Tales from the Thrift: Desperate Times...Desperate Measures.

Hey y'all!  Today is Friday and I'm so happy I could poop rainbows! Yeah..that happy lol.  Today I want to talk a little about my hate for the inability to spend lots of money for one item, my love for finding a good bargain and my MacGyver tendencies.  This will get a little longer than I usually post but please bear with me.

First...the shoes.  I am proud of you all doing well enough to buy a pair of Jeffery Campbells at will. As for me, I am doing OK in life where I can do that, not at will but with a little financial planning...but I can be too frugal to do so.  OK let me keep it real...I AM CHEAP!  I wanted to have the JC experience but couldn't fork up the money.  So what I did was found a dupe and went for it.  I can honestly say that I'm happy with them.

Now, I will talk about a love affair I had in the thrift store this past summer.  Picture it...local Salvation Army, 2011 on half off day and I did what I hate to do when I go into the thrift store...shopping without a plan.  I was haphazardly going through the clothing racks, filling my cart with "take it or leave its".  I was a little uninspired and about to give up then...WOWSERS!  This fluorescent green beauty said hello.  I picked it up and instantly started to salivate.  It called my name and serenaded me. I fell in love.  The price tag said $9.99 and then I looked on the inside and the label said RALPH LAUREN!!!!  My heart started to beat like FAMU's drumline during the halftime show and then it sank just as quick...

SIZE 2?!?!? 

Insert corny fail music here____
Whomp whomp whomp whommmmmmmmmmp...

How in the world am I gonna fit all these hips in a 2?!?  I was thinking a 2 can't do anything for me but make me wanna smack somebody.  But then the wheels in my head started turning...so fast that I'm sure smoke was coming outta my ears.  I ran like Flo Jo (rip) to the dressing room and then my MacGyver tendencies took over. These were desperate times and called for desperate measures. I tried it on and pulled it up as far as I could (not far...it was a 2! @#$%), I ripped the seam and then I safety pinned it.  It worked!!!  I immediately started to shout HALLELUJAH! I was thinking I will clean it up at home.   This skirt did love me as much as I loved it.  I gathered myself, took my ripped skirt, paid my $5, (yes $5.  it was half off day...remember?) and went on my merry way ready to fix and style this bad boy. 

*side note* Someone asked would have left it there torn if that didn't work, and to answer that...I would tend to think I would have done the right thing. *halo*

So I fixed it.   I had to lose a couple of inches which caused me to love it even more.  I first wore it to a drag brunch over the summer.  I paired it with a white tank (or as we in the hood call a wife beater) and a black patent leather belt and sandals.  It was a hit.  OK so now I wanted to see how I could transition this skirt into the fall and winter.  I came up with a couple of ideas and here is one of them.  I will post others another time.

Now all I need is somewhere to wear this fit!

The Ensemble:

Skirt: Ralph Lauren via Salvation Army

Blouse: NY & Co.

Blazer: K&G

Corset Belt: Ashley Stewart

Booties: GoJane.com

Fishnets: Target

Random Pearls  & Arm Party

Thanks for reading my ramble!