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: Bright New Colours

We've been wearing dark fall colours for quite a while now, so I can't help but start looking for brighter colours in the thrift store. Time to lighten things up!

I always run my fingers over the clothes as I go through the aisles, looking for interesting textures. The bright orange was awesome enough, but I really like how the dress also has an interesting texture to it. It's not quite sweater material, but definitely thicker than you'd expect.

Store: Value Village
Brand: unknown (no tags)
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $6.99
What it Costs New: ?


Just because the blazer is a little big, doesn't mean it's a a reject! If it's about 2 sizes bigger, it should fit nicely as a boyfriend blazer! Just roll up the sleeves and it pairs well with pretty much anything.

Store: Value Village
Brand: H&M
Store Section: Blazers
What I Paid: $8.99
What it Costs New: $29.95


Oh yeah, that's right: purple jeans! Coloured pants seem to be a big fashion risk for a lot of people, but they're an easy (and comfortable) way to inject some colour into your outfit. Just throw on a white tee and you're all set!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Tobi
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $8.99
What it Costs New: $29.99


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

Black never goes out of style! This week, I wanted to show you a few of my favourite thrifted outfit pieces I've found in the ever-classic colour black:

My eyes are drawn to pretty much anything with polka dots, so no wonder I picked out this skirt. What I really loved about this skirt though, is the shorter skirt lining: it makes the polka dots stand out even more! And it's right on trend. I recently wore this to the JCI Institute's Grad Fashion Show.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: H&M Divided
Store Section: Skirts
What I Paid: $5.99
What it Costs New: ?

Leather (and faux leather) has made a real comeback in the last year, and I'm a huge fan of the styles with leather panelling and detailing (like this skirt)! I pretty much makes any style just a little more badass.

Store: Value Village
Brand: Valia
Store Section: Skirts
What I Paid: $5.49
What it Costs New: ?


And here is a perfect example of another thing that always catches my eye in the thrift store: bows! I can totally see this dress worn with some classic pearls for a 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' sort of feel.

Store: Value Village
Brand: Love...ady
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $17.99
What it Costs New: ~ $130


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

There have been some really cool finds in both Value Village and Salvation Army lately!

This is the perfect equestrian jacket. It's been beautifully designed, with gorgeous double breasted buttons, back detailing, and a beautiful colour of plaid. Can't wait to style this with some riding boots and beige pants. 

Store: Value Village

Brand: Bianca Nygard

Store Section: Jackets

What I Paid: $19.99

What it Costs New: ~ 100

Ugly Christmas sweaters have become not-so-ugly in the last couple years! Check out this cute festive one from Old Navy..it even has sequins!

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: Old Navy

Store Section: Sweaters

What I Paid: $5.99

What it Costs New: ~ $30

You've already seen this faux fur cape here on my Look of the Week post! I wish it would snow here so I could wear it with a long maxi dress with white snowflakes all around!

Store: Value Village

Brand: Sears

Store Section: Leathers & Furs (this section apparently contains faux furs too!)

What I Paid: $39.99

What it Costs New: ?

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

There were some cool finds in the thrift store on this trip! All 3 have an element of a fall 2013 trend to them: sporty chic, leopard print, and wine colouring.

First came the sporty shoe wedge thingys, then came the varsity jackets. Usually I'm not one for sports (at all), but when I saw this jacket, I figured I could put a chic spin on it. It's interesting to note that this was in the 'light jacket' section, even though I'd consider it a sweatshirt; just a friendly reminder you need to look everywhere in the store so you don't miss something.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: UK2LA (Sirens/Urban Planet)
Section: Light Jackets
What I Paid: $5.99
What it's Worth: ?



Don't forget to take a look through the scarf rack! There's usually piles of them, and there are some great ones to be found, from vintage silk to chunky knit. I love the leopard print that is popping up in accessories this season. Just another example of a current trend...found for super cheap in the thrift store! Next on my list are matching leopard pumps!

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: ?
Section: Scarves
What I Paid: $4.99
What it's Worth: ?



Wine ankle booties...two trends in one! And I love the dual texture. Not a super cheap find, but when I get all excited about a find like these, I don't mind too much.

Store: Value Village

Brand: H&M

Section: Shoes

What I Paid: $19.99

What it's Worth: $39

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

You'll notice a couple of pieces here that I wore during Vancouver Fashion Week! I'm proud to say I thrifted almost every thing that I wore to the week of fashion shows.

Far more often, I'm finding myself saying: "Ha! This is my most proud find to date!" It's a great feeling, and it's the biggest rush when you first find it. This blazer is my newest proud find. It fits perfectly and is just a touch fancier than your average blazer.





Store: Salvation Army
Brand: BCBGMaxAzria
Section: Blazers
What I Paid: $9.99
What it's Worth: $250


I wore this dress to Day 3 of VFW.  I've been buying embellished clothing like crazy this season; the studs, the beads, the spikes...they give a plain outfit that extra boost that sends you to glamazon status.





Store: Value Village
Brand: Silence+Noise
Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $14.99
What it's Worth: $68

You've already seen me wear this dress to the Opening Gala of Vancouver Fashion Week. I loved the black and gold pattern, which reminded me of the Baroque trend which has been a hot topic this season. I couldn't get the back to zip up completely, and I HAD to have this dress, so I did a DIY similar to this one and use some black elastic to bridge the gap.



Store: Value Village
Brand: H&M
Section: Rack of new items to be put out (snagged it before it even hit the shelves!)
What I Paid: $14.99
What its Worth: $29.95

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta