Thriftanista in the City

I thrifted a $3 homemade raggedy stitched denim romper that was a couple sizes too big because it had pockets, was super broken in and comfortable. Plus, shoulder baring tops are hot right now and so am I. Literally. It's friggin hot outside. I love it.   I had planned on replacing the worn out elastic but an easier and faster solution came to me.

The weekend was spent celebrating my 42nd birthday. For brunch at my favorite french bistro, I chose a dressed up version of eating pants - soft and stretchy on top and bottom. I usually buy t-shirts from the thrift store but I couldn't resist the $3 tee that perfectly sums up my relationship with mornings and dependence on coffee. Words do not form until I have a few sips in me. The skirt was a dime which means it was basically free.

I love to make my own bath and body products. The ingredient list is shorter than what's in store bought products and it's a great way to save. All of the diys listed below are fast and easy too. You could theoretically make them all this weekend! 1. Guest Soap Make beautiful soap with glycerin, mold and cute little trinkets to add a little flair to a guest bathroom. Check out the video for the simple to follow tutorial.

I balked at the $8.99 price tag at first glance. I didn't know it was a designer find but I liked the comfortable and cute style it had going on. I tried it on and knew the T by Alexander Wang dress was coming home with me. I rarely go over $5 for a thrift store dress and this zip front dress gave me reason to break the budget. 

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MoscatoMoments #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. Picture it. You and your best mom friends all have Friday night free. You want to rock the town but you know you'll need to be up bright and early Saturday morning -- parenting and all that. You decide on a late evening to early night in with cocktails, copious snacks, and that chick flick your partner refuses to watch with you.

Using a leftover piece from my hot off the sewing machine ankara print shorts, I'm demonstrating how to tie a big bow head wrap. I know flower crowns are trending this summer but I'm a big bow girl myself. African print bow wraps have been tremendously helpful. The Georgia heat and daily workouts have totally zapped all of the life from my locs. 

I love graphic tees. They're a great way to add visual interest to an outfit plus they are usually very affordable. It's a great staple for the stylish, budget-friendly closet. Some of my favorite bloggers bloggers dropped by to help me showcase the versatility of this ultra easy piece. I found the sunflower tee during my last thrift haul . I styled it with a Salvation Army vintage Yves St. Laurent Rive Gauche find that doesn't really fit with my lifestyle but I couldn't bring myself to part with it even though it hasn't fit for a number of years. I've always thought of it as a "night out disco clubbing" skirt and those days are few and far between (V doesn't have id.) I never thought about wearing it casually until now. The graphic tee and sandals make it more wearable for everyday.

Finding $178 white J. Brand jeans with a moderately high rise AND a jean hem that fits your leg length perfectly is like finding a unicorn. The "please fit me, please fit me" prayer really does work. The fact that they were $5 and some change makes this thrift store score even better.

I took a chance on a $7 thrift store ice cream / yogurt maker and it paid off in so many yummy ways. My new favorite is making wine sorbet. Fruit and wine are a match made in creamy, frozen treat heaven.

Thrifting can be difficult especially when compared to shopping retail. There's a lot more going on in a thrift store. There's a ton of clothes to sort through. Sometimes it's a bit musty and dusty. When you find the rhythm, it can be an exciting and somewhat relaxing experience.  A thrift therapy session always puts me in a good mood. While I don't doubt it can be a bit of a hassle having to forage for awesome, I fully believe that everyone can be successful in the hunt for cheap (price not quality) fashionable finds.

I didn't think the extreme flare jeans would be so versatile. I had them pegged for an occasional wear as I only have one pair of shoes tall enough to wear them with. I find myself throwing them on quite frequently though. They are so comfortable, lightweight and stretchy. Almost like leggings.

I found two pairs of white shorts during my last thrift haul . I only needed one pair so I decided to give the other pair a makeover. Dying clothes is one of the easiest refashions to do. It's the perfect way to extend the life of dingy whites.