We recently received a reader comment asking for recommendations on great thrift stores in Pittsburgh. We all love a good thrift store but none of us is familiar with the Pittsburgh shopping scene. So we’re asking you, dear readers, if you have any recommendations? Thank you! ~ Chics

Sources:

• Fuchsia top – thrifted
• Dress – Gap, thrifted
• Blue necklace – thrifted
• Wooden bangle – thrifted
• Tights – TJMaxx
• Boots – Dillards

Endnotes:

This entire outfit, save boots, tights, and undergarments, came from the local thrift store. It probably grand totaled at less than $10 for everything: dress, top, necklace, and bracelet. I can’t help it, I just love a good bargain. It makes me love an outfit like this even more.

Both the top (which is an empire waist turtleneck…hm, interesting) and the dress (also conveniently empire-waisted) were my attempts to add to my maternity wardrobe with items that could easily transition back into a post-baby wardrobe. I hadn’t planned on wearing these two together until I saw them accidentally hanging next to each other in my closet, making a loud but beautifully daring color statement. Add to this my newly acquired turquoise necklace and I’m right on track with my style resolution of embracing bolder prints, bolder color combinations, and bolder accessories.

After this combination came together, it reminded me a bit of the Diane von Furstenberg pre-Fall 2011 collection, which has been making its rounds on the interwebs. I don’t own enough turquoises and teals to recreate some of these looks but I do love how those cool tones play against the warmer tans, reds, and oranges. My version is a little more maroon and fuchsia with only a dash of turquoise thrown in, but still a valiant attempt at a punchy color mix, right?

{image source}

What are some of your favorite color combinations right now? ~S.

{My week 14 bump, as these pictures were taken last Friday}

Sources:

• Teal scarf – souvenir from Prague
• Green top – Old Navy, thrifted
• Skinnies – S. Oliver
• Flats – Palladium
• Shades – drug store

Endnotes:

After the day in Sibiu, T. and I spent some time in Cluj, Romania. I continued my pattern of dressing comfortably for lots of walking and sightseeing. Wearing those flats was a good idea too since we ended up walking up a somewhat steep hill for this gorgeous view of the city. Coffees with a view – bliss.

To add a bit of interest to my outfit, I looped this teal and silver scarf around my neck, creating an analogous color mix with the green top. I used to think analogous color mixes to be a little ‘too close for comfort’ but after doing our Fashion 101 series on colors, I’ve become quite enamored with this subtle yet beautiful color combo. I picked up this teal scarf in a little shop in Prague on my recent trip there as a little keepsake from my travels and it was nice to already pull it out and enjoy it.

Analogous Color Mix, originally uploaded by academichic.

Yesterday, I noted how I often like to peek in thrift stores for some unique yet affordable souvenirs from my travel destinations. And just today, I came across this awesome post from the creative Tricia Royal, founder of wardrobe_remix and writer of Bits and Bobbins. Check out this cool collage she’s working on using the colorful price tags of thrift store items…

I wish I had kept all my tags over the years, especially since the collection would include pieces from all over Europe, Canada, and the US. Tricia is actually looking to collect more tags from all over the world if possible and is asking for anyone willing to send thrift tag donations her way. If you thrift often or on occasion and would like to support this art project, read the full details here on Bits and Bobbins. It looks like my tags will be making their way to New York to find stardom in the art world soon. S.

10 June 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Coffees in Cluj, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Polka dot bouse – Gap, thrifted
• Navy tank – ON
• Scarf – courtesy of Echo Design
• Jeans – S. Oliver
• Flats – Palladium
• Green tote – Kenneth Cole
• Earrings – gift from A.
• Sunglasses – drug store

Endnotes:

These photos were taken one day last week spent in Sibiu, Romania. I posted some pictures of Sibiu the last time I was there in September of last year and I took a bunch more on this trip because it’s just such a beautiful and picturesque city.

Since I knew I would be doing a lot of walking on this trip to Romania, I packed sensibly –  comfortable flats, sunscreen, and shades were on top of my list. (But more about my packing later). T. and I spent a good deal of our day in Sibiu walking around and exploring the city with intermittent coffee breaks keeping us juiced up and energized. Since we didn’t have much time on this particular visit, we didn’t enter any museums, but I did briefly pop into a promising looking thrift store…I just couldn’t resist.

Traveling/Thrifting, originally uploaded by academichic.

I love a good thrift store at home and I love it even more when traveling because it’s the perfect way to find some unique treasures or some very cheap souvenirs. T. actually suggested I go in when we passed it, which I’m taking as a sign of true love. He really knows me by now. And that’s where a large tote really comes in handy. While carrying a smaller purse is great in terms of weight, when I’m traveling, I need a big bag to hold my essentials, some handy wipes, any postcards and gifts I pick up, an umbrella (a proven way to ensure that it won’t rain!), and, of course, my camera. And, on this trip, the couple of goodies I picked up at said thrift store, which I’m excited to reveal sometime soon.

Are you also a well stocked traveler or do you like to keep things loose and breezy? S.

