Something a bit different: Boot edition

Peruvian Connection uses a wealth of boots in their catalogs, as they really go well with their style. Unfortunately, they don't sell any.

So here are some that I found at the thrift stores:

These lovelies are black leather boots by Reiker (a German brand). They are just-below-the-knee in length, and have a slouchy style to them. They have heels, but you certainly don't feel them--these are the comfiest boots I have ever tried on. These are currently being sold for about $200 online, but I found these for $9.99 at Goodwill (and in as-new condition).

These brown leather boots are made in Italy, but unfortunately I don't know who designed them. They come to just below the calf, and have a zip closure around the ankle. They are extremely high quality, and I only paid $8 for them at the Temple House.

Finally, I have my Miz Mooz boots. These are black leather (meant to look distressed) and have lots of buckles for detail. The wedges, which are quite high, are made of wood. Nordstrom carries this brand, and these would have been $169 new. I paid $6.99 at Goodwill, and they were in great condition.

Something a bit different: Bag edition

As I've been searching for those perfect Peruvian Connection look-alikes, I have found a few other bags that I have fallen for. I tend to go for cross-body bags--I think it stems from my years of backpacking and needing both hands free to run for trains, climb into cramped buses, and read maps.

Here are a few cross-body bags:

This is a vintage leather bag from Jack Georges, made in the USA. I loved the bohemian look, and the leather is in awesome condition (it's very thick and might just last forever). It has both a handle on top as well as a cross-body length strap, so it's very versatile. I paid $5.

This unusual little bag is from Luisa Cevese Riedizioni, made in Milan, Italy. She specializes in recycled textiles held in place by resin--eco-friendly, colorful, and easy to tote around. I paid $3 at the Temple House, but this bag would have cost about $70 brand new.

This small travel bag is from Nine West. The bag is constructed from corduroy and faux leather, with a tough nylon strap. I have used this on a few short trips (Vegas, etc), and the size, shape, and weight are ideal for walking long distances. I paid $2.49 at Goodwill.

And finally a different style of bag:

This 100% genuine patent leather bag is from Helen Welsh. This line used to be carried at Nordy's, but I can't seem to find any currently listed. The bag zips at the top, has an extra brass closure, and lots of pockets. It's over-the-shoulder, which I usually don't like, but I couldn't resist this time. The color is a lovely chestnut brown, and the interior is a silky floral material. I paid $4 at the Temple House, but this bag is currently being sold for $150 online.

Something a bit different: Hat edition

I've decided to spice up this blog a bit by adding other bargains I've found over the months. These items might not be straight out of the Peruvian Connection catalog, but they're still fabulous--and unbelievably cheap!

I've said before that I want to become a hat person. This is much easier in the colder months, when covering your head is a necessity. So here are my other hat finds:

This is (un)officially the softest hat in the world. It's 100% cashmere, at least two-ply, designed by Cole Haan. It sits a bit high on the head and looks reminiscent of a fur hat. The hat would have been AT LEAST $95 new, but I only paid $3.99. Also, the hat is in as-new condition.

This hand-embroidered beanie is 42% wool, 31% acrylic, and 27% polyester, made in India. It is designed by Element. I paid only $1 for this hat at the Temple House, and I can easily fold it and put it in my purse on cold days.

This 100% wool cloche is so comfy on, and matches my J. Crew peacoat perfectly. Unfortunately, I don't know the designer, but I do know I only paid $1.99 at Goodwill. The applique flower is hand-sewn, with sequins, beads, and faux pearls.

I think I'll do this 'something a bit different' entries regularly, just so I can share my other bargains with you all. Hope you enjoy them!

Find #24: Bronze pendant and chunky chain necklace

I've said before that I don't wear gold, but I do like brass. I wear brass bangles, brass coin jewelry, and a few mixed-metal pieces. I find that brass isn't as bright as gold, and goes much better with silver and copper.

I liked this mixed-metal Peruvian Connection necklace:

The medallions are cast in bronze, and the wide-link chain is made of sterling silver. Here is my find, which reminded me of this necklace:

This piece is made of antique bronze, sterling silver hoops, and a wide-link silvertone chain. The designer is San Francisco-based Marjorie Bear, and all of her jewelry is made in the USA (as is Peruvian Connection's). Marjorie specializes in mixed-metal, and recycles old bronze by hammering it into new shapes.

