The Top 5 Things to Buy Thrift

I've been shopping thrift and vintage for as long as I can remember. That along with several years of  retail experience (Value Village included!) and my general eye for deals and detail has created a shopping monster expert. Thus, here's a list of my top things to buy second hand.

1) Books: Let's be serious here. If there are already 95989047697 copies of Steven King's The Stand already printed and half of these are available on a Talize shelf, is it really necessary to buy a brand new copy made from new materials? Do the trees and printing presses a favour and buy your books used. It's a whole lot cheaper and besides, who doesn't love that old paper smell?

2) Furniture: Assuming there are no safety issues, buying used furniture is a great way to add personality and character to your home design. Especially dressers and desks - hello DIY project! Bed frames, lamps and tables are all great too. I'd just recommend leaving any mattresses alone...There are some things that just can't be unseen.

3) Dishes: This is a personal favourite of mine and works well if you've got a smaller family since you can't always find a matching set of 6-8 for everything. It's for that reason that I actually love it! Create your own mix and match set of dishes - it makes dining super personal and fun on unique hand chosen dishes. I personally like to mix a bunch of bold florals (but that's just me). 

4) Formal Wear: You may be surprised at this one but I highly recommend this if you've got a prom or fancy event coming up! Since most people only wear their formal dresses a couple times (some even just once) you're sure to find things in the plenty and great condition. 

5) Children's Clothes: Clothes in general are always great thrifted, but kids clothes specifically are a great buy. Most kids don't start caring about brands until they're in around middle school, so now's when you have the opportunity to dress them for less. Kids grow fast too, so it's a lot more economical to buy used clothing during these years (it's for that reason exactly that the selection is generally in great condition too!).

Do you have anything that you've had a lot of luck with while thrifting that you'd add to this list? Comment below and let me know! :)

Tune in next time for top 5 things NOT to buy thrift!

xoxo

Brittany

The Pros and Cons of Thrifting

This is a picture of my good friend and fellow blogger Pati Pedroso who can rock mom jeans like no other!
 Photo credit: Samantha Marshall

Thrifting is like mom jeans. You either love it and think it's super trendy and so much fun to do (wear)... or you hate it and think it's tacky or even gross. You can either rock thrifting and earn points for style (and savings!), or you're just awkward with it and don't even know where/how to start (do I wear a belt with these or...?). I've got friends that fall on either end of the spectrum. One friend of mine in particular can't stand thrifting, mostly because she finds the layout of thrift stores to be too overwhelming and unorganized. I know another friend that thinks it's gross unsanitary to wear other peoples clothes and would never even think about shopping in one. And then, there's me (and maybe you too!). 

The pirate. The hunter. The adventure seeker. The DIYer. The money saver. 

We're the ones that find the thrill in the chaos. 

The excitement in the hunt.

The victorious feeling when we find such a good deal that we run out of the store, bag in hand, with the biggest smile - as if we won the Nobel Prize for Fabulous Frugality or something.

Yes indeed, there are prizes to be won in the world of second hand.

1st Prize goes to saving money by buying/sharing used clothing/goods

2nd Prize goes to doing better for the environment by recycling 

3rd Prize goes to any money given to charities through any store donations

Runner ups go to finding one of a kind items that the regular mall just can't compete with and having the opportunity to donate your own stuff and giving someone else the opportunity to love your junk. One person's trash is another person's treasure, right!?

I do however want to throw out my top tips for a happy thrift - these are things I constantly remind myself when I'm out hunting. And because I'm so fond of lists...

1) Just because it's cheap, does not mean it's good. If you don't LOVE it, won't WEAR it and won't USE it - don't BUY it. It'll help keep your house and closet clutter free and be better for your wallet.

2) Don't get discouraged if something you really like doesn't fit you. If you really like it, consider getting it tailored to your size (if you have basic sewing skills, you might even be able to do this yourself). It should still end up costing much less than buying brand new!

3) Always. Inspect. Quality. Depending on the thrift store you're at, a basic quality check should have already been done but many times things are missed. And if you're particular like me, you'll find it really disappointing when you get home and find a stain or rip that you didn't expect. Most thrift stores only offer exchanges and not refunds too, so it's worth it to take the extra time to double check for flaws before purchase.

More tips to come later this week! Stay tuned :)

xoxo 

Brittany

Travel Essentials & Spring Bucket List

Hello friends & Welcome Spring!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the snow is finally melting here in Toronto. Throw aside your shovels and parkas...it's a new season for adventures!

