Thoughts on Thrifty Gifts

We're coming up on a season of gift-giving once again, and that always brings a conflict of emotions: we all want to get our loved-ones marvelous gifts, yet we also want to get a good deal, yet we don't want to look too miserly. If you have a large family or circle of friends, it can be especially tough to get everyone something special without breaking the bank. Usually, you solve your budget problems by shopping at thrift stores and such - but is it okay to buy secondhand goods as gifts?

Before you skip off to the swap meet and 99 Cents store to buy all your gifts, consider a few factors:

Are you shopping for someone who would appreciate secondhand stuff?
Some people love thrifted treasures. They love unique items with history behind them, and receiving something that took time and effort to choose will thrill them to no end. But some people think secondhand goods are haunted (don't laugh! one of my mother's friends was from a culture that feels objects are imbued with energy from their owners), and some people simply prefer modern designs to vintage ones. There's no right or wrong about this; it's just about choosing something in line with the recipient's tastes.

Is the secondhand item you're considering truly special? Or is it just cheap?
If I'm planning to buy a secondhand item for someone, it's usually because it strikes me as exceptional in some way. It's the prettiest one of its kind that I've seen. It goes perfectly with a friend's decor. It made me gasp or laugh out loud. It's of amazing quality and I can't believe that anyone ever parted with it and I wish it could be mine mine mine, but it would look so much better on my BFF. It's not simply a used version of a generic item you could find at any Target in America.

How much time do you have to shop?
I usually keep my eyes peeled for gifts at the swap meet all year long - but if December is suddenly upon me and I need to get that gift in the mail NOW, its too late to wade through the rough looking for a diamond. In this case, instead of choosing something in a hurry, without much thought, I'd rather buy a gift card and let the recipient take their time finding the perfect thing.

I've received some truly awesome secondhand items (including a fantastic vintage lion-head door knocker) that I went completely over the moon over - so, yes, believe me when I say that secondhand items can make fantastic gifts. Leave yourself plenty of time to sift through the used wares, keep the gift personal, and pay extra attention to quality, and your secondhand (read: vintage! antique! retro! lol) gift just might seem even more special than a brand-spankin' new one. Because, really, it is the thought that counts.

$50 Mens Business Wardrobe Capsule

I love nothing more than when I get the opportunity to use my thrift powers for good instead of greed (seriously, I love to shop, but sometimes I think I'm going to need to fold space to accommodate all my purchases). Luckily, my good friend Ivan gave me just such an opportunity when he allowed me to start up his very first business wardrobe capsule. A recent graduate, he's in the process of going out to face-to-face informational meetings as well as interviews, so he needs to look sharp and be prepared to work in a business casual office right away if he receives an offer. As a recent graduate, however, he also needs to go easy on the old pocketbook -- a perfect job for yours truly!

Fist thing, we hit up Ivan's local swap meet and ferreted out some great basics: button-front shirts and dress slacks (he already owns some nice ties).

Yellow Ralph Lauren shirt - $1 - compare at $85
Jos A. Bank wool slacks - $1 - compare at $195
Van Heusen Navy Sweater Vest - $1- compare at $20
Linden Grey White shirt - $1- compare at - $14.50
John W. Nordstrom White shirt - $1- compare at $90
Calvin Klein Gray slacks - $1- compare at $80
Blue Nsignia shirt - $1 - original price unknown



Next, we headed down the street to Goodwill, where we scored majorly with a perfect navy pinstripe suit, black dress shoes, a beautiful camel jacket, and a snazzy pair of suspenders to add polish and personality.

British Walker shoes - $8 - compare at $50
Gel insoles - (came inside the shoes!) - compare at $9
Clip-on Patterned Suspenders - $1.50 - compare at $20
Hart Schaffner Marx Navy Pinstripe suit - $20 - compare at $695!!!
Camel hair blazer (no tags) $10 - compare at $299




Check out those results in our totally silly Modern Man's Morning photo shoot! I think he looks totally professional, competent, and experienced -- all for under $50 versus more than $1,500. Now that's good business. :)

Howdy, neighbor! Oh, this mug? A busy guy like me clearly has no time to drink his coffee at home - multitasking is king!

