Suddenly, last weekend, the thrifting gods smiled upon me and offered up a lovely {and reversible} fur vest with light pink lining. Too good! Despite the suddenly-summer turn that DC weather has taken, I'm planning to wear this baby out on the town.

Happy Black Friday to everyone! I'm currently sitting at home with a mouthful of gauze. No worries since I prefer to do my shopping in bed when I can, especially since I'm rocking some serious chipmunk cheeks.

That won't keep me from posting today's Friday Finds, which centers around my recent trip to NYC: what I wore and what I bought. Get excited.




Sunday was such lovely warm weather, so I decided to pair a a cranberry colored silk shirt dress {a thrifting find that had been floor length before a serious hemming-session} with black boots and tights. We braved the city jacket-less but I brought along with my favorite gray & white infinity scarf, just in case.
My high school BFF is lucky enough to live in a gorgeous apartment in the middle of Hell's Kitchen, so we were in close proximity to visit the Fashion District and start our shopping spree in Times Square, eventually making our way to Rockefeller Center. {Unfortunately, Tina Fey was M.I.A.}




A very conveniently placed LOFT resulted in a serious bling upgrade: thanks to a massive sale, I was able to snag a jeweled golden chain cuff, two simple stretch bands and a white & gold striped infinity scarf. Say what you want about Ann Taylor, LOFT never lets me down when it comes to the frosting. {How to Lose a Guy references will be appreciated here.}


This cuff matched my outfit perfectly--so clearly a sign from the fashion gods. I am obsessed with how perfectly it matches my dress and my favorite watch. It was too good a deal to pass up, and I was too excited not to wear it out of the store. I'm not the only who does that, right?




The rest of my sparkly loot will be making an appearance soon, with a more gold-themed outfit. Funny how everything seems to match each other. It took me longer than I'll care to admit to realize that the lightweight tan and gold striped scarf was actually an infinity scarf...and once I did, I was smitten.


A little retail shopping later and it was time for me to head home, but not without one more, less organized shopping stop....






Having felt a bit a bored during my latest thrifting adventures, and unable to afford anything at the lovely store windows I was tempted by, I had decided that (time allowing) NYC would be the perfect place to take my second-hand shopping to the next level: pay by the pound! After extensive research a quick yelp search, I came across Green Village, a warehouse of  clothing and furniture located in Brooklyn that fit my budget: pricing was $2/lb {with a 5 lb maximum.} So off we went, in search of buried treasures in the land of the hipsters.




Luckily for me, my thrifting partner in crime was down for the challenge, and so, two non-New Yorkers went off in search of adventure! After a bit of difficulty navigating the freeways of Manhattan we made our way into Brooklyn and found what we were looking for. Furniture was pilled inside and out of the two-story tall warehouse with many rows of blazers, winter jackets and various clothing by the front entrance. As you can see from the photos above, this place meant serious business and required lots o' patience to find what you had come looking for.






























When visiting larger thrifting stores, it's a good idea to walk around the place: get your bearings, and figure out which sections strike your fancy and which ones you could care less about. We were there for clothes and accessories {surprise, surprise} and decided to avoid the back rooms filled with scrap metal and furniture. After a an hour of digging through racks and scanning of the section of bags & boots, we tallied up our damage. To our disappointment, the pay-by-the-pound deal only applied to the piles of clothing in the back--a dimly lit area that was too cold to spend much time in. Instead, we opted to pay tag price for the more select pieces from the front racks. My only purchase was a good one: a light brown, unapologetically Birkin-style tote with a faux-croc embossed flap and fringe. Totally awesome at only $12.

It's a perfect handbag size: not too big to be cumbersome, but large enough to hold what daily essentials. Plus, the inner dividers will hopefully keep me more organized than purses of the past. I can't get over the fringe detail on the front and the embossed "Biki" label which reminds of: a. '70s era Biba fashion, and b. the manufacturers not-so subtle acknowledgement of the Hermes "Birkin" silhouette that this bag so clearly emulates.


All in all, my Sunday of shopping was a success! I've still got the pay-by-the-pound bug and am searching for more stores that offer it, just a little bit closer to home.

xox,

I've never understood short-sleeve sweaters or crop tops; why would anyone want cold arms during sweater season? Who would pay money for a too-small shirt and willingly bare their midriff?

Of the very few shopping rules that I follow, these two, very sensible thoughts have dictated many of my purchases over the years. That is, until I found a striped & cropped, short-sleeve sweater during my last thrifting spree that changed my mind forever. Ah, the power of stripes! 


Against my better judgement, I snagged this top thinking that I might get inspired. Cue thrift purchase numero deux: a lightweight chambray tunic in the perfect shade of blue and the perfect length to layer under my new striped purchase. C'est parfait!

• Break the rules: I'd advise any duck-boot enthusiasts to not only check the women's shoes sections but the men's and boy's as well, where most utility-style shoes are organized. 
• Try them on with socks: You'll get a better feel for how they fit and protect from any germs you might be worried about: Shoes can be tricky--I tend  to only choose those with tags still attached or in brand new condition, but a run through the washing machine (for sneakers) or febreeze and/or disinfectant spray could work for more adventurous shoe enthusiasts.
• Take a lap: make sure they're comfortable by walking around in them a bit. 
• Ignore the size markings: Vintage/older garments have different sizing dimensions, as do European garments. You'll eventually hone your eye for what your size looks like on a hanger, but first, just try it on!

If you've seen the light and are itching to try your hand at a new kind of shopping, you're in luck. I've finally compiled a short list of my favorite local spots to thrift. I never leave without buying something, and even my friends who are newbies to the trend agree: you will not be disappointed! 

1. Know what you want.

You're going to have to go through racks  and racks of clothes ordered by size (often times) so make sure you have an idea of what you're looking for. Clothes are often ordered by style: suits and blazers, tops and polos, pants, dresses, but walking into a warehouse of seemingly-unorganized clothes can intimidate anyone. Start with a section and dig it! 

2. When in doubt--grab it!

Thrift stores usually only have one of anything so if you think you like it, and it is within your range of size, take it. When you've exhausted yourself, that's when you (and a friend) can weed out the bad from the excellent! (This is also a great time to snoop on what other people  have grabbed and decided against!) But take a second to check the labeled size--while styles and measurements change over time, especially with vintage clothes, be reasonable about what will fit you. You'll have to put your rejects back somewhere--avoid having a huge pile of them. 

3. Have fun! 

Taking  time to go hanger-by-hanger will inevitably lead you to that perfect brown Zara  blazer a vintage lace shift dress or Marc Jacobs trench (yes I own those all) but on the way you will sort through an endless supply of Chico's mumus, Talbotts capris and strange velvet and glitter creations. If you can't joke about the size xxxl lace bike shorts you've just seen, well then you're missing out on the best part of thrifting: it's where ugly clothes go to die!

4. Practice!

My friends are shocked at how many things I can find within just a few minutes.  I've been doing this (and getting taunted about it) for longer than I can remember. It takes practice to be able to discern the silhouette of a blazer of skirt from afar. Even more, it takes practice to know what looks good on  your body, and to be able to know what will fit you from only looking at it on a hanger. Accept the fact that you will buy something that doesn't work out--if you can't try it on, you'll have to gamble. Odds are, you can take a risk for $4-5. Don't be too disappointed if you end up with too-short pants, or a dress that hugs you a little tight: you're getting the best idea of what will and won't work for you. Plus, if you're creative, you might be able to refashion it into something else. If not, donate it back!