Fashion

[DiAnne]

Many years ago when I lived in California I had a friend who used to go the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Corona Del Mar.  She was one well dressed woman.  I am sure that thrift store no longer exists.

[tansy]

My favorite is the RL  stripes.  

I thought I'd seen that eyelet blouse on the Chico's site recently but I don't see it now.

[Jrzgirl]

DiAnne

The Salvation Army no longer has a thrift store in Corona del Mar.  They do, however, have many across So. Cal.  There's an exceptionally nice store in

Fountain Valley.....................For those who don't know- The Salvation Army has an inpatient drug & alcohol rehabilitaion center which is totally free.  It is supported by donations (clothing, household items, etc) which they will pick up at your home.  The things are sorted at a their warehouse, distributted to be sold at their Family Stores (thrift stores) & the monies support the Rehabilitaiton Center.

I would also like to say that their Rehabilitation Center is very successful

I'm not a member of The Salvation Army but do volunteer with their Women's Auxiliary.  We have a yearly fashion show featuring the women of the Rehabilitation Center using only clothes obtained at the Family Store.   It is a wonderful thing that helps build women's self esteem & also shows the public that nice clothing is available at the Family Stores.

[MacDUFF]

@Desertdi   Good idea about church thrifts...thanks for the reminder!

@ID2   The charity thrift in my neighborhood has a food/household items pantry, two social workers on staff, references/contacts throughout the community for crisis services, etc.  People in our community who are in need can walk in and get emergency needs met, including free clothing and shoes...all funded by people like me who shop the store.

@teganslaw   I think they're missing out, too, but...more for me haha!

@Lisa Y   Yeah, knowing/accepting your body type is crucial to good fit IMHO.  If you're actually a pear shape, for example, but you think you're an hourglass, I just don't think it's going to work out well.  But, that's just my experience.  Thanks!

@queendiva    Enjoy the shopping!   I sometimes go weeks without finding anything, but I keep trying.

Hello to  @itsmagic    @Terrywu    @KCDiva   @ScrapHappy   @Irish1210    @tansy     

@Greeneyedlady21   Hoping for you that the day is near when you can go thrifting and have only the best, sweetest memories of your Mom and your thrifting adventures with her.  I bet she would have wanted that for you.

Hi @DiAnne  Hope you are well!  It's so funny 'cuz I used to say that I wished there was a thrift store in La Jolla...but, I'd take Corona Del Mar, too haha.

@Jrzgirl   Yes, thank you for mentioning SA...love the community work they do.   I haven't volunteered anywhere lately, but I really appreciate and thank you for the work you're doing for the SA thru their Women's Auxiliary (might have to check that out).

[MacDUFF]

I played with styling today...

The eyelet as pictured in the OP is an example of my summer uniform...breezy collared button front blouse with jeans (cropped for summer thankyouverymuch) and sandals or sneaks.  Not much would change from the pic except the jean wash and the footwear.

These are two items from my closet that will go with the RL stripe for transitional and winter weather...

Liz Claiborne white puffer vest (thrifted earlier this year)...

Croft & Barrow wool sweater jacket with buttery leather front panels (thrifted earlier this year)...

I didn't like the two ways I styled the J.Crew silk in the OP.  So I came up with these two outfits instead.  I wore the first outfit yesterday to prep and par-boil green beans from our garden, pay bills, grocery shop, and cook dinner.  I wonder...do the Q hosts ever say, "You can wear this apple picking AND to hang out in the kitchen prepping green beans for par-boiling?  I really don't like this outfit either!

The second pic is my favorite outfit for this blouse (and okay maybe with the white pants in the OP).  If I don't wear this outfit now and then in the next few months, the blouse will be re-donated...too bad, so sad.

NOTE:  I'm taking up the hem on the black crops (tencel/lyocell/elastane Eileen Fisher ribbed wide-legged crops from the Rack)...the hem looks wonky because it's pinned (and had to be re-pinned to lower them a little bit...the best inseam on crops is strictly what looks good to me and varies from pant to pant).  The hand and drape on these crops are beautiful!

BTW, I think this blouse would have been perfect as a duster...

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

[Icegoddess]

@MacDUFF I have a very similar Ralph Lauren sweater except it's boat neck and has some sort of small nautical design on the neckline.  I rarely ever wear it though because, well, it's white.  I'm kinda like Pigpen when it comes to white clothing.  It just won't stay clean very long.

I haven't been thrifting since before the pandemic, mainly because I always went with a friend who is immuno-compromised so she never goes out anymore. 

[tends2dogs]

@MacDUFF  I always love to hear about a great "find" and better to get to see them.  I really feel that location has a lot to do with the quality of stock a thrift store offers.  I am just stating my observations, not trying to be snarky.  Would you agree?  I have found quite a few pair of jeans down south in thrifts, but they weren't $2.  Most ran in the $15 to $20 range.  

One time my sister and I were going through some racks at a Goodwill.  We overheard a woman say, "I can't believe how the prices have gone up!  $5 for blazers!"  We had a chuckle about that.  

[PodyPo]

I agree about thrifting allwing us to get more offbeat or crazy things as they are so inexpensive. I recently found a red crossbody bag shaped like a cardinal... just fun!

A friend turned me on to thrifting after I had cancer treatment and lost so much weight all my pants were falling off, and I have enjoyed it since.

My best finds are a silk Johnny Was dress for $4.99, a Dennis Basso faux fur carcoat for about $6.99, and lots of Chico's jeans and jackets.

@MacDUFF  Do you ever shop at the Goodwill boutique on South Blvd.? I have found some great things there and the prices are not much more than regular GW. They now funnel a lot of their better items to the boutique. but I mostly enjoy the "hunt" at the regular store.

[KCDiva]

@MacDUFF  LOL I miss the Goodwill that was a couple blocks from my house. I used to stop in all the time. Thrifting is very hit and miss. It was the best shopping. People could not believe what I got from there sometimes. You got some great purchases. 

[KaySD]

---

@MacDUFF wrote:

@KaySD   I could not pass up that plaid J.Crew silk!  It goes a little out of my norm, though, and I'm still trying different ways to style it with things in my closet.  

---

@MacDUFF  Seriously, the silk shirt...when I look at your coloring and the shirt, what comes to my mind is a bright royal or sapphire blue layered underneath. Do you wear that color? The shirt could go with anything, but a rich blue has a lot of 'presence' with black and white.