As a successful California man, I sometimes like to study for my financial certifications poolside.

Don't you??

TGIF - and TGI have this slick camel hair blazer to take me straight to a social event of my choice after work!

Tips for shopping used business wear:

• Don't trust the labeled sizes! Dress clothes are the most likely to have been tailored to fit someone else, so you absolutely cannot rely on the tags. Try on everything you can, and measure everything you can't.
• Men, pay special attention to neck size and inseams.
• Women, watch those hemlines.
• Buy the best jackets/suits you can reasonably afford. A great jacket will uplift a so-so shirt, and can even mask issues like sleeve length.
• Don't forget the details. They show your employer that you... well, pay attention to details! Well-crafted shoes and personal touches like ties, suspenders, patterned shirts, flattering colors, or quirky cuff links show that you aren't just a drone.
  

How do you save when shopping for work? Any tips?

swap meet scores: premium denim

Some thrift to look cool. Some thrift to be green. But I grew up on the poor side of town. I thrift to look like I don't need to thrift.

The irony is that actually getting more bang for my buck has effectively turned me into a bit of a brand snob. There have been many a Saturday morning when I've come across a garment and thought, "Ooh, cute! But it's... Mossimo? No thanks." Not because I necessarily look down on items from Target, but because shopping has become a twisted game in which I strive to find ever more expensive items at ever more ridiculous prices. This week? A win for the home team via major denim scores.

Exhibit one: Citizens of Humanity Ingrid bootcut jeans.
Retail Price: $158
Goodwill Outlet Price: $3





I originally bought these ones for a DIY project a la my lovely YLF forum buddies, but the boyfriend doesn't think he can handle me in partially-bleached Dries van Noten knock offs. Oh, well. I trust the bf to be a good source of checks and balances, and he's the one who has to look at all my casual clothes, anyway. It's a good thing I still like the jeans as-is.








Exhibit two: Goldsign Misfit slim leg jeans.
Retail Price: $238
Swap Meet Price: $2
Having your outfit shoots supervised by Hank: priceless

I'd never heard of Goldsign before, but I could tell by the amazing heft, softness, and clever lock-in-place button closure that these jeans would be well worth my two bucks. My resident Siamese stylist agrees.

>^..^<

work and casual outfits backlog: citron, butterflies, and various stripes

I've been so lax about outfit posts lately. Moderation? Consistency? Meh, so boring! Instead, here's a big, fat pile of them all at once.

Looking back, I've been rather trendy this week - who knew I had it in me? For the first casual outfit we have my favorite citron yellow color, which Angie of YLF predicted would be big this season. I've started to notice citron popping up at Ann Taylor, J. Crew, and Urban Outfitters, too. Not everyone can wear the color, but I love it. I wore this outfit to a YLF meetup in Pasadena where the sun finally came out to play.

Off brand citron top - $1 - swap meet - Huntington Beach
L'incontro handbag - $10 - Goodwill - Santa Monica
Tan belt - $1 - swap meet - Los Angeles
Lucky Brand shorts (cut jeans) - $1 - swap meet - Huntington Beach
Spy sunglasses - $15 - 6pm.com
Worishofer sandals (not pictured... d'oh) - $5 - Goodwill? - Santa Ana?

Sorry, I can't exactly remember which thrift store yielded me these sandals, but I can tell you that they're super comfy and the most fashion-forward orthopedic shoe, like, ever. In fact, if you were to pick up this red snakeskin version, I would not judge you at all.

Next up is a trend I didn't see coming but that is gaining steam nicely: butterfly print! I fell in love with this little top at Zara, which I was newly introduced to by the lovely YLF ladies on our meetup. Normally, the thought of paying $20 for a tee shirt would send me into anaphylactic shock, but I found the print so simultaneously cheerful and morbidly charming (the way the butterflies are laid out recalls an insect collector's display box, yes?) that I had to take the plunge. Besides, it is a souvenir from a wonderful outing which I will remember fondly whenever I wear my adorable tee. This picture is from an urban hike through downtown.






