Monday, February 28, 2011

18 Tips While Shopping Thrift

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I believe that thrift shopping is one of the most enjoyable/rewarding things to do. Some people think shopping second hand is nasty and dirty, however, you can find some remarkable things from the past that you could never find in department stores. Here are 18 tips to help you find that hidden treasure to add to your wardrobe.

1. Set a budget. This is difficult at first — you don’t know how much things cost. But eventually you’ll be able to tell yourself, “I’m going spend $20 today”. It becomes a game to see how much you can buy for $20.

2. Discard your prejudices. Some people consider thrift stores and used clothing shops nasty dirty places. Some are. Most aren’t. Explore your neighborhood. Find a shop or two that you like, and you’ll be hooked.

3. Go with a friend. It’s good to have a second opinion. Your friend may have an eye for what looks good on you — and vice versa.

4. Try things on. Sizes vary widely between manufacturers and even by eras. (Today’s clothes have looser fits.) But go in knowing your general size and measurements. Note that some places don’t have dressing rooms, so it’s smart to wear a modest thin layer in case you need to strip down in the aisle.

5. Examine each item thoroughly. It sucks to get home to find your new shirt has a hole in the pocket. Or that the slacks you thought were a steal actually have a broken zipper.

6. Check washing instructions. You don’t want to pay $3 for a silk blouse if you’ll never dry-clean it.

7. Use the tags as a guide to find quality brands you like, but don’t limit yourself. Sometimes a brand you’ve never heard of can yield a favorite piece of clothing.

8. Think layers. Maybe that shirt with a stain on the sleeve has a great collar for wearing under a sweater. For $3, you can afford to buy a single-purpose shirt.

9. Use thrift stores as a way to diversify your wardrobe. Buy colors and styles on which you normally wouldn’t spend much. Wear the new clothes a few times to see how you like them, and to gauge the reaction of others.

10. Used clothing stores are great for certain accessories. Why pay $30 for a new belt in a department store when you can get a better belt in your size for just $2?

11. Look for clothes new with tags. Sometimes unsold department store inventory finds its way to used clothing stores and thrift shops. You’ll generally pay more for these items, but not much.

12. If you won’t wear it, don’t buy it. You don’t save money buying a $3 shirt if it just sits in your closet for two years.

13. Wash clothes when you get them home.

14. Watch for sales. Used clothing stores (and thrift stores) run periodic specials. Our favorite local store just ran a half-off sale. The local thrift stores often have specials on certain items.

15. If you go to the same store often, ask when they rotate stock. Stores get new shipments regularly. Most also have extra stock in storage. If you become familiar with the owners, you might even ask them to keep an eye out for particular items.

16. Take your time. At normal clothing shops, everything is neatly organized. Not so at most thrift stores. When thrifting, it’s more important to be patient, to browse the racks methodically.

17. If buying used clothes becomes a habit, institute a “one in-one out policy”. Every time you bring home something new, get rid of something old. (Give it away, take it to a thrift store, or save it for a garage sale.)

18. Have fun! Buying used clothing can save you money. It’s also a fun way to kill a Saturday afternoon. At $3 an item, you can afford to be adventurous sometimes.

Here is a great website you can check out that finds local thrift stores in your area thethriftshopper.com

Happy Thrifting!

xoxo,
Alyssa

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Hair Must Haves

Friday on the 4th hour of the today show, with Kathy Lee and Hoda I found some great tips from Bobbies Buzz.

1. Rita Hazan Root Concealer

This product sounds amazing and since I am getting my hair back to blonde I am definitely going to try it! All you have to do is spray product on your roots and it minimizes grays and keeps hair color looking vibrant and as fresh as the first dye. The aerosol spray not only helps hide unwanted roots, but offers thinning hair the look of fullness. With a water-resistant solution it dries quickly and won’t stain your face, clothing or sheets. The sulfate- and paraben-free formula is available in four shades and works with nearly every hair color. The best part is: $24; Sephora.com

2. Conair's mini crimper

Okay, don't get scared. Crimped hair is not back en voge, however, this trick is going to blow your mind. Crimping the under layers of your hair instead of teasing to get volume, texture, and lift is quick and easy with this mini crimper. Love it.
$24.99; Amazon.com