If you know me, you'll know I've been searching for MONTHS now for the perfect vintage leather travel bag for such adventures and weekend trips. And I have found it just in time for spring! Pictured is a few of my travel essentials - a notebook for jotting down brilliant thoughts that I'd otherwise forget, a camera for capturing moments, Burt's Bees lip balm, a thrifted paisley blanket scarf ($7 from Talize) and a thrifted genuine leather travel bag. This bag is SO DREAMY. The quality is astounding and it has so many pockets, a plaid interior and that gorgeous already-worn-in look to it. I paid $19.99 American dollars for this baby from a Goodwill in LA. A steal if you ask me. I already know it's one of my *forever* pieces. I can't wait to take this out on the town!

And since it's finally warm enough to actually leave the house (can I get an AMEN?) and there's actually a clear path from my door to the bus stop - this will be happening very soon! Thus, I've begun planning a sort of Spring bucket list.

1) Buy some flowers from the market 

Not just flowers. Market flowers! Because this means actually leaving my comfortable little home (and putting on pants a dress), soaking up some culture and associating with other people who are just as happy as I am to be basking in some sunshine. 

2) Visit my friends that live downtown

It's been a long winter and I've really avoided leaving the house. At. All. Costs. Being a hermit is great and all, but sometimes you gotta socialize. Plus, who doesn't love a good opportunity to dress up! I mean, you never know who you'll meet when you're out and about downtown Toronto...

  Future husband Ryan Gosling is technically a local, after all ;)

3) Pick up some plants and start planning the garden

Home grown flowers and veggies? Yes please! But what to plant... I'm guessing we'll try carnations, zucchini and carrots (maybe peas?) as I've had luck with those in the past. Do you have any recommendations of veggies that you've had luck with? Let me know, if you do!

4) Spring Cleaning & Downsizing

Downsize, downsize, downsize. I have yet to completely master the minimalist lifestyle, but I'm working on it. First stop - the closet!

And that's only the beginning. Do you have anything planned for your Spring bucket list yet? I'd love to hear it!

xoxo

Brittany

Today's Thrifting Finds

Ahhh. Nothing feels better than coming home after a long day and settling in for the night. I've put my hair up, taken my pants off, and boiled a nice cup of chai tea to accompany me for this blog post. Cheers for it being (almost) Friday! Tonight tea, tomorrow wine. 

So this week we had a bit of flurries, and if there's one thing that you should do when there's a snow storm going on, it's take cover and hibernate go thrifting. So naturally, I headed to the nearest Salvation Army and scored some new gems! 

Luckily, I was by myself so I could really get down to business. If you've shopped with me before, you'll know that I take FOREVER because I want to check everything out and evaluate the quality of every item before I actually commit to a purchase. This day I took about 25 minutes in the mug aisle alone. There were just so many to look at! My hard work paid off however because I found this adorable pastel pink and teal tea set for about $6/pair. Very cottage chic.

I also took my time walking down the linen aisle. There were a lot of vintage floral sheets from the 60s and 70s - my favourite decade for prints. Among these I found this floral tablecloth displayed in the photograph. For being 50+ years old, the colours are still quite vibrant and the linen is in great condition. It's a perfect addition to a retro kitchen! And looks quite nice with the tea cups, I might add ;)

And in case you're wondering - the brown suitcase in the photograph is also a thrifting score. I managed to find it at a Toronto Value Village (Queens) for only $5 in like new condition. What a find.

Can I get an amen?!

xoxo

Brittany

Every Vintage Piece Has a Story

Hello friends!

Though I'd bring a little sunshine to your day. And by that, I mean I'll show you a cute dress. 

This little gem is a London, ON Value Village find! I managed to buy it with my staff discount during the several months that I worked there, so I was able to get it for a steal at $7! (Remind me again why I still don't work there, when CLEARLY there are treasures to be found??). I also managed to score the statement necklace from a different Value Village in Toronto for about $5 (the one on Queens, if you're local).

This dress has spring written all over it. Vibrant florals, sweet strawberries and a little surprise under the skirt...(my favourite part) -  one layer of fabulous white crinoline for added dramatic flair! Even though it's a 90s dress, it's got a very 50s feel to it. And in case you're wondering - it's a vintage Smart Set (early 90s) AND made in Canada. Cool, right!? 

But HOLD UP. It gets better. 

On closer inspection, under the tag, is the stamp label for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. If you're a fashion history buff, or just interested in history like I am, this should fascinate you. I did a little research and historically, the union stood for the protection of female workers and supporting local business. It isn't around anymore today because it eventually merged with another union and of course, clothing manufacturing greatly decreased in North America.

This is exactly why I love thrifting and vintage. Everything's got a story!

xoxo

Brittany

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