Be frugal, look fabulous!

Welcome to my blog!
This experiment is to see whether I can find looks directly out of the Peruvian Connection catalog (my absolute favorite) by shopping at thrift stores and garages sales. My goal is to put together an elegant, interesting, and flattering wardrobe--but by only spending about 10% or less of the new clothes' cost.

But why Peruvian Connection?
Because every outfit in the catalog uses my favorite things: belts, boots, bags, jewelry, and pieces that you can mix and match. I'll be able to emulate their style by putting together items that I find along the way. Also, their style is timeless and almost vintage-looking. How could I go wrong with a company with the tagline of 'Artisan clothing for nomads and romantics'? I'm both at heart!

Why buy second-hand?
Buying second-hand clothing is sustainable and economical. My money goes to charity or directly to individuals, my purchases do not require the use of additional resources, and at this stage in my life I cannot afford to buy such quality clothes at retail prices. However, someday when I can afford to buy new clothes, I wish to be mindful of where my money is going. Higher end retailers such as Peruvian Connection may be more expensive, but their artisans earn a living wage and the materials are environmentally friendly. I want to get in the habit of buying responsibly.

The rules for this experiment:
I'm looking for quality garments made of materials that Peruvian Connection commonly uses: cotton (pima if possible), alpaca, merino wool, leather, and other furs such as angora, mohair, and cashmere. I aim to avoid acrylics and other man-made materials because they wear out quickly. The end result of this blog will be a wardrobe that will last for years and never go out of style.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

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%.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)