When we thrift items, we never know what we’re going to get, and that’s the thrill of it! And there are moments when we find a piece that is so divine that we have to take a moment to thank the fashion gods for letting that piece find us! Chances are you may be the only person wearing that piece which makes finding vintage pieces that much more desirable. To feel truly unique and love what you’re wearing is a beautiful thing.
This week I chatted with some of my favorite bloggers (with a passion for vintage clothing and thrifting) to tell me what their all-time favorite thrifted finds are. Here’s what they had to say!
___________________________________________
AMINTA (Chictopia user aminta)
Location: Spain
Blog: amintaonline.com
The stellar Aminta from Spain never stops surprising us with her unique and other-worldly outfits; With a seemingly endless wardrobe, I challenged miss Aminta to pick one thrifted piece that’s her favorite.
Whitney: Aminta, your style seems to be everchanging and unpredictable (in a good way). Is there one thrifted piece that you adore and seems to always make an appearance in those looks?
Aminta: My vintage black fedora hat. My boyfriend got it many years ago, and since he gave it to me, it never leaves my head. It was love at first sight.
Whitney: How do you fit your fedora into your personal style?
Aminta: It’s so easy to incorporate it into actual looks, and it goes perfectly with everything! I wear it almost every day, during fall, winter or even spring (I’ve even tried summer, but that was crazy!).
Whitney: What do you love about thrifting?
Aminta: It’s exciting and relaxing at the same time. It’s like going hunting; I feel like I have found a treasure (when I do).
Some of my own thrifted faves are simple pieces like Aminta’s hat; There’s nothing like a vintage accessory, made with the utmost attention to detail and quality, landing in one’s possession and easily going with so many outfits.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
LISA of SHOES AND SASHIMI (Chictopia user Shoes and Sashimi)
Location: Newcastle, UK
Blog: shoesandsashimi.blogspot.com
Per the name of her blog, Lisa Marshall has a thing for shoes, and when you browse her looks you will fall in love with shoes a little more yourself. Not only is her shoe collection enviable but the rest of her wardrobe is just as marvelous. She decided to showcase two of her fave thrifted finds!
Lisa: When I was asked to choose my all-time favorite vintage item I panicked a little. I felt like a parent being asked to choose between children. Being a typical Pisces I’m incredibly indecisive, so in the end I decided on two favorite items: A pair of second hand cropped printed trousers and a vintage Harrods London vanity box.
Whitney: How did you discover these items?
Lisa: The trousers are a charity shop find I bought last year. I love printed trousers and have an obsession with pajama style.They were a steal at £15, cropped, a wide slightly tapered leg with a navy and cream circular print. They don’t have a label inside so who knows where they originally came from. They have served me pretty well, I have worn them before with a plain grey t-shirt and plan to wear them into the winter with burgundy knits and velvet slippers. I stumbled upon the vanity box a few weeks ago whilst in Brighton at an amazing space called ‘Bric A Brac’. I already have a black vanity case which used to be my grans and has her initials embossed in gold on the top, so when I saw this cream beauty, I knew it had to come home with me. It is cream leather and even came with a key to the lock, Harrods London Ltd is embossed in green under the lid. I will mainly use this to store jewelry, but may take it as hand luggage when travelling; I have always loved vintage luggage pieces. I love this piece as it makes me wonder who owned it originally. I’d like to think it was an incredibly chic lady who filled it with pearls, perfume and delicate lace gloves.
Whitney: There’s nothing like a vintage piece that seems to have a story to tell, and I too could see that bag having a rich history.
Lisa: That’s the great thing about thrifting. Most of the time you don’t know the history of a piece, so you can let your imagination run wild and make up the story yourself.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
STEFANY of PRETTY IN THRIFT (Chictopia user Pretty in Thrift)
Location: New York City
Blog: Pretty in Thrift
Whitney: Being a New York City gal, you’ve got easy access to fashions from one end of the spectrum to the next, so I’m excited to know, What is your all-time favorite thrifted find?
Stefany: Hands down, it’s my geometric neon 60’s vest. I love my thrifted neon vest because it is one of the most unique pieces I have ever found at a thrift store. The vest embodies a lot of qualities that I love about the 60’s such as the A-lined shape, geometric upholstery pattern and unique color combination, but at the same time it possesses a very contemporary and couture quality thanks to the vibrant neon colors and impeccable craftsmanship.
