31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 28 - Goodwill Style in Action - {week 4}

Hello! No I have not fallen off the planet, but last week I had my Hoarder's Sale.  It got very busy, but never fear.  I am hoping to catch up this week.

Last week, my dad asked, "Where's your 31 Days?" I had to laugh that my dad was concerned about 31 Days of Goodwill Style.  I think I could write about Barbie dolls and the color pink and my dad would still read it and offer input. He's just a great dad like that.

dress - Goodwill - $5

belt - Goodwill - $1

jacket - Goodwill (Old Navy) - $5

jeggings - hand me down from friend

boots - Plato's Closet - $14

Outfit Total: $25

I spent most of Monday painting so I wore my paint pants that are covered in paint splatter. However, when I finally faced the outside world, I wore this outfit.  Now, does the dress and jeggings make me look pregnant? Probably. But I am a 31 year old woman with two kids, everything makes me look pregnant.

dress - Goodwill - $5

shirt - Kohls - $3

leggings - Plato's closet - $4

scarf - Plato's closet - $6

boots - Plato's closet - $14

Outfit Total - $32

Tuesday was the release of the third book Allegiant in the Divergent series.  I was just a little excited. Okay. Maybe I was so excited I dressed in the grey on grey look of the Abnegation faction that is in the book.  I guess most people would call that a lot excited.

I'm not reading the book until next week so no spoilers!

tank - Goodwill - $3.75

shirt - Goodwill - $3.75

sweater - Goodwill (Target) $3.75

belt - Goodwill - $1

jeggings - hand me down from friend

boots - Plato's Closet - $14

Outfit Total - $26.25

Can you tell I love my boots? I live in boots from about October to March.  They are just so much warmer.

shirt - hand me down from my mother-in-law about five years ago

scarf - Plato's Closet - $6

pants - Goodwill - $5

shoes - Goodwill - $4 (I put them on later)

Outfit Total - $15

This is the outfit I wore when I went out in public to drop off B, but I spent most of the day cleaning stuff out of the barns so I added a few layers.

I know. I look absolutely awesome, but once I got outside I added an even more attractive accessory.

Fortunately, no one pulled up in the driveway.  I was a little frightening looking.

sweater - hand me down from a friend

scarf - Goodwill - $1

pants - Target - $12.54

boots - gift from my momma

Outfit Total - $13. 54

I spent most of the day getting ready for the Hoarder's Sale, but I really liked this cute easy outfit.

shirt - Goodwill - $3.75

pink jacket - Goodwill - $5

jeans - Target - $12.54

boots - gift from my mom

Outfit Total - $21.29

Saturday was the day of the Hoarder's Sale, and although I was outside in the cold most of the day, I wanted to look cute.  This pink jacket that I found at Goodwill was perfect! I think I will be wearing it a lot this winter.  It needs a trip to the dry cleaners, but I wanted to wait until after the Hoarder's Sale.

shirt - Kohl's - $3

striped shirt - Goodwill - $3.75

jeggings - hand me down from friend

boots - $14 - Plato's Closet

Outfit Total - $20.75

I don't have my Sunday morning outfit because I wasn't feeling great, but this is what I wore to church Sunday night.

Okay, when you take out the repeats, this weeks total was $86.54. That averages out to about $12 an outfit!

4 weeks no repeats! Woohoo!

31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 22 - Accessories

I'm about to tell you my super not so secret to making Goodwill outfits look awesome.  Are you ready?

Accessories.

Current accessories make an outfit from Goodwill look on trend.  Here are a few examples.

The necklace and belt gave this outfit a fun pop of green.

The mustard scarf give the same sweater a much different, but stylish look.

The black bubble necklace pulls this whole outfit together.

If you take away any of those accessories, those outfits would look completely different.

When you are shopping second hand, you have to know where to spend your money.

In the first outfit the belt and necklace cost as much as all the other pieces together, but they make such a big impact it is definitely worth it.