9 June 2010 – Old City of Sibiu, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sibiu, Romania, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Scarf – vintage, from my grandmother’s closet
• Green top – ON, thrifted
• Blazer – J.Crew
• Black skinnies – thrifted
• Boots – Banana Republic

Endnotes:

First, some outfit remarks: This particular silk square scarf is actually from my grandmother’s collection. She decided that she doesn’t wear these kinds of bright colors anymore so she passed it down to me. It’s got a funny vintage carriage design on it with two carriage drivers in the center. This is not a design or motif that I would necessarily pick out for myself, but I realized that it doesn’t actually matter much what’s on the scarf as much as which colors are used for it. Once the scarf is folded, bunched, or tied, there’s often little more that a burst of color to be noticed. (See exhibit B here).

Today I pulled out this homage to 19th century transport because I really wanted that green edge to add to my green top + navy blazer combo. I tied the scarf using the ascot method and added black jeans and boots.

Scarf detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Ok, now on to the recent discussion we’ve been having over here. I really enjoyed E’s distinction between style and fashion and would like to add, that like E, I tend to use both high fashion and street style photography as a launching point (rather than an exact blueprint) for my own outfit creations. I would like my style to be a blend of different influences and aesthetics, not necessarily identifiable as a certain ‘look’ or ‘trend’. This is one of the reason why thrifting appeals to me so much; so many of my thrifted finds are unique and different and when I put together a stellar ‘thrifted’ outfit, I feel most successful in having performed Style rather than Fashion.

Which brings me to the topic of thrifting – I had asked in my last post about the ways that I – or you – use clothing or style as a means of resistance. And several of you pointed to thrifting as a conscious act of resistance against conspicuous consumption, or, as reader Lisa put it, as “an obvious rejection of our throw-away society”. I was struck by this comment because thrifting used to be a need-based practice for me while growing up. My clothes came from thrift stores because that’s all we could afford. It was by no means a political act back then. But as my financial circumstances have changed, the motives behind my shopping second-hand have as well. Now I thrift because I love the search and the hunt, but also because I really believe in the political practice of reusing, recycling, repurposing, and making things last.

It’s funny how resisting during totalitarian regimes would mean sneaking in foreign goods, which usually reflected the latest trends and the most modern creations, while resisting capitalism has us reaching for the old and the discarded. While these may appear like completely disparate practices, I’m struck by the similarity in the objective of both practices: it seems like both acts are done in search of individuality and out of a desire to be unique. And that bring me back to where we started – the question of Style vs. Fashion. I believe the reason so many of us prefer the term style blogger over fashion blogger is because we perceive the first to be more about expressing individuality and creativity rather than just following the masses. And as history has shown us, no matter what the political context, there is a certain irresistibility to standing out and perceiving oneself as unique and contrary to the status-quo. I guess wanting to be unique is not so unique after all. S.

19 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Button down – vintage, thrifted in Germany
• Skinnies – thrifted in Germany
• Gray wedges – Report, via Solestruck.com
• Purple cadi – H&M

Endnotes:

This week we’re looking back to some of our first blogging inspirations. One of the first wardrobe_remixers I bookmarked was Future Lint. Here’s a girl who does not shy away from color, pattern, or from crazy vintage pieces… and I love that! I also happen to think that anyone who dresses up as a pregnant cheerleader is someone I’d like to hang out with. Future Lint describes herself as a lover of thrifting, biking, and DIY’ing, so she had me from the get-go. I used to be much more conservative in my thrifting approach, and as E. once mentioned, often looked for pieces that didn’t look thrifted. When I discovered Future Lint’s photostream, I realized how much fun thrifting and vintage shopping could be. Here was a girl with a wardrobe that just begged to be noticed: full of fun details, eye catching color combinations, awesome one-of-a-kind pieces, and overall cheerfulness that I found contagious.

So when I came across this crazy vintage shirt on my last thrifting expedition, I instantly thought of Future Lint. This seemed like the kind of shirt she’d wear and wear beautifully, but I found myself a bit intimidated by it. It’s just so colorful and loud and I was tempted to put it back. Only I couldn’t, I sort of fell in love with it and even found myself reasoning that this was something Anthropologie might sell…right? Do you see it?

Shirt detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Well, I am so glad I had a Little Future Lint sitting on my shoulder and nudging me to buy it because I love this shirt. It makes me happy just to be in the same room with it. Stay tuned for lots more outfit combinations with this one. For starters, I let it take center stage with a pair of black skinny jeans and gray wedges. And the purple cardi is dark enough that it almost works like another neutral thrown over it.

It seems like my running theme of this week is ‘thrifted fabulosity’. All of my initial style blogger crushes have that one thing in common: they’re all thrift and vintage goddesses, making fabulous outfits out of previously loved clothing. I forgot about that for a while and it wasn’t until I came abroad and found myself on a really tight budget that I truly rediscovered my love of thirfting. In addition to thrifting, I also want to follow these ladies’ example in DIY’ing more this year. I’m going to attempt to be more handy with my own acquisitions, not letting slight alterations deter me from overlooking a great find. So thanks, ladies, for reminding me what got me so excited about blogging and participating in the style blog community when we first got started! I have one more vintage and thrift goddess to celebrate tomorrow, so check back for my conclusion of Tribute Week on Friday. S.

