I finished my Saturday errands and found myself less than a block from the
Ohio Thrift Store. I had to go in. Ohio Thrift is one of the better thrift stores in the city because in addition to the regular thrift store finds they also accept donations of new closeout items that do not sell from major retailers. I purchased a couple of new tank tops there for a couple of dollars that were originally from a major retailer that goes by the nickname Vickie who is very Secretive about things. Thrift store score!
The Thrifting and Shopping Bargain Fairies were good to me. I think they were being kind after that depressing and horrible bathing suit shopping trip earlier this summer. Everything in every store I went to was either dental floss or granny and all looked awful on me. It still gives me nightmares just thinking about it.
Let’s look at the spoils of war!
I bought this cute sundress for $3.99.
Festive, fun, and flirty.
I didn’t realize it was a reversible sundress until I got it home.
This dress is perfect for traveling!
The Big Game Bargain Huntress kill came with this purse. Like the sundress, the condition was excellent; it was $20, which is high for a thrift purse. Then I saw it was a
Kate Spade purse! I love Kate Spade!
It's a little tacky to keep the price tag on
but wanted to prove I wasn't just dreaming.
Green? Yes. Cheap? Yes. Cute and in style? Yes and yes! Mine? – You betcha!
A week later, I was floored with an invitation to a very nice special event during BlogHer this weekend. I wanted a new dress to wear while I networked my face off at a place I consider
Mecca. I thought my best bet would be at a consignment store. I always find something that fits and that I like at
Clothes Mentor when stores selling new clothes let me down, which is often.
Consignment store prices are higher than a thrift store but I think it is worth it because Clothes Mentor has dressing rooms (unlike Ohio Thrift), everything they sell is in fashion (no revamps needed other than hemming), is in excellent condition, and they sell designer clothes at the fraction of the price. I feel a lot better cutting off six inches of designer consignment store pants to hem them than new designer pants.
As a green blogger, I know I should not be so concerned with name brands but I guess I am that shallow. I like how certain designers fit and their clothes look better on me than others do. I tend to mix and match thrift, consignment, and sale items in the same outfit because I like to live big and look nice on a little budget. Going to a high school that was straight out of the movie
Heathers makes me think more about my appearance a little more than I should I suppose.
I decided to check out
TJ Maxx first because I have to pass TJ's on my way to Clothes Mentor so TJ's is more convenient. Shopping at a closeout store is less green than shopping at a consignment store depending upon what you buy at the closeout store of course. It also means I'll spend more money. Based on the bathing suit fiasco I didn't expect to find something I liked at TJ's either. I just wanted to rule them out because Husband went shopping with me. He isn't a big fan of shopping from store to store to store like most women I know like to do.I wanted to make it a little easier on him by trying a store close to home on the off chance I'd find something on the first try.
Boy I am I glad I went! TJ’s had a summer clearance sale
and they had clothes that fit me that weren't hoochie short or granny moo-moos. Yay!
I bought this kicky sundress for $25.00.
I needed new shoes to go with the dress.
Famous Footwear was also having a super duper clearance sale. I got the sassy pink vegan cha cha heels for $20 and the pink silk flats for walking to the event for $15.Since New York is a walking city most ladies wear flats to ride the subway/walk and then change into heels right before they step into a party.
The heels fit nicely in the Kate Spade purse.
Both pairs were regularly $50 – bargain! Not
shopping in the children’s department for shoes this summer ? Priceless!
However the Big Game Bargain Huntress Score of the Day came with this top I grabbed on a whim on my way to the dressing room back at TJ Maxx. The blouse had the original store tag on it with a price of $168.00.
How lucky is that? Pinch me! I'm dreaming!
TJ Maxx had it
marked down on clearance for $15.00! I said it was a serious shopping score. Husband corrected me and said it was a
steal.
Thank you Universe for making these two shopping trips much more fun than buying my bathing suit!
Do you have any favorite shopping places where you know you’ll get a bargain? What was your best Bargain Shopper Score?
Hey FTC: I paid for everything I purchased at these stores with my own money.
