I came across these photos from five years ago, and they immediately brought back the memory of a day that started with simple thrift snooping and ended with one of my favorite vintage inspired looks.
I had no real agenda that Sunday, just a plan to wander through a few second-hand shops and see what caught my eye. But then I spotted it. Hanging on a slightly crooked metal rack was a long black dress that looked far more interesting than anything I’d seen in stores lately. I walked toward it, heart a little faster than usual, hoping it might actually be my size. When I pulled it down, the tag read $5.99, and even better, all green tags were half off. A small victory, but one I needed after weeks of searching for something to wear to my birthday dinner.
For weeks, I had been in and out of stores from the mall to little shops tucked along dusty Texas backroads. Everything I found was either too plain or didn’t feel like “me.” I wasn’t struggling to find clothes; I was struggling to find my style. Tops made me feel frumpy, outfits felt mismatched, and nothing connected with the woman I was becoming in my 40s.
After a major closet clean-out, I circled back to my local thrift store with a clearer mind. That day, the shop happened to have an entire rack of black dresses in my size. I ended up buying two one pleated, one lace and for the first time in a while, I felt a spark of inspiration.
Bringing the Look to Life
I already knew I had pieces at home that could turn this dress into something special: tall lace-up boots, layers of thrifted pearls, and my worn-in leather jacket. All I needed was a black purse to tie everything together. A quick dig through the bins and I found it: a shiny black bag with a marble handle for $3.99. The textures, the little imperfections, even the faint scent of aged leather it all made the find feel like a secret treasure.
When I finally put everything on, the look came together exactly as I’d imagined: a vintage-inspired rocker chic outfit built entirely from second-hand finds. The pearls, the boots, the jacket, even the cat-eye sunglasses I once pulled from a thrift bin in Waco Texas, every piece carried its own story. I twirled a little in front of the mirror, watching the pleats sway, feeling like the outfit had been made just for me.
And the best part? The entire outfit cost under $30.
That day reminded me that style doesn’t have to come from high-end stores or new arrivals. Sometimes it shows up on a crowded thrift rack, waiting for you to recognize it. After months of feeling creatively stuck, this little thrifting victory helped me reconnect not just with my style, but with the playful, experimental side of myself.
I’m still exploring, still refining, and still finding old ways to create something new. And I can’t wait to share more thrift pieces that have helped shape that journey.
Next time, I’ll show you a few finds that seemed ordinary at first but turned into statement pieces with just a little imagination.
Until then,
xo, Tangie
P.S. The Gothic ring I’m wearing was a DIY project: one of my favorites.
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