Sunday, July 13, 2014

Thrifty Summer Styling

Blame it on the nightly ice cream or the 2 (still) injured shoulders, but late spring/early summer found me with 3+ social events looming on my calendar and a closet full of clothes that were too small. We have a major family vacation coming up, and I knew any new clothes would have to be of the "twice-loved" variety. Let's see how it all turned out:

Wedding #1
Elegant country club setting in Bethesda, MD. Stunning young bride and groom. We will not discuss the epic argument that transpired by the three people pictured below on the way to the wedding.

Strapless dark blue Target dress purchased for $5 at the thrift store. When I got it home, however, I realized I'd over-estimated my cup size, so there was a lot of gaping fabric. A quick trip to the tailor to have it taken in put the dress up into the $45 dollar range. And, it was now so tight in the ribcage,  it was hard to breathe, and laughing was out of the question. New at Target, the dress would  probably would have been about $25.

Win? Not so sure.

P.S. I forgot to get my roots dyed before the wedding.
P.P.S. Yes, Margaret is wearing a brand spanking new dress. No one said life was fair.



Wedding #2:
Outdoor wedding at a national park on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Perfect weather! Service under the trees, then reception with live music in a big, breezy barn. Gray cotton J. Crew dress from thrift shop $6.50. Cool and comfy, plus pockets for my cell phone. Definite win.






Wedding # 3:
Took place at our annual camping trip in West Virginia. Read more about those trips here, here, and here. Ceremony in meadow surrounded by mountains. Vows under an arbor made by my brother, the groom.

I ran out of time to buy a "new" dress and pulled out dress # 2 again. It was cool and comfy, and this got the price per wear down to just $3.25. Win-Win!


 (Margaret helping bride and groom put flowers on arbor a few hours before the ceremony)
 
 
 

(My big brother the groom)


More thrifty finds to follow!

22 comments:

Sharon said...

Wow you've got great thrift store karma when it comes to clothes! I'm pretty lucky with furniture but not with clothes. You looked beautiful! :)

Sheila said...

What thrift stores in the NoVa area do you recommend? Thanks~

Susie - Walking Butterfly said...

I love your thrifty treasures! My fav is the second dress. It looks so sharp while being comfy at the same time!

Anna Whiston-Donaldson said...

@Sheila-- I like Unique Thrift Store in Merrifield. xo

Japolina said...

You are a great thrifter!

Gigi said...

Both dresses are fabulous! I never have that kind of luck whenever I go to thrift store.

Leigh Ann said...

Those dresses are stunning on you! You've inspired me to thrift more for clothes. Unfortunately there's nor much available for the "thick in the middle" ladies.

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. said...

Don't you love how weddings are all so fun and unique now! I think you look pretty great. And the ice cream comment make me smile. Is it possible to be addicted to ice cream? I think so!

Alison said...

You look beautiful, love both dresses (and the prices!). Margaret is gorgeous.

Joyce Rice said...

Anna, you make me smile so much!

Anonymous said...

WOW! You look stunning in all of the photos!! I love the dresses and I LOVE bargains. The women in my family when given a compliment on a clothing item always have to say 'I got it for $20 at TJ MAxx' or the like:). The bargain is what we were proud of-ha! Take care, NoVa Mom Jen

Andrea Mowery said...

Both dresses are very nice! Our thrift stores are not so fancy. They really are great for Halloween, though.

Anonymous said...

Love your hair a little longer like that.

Karen L. said...

Love your finds! Plus, you make them look good, ice cream or not. :) I'll be on the lookout for similar finds here in my area.

Anonymous said...

I love both dresses, but the second one is my favorite! And by the way...you look beautiful in both. Great thrift store finds! Enjoyed seeing your family photos, thank-you for sharing with us.

Anonymous said...

You look awesome Anna!! Also, so wonderful to see your big brother :) Congrats to him on his wedding day. Aleta

Anonymous said...

I love the photos of your brother wedding. Can you post more photos?

Anonymous said...

I love the photos of your brother's wedding. Can you post more photos, please?

Mama Mary said...

You look darling in these pics! Love your inexpensive finds! I'm all about the sale rack at Target for some random cute finds. : )

Anonymous said...

You look lovely, Anna. A true beauty-inside and out! Don't worry about the weight either-you are still a stick :)

Karen from Memphis

Unknown said...

I love these photos! You are gorgeous. And, damn, that Margaret is beautiful. You need to come do my shopping for me. Your finds are impressive and I am spending way too much money.

Ellen aka Ellie said...

I have decided to thrift 80% of my clothing for the next year. Why only 80% you ask? (Okay, you didn't, but...)

I cannot imagine I would ever find a used truly white T shirt or a really nice black turtleneck sweater, and I cannot live without such items.

But I have found some lovely dresses, skirts, jeans and even shoes that are like new.

On Tuesday, I'm going with a friend, my thrifting sensei, to a Unique in Chicago, but she's also taking me to some grittier places so I can truly call myself a thrifter.