Top - $20 - Zara - Pasadena
Ezra Fitch shorts - $1 - swap meet - San Fernando
Turquoise bag - $0 - swap party
Cognac belt - $2 - swap meet - Paramount






Moving on to work outfits, we have the trend that has exploded everywhere this season: stripes. These outfits are just remixes of items already in my closet. I think you've seen everything before except the blue top.

Express top - $1 - swap meet - Huntington Beach
Ben Sherman Jacket - $1 - swap meet - Huntington Beach
Ann Taylor Skirt - $1 - swap meet - Huntington Beach
Cream Pearl Necklace - $0 - swap party
Ted Benson Bag - $6 (funded) - Ebay
Carlos Santana Shoes - $20 - Ross - Los Angeles



This outfit features a blouse that 1) doesn't button up all the way and 2) sports a very distinctive tie at the neck that makes successful remixing (read: pretending to have more clothes than I actually do) kind of a chore. I tucked the tie into the vest here to hide the memorable tie, and the vest covers up the fit issues. Done and done.

Vintage striped PB top - $1 - swap meet - Huntington Beach
Off-brand sweater vest - $1 - swap meet - San Fernando
Off-brand skirt - $1 - swap meet - Los Angeles
Liz Claiborne belt - $1 - swap meet - Torrance
Italian handbag - $40 - TJ Maxx - Culver City
Dolce Vita boots - $10 (funded) Amazon

work outfits: works of art

These outfits are inspired by a fun thread started on YLF: the Picture Perfect Challenge urges women to find their outfit inspiration in famous paintings - too fun to pass up!

Monday's inspiration piece was Picasso's Boy with a Pipe. I don't own any non-abstract florals, so I took my inspiration from the colors used -- cognac and blue, with a pop of green. I don't have anything that exact shade of blue, either, so I tried to soften it a bit with a charcoal sweater vest. You may remember my cognac boots from my Goodwill Outlets post.

Item	Original Price	My Price	Vendor Type	Location
Off-Brand Navy Blouse	?	$1	swap meet	Huntington Beach
Vintage Rifle Strap	$24	$10 (on sale)	gun store	Seattle
Handmade Feather Skirt	?	$1	swap meet	Huntington Beach
Cognac Boots	~ $80	$4	Goodwill Outlet	Santa Ana
Ted Benson Handbag	$300	$6 (funded, Ebay price $60 shipped)	Ebay	internet
J Crew Sleeveless Sweater	$42	$1	swap meet	San Fernando

Tuesday's piece was Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. Once again, I did not have the exact colors handy, but I approximated the feel of the work with this beige blazer, hopefully bringing out the yellow in it by adding my bright yellow hobo.

Item	Original Price	My Price	Vendor Type	Location
Benetton Blazer	$120	$12	Goodwill	New York
Converse Plaid Flannel Dress	$32	$1	swap meet	Torrance
Liz Claiborne Belt	$26	$1	swap meet	Torrance
Green Tights	$12	$1	swap meet	Torrance
Gianni Bini Boots	$80	$10 (funded Ebay price $55 shipped)	Ebay	internet
Cristina Hobo	$450	$0 (gift)	TJ Maxx	Culver City

The challenge is still going -- to be continued!

When Saving Doesn't Pay

I have a confession to make.

I bought these Lucky Brand Maggie Jeans at full price. From the actual Lucky Brand retail store. Not an outlet. Not Ebay. Not the hallowed swap meet.

How could I do such a thing?

Well, I was much younger back then -- naive, living off scholarship money, suspicious of this whole "online shopping" thing, and desperate to shuck off the shackles of my thrift-store-exclusive past and buy The Perfect Jeans for the first time ever. I saved for months. I researched for weeks. I dragged my little sister from store to store for hours, agonizing over every little detail. I quizzed the poor shopkeeps for information like they were Jeopardy contestants. And I walked away with these jeans.

Yep, I mean that I bought these exact jeans seven years ago -- and they're still going strong. And looking at these photos, I think they're actually the most flattering part of the outfit (not sure why I layered those two particular top pieces... oh well).

