I got the best buy last weekend.
I was browsing the sale rack in Express and came across the most amazing striped blazer. It had no tags, so I asked the sales associate how much it was. He said it is this season’s but since he couldn’t find another jacket, I could have it for the sale price of similar blazers! Score! And I had a $15 gift card, so the final cost was $36! When I got home I made sure to look the blazer up on the Express website to see if it is this season’s, and oh yes, it is. At a pricey $98. I’ll take $36, thank you!
Don’t mind these awful pictures, my camera is broken, so iPhone it is!
I would like to have styled a bit better, but I was in a tired rush this morning. Please understand.
Several times a year it is beneficial to give a little cleanse to your wardrobe. I’m usually pretty good about it by giving clothes to Goodwill and participating in SwapMaine. But lately I’ve been feeling like it’s time to really purge and completely get rid of excess. And while giving is good, why not try to get some extra cash for it? I figure I’ll start with a consignment shop and then offer the leftover clothes to friends, then Goodwill.
First stop for me and my seven bags, Find!
I’ve been back from Quebec City just over a month and have the most exciting news…I got engaged! Jared totally surprised me on our last day with a proposal in front of the Chateau Frontenac AND a kind stranger who had no idea the turn his role of snapping our picture would take! As our photos show, Jared was trying to catch a picture of the proposal by tricking me into thinking we were posing for just one last snap. However, the amateur photog got a little overwhelmed and missed the main shot! But the photos he did get are just as sweet:
Special note: You’ll notice I did indeed wear my outfit I posted in the pre-Quebec blog article!
And oh yes, Quebec City was magnifique! Here are some highlights and recommendations:
Lodging: We stayed in the cutest hotel, Maison Sur Le Cap. It is just across from the Chateau Frontenac and was perfect for late afternoon naps and warming up from the cold for a few hours.
Eating: We ate out at several restaurants, but here are the memorable ones:
1. Our first night’s dinner was at Le Lapin Saute down in the Lower City, very quaint and European-esque and full of rabbit (lapin = bunny, awww!).
2. Le Hobbit is definitely not to be missed. It is out of the city walls, but not far. Excellent atmosphere, food, and waitstaff.
3. Epicerie Richard is the place to go when you need a little nibble mid-afternoon to bring back to the hotel room while you kick off your heavy winter boots and let your legs warm up. We went here for pre-made deli sandwiches, drinks, and snacks when we didn’t want to spend money on a restaurant meal. I loved how they had fresh grapes, cheese, and crackers packaged up in the deli case. Who needs chocolate bars and chips?
4. Finally, the best deal around, Marche du Vieu Port, the Farmer’s Market! Even in February it was open every day and full of ciders, cheeses, breads, root vegetables, fresh pastas, seafood, meats, jams, mustards, pastries, chocolates, and most important: French Macarons! My new favorite treat.
I bought a bunch and was so gutted when we went after the proposal and there were only four left! Boo, I had wanted to buy a carload to take back to Maine. We ended up buying some fresh pastas, sauce, bread, and of course, ciders.
Entertainment: Our reason for going to Quebec City in the middle of the winter was for the Carnaval de Québec. I had never been and Jared hadn’t been for years. Go for the:
snow sculptures…
skijoring…
ice canoe racing, tobogganing, white water raft sledding, music, ice bars, outdoor drinking, and loads of other fun stuff!
Vieux Québec is a great place to visit. It feels so European yet is only a 5 hour drive from Portland, Maine. You need to go!
Perfect for walking around Vieux-Quebéc and having a few crepes! Can you tell I’m excited for my trip to Quebéc City this week? Oui!
It’s about time I reveal my most fabulous Black Friday steal find! I typically don’t go out for aprés Thanksgiving shopping as I feel I should be enjoying downtime from work and not rushing around. However this year, as the stores were opening at midnight and I was already awake with some friends, we decided to continue our evening with a drive up to Freeport, Maine for their Midnight Madness. I was prepared to be met with hoards of people, but there weren’t many shoppers and it was easy to walk in and out of all of the outlets.
I really wasn’t in the market for anything, but that changed once we walked into the clearance section of the Cole Haan outlet store. I found these amazing wooden sole wedges with an oxford styled leather upper. Everything about them was perfect – the fit, feel, height, color, and most important – the price! Rather than paying $395, I only parted with $36! This included the outlet mark down plus the Black Friday discounts. That’s a massive deal!
They look great with dark wash wide leg jeans, my camel pencil skirt, and I imagine a neutral maxi skirt.
What do you think? Are these Cole Haan wood and leather wedges worth $36 or $395?
WARNING! This is going to be one doozy of a post full of images and fab prices.
A recent visit to Macy’s and JCPenney Goodwill left me skipping out with an entire outfit full of Calvin Klein, Bandolino and more! All for $22! Don’t believe it? Read on for the details!
