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.