Thrifty Tip Thursday #4: Dresses + Bags

When I open my closet, I am reminded of memories. Memories of countless thrifting adventures where my money has gone twenty times farther than it would've had I shopped at some big name store. Don't get me wrong, I still shop some of my faves like Target, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, Walmart, etc, but like I've said, the majority of my wardrobe is thrifted. I'm extremely proud of that. Some items that I don't wear a lot, especially in the colder months, but still LOVE to buy are dresses. I like finding dresses with versatility. If I can wear a dress all 4 seasons, I consider that a win in my book. I've incorporated dresses that have ALL been found at the thrift store for $6 or less. They did not all come home with me because some weren't my size + others weren't the sale color {which I usually try to only shop the sale color to save additional money}.

You may remember this leopard print swim coverup that I doubled as a dress with leggings + a tank underneath.

This was really, really flattering on me except in the chest area. It was much too large in that region
and kept falling down, but otherwise I totally would've snagged this dress. It could have worked in all 4 seasons, especially as wedding attire {with a sweater of course in the cooler months}.

This one wasn't totally my style with the brightness, but it was a nice fit
and would've been great for anyone that loves patterns.

I SO wish this had worked out. What you don't see here is that I'm actually holding this
dress up in the back because again I had issues with the chest region. WHY GOD, WHY!?

These Old Navy + H+M dresses were above the knee and both adorable.
They weren't sale tags, otherwise they both would've come home with me
as I could've easily worn these year round  by mixing and matching with other attire for the season. 

The back was super cute, so I had to document.

Loved everything about this Forever 21 dress, but it was a size too small. Darn it.

Again, with the cute peek-a-boo back.

Not my size, but new with tags Loft dress for $3.

Another very flattering knee-length dress from Loft that could've worked year round.
Unfortunately, it was not in my size.

This was MUCH too short for someone my age,
BUT it would've been so cute paired with leggings and a sweater.
I'm kind of mad I didn't get this, actually.

If this had been my size, I would've snatched it up in a heartbeat even though it wasn't a sale tag.
This Merona dress looked brand mew and would've been a great year round dress.
 Plus, the stripes just attracted me like a magnet.

Now when it comes to dresses, thrift stores have lots usually. It takes some sorting through the wretched floral, button front, jean jumper hideousness to find the gems like the ones seen here. They are there, you just have to be willing to search through the not-so-cute to find them.

Another hidden treasure is bags. I once found a Coach cross body purse (still have it) for $3 in mint condition. I looked it up online and found a similar one that retailed at $195. Um, what?! I have found beach bags, purses, totes, cross-bodies, duffle bags, and suitcases. You name it, I've seen it and probably bought it. I will say this as a disclaimer, purses are fewer and farther between than most other items. Many are torn or have obvious wear and tear, but sometimes you find a gem hidden in the rubble.

Like this one. It doesn't have a tag, so I'm unsure of the brand, but I LOVED it.
I'm kicking myself for not buying it. Like I have bruises. ;)

This was a bag from the Bahamas (it said so on the other side),
but turned this way it was super cute and would've made a great beach tote for the summer!

Don't forget, when shopping for dresses, search for versatility and function. The more often you can wear it, the more bang for your buck. Think about if it would pair with a sweater in the fall or leggings in the winter. Could you wear it by itself in the spring and summer, with sandals or boots? See what I mean? When thrifting for dresses and bags or anything really, sift through the not-so-cute and I promise you'll find some hidden treasures. :) And remember...

Next week, we're going to chat outerwear and how to thrift for the kiddos! I can't even lie, I'm obsessed with buying Emerson clothes, toys, and books, so the cheaper, the better. Y'all won't believe some of the items I've found for her. Until next week...