A Little Thrifty Chic: Thrifty Tip Thursday #2: Shirts + Sweaters

I like clothes, a lot. Unfortunately, my budget doesn't always support my clothing addiction. I'm all about minimal in our home, clutter-free if you will. But clothes are my weakness. They are such a fun way to express yourself and can be done WAY cheaper than people might think. This just may be my favorite Thrifty Tip Thursday that I'll ever do! Why? Because I think outside of shoes, a good top makes or breaks an outfit. There are SO many variations that you can use with just a few key pieces. I've put together some pictures showing just how to achieve two or more looks using thrifted-only tops (obviously they can be recreated using pieces you already own OR pieces purchased at other stores too). I'm going to break down how I find multi-functional tops for my wardrobe at a fraction of the cost and why it's important to think outside the box sometimes when doing so. I'm going to share how I decide which to keep and which to leave when I really want them all. And finally, I'll even include a super easy wardrobe DIY that you can do with an old sweater (or a cheap thrifted sweater). Are you ready?

It's a very fair statement to claim that 95% of my shirts + sweaters are thrifted. I've had a few mishaps where I thought something was really cute, only to realize 6 months later that I never even wore it. This is my first tip today. BUY WHAT YOU KNOW YOU'LL WEAR. I try now to stick to pieces that I know will get a lot of use, which I primarily buy items that can be layered or worn different ways. Here are a few examples of how I paired ONE cardigan-esque sweater with several different shirts (yes, a thrift store dressing room photo shoot happened).

I layered this sweater on top of a very summery shirt,
but it is LONG and covers my butt, so it works well under a sweater.

This plaid flannel shirt is actually short sleeve (see below),
but again it's long + wintery-looking, so it works well layered. It's also good for
transitional weather when it's cold in the morning, but warms up during the day.

Here I'm wearing a short sleeve flowy black top that is longer in the back.
Another great transitional piece that can be worn year-round.

This is long which is AWESOME and it's lightweight so it's a perfect transitional piece.

This "dress" is actually a swimsuit coverup, I believe.
But, I layered a tank under it + a sweater over it to create this look.
AND I'll be able to use it next summer over my swimsuit.

We all know how much I adore leggings in the colder months. I just can't be constrained to pants with buttons, especially during these heavy-eating holidays. Am I right? But, one of my biggest pet peeves is when ladies wear leggings with shirts that don't cover what needs to be covered. So, to insure that you are not one of those ladies, buy shirts that cover your booty (and preferably prevent any visible camel toe too, sorry, but I had to put it out there). When I shop for shirts or sweaters for the colder months, I ALWAYS try to stick to those that are longer, especially in the back because I know my undying love for leggings ain't going anywhere. I hit the jackpot on my most recent thrifting trip. Here are several examples of shirts/sweaters that are long enough to cover AND that can be layered. They're a double whammy making them even more worth the $2-4 purchase. ;)

This is lightweight enough to be layered, but long enough to work by itself too.

Long sleeve black shirt that is perfect length in the back + great for layering all winter long.

This is super comfy, but covers the rear. I could add a vest or jacket over top too.

This is a good example of a staple piece, much like the long sleeve black shirt above.
I can wear this year round, but because of it's length in the back, it's perfect for layering with leggings.

When you find one that's long in the front + the back, you grab it! Loved the shape of this one.

I really liked this sweater, but it's kind of short in the front, which I didn't love, especially with leggings.
BUT look how cute the back of it is!

I LOVED the zipper detail on this sweater, but I ended up passing it up
because it was too short in the front for my liking. PLUS I noticed that it had some
weird blue markings on the bottom that I wasn't sure would come out.

Another tip, ALWAYS check your pieces thoroughly for rips, stains, pilling, etc. There's nothing worse than loving a piece, buying it, and then realizing when you get home that it has a hole in it.

It was a yellow tag too (which meant it was 50% off)! Dang it!

I was so excited about this one, but then I saw the hole...
(Also, this particular sweater fits into the very next category I'm about to describe).