Peruvian Connection's necklace costs $169, and my find set me back $5. It's true that the chain on my version isn't sterling, but considering I saved about 97%, I'd say 'silvertone' is acceptable--especially because my version has sterling silver incorporated into the pendant.

Find #23: 100% Alpaca cardigan

I couldn't resist buying sweaters any longer, especially with this winter weather. So I gave in.

I found this beautiful red 100% alpaca cardigan:

It is handknit, with crocheted edges and wooden buttons for detail. The cardigan was made in Bolivia by Chasqui (a word that means 'Incan messenger'). While I couldn't find an exact match in the current Peruvian Connection catalog, it is similar to this sweater:

This cardy is 100% royal alpaca, made in Peru. The colors of the garments are actually much closer than they appear in these photos (I did my best, but the sweater is not this pink).

The Peruvian Connection version costs $118, while my version cost me $7.99. Savings: about 93%.

Find #22: Wooden bangle

This find is similar to my very first entry to this blog (see Find #1). I adore chunky bangles, and even though I've been to Southern Africa (twice!), I somehow failed to buy a wooden one from the markets there. I drive a hard bargain, and I never wanted to pay what they quoted me. I later regretted not relenting, because I do love them. And what's a few more dollars after you've spent thousands to get to the market in the first place?

So today I finally found a natural-colored wooden bangle that suited me:

This is very similar to these wooden bangles currently offered by Peruvian Connection:

The main differences are the carving techniques: my version looks like it was hammered, while the Peruvian Connection ones look as if they've been carved out by hand. My version also has brass details ingrained into the wood, and it is a bit bulkier. However, the originals cost $79 for the pair (so $39.50 per bangle), and mine only cost $1.99 at Goodwill. This means I saved about 95%.

Find #21: Old-fashioned fedora with detail

Peruvian Connection loves to pair their outfits with hats. While I have never particularly liked hats on myself, I have always wanted to pull them off. A good hat looks sophisticated, and I'm determined to find one that suits me.

Peruvian Connection offers several vintage-inspired fedoras, such as this example:

This hat is composed of 100% rabbit-felt and grosgrain ribbon detailing. I have looked for months for a decent wool fedora in the thrift stores, but the hats are often too vintage (yes, there is such a thing), worn out and moth-eaten, or just unattractive. I understand that nice hats are very expensive, so I'll be lucky to find rabbit-felt in my price range.

However, I did find this:

It's a 100% leather fedora, fully lined, by August (sold at Nordstrom). The flower detail is actually a homemade addition to the hat--one of the bonuses of buying second-hand. The style is somewhere between a fedora and a cloche: the back flap flips up, but the top of the hat is flat.

The original version costs $218. My find cost me $3.99, which means I saved about 98%. The leather is admittedly not as luxurious as rabbit-felt, but it'll do me just fine.

Find #20: Crystal and chain drop earrings

As I'm scouring the charity shops for items for this blog (and thus my wardrobe), I have to keep several things in mind.

1. Does the item resemble a Peruvian Connection piece?
2. Is the item my size?
3. Is the item in good wearable condition?
4. Is the item in my price range?
5. Do I actually like the item and would I wear it?

So while I see loads of great items that would be fantastic for this project, I also need to keep myself in mind. This principle eliminates about 95% of potential finds, which in the end is probably a good thing. I want to be picky, and I don't want to spend all of my money at once. 'All of my money' being a whopping $15 per week!

So, I organized my jewelry and tried to identify items I really want/need/don't already have. I'm still looking for copper hoops (or any hoops, really), items with semi-precious stones, silver bangle bracelets, and fancy earrings suitable for dressing up.

I found these beauties, and I LOVE them:

These are silver with amethysts and crystal beads, and would be perfect for dressing up an outfit. The crystals are at the end of delicate silver chains which hang about 2 inches at their longest. They reminded me very much of these Peruvian Connection earrings:

These earrings are made of an antiqued sterling silver with amethyst, carnelian, and rhodalite beads. Interestingly, these earrings are only listed on Peruvian Connection's UK site. I had thought that the two sites differed only in prices (pounds vs. dollars), but apparently not. So these earrings are 56 pounds (on sale), which equates to $88.33 at current exchange rates. I paid only $2.50 (can you believe that?!), which means I saved about 97%.

Find #19: Copper-colored jeweled earrings

Peruvian Connection offer an elegant pair of copper earrings, seen here:

I love the curved edges, touches of color in the jewel beads, and substantial size. I prefer not to wear gold, but I do like copper--it seems to compliment white metals, instead of clash with them. So, here is my thrift store version:

These are not copper--so should not be as expensive as the original--but the metal and painted beads give an overall impression of a copper hue. The green, purple, and burgundy beads go well with copper, as well. The lyre shape isn't as prominent, but the metal loop does resemble it.

