Tailor & Thief - a lot of old things, and something new

It's not everyday a friend approaches you and tells you about a super cool project they're looking to start, and you get so excited that you start shaking with joy and giddiness.

That happened to me earlier this month. My friend David asked me if I would be willing to help him spread the word about Tailor & Thief. I immediately said yes because not only is it edgy, innovative, and hip (I sound old when I use the word "hip"...), but it also has the potential to impact the local community.

Tailor & Thief is a pop-up thrift store coming in 2015. David is still hashing out the details, but from the plans I've seen so far it's going to be epic. Proceeds will be going toward different organizations and charities in Winnipeg.

At the moment, Tailor & Thief is accepting clothing donations and needs all the help it can get. If you have something you can donate (clothes, shoes, accessories) email tailorandthief@gmail.com.

I can't wait to get on-board this initiative and discover more as January approaches :)

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Always buy the button-up

Slapping together a thrifted outfit - easy peasy.

The button-up shirt - easily the most easily found and easily worn item you could ever thrift.

A nice button-up blouse that fits is essential to any wardrobe and can be worn no matter the occasion.

It's easy to pair a blouse with jeans, dress pants, circle skirts, pencil skirts, or leggings for any look from casual to business formal. You just have to experiment and learn to coordinate.

If you're going for an everyday look try to pair a loose blouse and a pair of leggings, or a fitted button-up and skinny jeans (ripped, high-waisted, cuffed, whatever). Slap on whatever footwear you want - heels, flats, boots, wedges. Seriously the easiest look and the easiest way to incorporate something thrifted into your wardrobe.

Thrifted this burgundy Smart Set top from Salvation Army this week - my favourite colour and it fits like a glove :)

Business casual - dress pants are obvious. Business formal - pair a button-up with a pencil skirt, tights or pantyhose, and heels. This look also works with a circle or a-line skirt.

Oh, and don't forget the blazer.

One thing I've learned recently is that it's super easy to look put-together if you add a bold and large statement necklace that fits snuggly around the collar.

The bold statement necklace makes the outfit a little more exciting, in my opinion

As I said, easy. :) If you thrift and have tried this look or have other tips, let me know in the comments or send a picture my way. I'd love to see how you tackle the button-up!

"You don't wash your goodwill clothes?!" - a life lesson

That video on this blog has been a long time coming...

Anyway. This week I have been humming and hawing about what to talk about. Studying in Starbucks with my boyfriend James, it hit me that my deadline was quickly approaching as school assignments continued to pile up. I could feel my eyes looked panicked as I quickly straightened. I've planned my posts for the next three weeks, but for some reason failed to think about what I would talk about this week.

James suggested I discuss the importance of washing thrifted clothes immediately after purchasing them, to which I replied "I don't wash the clothes I buy from goodwill before wearing them."

His eyes widened with horror.

"You don't wash your goodwill clothes before wearing them...?"

I never really thought about it. Or maybe I'm just lazy. I don't even like doing my laundry when I've worn an item five times in a row, never mind immediately after I've purchased it. I mean, I've never bought anything that "smells like R. Kelly's sheets" (pissssssss [see video above if you don't understand the reference]).

After overcoming the awkward revelation of my uncleanliness, I said "no - never."

James looked at me with a blank stare. "That's baffling."

I guess this is grounds for lifestyle re-evaluation.

Now that it's been brought to my attention, not washing thrifted clothes before wearing them is kind of gross. I feel gross. For all I know, someone's dead skin cells are now gracing my outer layer. Or my new sweater dress could have been soaked in cat pee.

On that note, the sweater dress is now in the laundry hamper.

Plato is pretty stylish

I guess I have a lot of faith in the unknown. 

I drove 35 minutes across the city to check out this little consignment store called Plato's Closet. You can't really call it little, since you can find locations across the continent. 

Because it's a consignment store, not just anything makes it onto the rack like most thrift shops. Every item keeps up to trends, everything is organized by colour and size, and there were quite a few brand name pieces I came across. 

I had set out in hopes of finding scarves and shoes, but failed. I am not counting it as a failure though because I found some other gems which, when combined, became a full outfit. 

I picked up a red velvet shirt ($6), blue circle skirt ($6), and some grey tights (yes, also $6). 

The boots were picked up from Value Village last winter. 

My pal Joey featured this exact outfit on his street style blog last week. Check it out, he's pretty cool and he's an awesome photographer (you can check out more of his work here). 

Don't be cheap at a thrift store

 A little tip for this week - sometimes "overpriced" items are still extremely underpriced. Technically, almost everything is (or should be) cheap at a thrift or consignment shop. 

About a year ago, I was on a Value Village run with a couple of my friends. I stumbled upon a beautiful, sturdy pair of leather ankle boots with heels that could take an eye out. 

I looked at the sole of one boot to find a price tag - $14.99.

I would never in my life pay that much for used footwear. Or so I thought.

I tried the boots on anyway and they fit like a glove. With a heavy heart I placed the camel-coloured boots back on the shelf. My friend Zach (who I sometimes call "the Enabler") wasn't about to let me get away with it. His excuse - the boots were perfect, beautiful, and fit like a glove.

I sighed and put the boots in my cart, disappointed with my lack of self-control when it came to spending 15 bucks on a pair of used boots.

When I got home, I examined the boots a little more carefully. The name imprinted on the insole was Paco Gil. I had never heard of the brand, so I did some Google-ing. Turns out the mint condition boots I picked off the Value Village shelf for $14.99, were actually worth somewhere between $300 and $400.

So if you ever come across something that seems expensive and is by a designer you've never heard of, there's probably a reason for that.

THE boots - Value Village ($14.99)

Also, last week I promised some of the items from my haul would make it into a post this week. I follow through with my promises.

Green jacket - Salvation Army ($9.99); J. Crew hat - Value Village ($6.99)

Big shoutout to my little sister Briar for using my camera to take the above photos.