vintage crochet poncho, thrifted boots and shell purse, random jewelry from melrose trading post, venice, euphoria and worlds tiniest cactus necklace from lacey
I like ponchos again. Well, this one. My bi-polar manic for crochet capes is at an all time high. Until I sink, this thing isn't going anywhere.
Grandma's rocking chair called. It wants it's afghan back.
Too bad, chair.
Thank you, Lacey, for the world's tiniest cactus bottled and strung from my neck. I will spoil him. I have named him Zzzz.
suspender dress c/o american deadstock, thrifted tee, crystal necklace c/o my salvation, vintage harley davidson boots, vintage thrifted bag
This is what I imagine Sedona junior high students would wear if Shinichiro Watanbe andKazuya Tsurumaki had co-directed a live action American-girl series taking place in the 90s. I'd hope to be the weirdo goth girl who unleashes her mystic powers from her purse while giggling, who stands pigeon-toed, and secretly carries paper currency in her bra for emergency battle weapon purchases.
UNLEASH: "Rattle tooth tremor!"
"Sweet fighter target blaster!'
"Fang Blow!"
"
Beauty Shatter Detonator!"
"
Crazed Beast Berserking Claw"
"Omni charming lizard!"
Yeah.
(PS. A few new things up in the store including 90s platform club kid boots! Liberate your inner Michael Alig! Actually, no...don't.)
As you may have noticed, I score a good number, okay...the majority of my clothing at thrift stores. People often tell me that they have trouble at second hand shops and they don't know how to properly thrift for things they like. They end up going to malls and department stores only to spend more money than they'd like, as I continue to spend frugally resulting in a load of clothing I am in love with.
For all of you pessimistic thrift dreamers I have compiled a short list of my top 10 tips for thrifting. If you have more to add to my tabulation, feel free to spill some insight!
Casey's top 10 tips for successful thrifting!
1. Dedicate an afternoon/evening to thrifting. I tend to get bizarrly hungry and my bladder refuses to work the moment I enter a thrift store - SO, after you eat and pee, map out 2 or 3 locations within 15 miles of each other. If you don't have much luck at one store, one of the next two will conceivably be more promising.
2. Try searching in less trendy areas of town. Trendy cool-kid folks go thrifting often, so likely they've already picked through all the good stuff...but on that note,
3. Go often! People bring donations daily; though you may not find something today, tomorrow that store may be a goldmine. I generally make weekly trips to thrift stores.
4. Expect to sift. I don't find anything by not looking. Go through every rack, starting with the things that weigh the least. T-shirts first, then long sleeves, skirts and dresses, jackets, and finally shoes and bags. Unless you have a cart, the less weight you have to carry, the better.
5. If you love a find, but it doesn't quite fit right - alter it! Rip that shiz up. Spice up a boring jacket with some iron-on patches. The sleeves are too long? Cut them off! Love the skirt but hate that it's a maxi? Tie the front in a knot or reconstruct it to have a fishtail brink.
6. If you find a very expensive brand for less than $10, buy it. Sell it to a buy or trade clothing store like Crossroads Trading Co, Buffalo Exchange, Wasteland, or Black Market. Spend some dough to make some dough.
7. Try things on. If you're not planning on reselling or reconstructing, make sure you love it. You don't want to clutter your closet with things you'll never wear. Some things fit weird. Some things have stains that you would only notice in the dressing room. Some belts are just one hole too small.
8. Know when sale days are. $3 is better than $6, even if $6 is good. Goodwill often has monthly calenders that you can take showing their discount days. And if you don't know when you walk in, ask! Usually some area of the store is on sale.
9. Look at the fabric section; this goes along with #5. Liked the jeans but hate the boring pockets? Walk to the fabric area and pick out something you can cut and sew onto those pockets. Win win.
10. Looking for vintage? Before you head out, read THIS to learn how to determine if your thrift store finds are actually vintage or not.
BONUS*11. Listen to this song on the way and get pumped up to find some kick-ass psychedelic patterned gems:
I've raved about my undying love for Crux and Crow in the past, and have returned to freak out again. I'm not sure a vintage renewed store could leave me desiring more in it's entirety. Not a fraction of this shop goes unwanted by me, as I sit here drooling over each and every perfectly composed ensemble.
Can someone please take this laptop away from me? My brain is going to explode staring at all of this excellence.
denim jacket from wasteland, thrifted shirt and scarf, tooth necklace from maya, old skirt from f21, jeffrey campbell boots
I am a fraud. I know Californians love to layer up in this "Winter weather", so here I am trying to fit in and understand. Honestly, it's too warm to layer like this during the day. And I forgot deodorant. So when looking at these photos, imagine my armpits stewing with sweat under all of that cloth. Mmm.
***************
Today I woke up to the sound of the rooster that resides somewhere down the hill from my house. Rooster, yeah - you heard me correctly. When I first moved into my place in East LA, the neighbors casually mentioned that there had been trouble with people holding cock fights around the area. This saddened me, as I did not realize that civilized people still regard this as an OK thing to do for entertainment. So, when I wake up to that rooster, I am so happy to know that it's still alive...and without other roosters around...except...
I found more roosters.
In a local pet shop nearby.
Jam packed amongst the roosters there were peacocks, small birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, you name it.
Inside, the roosters were so loud that I could barely hear my own thoughts, let alone the voice of the woman helping me find leashes on the dust-ridden shelves. Why does anyone need to own a rooster? A peacock? The peacocks were in tiny cages where it appeared they had to keep their heads tucked down to properly stand up without hitting the top of the metal jail cell. There were so many birds in a particular pen that somehow one managed to squeeze its way through the wire and flutter around outside of the cage, frantically squawking at the other birds. And the rabbits! The poor rabbits, sitting in the window with the sun beaming down on their sprawled out bodies, trying to keep cool in that tiny packed cage. They looked like death.
I left that pet shop almost in tears, and wanted to pull an Edward Furlong Lobster-tale stunt. But where would they go if I had let them out? Onto the street only to be run over by cars? Chased by the many homeless street dogs? I'm sad and at a loss. These animals are living (dying?) every day in a horrible environment with people who are probably just annoyed by their presence and I don't know how to help.
I hate humans. If you have any solutions, please let me know. I can't be okay knowing this place exists in the condition it is currently in.