Sure, they aren't quite as beautiful, but they only cost me $2.49. The originals cost $110, which means I saved about 98%.

Full disclosure:
These earrings came in a $4.99 package deal with find #20. I loved the crystal earrings so much that I went for the deal, even though I wouldn't have bought these on their own. But in the end I used them for the blog--because why not?

Find #18: Ruffled cotton top

It has been hard going at the thrift stores the last few weeks. My theory is that it's because it's Christmas, so everyone is out trying to find bargains for presents in these tough times. I'm doing my best to keep this blog going--and I think I'll find treasures galore after the New Year. I also have two weeks in England over Christmas, and I'll be able to peruse the brilliant charity shops in Grantham. My passion for thrifting started in the UK, mostly due to the 2:1 exchange rate I was facing while living there.

As I've mentioned before, I have a pretty large number of sweaters after two months of this blog. I'm now looking for lighter items that I can layer and dress up or down. So, here is my latest find:

It is 100% cotton and designed by Ann Taylor. The material is very high quality and comparable to the pima cotton top I found last week. This top, in my opinion, is a hybrid of these two Peruvian Connection items:

The first item is 100% cotton and sells for $189, while the second item is 100% pima cotton and sells for $49 (on sale). I paid only $2.49 for my top, which is 89% less than the $119 average cost of the actual Peruvian Connection examples.

Find #17: Three-tiered teardrop earrings

The Temple House Thrift Store, on NW Glisan and 22nd, always has a great selection of jewelry. Today I was trying to decide between four pairs of earrings: silver hoops, brass chandeliers, copper with mother-of-pearl beads, and silver-tone teardrop earrings. In the end I went with the silver-tone teardrop pair, but it turns out the other three options were dead ringers for actual Peruvian Connection offerings. Drats!

Anyways, here is the pair I did choose:

As you can see, they are silver-tone (I don't think they're actually silver) drop earrings with three tiers: round mother-of-pearl discs, silver-tone circles, and brown jasper teardrop beads. I liked the earthy feel to these, and the fact that they'll match my pearl and wooden jewelry.

Peruvian Connection have several pairs of drop earrings, including these examples:

These two lovely pairs are $89, $110, and $110, respectively. However, they do include quartz, brass, sterling, and even some small gold detailing, which justifies the expense. My finds were only $5, but do not include such quality materials. Still, I saved about 95%--and for me, it'll have to do until I can afford the real thing.

Find #16: Pima cotton top with paisley print

I adore the feel of pima cotton: it's smoother, stronger, and feels lovely when worn. This project has produced a closet full of sweaters, but I also need lighter tops, which are actually tougher to find at thrift stores. People seem to tire of sweaters after one winter, but they wear their plain cotton tops until they're threadbare. Taking into account that I'm looking not just for cotton but pima cotton, it's a pretty tall order.

So, with that in mind, here is Peruvian Connection's pima cotton top with paisley detail:

And here is what I found:

The original is 95% pima cotton and 5% lycra, and was made in Peru. My version is 100% pima cotton and was also made in Peru by J.Jill. The two tops do look quite different, mostly due to the contrasting lengths. But both have wide necklines, neutral colors, and paisley print. I paid only $2.49 for this top, and the original costs $59. Savings: 96%.

Find #15: Cabled alpaca topper

I've been looking for something similar to this for some time:

It's not quite a cardigan in it's own right, but not just a vest either. Perfect for layering in all seasons, it adds warmth without too much bulk. So, finally, I found this:

This version is closer to the vest end of the spectrum, and it's not quite as long as the original, but it is perfect for wearing over my thin merino sweaters. Peruvian Connection's version is 70% baby alpaca and 30% wool, while my version is made by Banana Republic and is a 40% alpaca, 40% cotton, 10% wool, and 10% nylon blend.

The original is $169, and my find was $6.99. This means I saved approximately 96%.

Third actual Peruvian Connection item

Another great day for the blog!

I've been on an even tighter budget lately, so I was getting concerned that the project wouldn't be as successful. I try not to spend more than $15/week at the thrift shop, which is usually enough for two large items and a few small ones. This week I came away with the leather jacket, a silver bangle, a wool hat, and...

