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, December 7, 2010

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.



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