 

31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 21 - Goodwill Style in Action {week three}

Three weeks and still no repeats! Woohoo! I am really surprised and really happy that I've been able to do it! 

Do you know what really bothers me about these posts? I can recall brands and prices of all these pieces....but I can't remember to pick up some butter when I'm at the grocery store. I just wish my brain could remember the important stuff.  

Here's what I wore this week....

scarf - Platos Closet - $6

sweater - Goodwill (Target) - $3.75

shirt - Goodwill - $3.75

jeggings - hand me down from a friend

boots - Platos Closet - $14

Outfit Total - $27.50

This outfit is basically a reworking of the outfit I wore the Sunday before this day. 

white shirt - Kohls - $3

green sweater - Goodwill - $3.75

jacket - Goodwill (Old Navy) - $3.75

jeggings - hand me down from a friend 

boots - Plato's Closet - $14

necklace - $10

Outfit Total - $34.50

This outfit looks nice in theory, but in reality I was not a fan.  As I wore the outfit the sweater would ride up but the undershirt would stay in place.  I had this weird middrift looking thing going on.  I was not a fan. The outfit was cute but not comfortable. 

jacket - hand me down from a friend

thrifting shirt - Goodwill - $12

jeans - Goodwill (Anne Taylor) - $5

shoes - $4

Outfit Total - $21

I had to do a lot of housework this day, but it wasn't so bad in my favorite tshirt.  If you are local and like it, the Goodwill of Delawares are selling them for a limited time.  All proceeds go to a scholarship fund. 

scarf - Plato's Closet - $6

shirt - Kohl's - $3

sweater - Goodwill (Kohls) - $3.75

jeggings - hand me down from a friend

boots - Plato's Closet - $14

Outfit Total - $26.75

I have been wanting a mustard scarf for a while so now that I have found one, I am wearing it a lot.  I like a big scarf.  This was a normal scarf, but I just tied the ends together to make an infinity scarf.  I found my scarf at Plato's Closet with the tag still on it.  Then I found out where it was sold originally. 

Rite Aid Drugstore!!! They sell for 2 for $12.  I think I am going to have to get the leopard one!

earrings - bartered

shirt - Goodwill - $3.75

sweater - Goodwill - $3.75

jeans - Goodwill (Jones New York) - $5

shoes - Goodwill - $4

Outfit Total - $16.50

B was out of school on this day and had to jump in the picture.  

tank top - $3. 75

jacket - $5

jeans - Goodwill (Jones New York) - $5

shoes - Goodwill -$4

necklace - bartered

Outfit Total - $17.75

Okay, so I know I have a problem with the polka dots, but I can't stop.

scarf - Plato's Closet - $6

shirt - over five years old

jacket - Goodwill - $5

skirt - Goodwill (Target) - $5

tights - $4

shoes - Goodwill - $4

Outfit Total - $24

This was such a crazy morning. The outfit I planned on wearing just didn't work.  A pile of tried on clothes later, and this is what I had.  Some days are just like that.  B tried to help out by picking out his own outfit.

He was so proud of himself, I wasn't about to change his style.  He said green was his favorite color, in case you couldn't tell.

If you take out all the repeat pieces the total for the week was...$107!!!! That averages out to be about $15 per outfit.

I'm only one week away from being done! This week, I'm sure I'll have to be really creative to keep from repeating!
 

31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 18 - The Goodwill of Delaware Recycling Center

Last week's "more than the store" post was all about the Goodwill of Delaware Outlet.  Today, I am sharing the recycling center.

The recycling center blew my mind...bLeW mY mInD! Remember when all the blue bins went out the door of the outlet?

This is where they went, the Goodwill of Delaware Recycling center.

One of the first stops the blue bins make after entering the recycling center, is the sorting area.

Isn't the sorting area pretty with all the arrows, colors, and labels? Sorry, I just dork out about things like that.

All these labels are things that Goodwill can recycle.