This fantastic Peruvian Connection skirt:

This lovely item is 100% pima cotton, made in Peru. The detail is truly incredible, and even though there are some small imperfections from the previous owner, there is loads of wear left.

My new skirt is similar to this current Peruvian Connection offering:

This skirt is listed for $229, and I paid $6.99. This means I saved about 97%, and more importantly, I have a wonderful new addition to my growing Peruvian Connection collection.

Find #14: Fitted brown leather jacket

Here is Peruvian Connection's beautiful leather jacket:

And here is what I found at Goodwill:

It's true that these coats have their differences. PC's version is cropped and is constructed of a shinier leather, while my version is fitted more like a blazer with full-length sleeves. The leather is also more suede-like to the touch. The designer of my jacket is Valerie Stevens, and I paid $6.49. It might not be identical, but I saved about 98% of the original jacket's cost--a great result.

Find #13: Cotton 3/4 sleeve sweater

I've been looking for a pima cotton sweater with shorter sleeves, similar to this:

And this is what I found:

Both sweaters are pima cotton (although mine is 85% organic pima cotton and 15% silk), and both are handloomed in Peru. My version is from the 'Indigenous One Weave' brand, and I paid $6.99. Peruvian Connection's original costs $89, which means I saved approximately 92%.

Find #12: Leather courier bag

I have been pining after Peruvian Connection's leather courier bag. Here is a photo:

Leather bags are usually out of my price range, so I was thrilled to find this beauty:

My find is from Canadian brand M0851. It is made of buttery black leather, and looks almost brand new. The price was just $4.99 at Goodwill--much, much lower than the $399 price tag for the Peruvian Connection version. True, my find does not have the stitching around the flap, but otherwise they are nearly identical. Savings: 98.5%.

Find #11: Bolivian alpaca zip-down cardigan

Here is the fabulous Peruvian Connection version:

And here is what I found:

I'm the first one to admit that my version isn't as gloriously detailed as the Peruvian Connection version. But both sweaters were handloomed in Bolivia and are made of 100% alpaca--and mine was only $7.99. The original is $325, which means I saved approximately 97.5% by sacrificing detail. Plus, my version has a cozy hood.

Find #10: 100% Alpaca pullover sweater

I'm very pleased with this find. I can't believe the beautiful things that people get rid of--but their cast-offs are my gain!

Here is Peruvian Connection's alpaca pullover sweater:

And here is the beautiful sweater I found at the thrift store:

This sweater is 100% pure baby alpaca, made in Peru. There is a large cable pattern down the front, and a thicker knit at the sleeves, hem, and T-neckline. The designer is Alpaca 111. Peruvian Connection's sweater is $179, and my find was $7. My savings were about 96%--and the sweater is gorgeous!

Find #9: Curly knit scarf

Here is the original, which is fashioned out of kid mohair:

And here is what I found:

My find isn't as lovely quality as Peruvian Connection's version, but it is still 70% wool, 20% angora rabbit fur, and 10% nylon. The original costs $85, and my version was $2 at the thrift store. Not as soft--but a 97% savings!

Find #8: Wide-knit merino sweater

Here is the original Peruvian Connection sweater:

This gorgeous sweater is 70% alpaca and 30% merino wool, and costs $259. I love the length and the chunky knit, so this is my thrift store version:

The sweater is made of 100% fine Italian merino wool, and was designed by high-end brand Laundry by Shelli Segal. The material is exceptionally soft and warm, and I'll be able to wear this sweater as a coat on cold, dry days. I paid $7.99, but can't compare directly with the original because of the lack of alpaca fibers. This sweater would have been at least $150 dollars new, though, so I can confidently say I hit my 10% target.

Second actual Peruvian Connection item

Somebody in the West Hills of Portland keeps donating Peruvian Connection items to the Burnside Goodwill. While I certainly don't understand it, I do appreciate it! I found this cable-knit Peruvian Connection dress for $7.99. I don't know how much it cost originally, but I'm sure I spent less than 10%--and it's in excellent condition.

It is a burgundy knit dress made of 60% Pima cotton and 40% Tencel lyocell. The latter fabric is made from wood pulp and meant to give the dress some stretch. Here is a photo of me wearing it (I'll switch it out for a better one once I have someone to photograph me).

So, I put together a catalog-worthy ensemble for a grand total of $27.98. That's $7.99 for the dress, $9.99 for the leather Reiker boots, $8 for the silver necklace, and $2 for the leather belt. I'm now more motivated than ever to continue this experiment!