10 Questions for a Thriftanista - 14th Street Vintage

How excited am I to present my Thriftanista Social Club friend and vintage seller extraordinaire Bettie! She is the etsypreneur behind 14th Street Vintage. She's also listed on Krrb / Apartment Therapy's Top 100 vintage sellers in the Chicagoland area.  After meeting her, I knew that I wan…

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playCHIC in a Leopard Print Pencil Skirt

Last week, I attended the Chicago Toy and Game Fair's playCHIC fashion show. I wanted to wear something fun and trendy to match the playful fashion mood of the event. Obviously, I decided on a leopard print. My thrift buddy  Priya and I were having an unsuccessful thrift adventure and she sugge…

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Holiday Gift from the Kitchen {Kenyan Chai Tea}

Thanks to  Mariano's  and Collective Bias for this sponsored post allowing me to prepare a delicious gift from my kitchen in time for the holidays. Last year, I started making holiday gifts and I will be continuing that tradition this year by making gifts from my kitchen. One of my most popular g…

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A Trip Back in Time to the 1893 World's Fair

Have you ever wanted to go back in time? I admit it. I do. Every time I visit an estate sale, I'm curious about the many treasures that each house holds and how the owner came to curate some a great collection of odds and ends. Since Chicago is such a melting pot there are always unique pieces…

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Size Labels and the Thrift Store

Size labels are not created equal. That's why ignoring size labels is one of my top thrifting rules . Experimentation is important to the whole experience. Labels can vary from brand to brand and decade to decade. Also, depending on the time of the month, my brain tells me everything is too sma…

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DIY Trends {Leather Elbow Patches}

Thanks to Collective Bias and Sears for this sponsored post that allows me to DIY elbow patches to my recent fashion find and allowing me to achieve the look for less! Elbow Patches Trend I'm a big fan of elbow patches and glad to see them pop up in fall fashion 2013 trends. They're not ju…

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Skip the Dress, Wear a Tunic

It's been a while since I've worn a tunic. It used to be my favorite kind of top. It's perfect for the SAHM casual closet. It's a great alternative to wearing a dress. I love wearing dresses because they are super easy being one piece and all but when the temps dip, they're not…

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Thrift + Style: the Grandpa Sweater

I feel hardcore out here without a coat but I'm pretty comfy and cozy in my grandpa sweater and long scarf. It's the perfect attire for a leisurely brunch on a sunny (but cold) day with the family. As usual, I like to add my own little touches of flare. I wore the Jill Stuart clogs that I&…

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How to Stay On Budget While Thrift Shopping

It's easy to go hog wild in a thrift store and lose track of your budget. Been there. Done that over and over again. Since I frequent thrift stores a lot more looking for additions to The Thriftanista Closet , I find myself picking up random crap  treasures for myself too. That sort of defeats t…

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SAHM Style: Cheetah Leggings

Warning! I'm in cheetah leggings. Once you look, it cannot be unlooked. I have gone back and forth over the wearing of leggings as pants. Admittedly, they are super comfy and so easy to throw on with the elastic waist I love so much. It's perfect SAHM attire. However, with the absence of p…

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Transitional + Trendy in Military Jacket and Skater Skirt

Even though I've unpacked my cold weather wardrobe, I'm still in a transitional phase. I cleaned my closet and donated at least half of my clothes especially the winter garments. I did hold onto a couple of my favorites -- the thrifted  military jacket and the neon skater skirt . Who knew th…

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