During my behind the scenes tour, I got to sort through a bin.  It sounds easy right? It wasn't so much.  For example, a hanger may have a metal hook but a plastic hangy part...where does it go? A board game box might be cardboard, but the actually game inside might be plastic.  I'm not joking, sorting a bin stretched my brain.

When the sorting was over, here is what was left in that big bin.

That's it! Out of all that stuff in that bin, that little pile is the only part that can't be recycled. Goodwill's goal is to eventually be able to recycle everything.

Once the items are sorted, they go to this machine on the right.  I think it's a baler.

 
I may have totally nerded out about the baler, but c'mon!?! It's giant bales of clothes!!! There are companies that buy these giant clothes bales from Goodwill and makes them into rags and such.

After the items are baled, they are loaded onto trucks and sent off to be recycled more.

 In this truck, the top bale is plastic, the middle bale is metal, and the bottom bale cardboard.  As I was in the truck it was like playing where's Waldo with the bales.

There's a laundry basket.

There's a rubbermaid box.

You know you are looking for the laundry basket now, aren't you.

About a month ago, I went through B's clothes and I had a bag of jeans with blown out knees.  When I donated them, I asked the attendant, do you take jeans with blown out knees.  She told me they did, and I wondered what they even did with them.

If they didn't sell, those jeans were recycled and saved from the landfill all thanks to Goodwill.  

The more I learn about Goodwill of Delaware, the more I love what they do.  They take my old items and do good with them not only for people, but also for the earth.

31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 17 - Ignore the Sizes

When I was in the Goodwill Fashion Show, I was styled by Kim of Style Savvy with Kim.  One Saturday, we met at a Goodwill, and she tried all kinds of outfits on me.

At one point, she asked me to try on a shirt that was a much smaller size than I wore.  I told her I couldn't wear a size (none of your business), and she said, "Never pay attention to the sizes."

It sounds crazy, but it was such good advice.   She wanted me to wear the shirt as an undershirt, and it was perfect as an undershirt even though it was a little tight.

Have you ever noticed that a size 8 at one store may be a size 10 or 12 at another store.  That's how it is with Goodwill.  With so many different brands, just ignore the sizes and hold the piece up to you and see if it's close to your size.

If you get stuck thinking you are only one size, that prevents you from trying on a lot of clothes. When you ignore the sizes, you just might be surprised that something works that is a smaller or larger size.

31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 16 - The "New to the Floor" Racks

My favorite section in Goodwill is not the shirts, skirts, or homegoods.  My favorite section in Goodwill are these racks.  These are the racks that they use when they are bringing new items out onto the floor.

When I see one of these racks, I make a bee line for it.  Maybe it's just a mental thing that new is better, but it just feels like I am snagging something before anyone else even see it.

I have no scientific proof, but it seems like when you find one item that you like on one of these racks, you find several.  That just my theory though.

One time, the Goodwill fairy struck, and I found several items on one of these racks.  Maybe I'm crazy, but I just love these racks.  

Next time you are in Goodwill, keep your eyes open for one of these racks!

31 Days of Goodwill Style - Day 15 - Go Often

This week in 31 Days of Goodwill Style is focusing on Goodwillin' tips. Yes, I made Goodwill a verb.

The number one, numero uno, tip when Goodwillin' is to GO OFTEN!

People say all the time, "I never find anything at Goodwill," and if you go once every six months, you probably don't.

Because Goodwill is constantly changing with new donations, the store is always different.  Even if you went last week, the store will be different this week.

For me, I usually go about once a week.  When we are out and about, we just stop in and check out what Goodwill has.

Usually, I am only in Goodwill 30 minutes or less.  That's about all Collin or Brandon can handle.  When I am Goodwillin' with the boys, I will grab them a toy or book from the store, and that keeps them occupied.

If you go to Goodwill and don't find much, don't be discouraged.  You are not going to find your entire fall wardrobe in one Goodwill trip. It's a good trip if you find one or two pieces because a piece here and a piece there makes a wardrobe.