Happy Holidays everyone!! I can’t believe the holidays are right around the corner…so much to do, so little money to spend on myself for a holiday outfit! Thrift Town to the rescue, as always.

I headed to the Thrift Town in Albuquerque, NM at 3900 Menaul Blvd. NE. One of these days I’m going to surprise you with a find from another Thrift Town in a nearby state…say, Texas…but probably not till summer.

I went on a 30% off (for everyone, not just seniors) all clothing sale day, because I RARELY pay full price for anything, even at a thrift store. But today….today was my lucky day. White tags were 50% off and well, look what I found:

This beyond beautiful hot pink Calvin Klein dress for only $8.00….no, that’s not a typo…only $8.00!!! I kept telling everyone it was a silk shantung but upon closer inspection…I looked at the tag…it really is just a Poly/Rayon/Spandex blend. But it’s still beautiful! I love the asymmetrical neckline and if it had pockets it would be perfect. I think hot pink for the holidays is unexpected and that’s what I loved most about this dress. Don’t get me wrong… black, green, red, velvet, lace…that’s all perfect for the holidays, but I like to stand out in a crowd. Hard to believe, huh. I was actually looking for a little black dress when I came across this one.

Let’s talk about the accessories for a moment shall we?

I’m in love with all of these great finds. First up, how about that crystal flower statement ring ($5.99). The multi-strand gray/ white pearls and faceted bead necklace at $12.99 cost more than the Calvin Klein dress! The three strand pearl bracelet ($2.99) and Antonio Melanie…that’s a Dillard’s brand by the way…dove gray three compartment clutch with removable strap was a steal at only $3.99 The shoes? Well, those are mine and are about ten years old, but don’t they match the bag perfectly?!

Let’s talk outerwear. There is nothing worse than a bad looking coat over a beautiful party dress. You’ll never guess what I found to wear over this dress…check it out:

That’s right people, a vintage 1950′s faux fur stole! Can you believe it? I couldn’t! My luck continued at Thrift Town because this too was 50% off. The cost? $15.00. This is high end faux fur people. Notice the registration number and everything. Just sayin’.

So here is what I looked like before heading out to my holiday party…oh, who am I kidding. My life doesn’t lend itself to dressing up like this. In fact, my husband said he has never seen me in a cocktail dress before, and he’s right! Seriously, now that I have this really cute outfit he needs to take me somewhere nice.

I think this stole is the coolest thing ever. I feel very retro, and the fur is the perfect addition to this dress. Don’t you agree?

Shall we talk money for a minute? The total cost of my holiday look was a mere $48.96. But the funny part? At $25.96 the accessories cost more than the dress and fur combined! That only cost me $23.00!

Don’t forget, Monday’s are Senior Day at Thrift Town where those of you ages 60+ get 30% off all clothing.

Answer the math equation below and tell me what your holiday plans are so I can live vicariously through all of you.

Darlene Fadem is a wife and mother with two sons in college. She’s OBVIOUSLY over 50, hence the name Thrifty Over 50. She admits to being a label hunter when thrifting, but pleads the fifth to everything else. When she’s not thrifting she is teaching five year olds how to read, write and be fashionable! You can also find her styling looks on her fashion blog for older women http://whosaprettygirl.wordpress.com