I went shopping with my fashion consultant. We try to go at least twice a year mostly for my benefit – I get to learn what is hot and what is not. I drove since it was my turn. That gave me a tactical advantage and we went to Goodwill as the first stop. Now to be fair, I didn’t give her a choice. And I am aware how skived-out she gets about handling other people’s clothes. I found a really nice silk tunic with embroidered flowers around the cuffs and the neck/front. She had been giving me the “face” when I pulled things out to examine. The face consists of a narrowing of the eyes (ever so slightly) with a scrunch to the nose and a pursing of the lips. It isn’t a blatant or exaggerated expression and if I didn’t know her so well I might not recognize it as it is very subtle. But she does make the face. She made the face for every single thing I picked up. Anyway I washed the tunic and hung it to dry and it is beautiful! I wore it to work and got several compliments! Her only comment when she saw that I was resolved to purchase it, “Wear it with white pants.” I learned that high waisted jeans are in and wedge heels are out. Boot socks are out and a layered look is in. The hot colors are grey, black, plum, and red. Hounds-tooth/black & white check is making a resurgence and capri (ankle/high-water) pants are popular – especially when worn with short leather boots (but not suede).
I did spend money:
Goodwill – $2.49 (a turquoise silk tunic and a hammered aluminum tray with a glass relish dish)
Macy’s – $17.85 (Charter Club sleeveless shirt in black & white checks, 2 Henleys 3/4 sleeve cotton print shirts)
Kohl’s – $11.17 (GV print jeans, Chaps knit pullover, One World screen print top, and 2 pair of Vanity Fair undies)
JCP – $4.72 (Alfred Dunner sweater and a pair of socks) I did have a coupon for $10 off any purchase…
So when the damages were tallied it was under $40 and I had lots of fun. I figure that is cheap entertainment plus I have lots of clothes to show for it! I think my fall wardrobe is pretty much set except for one shirt – a plain navy blue tunic. Yep – the one piece that will be impossible to find. But the thrill of the hunt is over half the fun!
A Different Perspective 
I need to shop with you more often, and shop online less often! But I do love my new wardrobe!
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That would be fun… It is all about the hunt which includes the right style, color and PRICE! Now that you have a base wardrobe you can build on what you have.
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I wish I had someone to shop with. I ought to go to Good Will, one is close by. Being on my feet long is a problem though, as is walking. Maybe if it were fun…. 🙂
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It can be fun! The Goodwill here has a wheelchair to use in the store just for people who have mobility issues. You could call your Goodwill and see if they have one available…
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Ah, my sister, my kindred spirit! My favorite consignment store was sold to someone who turned it into just another thrift store, cheap clothes crammed in, sorted by color. Sorted by color?!?! Who wants to paw through 643 red blouses to find the size you want?
I stumbled upon a fabulous garage sale in Grand Haven while in MI this summer. It was tough cramming all that loot into my carry-on along with the three pounds of blueberries.
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Geez! You weren’t too far from me and saintvi… I’d have made a trip just to meet you! Anyway the Salvation Army store used to sort by color but now they are in the process of changing their methods. They still sort by color but it is within sizes – all the size Medium red shirts are together! You went blueberry picking? I’d have probably eaten all the blueberries during the flight!
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Sounds like some great deals
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They were great deals. I was especially happy with the print jeans. I’m going to be so sad to put the summer clothes away since I have so many really nice things…
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I just order 29 items for $100 off of wish.com. I can’t wait for them to arrive
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Hmm. I’ve never heard of wish.com… I’ll have to investigate!
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They have stuff cheap but if you don’t pay the express shipping it takes a while to get to you.
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I took a look but it all appears to ship from China… That makes me cautious.
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I have friends who use it all the time. We will see how it goes
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You’re as thrifty as the coupon queens we occasionally read about! Good work!
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I try to shop the sales and I only shop from the clearance racks!
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That’s the way I like to shop–I make it like a sport. On the hunt…
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Exactly! When you get that special score it makes everything good!!
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You are quite a shopper. I bow to your excellence.
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Thanks but I bet you could find the super sale too! I guess my upbringing and my frugal genes have combined to make me one to make the pennies scream as I pinch them – hard!!
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Wow! I wish you could do my shopping. The tunic sounds lovely, and the bargains you get! I would think just one pair of undies themselves, at Kohl’s, would be $11. It’s why I don’t go shopping much, and I buy my undies in packets of 6. Either prices have gotten really good, or you are in a neck of the woods where prices are quite different to where I am. Where do you live?
I could feel good about shopping if I came home with all that for $40!
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The undies were Vanity Fair at $11.50 each originally but they were on the clearance rack and an odd color – but the only one who would see them doesn’t care. I live in Indiana and the Kohl’s here has insane deals (especially with a 30% off coupon and an additional 15% off when you use your charge card)!
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Retail therapy is my favorite form of therapy. When visiting Muncie Indiana, your sister and I happened to go to the attic window and it was the day everything was half price. Boy did we clean up… so much so that we thought we might need another suitcase to get back to Philadelphia!! I think you take after your mother.
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Retail therapy is my favorite form of therapy. When visiting Muncie Indiana, your sister and I happened to go to the attic window and it was the day everything was half price. Boy did we clean up… so much so that we thought we might need another suitcase to get back to Philadelphia!! I think you take after your mother. By the way I spent $13.84.
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Sounds like lots of fun. Sorry I couldn’t make it. Work… anyway when you come visit we’ll make a trip to Muncie to visit your peeps and to check out your favorite store!
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Sounds like a lovely day. You did awesome price wise w/all you got. The tunic sounds like it would be pretty. I rarely get new clothes but my husband is good at picking them out for/with me. It was fun reading what’s ‘in’ and ‘out’ although I will still wear whatever I have. LOL. I LOVE boot socks so I’ll probably still wear them. 😉 I don’t think I can go back to high waist pants but I have seen them around.
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Ha! I only have 2 pair of boot socks (a Christmas gift from my fashion consultant). Fashion and fad are cyclical. If I hold onto that dress with the padded shoulders just a few more years I’m sure it will be back in style. As it is, I’m in style every 5th year if I don’t get rid of clothes (which is why 3 closets have clothes in them)!
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It is so fun to find good clothes at such reasonable prices, isn’t it? But dang, you know how to get value for your money!
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I learned from my mother and honed my skills over the course of many years. I rarely go to Goodwill when it isn’t half price day! (yeah I’m that cheap!)
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