Thrifty Tip Thursday: The Kiddos + Outerwear

This will come as no surprise. I went to Goodwill this past weekend to shoot for this round of Thrifty Tip Thursday with NO intention of buying a single article of clothing. Do you know where this is going? Right into my wallet. That's where it went. I caved and I bought some of my favorite finds to date!!! But, before I divulge all of my goodies, I must share the easiest DIY ever {it relates to kiddos, so it's fair game here}. I promise it's worth 10-15 minutes of your time to watch {this was recored on FB Live, so just a disclaimer}! :)

Back to business for this week's edition of Thrifty Tip Thursday: Kiddos + Outerwear. I primarily shop thrift stores for not only myself, but for my two year old daughter. I've done this since she was in the womb. HA! Children's clothes are NOT cheap and they outgrow items so quickly that it's hard to justify spending a bunch of money on an item that will realistically only be worn for a month or two (maybe more if you're lucky). I have gotten everything from onesies, to leggings, to jackets, to shirts + skirts, to jeans + shoes. Heck, I even buy a lot of her toys at the thrift store {don't worry, they get a good cleaning before use}. I'd say that nine times out of ten, the items I purchase for her are well-known children's brands: Carter's, Osh Kosh, Gap Kids, Old Navy, Gymboree, Stride Rite to name a few. Of course, just like with my clothing, not everything is name brand, but if you'll recall last week I said...

I have so many thrifted items for Emerson that I could honestly write an entire post, but that would also require me rummaging through bins of clothing from ages past {or like a year} to find it all. 

And honestly, I'm excluding a lot of tips for kiddos this week because next week's post is ALL about thrifting for the kids! I'm going to share what I look for, what to avoid, how to think ahead, how to buy for resale, etc! So, I thought for this week, just to hold you over, I'd shoot some items that I found just this past thrifting trip that would be examples of items I would typically purchase for her {I also included a couple of my favorite thrifted outerwear pieces for her since it goes with today's theme}.

Carter's Denim Romper

Carter's Embroidered Shirt
I don't shy away from short sleeves even in the winter. I just find ones that pair nicely with cardigans. 

Thinking ahead to Halloween next year {this is Carter's 3T}.

Gap apple skirt {again, thinking ahead to next summer-3T}.

I believe this was Gap as well. CUTE right?! I didn't end up getting it though
because it had pen mark all over and I wasn't sure it would come out/how long it'd been on there.

And now for the current outerwear pieces that Emerson uses that were ALL THRIFTED and all in mint condition!! I'm telling y'all...people just GIVE AWAY the good stuff. 

Old Navy zippered pea coat $4.99 (if I remember correctly,
I got this at 50% off because the sale tag was green that day)

Red Old Navy Pea Coat with adorable back!!
This is my favorite ever and it was just $3!

Cherokee heavy duty rain jacket $2 

Denim Jacket {can't remember the brand}

Target brand {Circo} Lightweight windbreaker $2

Now, when it comes to outwear for me and my husband, I tend to be a bit picky. I don't like anything too loose or too tight. I am picky about how coats {particularly winter coats} fit in the arms and under the armpits. I am picky about it being fitted in the back versus looking unnecessarily bulky. I'm a bit weird about the style of buttons or how it closes. I told you, I'm picky. BUT, I hit the motherland with my most recent trip. When searching for outerwear {which for the sake of this posts includes coats/jackets, blazers, vests, and scarves} I will only buy items that look basically brand new. Outwear is one of those things that needs to last not only in terms of duration of wear, but also in terms of the style, in my opinion. For example, I don't want to buy a new winter coat every winter, as that's unnecessary, so I'd rather find one that will be in style for years to come, while also fitting me well. Here are a few examples of peacoats that I found that were super cute, but not EXACTLY what I've been looking for. 

I'm not typically drawn to green, but I loved this Old Navy coat.
Had it been on sale for half price {which would've made it $3}, I probably would've purchased. 

This NY + Co. black pea coat had nice classic lines, but fit too loosely in the back for my liking.
 Also, I didn't love how it looked or wore when it wasn't buttoned.

This black Old Navy pea coat was adorable, but a tad too small. At $4, it would've been perfect.

Clearly, I have been on the hunt for a new pea coat. I have been searching thrift stores for about 2 years now waiting for the perfect one. I have one winter coat now that hits at about my waist and is navy blue with a hood. It's from Old Navy and it's cute, but I don't wear it that often because it fits me oddly under the arms and is loose in the back. BUT....behold, my $4.50 H+M Gray Peacoat that is perfectly fitted everywhere and hits a little above the knee {so a different look from my navy blue one I mentioned}. *Hallelujah chorus* I have been EXTREMELY patient in waiting for the right coat to come along. I knew I wanted to try to find a thrifted jacket because they're SO cheap and I have found tons in excellent/perfect condition. This one was the final one because it was neutral like I'd been wanting, fitted in all the right places, and the length was great.

When searching for outerwear, keep a few things in mind:

1. Can I wear layers under this and it still be comfortable?

2. Does this make me look larger than I actually am because of how it fits in certain areas {arms, the back, and the length}?

3. Is the color going to work regardless of your choice of pant, skirt/dress, or shoe?

4. Is the style one that will live beyond this year? 

5. Does it show signs of wear {pilling, missing button, stains, etc}? Is it an easy fix or one that will always be noticeable {in which case, leave it behind}?

6. Possibly the most important, do you LOVE it?

I have found that if you question an item in the store {whether thrifting or not}, then you're likely not going to wear it. If you love it in the store, you'll love it at home when you pick it out of your closet.

Here are some more outerwear garments that I've found and/or purchased from the thrift store. I've never paid more than $8 for an outwear garment while thrifting.

Old Navy puffer vest for $3!

A blazer is a great way to bring some shape to a casual outfit. It can obviously be dressed up too!
This blazer with missing tag, but otherwise in terrific shape. It came home with me as a half priced item making it $3!

I actually liked the style of this Forever 21 blazer a bit better than the one above,
but this was much too tight in the arms/armpits. I wouldn't be able to move my arms much. haha.

This is more of a casual, lightweight sweatshirt material jacket. It was $2 a while back.
{Ignore the grump photobomber-haha!}

Thrift stores always have lots of scarves and usually for $3 or less.
This one wasn't my style with the neon colors, but I really liked the thickness and the design.
I've gotten a smaller scarf {meant for an adult} and Emerson has worn it! Just a little hack. ;)

I died over this faux leather jacket. It wasn't on sale, so I didn't buy it, but I totally regretted it once I got home.
 I went back later in the day to get it and it was gone. :(

I often look for pullovers for my husband, and occasionally myself.
This Eddie Bauer polka dot workout pullover was adorable, but a tad bit small for me.

Do NOT skip the kids sections or the outerwear sections at the thrift store!! I find SO many treasures in those two areas alone. Be sure to come back next Thursday as I break down how I find so many articles of clothing and shoes for Emerson at more than a fraction of what I'd buy them new! You literally won't believe your eyeballs. :) Have a wonderful rest of your week. See you soon!