3. Lush's henna hair dye

Lush has developed a completely natural hair dye line that are safe for your locks and the environment. The "les cacas" colors ( Yes, inspired by the French word poo meaning "natural") made from Henna leaves date this back to the ancient Egyptians. The four shades — Caca Brun, Caca Noir, Caca Marron and Caca Rouge —cover all the basic hues, from bold black and chestnut to raven, and also condition and add shine. These vegen dyes are also safe for women who are pregnate and suffer from allergies.
$22.95; Lushusa.com

xoxo,
Alyssa

Monday, February 21, 2011

Belated Valentines Day

This is the second Valentines Day Jeff and I have spent together and it was amazing! We had planned to go to get sushi but the good ol' buffalo wings sounded oh so much better. Then we went and got Mojo Frozen Yogart to end the night. So yummy.



Jeff's season officially started and they are doing amazing! Go Chokes! And yes our mascot is an artichoke..



This week has been so much fun with my bestie Jenna coming into town and spending quality time with some fabulous people. I hope everyone has a great Presidents Day. I know I will be since that means no school, no work, insanity and Zumba! But the down side is having to say bye to Jenna and studying for my Plants and Society quiz tomorrow.

xoxo,
Alyssa

Friday, February 11, 2011

Vegas Buys

Sorry I have been MIA this week. With my surgery, cold, work, and trying to find time to work out has been a struggle. Here are some of my purchases from Vegas last weekend.



The Coach outlet in Vegas is amazing! I heard so much about it and had to take a look for myself. There were so many to choose from and one of my best friends got this a bag with this cream color and I fell in love. It's the perfect size for me with a zipper divider in the center. L-O-V-E. I will get tons of use out of it especially since it will match everything!

I hope everyone has an amazing Friday!

xoxo,
Alyssa

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Catching Up

This past weekend was so much fun. Here are some of my pictures I took.









Another post will be coming about all the shopping I did :)

P.S. Today ended up being a really good day but it didn't start off well. I started to get a really bad cold and woke up with my face swollen. Come to find out it was my wisdom teeth (holes) again. So I had to get emergency surgery :( So pray that I feel better soon!


xoxo,
Alyssa

Friday, February 4, 2011

Viva Las Vegas Bound


Peace out AZ. Hello Vegas :)


xoxo,
Alyssa

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Quality Time

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Jeff finally made it home Sunday night. I was so happy when I picked him up from SCC. Their team did so well in El Paso winning all of their game except one (which they should have won). Jeff pitched so good and so far has the best stats on the team! Woo this is an answer to prayer. Their next series of games are this weekend in Vegas and I get to go! Their first game is Friday night which I will have to miss, because of work, but I'm flying (all by myself eek!) early Saturday morning just in time for there first game of the day. I'm a little nervous to fly by myself but on the bright side I get to use my adorable Louis Vuitton duffle bag I purchased online for my birthday:) With Jeff being gone this weekend I got to spend tons of quality time with my parents! Friday night they took me to my favorite (and their favorite) pizza place, Oreganos. Yum! Then Saturday I went to Ballet with my mom like usual, went to Starbucks for a scone and non fat iced chi tea latte (amazingggg), got ready and caught up on some blogging, finished my science lab write up (first one of the year done! Yes!), went to church, went to Costa Vida with my parents and some of our friends, and best of all purchased some new work out shoes since I apparently live in them every single day. I normally get running shoes just because I always figured that they were the lightest shoe and most comfortable, however since I am obsessed with Zumba and am starting my new workout (I'll post about that soon) I figured more support the better, so I went with some cross trainers. I think I made a good choice because with wearing them to school, straight to work, then straight to the gym, I need something cute and comfy for all day wearing. Anyways, this weekend was filled with quality family time, bible reading, and the attempt to clean my room ( that is a whole other story in itself). On another note I started a new book that my mom recommended to me. Its called Gods and Kings and its by Lynn Austin. So far I'm addicted. Well I'm off to my Plants and Society class to take my first quiz! Wish me luck:)

xoxo,
Alyssa