Thrifty Vintage Weekends

Over the last couple of weekends I've done some thrift and vintage shopping. On our Memorial Day weekend trip, we hit up a great thrift store in Winchester, VA and an incredible antique shop called GNC Antiques & Collectibles.  Last weekend, on a whim, we visted my favorite Goodwill store in Alexandria, VA and spent the gift certificate that I won in the DC Goodwill Fashionista DIY contest.  I always find something great at that store.

I found so many amazing pieces at GNC Antiques. I had to narrow down my choices based on my budget. I could have gone nuts and bought jewelry, acessories and even furniture. I fell in love with this vintage ostritch fan from the 40's but the price was a bit more than I wanted to pay.


Vintage Ostritch Fan

 Here's the loot I snagged on my shopping trips!

I really love vintage bags but many times they are too small to make them practical for my daily life.  I like big bags and to be honest, tiny bags only work with my curvy girl frame, for a night out.  Otherwise, they can look like I'm carrying a little girl's bag. This one is big.  It fits all of my daily needs and still has that ladies that lunch look.

Vintage jewelry is so much fun. You know that you won't see your jewelry on anyone else. When I'm hunting for costume pieces, I always reach for those that are unique and even a bit quirky. These earrings and pin fit that bill. The earrings are big but they have a clip back.  I love the sparkle. The pin is like nothing I've ever seen. It's funky and the cascading beads make it a statement piece.

Recently the preppy look has returned with a vengeance. For me, preppy always included my Pappagallo (Bermuda) bag. When I was younger, I didn't exactly care for my bags like I should have. My original Pappagallo bit the dust long ago. I found this one at the thrift store in Winchester for only $5 and it included 3 additional covers. In case you aren't familiar with this type of bag, the covers can be attached and removed via the buttons to change up your bag. One of the covers is a rust colored suede. Such a steal! My Honey bought the bag, covers and a great scarf for me.


Barely there sandals are a staple of my summer wardrobe. I love the braided straps of this pair. I'll style these with a sundress or some slim summer pants. I'm even thinking of creating DIY options to change up the look. I'll get back to you.




My scarf collection is ridiculously large but I can't help myself. Silk scarves are truly the best buy at thrift stores, but I've told you that before. They can totally change your outfit and give a basic dress a whole new look. I scored all of the scarves below for $3 or less. The striped one is actually a long belt sash.

Looking beyond an item's original intention is something I do often when thrifting.  I found this watch band. It's stainless steel and I plan to wear it as a funky bracelet instead of a watch band. The buckle on top will look great stacked with some of my other bracelets. It's different and unexpected. I got it for only $1!