September Thrift Round-up

It's only halfway through October! I've only experienced 8 train delays this month so far*! Time for a round-up of my thrift purchases last month.

Stop 1: the flea market at De Anza College

Indonesian wide leather belt $5

I don't think this cool flower belt had ever been worn. There were black threads still on it that appear to have been from a tag, and the leather isn't bent or broken in. I am looking for a plain saturated dress in a nice deep green or blue, as I think this would look killer over one.

 

Dana Ashkenazi sweatshirt $1

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with the sweatshirt. I got it because I like the reverse exposed seams, and quartering on the front like a shield.

I am not gonna sport Che Guevara on my left boob, though. Time for some sort of patch. And I don't know what's up with the Charlie Chaplin graphic on there either, but all signs point to me not being young-hip-urban-blonde-trustfund enough to wear this brand:

Go on and Google image it yourself. It goes on. Haha!

Dear gawd it's so comfortable, though. I've always wanted an IDGaF shirt to pull on over broken-in IDGaF jeans, that would make me look good while clearly still not GaF. I've tried a few (in my head they must be grey, a traditionally underwear and therefore IDGaF color) and it's never worked out. I think this may be the one.

Not pictured is a sheer green top I bought from the same lady that sold me the sweatshirt, also for $1. It took me 20 minutes to untangle, so it was worth the money for the entertainment, but for all the promise that the different panels and wrappy bits and pointy hem promised, it was disappointingly symmetrical and makes me look like a squat tube.

Munro American navy and brown flats $10 

More work shoes! The color scheme of these reminded me of my beloved Naya Lightning boots:

...whose heels are not suitable for scootering to and fro and standing all day at a desk.

Stop 2: ARF (pet benefit thrift shop)

Tahari silk and cotton cropped cardigan $2.50

I call the color Dusty Burga-roon. Pictured here with my skunkfunk skirt I can never get to go with anything for love or money. I'm playing with color triads now. (No, not Triads.)

NYDJ straight leg cut, $2.50 each

I'm trying more straight leg jeans to see if they don't make me look unhappy sausage-like in the way that skinny jeans do. I don't know what to call the color of the pair on the left other than Lake Bottom. Not romantic-sounding, but a cool slightly unusual dark neutral to try with things. I want a set of Pantone color chips like Anne of Spy Girl has so I can know the names of all of these new colors I'm adding to the wardrobe.

akdmcs capris $1.50

Never thought I'd buy capris, but herringbone denim, embroidery, and cool snaps and zippers are enough to sell me on anything, apparently! I also live in an environment in which I would not freeze the lower half of my calves off wearing them, so now's the time to experiment.

motherhood maternity navy shrug $2.50

I was just talking about looking for one of these in my last post, and I found one not long after! It's not my first piece of maternity clothing, though I don't know what's maternity about a shrug. I guess it's like a plus size brand making scarves. Why not make it a one-stop shop for your demographic?

mod-o-doc striped v-neck $2.50

Way out of my comfort zone. Stripes?! Bright colors? No blue? I want this to go with something deep green. The same deep green that I've been looking for in thrift stores for months.

White silk hair clip $1

This bow is half the size of my face. I love that.

Trinkets for my front windowsill $2 each

These two actually came from the Goodwill and Salvation Army. Favourite Joe says the textured glass globe on the left is Pluto. My apartment has a large window looking out on the porch and courtyard, so I've put some pretty things on it to catch the afternoon light.

Total spent on clothes in September comes to a little over $30! Hooray for making budget!

Man, this post got long. I thrift a lot. I think I will break my round-ups into two from now on.

* This isn't enthusiasm. This is inner screaming.

Party On

Went to a birthday party this weekend! An excellent time was had by all. This is what I wore:

Top: mimoa (v. old)

Black skinny jeans: NYDJ (thrifted)

Denim & leather jacket: Diesel Black Gold (eBay)

Choker: Foxy Originals sage wrap bracelet (available online)

Boots: ALDO (thrifted)

Thanks to two alert readers who point out to me in my last post that 'vera pelle' just means real leather in Italian. Everything else written on the tags, like "echtes leder" also means real leather, or says it's certified genuine in Italian, so I guess it is brandless. I'm a little disappointed I can't track down my coat's relatives through the Internet.

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I like all of the individual pieces in this outfit a lot, but I wish I'd had time to look at the proportions in photographs before I went. This was one of those "augh what do I wear" combinations that I settled on after trying on several tops and jackets, and those are always a mixed bag.

I did get numerous compliments on the shirt, which was awesome. Unfortunately for folks who asked, it is 14 years old, purchased at a little indie shop across from UC Irvine that no longer exists, and the brand has zero online presence. -_-

Good news: I finally found a pair of black skinny jeans that fit! I've been looking for half a year, and this pair fits really comfortably. I can sit down without my thighs feeling like they're tied up like a roast. AND they actually fit at the waist! (normally I have to size up a few to get jeans that fit my legs) They are literally mom jeans: the brand is called Not Your Daughter's Jeans. Hah! (Take note, other lady martial artists and women well-endowed in the thighal region. They only go up to size 18, though.)

Bad news: I made a mistake not wearing them under a dress or tunic. My thigh to ankle ratio is quite large because genetics and wushu are an unstoppable team. My friend's fashion adviser told her that boot cuts are not flattering, period, and that skinny jeans that fit just look better. Last time I'm trying that advice.

edit: My friend suggested tall boots balance out not-narrow limbs. I definitely wear tall boots with leggings and skinny jeans under dresses. I'll try 'em with my denim-clad upper legs showing some time!

The top and jacket both have high necks and emphasize the shoulders, so I think this outfit accentuates all of my stocky areas at once.

What I should have done is check my blog, since the last time I wore this shirt, I also wore black on bottom and a leather jacket (I am predictable), but the proportions were much better. Loose trousers + tight shirt = my friend. Sometimes I get carried away trying out different fits for kicks and forget about tried & true.

I'm not sure what to wear on bottom to balance out this jacket's shoulders and high collar. Maybe fall back on my old standbys, bootcuts jeans + chunky boots? I was born with only 6 cervical vertebrae instead of 7, and I have large trapezius muscles, so I should deploy high collars with care. Are there particular collar shapes or necklines that you avoid?