I thrift so I can splurge!

Well, let me define splurge...

I feel like I've gotten a really good bargain if I spend under $10 on a great top or sweater, less if I'm at a thrift store. $12 is usually my threshold for blouses and tops if new.  Jeans - $12-15 new, $5-7 used. Shoes - under $10  used and under $20 new. Dresses, gowns - I'm a little more flexible, but a casual dress under $15 used or new...but I rarely ever shop for dresses new except dressy clothes for performance. But even most of those I score at thrift stores wink, wink...

So while I understand a great many women think nothing of dropping $50, $75, $100 on a great top, I'm just not that girl. So for some people, splurge will still mean cheap. 

So here's my splurge that I wore Saturday to see a show with my hubby - a wonderful date night! 

First off, SHOES! I actually select a lot of my outfits around my shoes...is that weird? I guess because so many times I have the perfect outfit then not the right shoes, but I digress!

I found these - $17. There's this little store in a strip mall not too far from my home. I rarely buy clothes there, but shoes and accessories - yes, please! Many of my favorite shoes come from that store. Most of my "splurge" shoes, actually. And often the ones I get the most comments about!

Flirty, feminine pieces have been really speaking to me this year. The moment I saw them, I knew they had to be mine!!

But, then...I didn't really have anything to wear with them. I mean, I'm sure I could have found something...but I wanted something special. So I was out shopping for some fabric with my honey for our current project and I found the perfect blouse. So I also splurged on it. Another $17 at Raphsodielle. 

I paired it with some boot cut blue jeans and my classic denim jacket. And had a wonderful night...can't wait to wear it again!

Shoe steals!

I have several favorite stores that I always make it a point to stop in at when I'm in the neighborhood. One of them is called Raphsodielle and they feature fun clubwear and trendy fashions. Good deals can be found, but most things I feel are overpriced for my frugal ways! But they are much cheaper then the mall or a high end department store.


Many times, they have a table up front with clearance shoes. And one fateful day just before Christmas...I got 3 pairs of BRAND NEW shoes for $22 (including tax!)


Please excuse the bad photos, but check out the sassy black platform heels, the jeweled red creations and the awesome brown booties. They were all 75% off of between $25-30 dollars! So the black and brown shoes were around $6 and the red ones were $7. Yeah. I SCORED that day! I wear the black shoe a lot because I especially love them. 

(Remember from yesterday?)

But be careful! I actually purchased those same boots in grey a while back...but got them home and found out they were 2 different sizes! Yes, they were on clearance for $5, but they didn't do me any good in the wrong size! So CHECK those clearance shoes! And ALWAYS try on clothes...occasionally something is on clearance because the size is miss marked! Which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on if you've tried it on first. And if you're really lucky, you'll end up with a bargain that says it's a 5/6 when clearly, it fits your size 10 butt!

Dressing Up

If you haven't figured it out yet....I'm a performer. Yup. I sing, act and "move well" onstage (meaning, I really don't fancy myself a dancer but I have to "dance" sometimes, but I digress)

So allow me to share with you a few of my fabulous performance wear finds!

#1. Red-iculous!

I was doing a production of Smokey Joe's Cafe and we needed to change up the finale costumes, so I decided to put all the women in red. And of course, mine was the last red dress to find! At the last minute, I found this beauty at Ross, in the clearance section for $9.99. You can find some great deals at Ross, Marshalls...etc. You just HAVE to look! I don't think it was in the clearance section nor with my size... look in every section! It takes time, but I can't tell you how many times I've found a treasure because it was in the wrong place. Oh, and the shoes will be featured tomorrow...look how cute they were - $6! These photos are from a Christmas show I wore the outfit in. For Smokey Joe's, I wore black pumps...a little more fashion forward.

#2 Silver Bullet

This treasure I also found at Ross! Again, I was looking for something for my Christmas show...I decided the finale should be silver and black. Did I have a silver dress? No, of course not! So, I went shopping. I tried on a dozen dresses, but as luck would have it, this $13 number (on clearance) was perfectly fitted and flattering. I also found matching shoes (sorry, I don't have a great photo) for $5 (also on clearance). The silver shrug was something I picked up probably a year before at Susie's Deals when I had to return something and they only do store credit. I think it was around $8. It was a larger and more jacket like, so I cut it down to a cute shrug. I LOVE this outfit! It's very flattering on me. Oh, I did add the stones which cost about $15. Yeah, I spent more on the stones than the dress...

#3 White as Snow

So, I know I started a trend...ROSS! Yes, got this dress at Ross as well. It was at the top of my usual spending range, $20. That was it's regular price and sometimes when you need something specific, you have to spend a little more. I needed a white dress for the Shades of Sinatra show I do. I ended up wearing it for Smokey Joe's as seen in the photos.

The shoes, though you can't really see them, were my splurge - $25. But again, performance wear and they go with EVERYTHING, so worth it in this case. The bracelet was $6 at Walgreens (go figure) and I made the headband with some trim I had.

My Spring Hunting List

Hey! Follow me on Pinterest! I love pinterest and I have a board called my hunting list...things I want to find at fabulous bargains! Let me share a few with you must have items I will be searching for as I do some shopping over the next few days.


1. Brown Boots w/Heels (I know I would only wear them a few times this season, but they should be cheaper to find and they'll keep for the summer!

2. Purse - I WILL find something wonderful. Maybe not this exactly, as $112 is WAY too much for a purse, but a nice shoulder bag...something with room for my trusty iPad!

3. I'm feeling very feminine this spring! Or I will, I mean, it's still February, but I live in Las Vegas, so we're getting up to the high 60's during the day already....anyway... I'm dying for a cute, lace dress with a proper sweater! Actually, I have a cute sweater... Love the belt, too.

And there's a few! I'll be hitting up my favorite Thrift Store Ultra Bargain day this weekend, so hopefully I'll have something to share!