So you say that you don't have any money. Is this something new? No? You have been there before. So have I. Be it a personal family crisis, work related setback, illness, automobile nightmare, poor money management, the need to put all monies toward something very important.... you get the idea. Money issues strike all of us at some point. Even massive millionaires struggle at times (take a look at some the of the Wall Street moguls who are now working at a coffee shop).
I had a sweet relative who lived in NY for a time. Without a doubt, it is expensive to live there. But this was NY - and you need to look great/fashionable/hip/current in Manhattan. How do you do THAT if you are broke? How can you be incredibly fabulous with little or no money? It IS possible. And, it is absolutely necessary in order to be the person you were meant to be..
I just read Another article about the 10 wardrobe staples every gal needs. Phooey. It is the Same list you see absolutely everywhere. Nothing new. Nothing earth-shattering. Nothing particularly informative either.
Designers will only tout what they have to offer. So this one went on about those skinny black pants that are 'perfect' for everyone and stop about two inches above your ankles. What? Skinny pants can be for size 0 and tiny gals, but not for everyone. They are not Perfect for entire world. There is not one style that works for the entire world. There is not one dress that works for everyone.
Stylists keep putting every actress in the spandex bandage wrap dress. Why? If you have seen one bandage wrap dress, you really have seen them all. They are not different. The actresses (size 0 & 2) all admit that they wear Spanx (sometimes 2 of them at once) to fit in the outfits. Yuck. How do you move? How do you breathe? How do you go potty? I like breathing, drinking something, going to potty when necessary, etc. This is not a perfect dress for everyone, although the actresses look great in them.
So, back to the "you don't have money" issue. What to do, what to do? Go thrifting! 90% of everything you see in my blog was from a thrift store. Hence, I didn't pay much, so I have more, and I don't have duplicates (note: I think I have only posted one duplicate top since March 1). Gals stop me ALL THE TIME to ask where I shop and "how do you get those clothes for so cheap!" Same answer: Thrift stores. Now mind you, not all thrift stores are the same. Not all have decent pricing. Not all are places you want to go into. Not all have decent clothing. If you LOOK like you purchase thrift - then You Are Doing It Wrong! Contact me and we will set up a thrifting date so you can learn to do it properly.
Different stores offer different specials, but they all offer specials. Consignment and Thrift stores vary, but you can find great buys at both. I find new items with original price tags a LOT, so I know exactly how much I would have paid at the department stores. Some stores will have Dollar Days where one rack will be just $1. (Take a look at the outfits I have posted that only cost $2.50). Some will have colored tags with deep discounts on a particular color each day. Some will have week long specials where different clothing items are 1/2 price. Take a look around your area and take a visit or make some calls to find what each store offers. I know what the stores in my area offer, and I am always finding more outlets to shop.
In the meantime, here are some very basic rules about thrifting:
1. Wear sensible shoes (although they need to be 'cute' shoes.) Why? You will walk many a mile when wandering through thrift shops as most stores are not categorized by size. AND - if you find something that you like and you look in the mirror with icky shoes on, it will ruin your perspective about the garment. Yes, it will.
2. Always wear something that can be easily slipped on and off. You need to try on garments that you see at thrift stores as they usually (read: never) can be returned. And, since you are suffering from 'no money' just don't make the mistake of handing over your cash if the clothes don't fit.
3. Those clothes you are wearing need to be light-weight. Don't meander about a thrift store with your wool, long-sleeved, turtleneck top and heavy jeans. And, I don't recommend heavy make-up either. Thrift stores are notorious for suffering from air conditioning maintenance issues. Most have operational a/c, but these facilities are not going to crank up the amps when needed, and you probably don't look that great when you have passed up 'glowing' into 'glistening' into 'sweat drops' into a 'fully-turned on faucet'.
4. Be very open minded. Do not go thrifting if you expect to find a specific item/garment/color/tag. It just won't happen. If you are open minded to find 'simply great things', then you are on your way to success.
5. Do not believe every size tag you see. Let me repeat that: Do not believe every size tag you see. While thrifting, you will find great clothes that may be vintage and sizes were Much tinier years ago. You may wear a size 12 now, but it definitely might have been a size 16 years ago. Do not be offended. (If you really want to be offended, go to the fabric store and take a peek at the sizes listed on dress patterns. It will make you seriously want to cry.) Try on the goods. Period. Take nothing for granted. Someone may have had the clothing altered (I have been blessed to find that they were altered exactly to my size!)
6. There are really Lots of thrift rules, but I said I would just list some basic ones; so here is the one you need to pay attention to: DO NOT BUY THE SAME CLOTHES THAT ARE CURRENTLY HANGING IN YOUR SAD CLOSET! Did you get that? People tell me all the time that they want to: change, dress better, get out of a rut, start over, etc. Yet, they refuse to chose anything remotely different than what they currently wear. That will not improve anything for you. That will only reinforce that fact that you are miserable in your current state, and now you have spent your little bit of money on the exact same thing. Stop the madness. Contact me and we will fix it.
That is what I am here for, to make you Fabulous. Contact me and let's get you there now.
God bless you richly. I know that He has blessed me!
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