Comments on: Save on Easter Clothes

By: Friday's Frugal Favorites | Saving For Eight

Friday's Frugal Favorites | Saving For Eight — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:51:31 +0000

[...] The Happy Housewife writes here about Saving on Easter Clothes. [...]

By: niki

niki — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:27:31 +0000

I got my son a very nice easter outfit from Goodwill this year! A plaid button down shirt (Children’s Place) for $1.99 and a pair of khaki pants (again Children’s Place) 99 cents. Its dress casual but our church is very laid back and we only go there and to the inlaws to eat ham and potato salad on Easter. I love that he will wear both pieces of this outfit again and again throughout the spring and summer.

Great post! I loved the pics.

By: Briana

Briana — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:52:49 +0000

you are funny!

i need to get on the thrift store circuit! i have little patience though!

By: TheHappyHousewife

TheHappyHousewife — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:04:17 +0000

Wow! Awesome deals! I agree with you, buying ahead is best. It is hard to find everything you need for an occasion in one trip to the thrift store or yard sale.

By: Jora

Jora — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:44:23 +0000

Where to begin!
Thrifting is a treasure hunt!

Last week, I spent $15 at a church-basement thrift store. I bought a blazer jacket for me, a cashmere sweater for DD, a black skirt for DD, a game, 2 books, and 3 casual t-shirts for DD. (I also bought a dress that doesn’t fit, but I’ll just donate that back.)

As for formal clothes, my teens went to a 2-day debate tournament. I had 2 teens to dress formally for 2 days. So 4 outfits needed. And one of my daughters is a picky fashionista. She wanted her outfits to look formal, but not traditional. I ended up buying several items that didn’t suit her taste, but I just donated those back.

Here’s what actually worked out:
Outfit #1: black skinny jeans (Kohl’s, around $20), a black tunic (thrifted $1.00), Liz Claiborne scarf (thrifted, $0.50).
Outfit #2: Ralph Lauren basic black dress (thrifted , $2) cashmere sweater (thrifted , $2) .
Outfit #3: Oxford shirt (bought new, $45), black JJill skort (thrifted, $2)
Outfit #4: (repeat) Ralph Lauren basic black dress (thrifted , $2), paired with a botanical print silk scarf (thrifted, $1)

The thrifted Ralph Lauren outfit looked every bit as classy as the outfit with items bought at retail. And just as appropriate as everyone else’s.

The Oxford shirt and black pants were already in DD’s wardrobe. So were their shoes.

Now, if I could only find an inexpensive source for pantyhose!

Overall though, my best thrifting tip is to BUY AHEAD. If, for example, you have a sudden funeral to attend on Friday, your chances of finding everything you need at the thrift store this week are slim. However, if each family member keeps a basic formal outfit, (I suggest black, navy, or gray), you can react to last-minute needs. And you can dress it up for other events — baptisms, holiday parties, company dinners …. In reality, thrifting is so inexpensive that I have about 4 formal outfits, so that I don’t show up in the same dress at every event.

By: Christina

Christina — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:57:37 +0000

This is a great idea – buying ahead when they are trying to clear out a season, will keep that in mind.

By: Christina

Christina — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:56:23 +0000

Was just at Value Village (looking for cardigans) and it was a bit better than consignment stores but not by too much. I hate to complain but oh well

Good luck!

By: Trina

Trina — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:20:06 +0000

Here in Atlantic Canada, we have an amazing chain of thrift stores called Frenchy’s. There is no stigma at all – everyone shops there. The place is like no other I’ve seen – they’ve even written a book about how to shop the Frenchy’s method. My girlfriends and I do a trip once a year or so that includes a selection of Frenchy’s stores around the Nova Scotia. We enjoy a dinner out, share a couple rooms at a B&B and shop for our families. It’s a great way to spend important girl time together (something that is getting harder and harder to do), and come home with garbage bags of clothing for next to nothing.

By: becky

becky — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:42:37 +0000

I’m finding the same thing at my THRIFT store. I came across a Children’s Place girls long sleeve tshirt that was clearly not new the other day that had an 8.99 price tag!!! I bought a similar shirt new for my duaghter at cp on sale for Christmas present that was 4.99. The thrift store pricers around my area haven’t got a clue. They price onesies for .89!! yeah right. I’ll buy some new ones and stain them myself for pennies less. I used to be huge into thrift but now that my kids are in the T sizes it seems the bargains have dried up for used. and I love Mom-to-Mom sales but they are total chaos and you have to get in line at 6:30am on Saturdays around here. now that my husband is working Saturdays (salary, not overtime) I can’t get a sitter that early, and by the time I make it at 9:00, everything is pretty much gone even tho the sale lasts til noon. I have been tentatively stepping out to the ebay world. I hope it can replace my good thrift/rerun finds. I hate to pay full price.

By: Sherry

Sherry — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:58:51 +0000

OH, yeah! I was just in a bx and saw some Easter outfits yesterday, but I told myself that I’d check out the thrift stores first.