Casual Styling for Bargain Shoppers

Staying Casual, Stylish and Thrifty!

So, if you have followed my blog for awhile now, you know that I love a good bargain. I like to be stylish without breaking the bank doing so. Today, I am styling a casual summery look and literally everything I'm wearing or carrying (including jewelry), with the exception of the jeans jacket, cost well under $10! 

I'll be sharing info about each item and showing some indoor and some outdoor photos so you can see the items in different lighting. First, let's look at the top. Can you see what is on it? Butterflies! This top has a story.

I tried on this top along with several others at a local thrift store last Saturday. This thrift store's prices are a little higher than Goodwill, but it just so happened that they were celebrating "Christmas in July" and were offering a "buy one, get one" special. I had definitely settled on two other tops and was debating this one and another lavender blouse when the Mr. told me the lady was closing the store early and I needed to check out. Arghh....I hate to be rushed, especially when I'm making clothing choices! I also decided to be "cheap" and only get two items. Of course, I continued to think about the two tops I didn't get over the next few days and decided yesterday to look back at the shop to see if they were still there. They were....AND.....because it was Wednesday and I am "of a certain age" I got a 35% discount, meaning that I scored both tops for about seven dollars! A bargain shopper's dream, for sure!

This skirt is "Basic Editions" brand purchased at K-Mart. It has a stretch waist and is super soft and comfortable! I haven't typically worn skirts and summer dresses to keep cool in the summer, mainly relying on capris, jeans and shorts to stay cool, but this outfit may change my mind on that subject! It was all day comfort for me wearing this outfit. The skirt cost a whopping $7.98! And you will remember my fun, striped tennis shoes from this previous post.

They were a steal at Walmart for $5.87! 

You first saw my blue jeans jacket and purse on this previous post. The jeans purse was a Goodwill find for one dollar! The jacket is by Gloria Vanderbilt and is the one item that cost more than ten dollars. If memory serves me, I believe the jacket was around $25 and I bought one in white and one in blue. You have seen both of them on the blog several times. Now, let's talk jewelry.

Both the wrap bracelet and earrings that I am wearing are Paparazzi and you know what that means....each piece was only $5 each! So.....how did I do as a bargain shopper? Let's add it all up.

Top: $3.50

Skirt: $7.98

Shoes: $5.87

Purse: $1.00

Bracelet: $5.00

Earrings: $5.00 (Came as a set with a necklace!)

Grand Total: $28.35

That's right...an entire outfit, minus the jacket, for under $30 including shoes and jewelry! Woohoo!! If we add in the jeans jacket, which I consider to be a "staple" clothing item which can be mixed and matched with outfits over and over, the total cost is $58.35. Still, a bargain, for a total outfit to be under $60!

The point of my post is that fashion does not need to be expensive. I learned this at an early age when my Mom, who worked many jobs during her lifetime, just didn't have lots of money for me to spend on "name brand" clothing. I remember being in Junior High and High School and it was all the rage for girls to get their clothing at "The Diamond" which was an expensive store at the local mall. Most of my clothes came from Hills Department Store, where my Mom worked as a Department Head in the women's clothing department. Hills is no longer in business, but was comparable, at that time, to K-Mart or Walmart. At the time, I kind of wished I could have gotten the name brand clothing because I was a teenager and you know how teenagers are....everyone wants to be "the same" and fit in like everyone else. I am so glad, however, that I didn't get the name brands, though, because I learned how to shop for "quality" looking clothing in the cheaper stores. It can be done. When I go to thrift stores I don't buy junky clothes. And, believe me, plenty of what I see is junky looking. I look for "quality" items both in the style and the way the clothing is made. Some days I score several quality items. Other days I leave without buying anything. I read a lot of blogs and I see many fashion bloggers talk about clothing they are wearing that is supposed to be so "economical" with the price. I click on the links and about faint at the "economical pricing." It is much more than I am willing to pay. Call me cheap if you wish, but I just don't think it is necessary to pay huge prices in order to have really nice clothing. To each their own, though, and for those readers who like to shop at high end stores....I am not judging you and I hope you don't judge me. I just have always loved a bargain....and I always will! As I learned at an early age...."necessity is the mother of invention." 

How about you? Are you a bargain shopper? Are you willing to shop at thrift stores and stores like K-Mart or Walmart or would you never shop for clothing at those stores? Hope you'll leave me a comment and share! Have you subscribed to my blog so you'll never miss a post? Just look for the subscription box on the right sidebar of my blog. And, please remember to recommend debbiethisandthat to all of your friends! I love to know when someone "finds" my blog for the first time! (But that doesn't mean I don't want to hear from my faithful long time readers, though, because I do!!) Happy shopping in whatever form you choose to do it!

Until Next Time,

Debbie