Frugal Fashionista: 5 Frugal Things I Wore This Week

Last week I shared a new post idea: 5 Frugal Things I Did Today.

It was fun to write and I loved reading all your comments. It’s wonderful to know you aren’t the only crazy one out there, but it’s also inspiring to get ideas and hear how others are taking intentional steps to be more aware of their finances, so please join in. It makes it that much more fun and interactive.

One of the biggest places I save is on my Frugal Fashionista wardrobe because I love the hunt of amazing designer pieces at second hand prices.

So this week’s 5 Frugal Things topic comes courtesy of my wardrobe.  I didn’t find extra special “fashion blogger” type outfits, but just the day to day things that are easy to find so be easy on me, please.

Unedited pictures are complements of my iPhone and my 12 year old daughter’s photo skills (with a few selfies when she wasn’t around.)

5 Frugal Things I Wore This Week (really, way more than five things, but who’s counting.)

Last Sunday, I shared this pic and told about my maxi dress haul on Instagram ? (Are you following me on IG? I post daily there and thus have slowed down here. IG is my mini blog.)

I’ve been trying so hard to declutter. Ugh, it’s never ending because I’ve let it gather over the years, so I’ve been very picky about what I purchase out yard sale-ing. BUT, when I hit a fashion haul of a college sorority girl clearing out the closet for her new school year, I wasn’t about to be picky. I’ll show you the rest as I wear them.

It’s the most comfortable maxi dress and each piece I bought from her ended up around $2. It’s strapless, as you can see in the bottom corner pic and yes, a cute college girl can pull it off, but a mom of cute college kids looks like she’s trying too hard, so this will always be worn with some kind of covering.

This outfit came together well, and ironically, I don’t wear much orange because it’s not the best color for my cool skin tone, but in accents, it’s perfect.

• $1 yard sale 3/4 length sleeve cardigan.
• $1 yard sale orange necklace
• $3.99 Thrift store orange sandals that I LOVE with this
• $2 maxi dress
• Total: $8

I’m just throwing this poor quality picture in to assure you that much of the time, I dress like this. We love casual athletic wear and cute shirts, but for the last month, I’ve been wearing a ton of dresses and skirts because honestly, they’ve been even more comfy in this heat than shorts.

(See the Becoming shirt? We had them made for our Becoming conference this year and I took this picture 30 minutes after it was done. It was wonderful to have three of my kids helping me this year. We love Asheville. 🙂 Pencil in the dates for next year. August 4, 5.)

This orange dress is what I am wearing as I type (and my sweet daughter isn’t home to take the picture for me.) I know I said that orange isn’t my color, but when you snag it for $2 at a yard sale and it’s just like wearing pajamas all day, but someone could actually come to your door and you wouldn’t have to scramble to put something else on at noon, you buy it. People may think I look dressed up, but honestly, these are the kind of dresses you sleep in. Way more comfy than shorts.

I may or may not have worn it two days in a row and worn it when I was shopping at Goodwill. Again, I am super self conscious of sleeveless dresses, so until I start doing a few push ups, I cover them in thrifted cardigans as you can see in the Goodwill mirror. 🙂

Sunday I had to sing at church, which means leaving the house at 7 am. At 6:55, I had no idea what I would wear and to make you feel better about yourself, I’ll tell you that both the purple sweater and pants were in my “put away” pile on the couch. Yes, I’m a fancy kind of fashionista and won’t confess how long they’ve been there. I was desperate and thought, I can make this work.

• Ann Taylor Loft purple sweater: Goodwill $3.75 (bought specifically as part of my Frugal Fashionista team color strategy)
• White Gap Jeans – Goodwill $5
• Yard sale sandals (SO SO CUTE) $1
• Statement necklace – not second hand, but for years, I’ve said accessories make an outfit.

Yes, I know, I know, another max dress, but honestly guys, I don’t care if they ever go out of style because they are just too comfortable and this passes my “I can sleep in it if I have to” requirement. I’ll always wear them. 🙂

Here’s where I am going to admit something. This is the third black cardigan in this post. None of them have been duplicates. That’s a problem that I will address when I get around to that chapter in the Life Changing Magic of Tiding Up. Remember that post? My thoughts on the clothes thing goes back and forth, but I WILL tackle it soon and have a funny story that goes with it.

$1 yard sale sandals that I’ve had for years and still love. Simple heels, yet comfy

Personal pedicure that obviously hasn’t been touched up for far too long, so please don’t enlarge the picture for you own sake. 😉

Another $1 yard sale cardigan and $9,99 end of the season maxi dress from TJ Maxx.

I’m way past five frugal things I wore this week, but I’ll end with this funny Goodwill dressing room episode. This is the time of year I recommend shopping for winter clothes because with it still hot outdoors, people aren’t thrifting for winter coats and sweaters. I bought both yesterday and one sweater dress I was debating was this one.

While I was shopping, I posted this picture on social media and asked for your opinion.

I wrote:

“PSA: I’m in need of immediate feedback. This is the time of year when I spruce up my winter #frugal #fashionista wardrobe because it’s still hot and no one is thrifting for coats and sweaters. This sweater dress is super unique and I love trying out of the box stuff, but not sure and need your opinions. On Facebook, you can see it larger. Only $4,75. I try and stay away from things with embellishments on the front because they aren’t slimming but I am about to start my carb detox. Haha. The side and back are plain. So help a sister out – yay or nay. I’m still shopping. :)”

Well, you all came through for me, but it was split 50/50. Many loved it, many didn’t. More people on FB liked it than instagram, but when someone commanded, “Put it back, girlfriend,” I listened.

I think I could have totally made this work with leggings and boots and it’s tempting just to try and get the nay sayers to change their mind, but if I’m really trying to declutter my closet, I have to stop buying iffy things. Ironically, my 16 and 12 year old daughters, along with my 18 year old niece ended up telling me I should have bought it. That was a shocker. I thought for sure they would have laughed me down. Sigh – you just never know with teenagers.

So, there’s a VERY long winded Frugal Fashionista: 5 Frugal Things I wore this week post.

If you made it to the end, congratulations. I am NOT going back to edit it, so just pretend it’s exactly like we are out on my porch with some coffee shooting the breeze.

So how about you? Did you wear any Frugal Things this week?