After I'd worn my perfect jeans for a couple of months -- oohing at my own backside in the mirror every time I put them on, strutting around because I felt utterly fabulous in them, doing mental fist pumps when I received compliments on them -- I knew I wanted to feel that awesome all the time. I actually found 2 more pairs at thrift stores. The two purchased at thrift stores, however, simply weren't the same. The fabric content was different, the pocket embroidery was different, the washes were different, and I do believe the denim had molded to the exact specifications of someone else's ass.

I don't think in terms of "cost per wear," even though it is a popular philosophy in the fashion world. There are just so many things that can go wrong and blast your initial I'll-wear-it-forever plans out of the water. Me, I spill things. I get shredded by cat claws. I get bored and donate clothes before a single season has fully elapsed. But if I could go back in time, I wouldn't buy the secondhand jeans again -- even though they cost about one-tenth the price of retail, they weren't perfect enough to stick by my side or give me that elusive clothing high.

If you're out looking for The Perfect Item, and if that type of item varies from wash to wash or batch to batch, the least-expensive option might not be the best. You may be better off buying at full price, in a fully hands-on, try-it-on, test-it-out-before-purchasing environment... and funding the splurge.

Item	Original Price	My Price	Vendor Type	Location
Carters Children's Jacket	$17	$3	Goodwill	Santa Monica
Gap Pullover Sweater	$49.50	$1	swap meet	San Fernando
Lucky Maggie Jeans	$99	$99	Lucky Brand	Santa Monica
Army Surplus Boots	$30	$30	internet	internet
Chococat Necklace	$32	$0	gift	gift

Work Outfit: Comfy, Cozy, and a touch of Citron

Nothing too elaborate today. I was feeling a bit down, so I thought I'd wrap myself in soft and un-restricting fabrics. I thought I'd have to change my bag, but the yellow-citron thing didn't bother me after all (convenient, since I also felt a bit lazy this morning).

Citron top, $1, swap meet, Huntington Beach
Deco necklace, $3, swap meet, Huntington Beach
Black patent skinny belt, $0.60, thrift store, Ontario
LL Bean Freeport Fleece sweatshirt jacket, $24.99, LL Bean
Banana Republic navy midi skirt, $1, swap meet, Huntington Beach
Jessica Simpson Floral Garden Satchel, $10, via Amazon (funded)
Nine West black patent pumps, $20, Ross

The birds and the bees and the flowers and the... shoes!

It was another scorcher in LA today, but it was still fairly cool in the office. I wore long sleeves to protect me from our polar A/C, but I kept the legs bare for the inevitable outdoor food-finding excursion. It was too hot for jewelry, but I think my shiny skirt and blindingly-yellow bag made enough of a statement on their own... at least for a corporate office.

- Club Monaco zippered button-front blouse, $5, Goodwill (Pasadena? Somewhere to the north with an open-air shopping area)
- Handmade feather-patter skirt, $1, swap meet, Huntington Beach
- Jessica Simpson Floral Garden satchel*, $60, stalked on the interwebs
- Mossimo gray slingbacks, $2.50, Goodwill, Santa Ana


*You may notice that the yellow satchel was not really that great of a steal, but I can tell you that my net investment in this bag was only about $7 -- further explanation coming soon!

Welcome!

This is my first official post on One-Dollar Wonders, my humble site created in celebration of all things inexpensive. My main focus is on apparel and accessories, as those are my most spendy passions, but I definitely foresee many a dollar-store-cheese-type tangent in my future.

In celebration of a new blog, today's outfit is grounded in beginnings: springtime, new life, winged optimism... Okay, you got me. The outfit's actually centered on the pretty butterflies on my blouse - but the reverse-explication sounded pretty good in my head, and there is something marginally poetic about wearing a butterfly-covered silk blouse. ;)

- Silk butterfly blouse, $1, swap meet, Huntington Beach
- Black Express pencil skirt, $1, swap meet, Huntington Beach
- Gray Mossimo slingbacks, $2.50, half-price at Goodwill, Santa Ana
- Hawaiian Heritage heart necklace, gift
- Jade green nail polish $1, swap meet, San Fernando