Thrifty Threads

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 clothing swap, a yard sale, ebay, Craigslist, or anywhere else you find used clothing.

I am thrilled to present this beautiful photo of Alyson in the wedding dress she got on ebay for just $100. It is absolutely gorgeous, and Alyson looks stunning. I am amazed at how many people are scoring used wedding dresses these days. In fact, according to Recycled Bride, the world’s largest wedding marketplace, more than 20% of brides bought gently used gowns last year. The site says that wedding resale has doubled in the past year, and that couples will find even more ways to reduce, recycle, and resell in 2012.

Alyson completed her look with a veil and bracelet borrowed from one of her bridesmaids, and pearls and shoes she already owned. That brings the total amount spent on her outfit just $100. Unbelievable! Well done, Alyson!

I really love this simple, classic look, as well as the way Alyson paired the neutral palette with the bright, colorful bouquet. And she wasn’t the only one in the wedding wearing thrifty attire, her bridesmaids wore their own black cocktail dresses. Alyson says that because they kept their costs low where they could, she and her husband enjoyed a wonderful wedding day with lots of family and friends and then got to enjoy a two-week trip to Thailand for their honeymoon. That sounds perfect to me.

Thrift store shopping is nothing new for Alyson. She says she’s always enjoyed buying clothes secondhand, even buying her senior prom dress from a Disabled American Veterans store–because it ensured that no one else would show up in the same outfit.

Thanks Alyson, for that lovely photo! It seems to me that when it came to your wedding day, you got to have your cake and eat it too…  a wedding celebration with friends and family that didn’t break the bank, which left funds for a fantastic honeymoon trip.

Readers, it’s your turn! I’m getting low on photos, so put on your favorite thrift store duds, snap a photo, and send it to me at barton.angela@gmail.com. Don’t be shy, we all love to see your fabulous finds. Photos like Alyson’s inspire us all to buy more secondhand. Jump on the bandwagon if you haven’t yet!

Please share your favorite thrifty shopping tips, plus compliments for Alyson in the Comments section. And click here to check out previous installments of Thrifty Threads.