Since going on a strictly-thrift shopping diet, my style has become just a little more adventurous. I’m taking more risks and having more fun with what I wear everyday. I can identify two reasons for this: 1) I can take a risk with minimal financial investment, and 2) Thrift stores just prompt more ideas. They are home to a variety of styles and trends from pretty much every era – I’d call them the original Pinterest.
That said, I still approach certain trends with (often ridiculous) hesitation. I was afraid to wear shorts with tights because I worried I’d look like Peter Pan. I was afraid to wear my new billowy silk blouse because all I could hear was “Puffy Shirt!”. I was afraid to wear my Oxfords because I thought I’d look like a Newsie (then I realized looking like a Newsie would be five kinds of awesome). And, up until recently, I was afraid to wear cheetah, leopard, or any kind of animal print for fear I’d end up looking like, well, a lady of the night.
Cheetah print is tricky – it can go from classic to classless in a few short inches. But it always catches my eye, and I’ve always wanted an excuse to give it a try. Enter my latest thrifty-find. Three things about this dress: It’s 1980s Maggy London, it’s 100% silk, and all it cost me was a five dollar bill at the Salvation Army.
I love this dress (not just because it’s dry-clean only and that makes me feel fancy). I love the wrap detailing, the easy fit, and the over-all lightness. This lands me squarely wear I want to be when handling an animal print – more like a Carrie, and less like a Samantha (hey, are SaTC references passé? Then again, everything else I’ve referenced in this post is from 1994…)
When summer eventually returns, I’m going to wear this dress with sandals, bare legs, and some fruity drink on a patio. For the time being, I made it office-friendly by wearing it with a thrifted Calvin Klein blazer, warm leggings, and my trusty thrifted AE booties.
So there you have it, I silenced my irrational worries, and hopefully pulled off a look that was neither Peter Pan, pirate, or prostitute. What else can one aim for, really? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got big plans to seize the day, and that starts with youtubing the rest of the Newsies soundtrack.