When you’re a thrifter, some days you’re Cinderella; and other days, you’re Cinderella’s sister. Which is to say: sometimes, the thrifted shoe doesn’t fit, no matter how much you’d like to wear it. I’ve been having a few of those days lately.

Vince Camuto shoes ($**)
Vince Camuto shoes ($10)

So cute, right? And, unless I’m mistaken, brand new. Too bad they were 2 sizes too small.

Hispanita pumps
Hispanita pumps ($15)

Small dealio with these pewter beauties. I texted Cassie to see if she was interested, but no dice. I hope they found a good home.

Fluevog pumps ($22)
Fluevog pumps ($22)

These Fluevog pumps were too big, on the other hand. I’m not much of a fan of the brand, but I know a lot of people love it. Surely, someone somewhere would adore these.

Prada flats ($50!!!)
Prada flats ($50!!!)

You guys know I’m a label snob, so I got very excited for a moment when I spotted these. But on closer inspection, I realized that they were in rough shape (some of the bits and bobs attached on the front were missing), and that VV wanted a whopping $50 for them. What the what?

Then, there was a bunch of dresses that also didn’t work out for me:

Boden dress ($11)
Boden dress ($11)

Cute, but the style was all wrong for me. Still, Boden quality is usually great, so this would have been a good deal.

BCBG dress ($12)
BCBG dress ($12)

This BCBG dress was a terrible fit on me, but potentially very cute on someone else.

Wilfred dress ($15)
Wilfred dress ($15)

I hesitated over this one for a while. It was floral, and 100% silk, and it had pockets. Very tempting, but ultimately I passed because I didn’t love-love it, and I felt the style was too young for me. But for $15, it was a steal.

Anthropologie/Deletta dress ($10)
Anthropologie/Deletta dress ($10)

I also hesitated over this Deletta dress. You know I love me some thrifted Anthropologie. In the end, I just didn’t see myself wearing it enough to justify buying it even though it was only $10. Better for someone else to buy it, enjoy it and actually wear it.

So, did I find anything in the end? Well, yes. This is thrift we’re talking about, after all; there is always something to be found.

J. Crew blazer ($8)
J. Crew blazer ($8)

This J. Crew Super 120 blazer was a steal of a deal for $8. It looked barely worn. For blazers and jackets, you can usually tell by looking at the armpits; even with dry cleaning, there will often be telltale signs of wear. Hashtag: the more you know.

Banana Republic blazer ($8)
Banana Republic blazer ($8)

This Banana Republic knit blazer also looked new, and also cost $8. I love the cropped length, which will go nicely with some of my skirts and dresses.

Custom made vintage dress ($10)
Custom made vintage dress ($10)

This custom made, vintage dress was one of my fave finds ever. The silk fabric looks and feels amazing, and the finishing touches (lining, hems, etc.) are exquisite. It was only $10! The top fits me perfectly, but the skirt part is a tight fit around the hips. A dress this beautiful, however, is worth the torture of Spanx.

I also scored a veritable treasure trove of pencil skirts at Red Pony, which is NOT a thrift store (but I couldn’t resist throwing this into the post):

scarf ($12) & No. 2 double serge wool pencil skirts ($40-42/piece)
scarf ($12) & No. 2 double serge wool pencil skirts ($40-42/piece)

I now have 6 of these pencil skirts, including the new ones (top 3, and bottom one), and I love, love, love wearing them. Their sizing also turned out to be super wonky (sensing a theme here, J. Crew), but that’s a tale for another day.

Your turn: how have the thrifting gods been treating you lately? Any happily ever afters?

7 Comments on Tales from the Thrift: Cinderella’s Sister

  1. Love what you find on your thrifting adventures! Great finds and prices on the two blazers. I found a cream lace Boden top a few months ago that was in pretty good condition. On a half off sale too! Rare to find Boden in the U.S.

  2. I haven’t been thrifting much lately, and would love to go to some local consignment shops next week and hunt. One of my friends found a J. Crew pencil skirt and a super cute winter dress coat recently! I’ve picked up a couple of fun vintage sweaters and tops from a teammate’s store, but that’s about it. I also tried on many lovely dresses with waists much tinier than my own, sigh. Those blue shoes are gorgeous, too bad they didn’t fit!