Thrifted Style: Looking Chic for Under $30

You know what's better than a well-styled, put-together outfit? One that's also thrifted! I had a great haul from Value Village about a month ago now, and while it rarely happens, all of the items could be styled together all in one outfit!

As you know, I always look for items that stand out when I'm thrift shopping: a texture, a colour, a label...it could be anything. This Asos skirt ($8.99) caught my eye originally because of the volume - I always get excited when I see a full skirt or dress hidden amongst the aisles. Then I was even more overjoyed when I saw the lace trim along the bottom: how sweet! The top ($4.99) I found was far more basic that what I usually hunt for, but hey it's good to have some simpler pieces too. Here, I dressed it up by styling it with this white statement necklace from Nobis & Grey.

As for the purse ($4.99), the little bow on the front stuck out amongst the other bags (I have a lifelong obsession with bows, after all). Bags are a bit tougher to search for, since smaller bags and wallets are hung up and down the tops of many of the aisles. But if you've got some extra time, you might just find some treasures! Don't forget to check the pockets. You never know what surprises could be inside. I once found a clutch full of some brand new rose gold Aldo bracelets!

Last, I was over the moon when I found these simple single-strap high heels ($9.99). In fact, I found an identical pair in highlighter yellow too! And the kicker: both sets were in mint condition. I have been lusting over other bloggers' heels like these for quite some time, so to find them for such a deal was an absolute treat.

Have you been thrifting lately? What goodies have you found?

Top - Seduction (thrifted via Value Village) | Necklace - c/o Nobis & Grey | Skirt - Asos (thrifted via Value Village) | Purse - Gap (thrifted via Value Village) | Heels - Anne Michelle (thrifted via Value Village)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Cozy Neutrals

It seems crazy now, that just a couple of short weeks ago, it was still snowing in Vancouver. I think most Vancouverites have pretty much had it with the snow, but to be honest, there's a part of me that still revels in it. It's just so pretty as it falls, and I love how quiet the city gets with less cars and people out. I was also totally OK with the snowfall, because it gave me a chance to wear my new oh-so-cozy sweater from Kensie that I thrifted from Value Village a few weeks ago! It's not a colour or print I usually go for, but when I saw it, it definitely made me think of cozying up in front of a fire at a cabin in the woods. I love the size too: everyone should have at least one oversized sweater or cardigan in their wardrobe. It's such an easy piece to throw over a tank or t-shirt, and instantly you're looking effortlessly chic and cozy. Needless to say, I've been wearing it around the house a lot lately too!

What have you found at the thrift store lately? Share your finds in the comments below!

Cardigan - Kensie (thrifted via Value Village) | Hat - similar | Jeans - Urban Planet | Boots - Style & Co. (similar) | Purse - Aldo (thrifted via Value Village)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Thrifty Thursday: Business Attire

This week, I wanted to show you how you can dress for work on a tight budget, while still staying trend-savvy. One of my favourite sections of the thrift store is the blazers section, and I regularly find all kinds of expensive fitted blazers. There's always hundreds of dress pants too, many of them never worn or almost-new.

Being in public relations, I can have a little more fun with my wardrobe than some office workers, so whenever I find some fun coloured work pants like these ones, I get super excited! I promise you there are less 'loud' options too though, like the grey pants at the bottom of the post:

Store: Value Village
Brand: Cynthia Steffe
Store Section: Women's Pants
What I Paid: $7.99
What it Costs New: ?

I swear I find at least one awesome blazer every single time I go thrifting. There's always something different! Black, charcoal, bright colours, interesting embellishments, leather panelling, silk lapels...the choices are endless!

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Zara Basic
Store Section: Blazers
What I Paid: $7.99
What it Costs New: ~ $99


Now here's a pair of work pants that are a little more conservative than the ones above, but just as chic. I've always loved the fit of Banana Republic pants, and these are straight cut, which is key - no flares here!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Banana Republic
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $7.99
What it Costs New: ~ $124


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

One of the easiest ways to look chic and comfortable at the same time is with long, flowing pieces that drape on you just right. Here's a few of my favourites from Value Village & Salvation Army:

Maxi skirts are an easy way to upgrade from sweatpants around the house. You can throw on a cozy sweater or half tuck in a t-shirt and it'll look a million times more chic than sweats. Whenever I find these in the thrift store, I always get excited; why not have one in every colour??

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Seduction
Store Section: Skirts
What I Paid: $2.99
What it Costs New: ?

Long, flowing blouses (tunics) are an easy chic look when paired with leggings and some tall boots. It can also go from casual to work-appropriate when tucked in with a pair of dress pants. Love finding these.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: H&M
Store Section: Short Sleeve Blouse
What I Paid: $6.99
What it Costs New: ?


I don't know if this qualifies as a 'LBD' as it's not that little, but this black maxi dress adds some serious va-voom in a flash. It seems so simple, but the deep scooping back and high slit definitely make it eye-catching!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Venus
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $12.99
What it Costs New: ~ $40


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday: More Pretty Dresses

My favourite section of the thrift store is always the dress section! I find my luck is better there than anywhere else on a regular basis. If you only have a few minutes to see what's in store, the dress section is your best bet. That or the blazers section.

This dress is a good combination of comfortable and fashionable! The faux leather, open back, and laser cut detailing are all nice touchs, and I could wear this all night long.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Tobi
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $9.99
What it Costs New: ?