CALVIN KLEIN SWEATER DRESS
I wasn’t looking for a dress, but when I spied the fabulous navy color in the middle of the $4.99 dress rack, I had to inspect. I pulled it away from the rest and noticed the price tag said $7.99. This was an immediate red flag that the dress was probably name brand.
I was right! Calvin Klein all the way! And this dress is in perfect shape. No pilling, no discoloration, nothing! I was shocked at the price as this past summer I spent about $90 on a heavy cotton Calvin Klein business dress at Macy’s. $7.99 is much better!
BANDOLINO LOAFER HEELS
This gems were hidden in the back of the shoe rack. I had been looking for loafer heels but hadn’t found a suitable pair. $4.99 and in decent shape? My search is over!
WORTHINGTON SUEDE JACKET
I don’t do a lot of shopping at JCPenney, but when I saw the Worthington label, I knew where this jacket came from. I had been looking around for a boxy cut jacket made out of leather/pleather/suede, but never wanted to spend a lot of money on one. No worries! This was $7.99! Perfect!
COLORFUL GEOMETRIC SCARF
I wasn’t looking for a scarf since I own millions of them, but this one totally matched my new outfit. Plus, I just couldn’t resist buying a matching accessory for my outfit! And it was $1.00!
THE RESULT
Don’t these pieces all look amazing together? I can’t believe I found an entire outfit that matches so well and can also be worn in so many ways with clothes I already own. And in one trip!
Have you ever found an entire outfit that included costly name brands at a thrift shop? Did you pay under $25?
Goodwill New England recently posted my article all about my fabulous floral heels. They are the sweetest little heels with cute flowers and ruffles all around! Perfect for summer dresses and with jeans. Is it almost summer again? Take a read!
Another guest post of mine was recently featured on Goodwill of Northern New England’s blog. This article’s theme was based on finding a Halloween costume at Goodwill and I definitely found nearly everything I needed in one trip to one Goodwill store! Check it out!
Last Friday was October’s First Friday Artwalk here in Portland. I hadn’t been to an artwalk in awhile, so I was surprised to see numerous street vendors and new galleries that I didn’t know existed on the fringes of Congress Street. While I did want to check everything out, my main goal was to visit the Maine Historical Society and see the two Maine related fashion exhibits.
Exhibit I
The first, titled Dressing Up, Fitting In, Standing Out: Adornment & Identity in Maine, 1750 - 1950, is an interesting look at what Mainers wore for special occasions. It’s amazing to think how nicely people dressed when they didn’t have that much money. All of the clothes, jewelery, and other accessories were meticulously cared for because they had to last awhile. This exhibit has actual pieces and outfits on display, as well as many photographs and some video from all over Maine. I loved looking at the ornate jewelery, especially an earring and necklace set made of gold and amethyst. There were also massive combs made out of tortoise shell and horns that women somehow wore in their hair. I’m not sure how they did it considering some were nearly as big as my head!
Exhibit II
The second exhibit was my favorite and what I had been looking forward to seeing. Having in Paris a Great Success, 1928-1936, featured designer drawings of all the hottest fashions from Paris that were being sold in Maine in the late 20s and early 30s. I feel that I couldn’t imagine such grand dresses being worn around the cobblestone or even dirt streets of Maine, but I guess if you were one who had money, it wasn’t an issue.
Parisian fashion houses would send a drawing, short write up, and an attached fabric swatch to the potential buyer so she could see the finer points of the garment and choose which design she wanted. Drawings were often accompanied with sayings such as “having in Paris a great success” or “big sleeves giving an effect of flowers”. I love how sleek the drawings look and it’s amazing to think that women would put their trust in a drawing and some romantic copy written in cursive.
Check it out
If you love the evolution of fashion and want to see how Mainers did it, make sure to stop by the Historical Society. You’ve got some time as the Dressing Up exhibit is on display until May 2012 and the Having in Paris a Great Success is on display until the end of December 2011. You can get in for free on any of the First Friday Artwalk nights, or pay $5 to visit any other time.
I just love finding little trinkets at thrift shops. I always wonder what their past lives where like––where they lived, what type of people owned them, and how far they have traveled. I found these little glass magnets at a thrift shop named Frugal Suzy’s in Camden, Maine during a recent wedding weekend.
I loved the vintage floral patterns and one even has a little bird which is super cute. I know this isn’t the best picture, but I am working on getting my camera fixed, so it will have to do for now! My fridge is pretty bare so I thought these might dress it up a bit. I think they were a dollar each, so it was pretty inexpensive update.
Thrift shops aren’t only good for clothes, they are perfect for interior decorating. I love finding different pieces that I know nobody else will have. And I LOVE picking through rooms of stuff and seeing what I can pull out. I would be a fabulous addition to American Pickers…
What do you like to look for at thrift shops? Do you always have something special in mind?