Now, so many people ask me about my oversized sweaters. I usually have to tell them that it's thrifted and that I'm not sure they'll be able to find the exact replica (unless it's a popular brand that recently produced a similar style), BUT I can tell them how I find oversize sweaters in a non-conventional way. Normally in real life, I wear a small or a medium top, sometimes a large depending on brand and fit. But for the sake of this post, lets say a small fits me best most times. When I purchase sweaters, often times I find them in sizes that are too large for me. Instead of pitching a fit that it is "too big", I try it on anyway. Nine times out of ten, it doesn't even appear overly large on me, but rather fits like an oversized sweater should. It's the style these days, ladies. (I think) So, here's my tip: when purchasing sweaters, size up on purpose. I've included some outfits/tops where I've sized up intentionally to get the appearance of an oversized (but "still fits") look. Now, obviously you don't want it falling off or looking super bulky, but here's some ideas for what I mean.

This sweater is a size large and is slightly baggy under the arms,
but you'd never know that's not it's intended design because of how it's paired with leggings.

This is sweatshirt-esque and it's a size 3X. It is intended to be a shirt I believe,
but I'm using it more as bulky sweater look because of how it hangs on me.
You'd never know it was much larger than my actual size unless you checked the tag.

Size large cardigan that fits loosely but is PERFECT for layering.

Finally, SO many people ask me how and where I find my long tanks that I use to layer. The answer actually isn't that simple. I only have a few that I wear on repeat. One is actually a maternity shirt because they're SO long usually (it cinches on the side, so I usually wear something over it so people don't ask me if I'm pregnant, haha). Another is a size large razor back tank (see below) that is unusually long, probably because of the larger size. Sometimes I find shorter dresses that work as "long tanks", or long t-shirts that layer well. Speaking of layering, sometimes a long tank and a cardigan or poncho or vest can go a long way. Cue the photoshoot...

Long tank that's a size Large making it extra long on me! It is almost a short dress length, haha. Perfect!

I didn't end up getting this because it had a small hole on the front that was noticeable.

LOVED this fringe vest, but didn't get it because I wasn't sure how much I'd actually wear it.

This vest was adorable, but I ended up finding a different one near the checkout line that I got instead. :)

This poncho was so cute. I'm actually kicking myself for leaving it behind.
Ponchos (I assume is what they're called) are really fun because you can wear them with
a variety of outfits to create a different look. It could totally be dressed up or down.

I really liked the shape + detail of this one too,
but I was afraid it looked a bit granny-esque, so I passed. What do y'all think?

Just be open-minded when it comes to shopping, especially thrift stores. Think outside the box and when looking at pieces, think of versatility and overall function, instead of just seeing it at face value. The possibilities are endless...

My cart was SLAM FULL of shirts and sweaters. I went home with about 12 pieces.
I did not pay more than $4.99 for any individual piece.
(I did buy a few things for Emerson + a shirt for my husband too).

And just for fun, here are several outfits that I pieced together using sweaters or shirts that I found while thrifting!

Teal shirt was thrifted

Plaid flannel wrap was thrifted (size L)

Pink sweater was thrifted (size XL)- SO COMFY!

This is the sweater I shared above styled 2 different ways.

J.Crew Shirt (size Large which gives me the length I like) and Old Navy vest both thrifted

Chunky sweater (size L) is thrifted

And now, for an easy DIY that every woman can do!

DIY BOOT SOCKS

Use an old sweater or pick one up at the thrift store.

Cut the sleeve off about halfway up the sweater sleeve.

You will be left with two "socks" that look similar to this.

Put them on like you would socks (the uneven end closest to your calf/ankle)

Tuck the "boot sock" (uneven end) into your boots.

Voila, instant boot sock. You can tuck the uneven
end into your regular socks too if you want to keep it in place.
You can also fold over the top portion that sticks out of the boot.
YES, this does work on top of jeans too!

My last tip in regards to finding tops for yourself or to use as boot socks, shop the sale colors whenever possible. Yellow tags were on sale this past week and the little tag is often small and sometimes hidden, so look for it! Also, cut the tags once at home, don't try to rip them out...you'll put an unnecessary hole in your garment (trust me).

What'd I tell ya? That was SO EASY!! :) Think of all of the possible boot socks you could make...And now, just because I'm all about keepin' it real. How perfect is this fitted sweatshirt that I found for $2 at Goodwill the other day because it was a yellow tag (sale color)?! In this picture I'm wearing it overtop of the long black tank I found and my leggings, so I'm like super casual and super comfy!