Here's a quick tip when it comes to sizing: don't always trust the tags! I find that with 'younger' brands like H&M and Zara, the sizes run very small, but when I try on dresses for a slightly older demographic, like Max Studio, I find I can fit into much smaller sizes. This XS (which was in the Size 1-2 section) is actually surprisingly roomy, which I only discovered after trying it on. When in doubt, give it a try before passing it over!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Max Studio
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $17.99
What it Costs New: ~ $250


Even though it's been a while since the Gatsby style phenomenon took over, I still get  pretty excited when I find beaded dresses like this. I love that opulence they have! No styling necessary, just throw this on and you're good to go.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: H&M
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $9.99
What it Costs New: ?


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

More fun new stuff to add to the closet this week!

Who doesn't love bows? Don't they make everything better? This super cute top is completely work appropriate, but looks chic and fashionable when styled with fitted dress pants and some fun flats.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Jacob
Store Section: Short Sleeve Blouse
What I Paid: $6.99
What it Costs New: ?


I wasn't able to find anything out about this brand, nor why the belt says Gucci, but I really love the cut of this dress! This will totally make a fashionable work dress, especially with a bright pullover sweater over top.

Store: Value Village
Brand: Alberto Gabbana Italy
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $17.99
What it Costs New: ?


You know how your mother always told you to wait for it to go on sale? Well, how about waiting for it to show up in Value Village?? I wanted this purse when I first saw it in Aldo, but ultimately never purchased it. Then, lo and behold, I find the exact purse in Value Village for a real steal! What a win.

Store: Value Village
Brand: Aldo
Store Section: Purses
What I Paid: $14.99
What it Costs New: ~ 30


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

Time to hop on the sweater train this week! I love looking through the racks of sweaters at Value Village: you could almost spend an entire trip just there. On this trip, I found sweaters with all kinds of cool embellishments, from elblow pads to spikes to metallic threads.

There won't be any cuddling happening with the sweetie in this sweater! Other than the fact that the metal spikes are a little cold on my shoulder through the knit, this sweater is awesome. Ones like this are easy to spot on the clothing racks without even moving the hangers around: you can spot those spikes from a ways away!

Store: Value Village

Brand: QED London

Store Section: Sweaters

What I Paid: $9.99

What it Costs New: ?

I've always wanted a sweater with elbow patches, and this week I found two! 

Store: Value Village

Brand: H&M

Store Section: Sweaters

What I Paid: $3.99

What it Costs New: ?

You've already seen this sweater on my Christmas Look of the Week, It's always nice to find such good quality sweaters in Value Village, and I was drawn to the metallic look: a good choice for the holidays!

Store: Value Village

Brand: Banana Republic

Store Section: Sweater

What I Paid: $14.99

What it Costs New: ~ $95

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

I found some very fun & flirty outfits at the thrift store this time, aren't they cute??

I'm quite proud of this find: not only does it fit like a glove, but with an original price tag of $345, it's quite a steal! I've been pining after Black Halo's Jackie O Dress for years now, but couldn't quite afford to invest that much in a dress...sometimes patience really does pay off!

Store: Value Village

Brand: Black Halo

Store Section: Dresses

What I Paid: $12.99

What it Costs New: $345 (find it new here and a slightly longer version here)

It's a tad too large...but how could I refuse this adorable dress?? I was buying another dress, when the saleswoman informed me dresses were Buy One Get One Free, so I snagged this one too; I figure I can always tie a belt around it if need be!

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: XXI formal (Forever 21)

Store Section: Dresses

What I Paid: $0! (It was Buy One Get One Free on dresses, otherwise would have been $9.99 reg)

What it Costs New: ~ $40

Ohh I have plans for this skirt! It's going to look great with a red plaid button up shirt, or an-all black top with black flats. Perfectly feminine.

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: T. Babaton (Aritzia)

Store Section: Skirts 

(I found this in the size 2 section, but it fits! I'll probably have to loosen up the lining because it's a little too snug on the hips. but otherwise fits great- this is why you always try things on, even if you're not sure it will fit!)

What I Paid: $7.99

What it Costs New: ~ $100

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday is Back!

I know it's been a long time since I've done a Thrifty Thursday post, but don't worry, I haven't stopped thrifting! I'm going to be bringing this back as a weekly post again, catching you up on what I've found recently, and showing you what I find in the coming months. Since I have recently moved, I'm looking forward to checking out some new thrift shops and finding some amazing new treasures!

How could I pass up on this cozy little jacket? Oddly enough, it's cut like a moto jacket, but has the warmth & thickness of a winter coat, although the suede and fur are both faux. 

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: United Colors of Benetton

Store Section: Front of the store (special item)

What I Paid: $29.99

What it Costs New: ?

In winter, it's all about the layers, and right now, oversized sweaters and coats are the the biggest trend for staying warm. I love that this one is in a classic camel colour, and has a waterfall hemline to it. Pretty and cozy!

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: Peter Nygard

Store Section: Sweaters (found it in the Medium section, but actually a Small)

What I Paid: $7.99

What it Costs New: ~ $90

I've never heard of this brand before, and I can't find it anywhere online, but this shirt is comfy as hell!! Not only that, but it fits perfectly. I really love the deep V neckline and the slightly ruched shoulders; for once, I don't hate a button-down type shirt!

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: FOA

Store Section: Activewear Tops

What I Paid: $3.99

What it Costs New: ?

Happy Styling! xo