After last week’s fantastic post about her fashion finds at the South Portland Goodwill, Alexandra of the Broke 207 blog is back with an in depth look at sweater fashion. Do you have fashion finds you want to share? Let us know!
A Tale of 3 Sweaters
The J. Crew catalog makes me weak in the knees. Ever since I was in junior high, I remember flipping through the impeccably styled pages and feeling an intense sense of jealousy and longing. I imagined that my life would be somehow better, easier, if I could just buy every single thing sandwiched within those glossy pages. Except that at 14 and still growing, my mom (and primary clothing purchaser) was significantly less enthusiastic about the transformative properties of a $75 sweater. Stupid sticker shock!
Now just because I’m an avid thrifter (with a good ? or more of my wardrobe being second hand), does not mean that I have lost my lust for J. Crew. Quite the opposite! The catalogue still arrives dutifully at my house every season to wave its seductive spreads at me, and I still browse and long with gusto.
However, I have trained myself to reframe my love in the context of the second hand universe. I now look at expensive full retail sweaters like I look at new cars- beautiful in the moment, but not an overall good investment. I may not get the instant gratification of the brand new shiny sweater mint in package, but if I wait patiently and look carefully, I can find something just as beautiful at my local Goodwill that won’t depreciate most of its sticker price as soon as I drive it off the lot.
I don’t find a J. Crew stunner too often, but this past Saturday it was like sweater manna falling from heaven. I could not believe my awesome luck:
First stop: Forest Avenue Store, Portland
Big score: Gorgeous navy cashmere blend cardigan with a deconstructed sequin detail.
Cost: $7.99
Triumphant moment: Seeing a knock off of the very same sweater the next day at Target.
Next stop: Mill Creek Store, South Portland
Big Score: Wellsley Cable crew neck in my favorite color.
Cost: $7.99
Triumphant moment: A second hand sweater that’s virtually pill free- miraculous!
Final destination: Falmouth Goodwill
Big score: Pristine lime green CASHMERE cable v-neck on sale for half price.
Cost: Half off $19.99
Triumphant moment: It makes me feel like a 1950s sweater girl.
Ok, so this was a particularly amazing day, but if you hunt carefully and regularly, you too can have a closet full of awesome pricey sweaters for pennies on the dollar. Just be cautious, and always scan you second hand sweater closely for moth holes, pills, pulls and shrinkage.
(Editor’s note: read one of our past blog posts about how to get rid of those sweater pills!)
TOTAL SPENT: $25.98
Nice work! Those J.Crew catalogs can be tempting (WHY CAN’T I BUY A $300 SPARKLY SWEATER, DARN IT?!). But, the hunt makes it feel more triumphant in the end, I do believe.
Laura
Pretty sure that green sweater should be my Christmas present.