great, and now it’s a favorite. It works as a casual outfit like this, or with a gray turtleneck, gray skirt, black tights, and heels for work. The Bluenotes jeans in this photo were bought for under $10 at a local secondhand store, and the blue t-shirt was a hand-me-down from her daughter, who used to receive free merchandise when she worked at a clothing store.

Jane blogs at Life DOESN’T begin at retirement – it begins NOW! She’s on a quest to move to Prince Edward Island and has a four-year plan to do it. It sounds like a fairytale, but I’m betting she’ll make it a reality. Jane started out in banking, switched to teaching, and now is looking forward to a 3rd career when she moves. She doesn’t know whether her new vocation will be raising goats and chickens, throwing pots, opening a B&B, or being a beach bum, but one thing’s for sure, she won’t be retiring from life. Jane says, “The Four Year Plan is unfolding as it should and nothing, not debt, not hard times, nor bum knees are going to get in my way!” What an inspiration! Click here to check out more.

I love this photo, and when I complimented Jane on her great haircut, she told me she cut it herself! She says she’s saved hundreds of dollars over the years since she starting doing that, and she’s never gotten so many compliments. I can see why.

I just love that sweater, and in fact I wish I had one exactly like it because I have a lot of black sweaters, but not one perfect one. A la Goldilocks, my black sweaters are all too long, too short, too thin, or too thick. Jane’s black sweater is perfect. And it was free. I assume if it belonged to someone in her condo complex, they would have accosted her by now.

Thanks Jane for that fabulous photo! Readers, it’s your turn. Put on your favorite secondhand outfit, snap a photo, and send it to me at barton.angela@gmail.com. Don’t be shy, we all love to see the creative outfits everyone is putting together these days. The Thrifty Threads models are an inspiration to me. I haven’t bought a new piece of clothing in almost two years. And between a yearly clothing swap and a couple of local consignment stores, I don’t think I’ll have a problem continuing that trend.

Do you shop secondhand? Please leave your shopping tips and compliments for Jane in the Comments section. And click here to check out previous installments of Thrifty Threads.