28 January 2010 – With Cardi, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Dress – vintage, thrifted in Munich
• Navy cardi underneath – H&M
• Necklace – Anthropologie
• Watch – Coach, on loan from mom
• Gray wool tights – drug store
• Boots – Banana Republic

Endnotes:

Today I’m wearing this awesome vintage dress that I thrifted over the weekend. I love the Mod look of it and wanted to keep with that ‘theme’ by adding knee boots, a long necklace, and my hair in a high knot. Many of you have asked about thrifting and vintage buying tips when responding to our question of what you would like to see more of in Year Two of Academichic. I am definitely no voice of authority on the subject of vintage, but I do love thrifting. I love that it’s easy on the budget; that it’s a sustainable way of shopping that allows for repurposing and reusing rather than adding to our landfills; and that it’s a great way to score unique pieces that have a bit of a history and mystery to them. Lastly, I also just love the process. For me, the hunt for that treasure is as much fun as the end result itself.

18 January 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

If you’re someone who doesn’t like to dig or look for that needle in the haystack, than thrifting may be more of a nuisance that a treat for you. But if you similarly enjoy the hunt, then hit up those flea markets, thrift stores, or consignment shops in your area. When buying used and deeply discounted, I am far more likely to try on things outside of my usual ‘look’, as was the case with this Mod dress. Because I’m more likely to impulse buy and end up with things that I won’t need or wear, I ask myself the ultimate test question:

Do I love this so much that I would wear it out of the store right now if I could?

This usually helps me keep my thrifting in check and my purchasing to a reasonable amount. We would love to keep discussing this topic with you in future posts and we would love to hear from you what it is that you’d like to address in terms of thrift store shopping or vintage buying (the latter being something we’re relatively inexperienced in). Leave us a comment with either your tips or your questions on this topic, we look forward to hearing from you! S.

18 January 2010 – Mod, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Navy cardigan – H&M, remixed
• Navy tank – Old Navy, remixed
• Wrap skirt – Boden, thrifted, remixed
• Navy tights – my mom’s from the 80s
• Gray wedges – Report, via Solestruck.com, remixed endlessly
• Ring worn as pendant – C&A

Endnotes:

This outfit was designed around this gorgeous Boden skirt that I thrifted this past summer in San Francisco. It is the one patterned skirt that I chose to bring with me to Germany and I’m so glad I did. This morning, it hung there in my closet just begging to be pulled out and worn. To keep it as the outfit’s focal point, I added only navy around the skirt – tights, top, cardigan in navy and, of course,  my beloved gray wedges.

Inside out braid, originally uploaded by academichic.

In an attempt to be more creative with my hair, I followed the wonderful video tutorial of Orchid Grey on how to do a braided thingy that wraps around your head and ends in a side-knot. (Here are some images of it when perfectly executed). I left my hair in a low side ponytail rather than in a knot because I was happy with it like that, but will have to try the knot next time.

I just discovered Orchid Grey and I’ve already bookmarked it as a new favorite. The author, Julie, has a wonderful sense of style and the most amazing hair. I want to copy both her wardrobe and her hairdos. I admit it, I have a slight case of Single White Female going on here, but I think you’ll understand if you go check out her site. S.

19 November 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

How to Hostess a Clothes Swap

It was a pleasurable evening of wine sipping, clothes swapping and laughing. Liz (http://lizfranco.com) and Sarah (http://sjoystudios.com) flew in from the West and East Coasts, respectively, and together we greeted our guests as they started coming in. The event lasted about two and a half hours and we had about twenty-five women join us.

Your Co-Hostesses @sarahjbray @srslyliz @gwenbell, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Liz Waits for Guests, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Thank you for joining us!, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

Sorting, finding, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

@4580 hosted the swap, originally uploaded by gwen bell.

22 September 2009 – Thrifty, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Wine cardi – The Limited
• Pieced top – Eloise, thrifted
• Gray jeans – thrifted
• Brown wedges – thrifted

End Notes:

As A. mentioned, we went on a little thrifting trip yesterday afternoon. I’ve managed to move one more size closer to my pre-preggers state, and given how swimmingly my first post-partum thrifting excursion went I felt fully justified in seeing if the thrifting fairies would do their magic once more.

(Preggers readers, I cannot adequately praise the confidence-boosting power of a pair of great fitting pants or a non-elastic waist skirt when you are in your fourth trimester. And I will happily pay $4 for a pair of jeans that may have a shorter longevity in my closet but make me happy in my stretched out skin.)

Top Detail, originally uploaded by academichic.

Perhaps one of my favorite benefits of thrifting is the opportunity to try a look or a piece out that I am uncertain about. Take this top, for example. I surprised myself when I pulled it off the rack for a second look. While I like the color, it’s not something that I would have gravitated towards in a retail store. The low price, however, prompted me to feel a little bolder, a little more willing to try incorporating something different into my wardrobe without worrying too much about financial repercussions. And I’m glad I did!

Are you more experimental in your choices when thrifting? Or does your aesthetic remain the same as when you’re shopping retail?