You know those times in life when everything goes your way and you feel like you’re moving up in the world? And then there’s that ONE little catch….
I’m a personal stylist, and I have the joy of helping my clients reimagine their wardrobes. People need to change things up for any number of reasons, but it’s usually a big shift of some sort:
they had a baby, and their body is TOTALLY different now.
they just ended a long term relationship and want to fully put their best self out there moving forward.
they graduated college and need to dress like an adult now.
OR like my client with the catch: she landed a sweet new job that requires professional office wardrobe, of which she has nothing. And as great as this step-up of a job is going to pay, she doesn’t have the paycheck YET. What to do…
My client Megan isn’t a thrifter. She’s a pay-full-price retail therapy kinda girl. But she’s in need of professionalism without the pretty penny. I was so excited to show her the great pieces we could find at Thrift Town.
What we needed:
office appropriate tops
lightweight cardigans
slacks
skirts
heels
jewelry
These are just 2 of the skirts we got - a bright pop of color to wear with neutral tops, and a basic black skirt with a lot of stretch.
A few of the tops we purchased: soft, conservative for the work environment, all with a little personality. Each piece can be used as a basic though to build an outfit around.
I wanted to give Megan as many options as possible while she’s just starting out.
Pants are always hard to find the perfect fit, and SLACKS? UGH. With almost zero stretch in them, if it’s not just right, it’s wrong. What we did for Megan was find 2 pairs that were a great brand, quality fabric, (one still had the tags on it!) and fit her in the waist and hips. After that, it’s up to a tailor. And for the crazy price that she got the pants for (approx 80% off retail) she can afford to get them tailored.
These sheer shrugs, sweaters & cardigans are PERFECT for the office: not too hot but covers any strapless tops up. We grabbed jewelry and heels to compliment the pieces we bought and called it a day.
In just a few short hours, we were able to find all of the above, and she skated through for under $100 total. Megan of course will continue to build her professional wardrobe, but she’s got a lot of great pieces to start with. And the best part: when she gets the fancy paycheck from the fancy job, it’ll go WAY further on clothes at Thrift Town than it would have at the department stores she would have gone to.
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Kari Shipman is thrifty, eco-conscious, and knows the importance of supporting local charities. She has been our featured blogger since we started the blog in 2010, and has a serious passion for fashion. In addition to owning her own Fashion Consulting Business, Juniper James, Kari is the Co-Owner of Flywheel, a non-profit, all-local designer retail shop/art studio.
Kari lives out her passions in Northern California with her wonderful husband Charles, and their black lab, Gracie.
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Kari Shipman is thrifty, eco-conscious, and knows the importance of supporting local charities. She has been our featured blogger since we started the blog in 2010, and has a serious passion for fashion. In addition to owning her own Fashion Consulting Business, Juniper James, Kari is the Co-Owner of Flywheel, a non-profit, all-local designer retail shop/art studio.
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