Whitney: With the ability to make a statement on its own, how do you incorporate this wild vest into your everyday attire?
Stefany: You would think it would be harder than it actually is because it is such a stand out piece and is so colorful. In the past I have paired it with neutral palettes and silhouettes, to let the garment shine. Vests have been such a staple in a fashionista’s wardrobe the last few years and are great layered over blouses, sweaters, and t shirts, and this vest is no exception to those rules!
Whitney: How did you score such an amazing vintage find?
Stefany: I found it at a neighborhood Salvation Army. My first reaction was absolute shock, my second was to look up at the ceiling (sky if you will) and thank the cosmos for placing me at the shop in that moment in time to discover such a wonderful item.
Whitney: Well then, I guess I should say, How did this vest find you?! Sometimes we come upon pieces like this (that are seemingly in a sea of boring, unwearable pieces in comparison), and it makes our thrifting excursions worthwhile. It’s definitely a part of thrifting that is additive. What do you like about thrifting?
Stefany: I love thrifting because it gives girls and boys who don’t have the means to spend a ton of money on designer clothes and accessories a chance to express themselves through their style and not be restricted by cost. It also forces you to be creative and resourceful and less trend driven, which aids in developing your own sense of style. And lets not forget to mention the thrill of finding a really special piece such as this vest!
Whitney: Well said, Stefany. I agree that trends don’t matter as much to a girl who’s caught the thrifting bug; It’s really all about working with what you’ve got (or rather, what you’ve been given by the cosmos!).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
CARLY of A WALK IN THE PARK (chictopia.com/carlymaddox)
Location: Florida
Blog: carlymaddox.blogspot.com
This adorable Floridian has a style so developed and enviable, you can’t believe she is just 16 years old. Carly Maddox fuses contemporary garments with vintage ones seamlessly, and would make a girl grab that thrifted Dooney and Bourke bag out of her closet (most of us have one) and wear it more often.
Whitney: Okay, now that I’m done swooning over your vintage Dooney and Bourke bags, can you tell me what your all-time favorite thrifting item is?
Carly: My vintage lace-collar dress. I love this dress because it is so adorable and it goes with everything! It’s something I can wear any season, which is also nice! This dress has a very simple but classic look which fits my style, and I am so glad I found it!
Whitney: It does seem to be one of those dresses that would work in looks no matter the time of year. How would you style it?
Carly: When putting an outfit together with this dress, I want to go for a very sweet, classic, girly look. I usually wear it with a pair of vintage Nine West Mary Janes I have and a vintage Dooney and Bourke purse. If it is cold outside, I will wear thick black tights with it, a cardigan and black oxford heels.
Whitney: So versatile! Great styling tips. So, how did you find this dress?
Carly: I found it at this thrift shop in my city called Thrift Center. The thrift shop is very large and has very poor lighting, and the last time I had gone in there was a few years ago; It just doesn’t seem like a place where you could really find any nice treasures. But one day I decided that it was time I just took a look around, and I was so glad I did! When I first saw it, I immediately fell in love with it, mostly because of the collar. I did dislike that when I found it, the dress was so long that it dragged the floor when I put it on. I almost decided not to buy it because of this, but then I noticed that the tag said it was only $2! On top of that, the thrift shop I was in was having a sale, and it was 70% off! So I decided to get it, and I just shortened the length of the dress. Now I am very happy with it, and I love wearing it!
Whitney: That’s one point to make to those who are newbies at thrifting: Sometimes the proportions or fit may be a bit off, but don’t let that dissuade you! A couple quick-and-easy fixes with a needle and thread will solve your “This vintage dress is really beautiful, but it’s too long for me”-sort of dilemmas.
As the Thrifting Editor here at Chictopia, I love seeing gals with style that is just as chic as those wearing the latest designer duds but pay a fraction of the cost for thrifted clothing. Carly is one of those girls who works within a small budget but comes out looking fantastic no matter the price tag.
Carly: I love thrifting because I never know what to expect. It’s a great feeling I get when I find a gorgeous vintage dress, blouse, or anything else. I’ve noticed that I even find way more things I like when I go thrifting rather than when I go shopping at the mall also, which is good, because I love buying clothes but don’t like spending much money on them!
______________________________________________________________________________________________
By Whitney S. Williams
Photos provided by: (1&2) Aminta, (3) Lisa Marshall (4) Stefany Mohebban (5) Carly Maddox
