We Thrifted Our Aritzia & Free People Shopping Carts!
At TSG we believe in living sustainably, and one of the most challenging practices of sustainability for us is not buying new clothing. You know we love a second-hand find but there’s this unmistakable feeling of online shopping that is hard to replicate anywhere else. That’s why this week we tried to thrift our online shopping carts - we perused two of our favourite fashion brand’s websites, added some pieces we would love to buy, and then headed to our local thrift store to see if we could find similar pieces, or ones we could DIY to match. Also please note that this content is #NotSponsored :) Let’s check out Kelsey’s shopping cart!
Kelsey’s cart
I decided to shop Aritzia’s website, I love the brands they carry and I found some great staple pieces I’ve been searching for, but I’m not so into the price.
The first is definitely the hardest - faux leather pants. I want ones that are slightly looser at the ankles and not super tight, so it might be a challenge to get the fit just right at the thrift store. I added the Wilfred Melina Pant that retails for $148.00 (all prices in CAD) to my cart.
Next, I wanted a simple white blouse because I feel like I’m lacking some staples in my wardrobe and a white blouse just goes with everything! I’m looking for something in the style of the Wilfred Canto blouse which retails for $98.00.
Finally, to keep with the theme of basics, I’m looking for a simple muted purple crew neck sweater that I can just chill in. I really don’t own any crew neck sweaters, and I think the thrift store might have this one but I don’t know if I’ll be able to find the colour or the wider fit.
This is the Perfect Crew from TNA that retails for $60.00.
becky’s cart
I’m into more of a boho western vibe, so I chose to shop Free People’s website. I love the Free People style and they definitely have the unique pieces I want to spice up my wardrobe.
I’ve been dying to find a floral summer maxi skirt that I can couple with a pair of my (many) cowboy boots and an oversized graphic tee, and Free People had no shortage of them! I chose the Cypress Printed Ruffle Skirt which retails for $181.76.
Next, while I was browsing for a different piece I came across this kimono that I just HAD to add to my cart. It’s white, lacy, floor-length plus it had these stunning bell sleeves that I was instantly obsessed with. This is the Loveland Kimono and it retails for an astounding $598.00. Definitely ready to thrift this guy and save that coin!
Again, I came across a piece that wasn’t something I anticipated needing but ended up really liking. It’s the Maya Shirt Dress that retails for $148.00; it’s mustard, it’s fun, it’s flowy, it’s easy to throw on and I felt drawn to it so I added it to cart.
And finally, I added what is probably the most contentious piece to my bag, and that is a pair of coveralls. I know you’re probably thinking “Becky, isn’t that what mechanics and farmers usually wear?” and you are correct! But the kind of coveralls I’m talking about are super in right now, they’re so simple to style since they’re all one piece and like I always say, why choose a pant and a shirt when you could have it all in one? This is the Marci Coverall that retails for $181.76.
let’s get thrifty
We headed off to the thrift store and picked up everything we needed, however, some pieces were harder to find than others. Becky ended up in a vintage shop since she couldn’t find any coveralls at our local store, and Kelsey had to compromise on some of the fits of her items. If you want to see the whole thrift store journey, subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
if you can’t buy it, diy it
kelsey’s blouse
For my thrifted blouse, it was the right fabric but not at all the right style, so I needed to reconstruct it. First I cut off the collar and the buttons down the middle, opening up the neckline a bit and then sewed the raw edges in a rolling hem. I then used the fabric from the original attached neck scarf to sew one long tube and two short tubes, one for a tie around the bust and one for a tie around the waist. I added these to my original shirt, and my DIY was complete! Stick around to see the end result!
becky’s kimono
I found a kimono that was close, but not exactly the same as the Loveland one so I had to get creative. I really wanted to recreate the bell sleeves and length of the original, so I purchased some fabric to add cuffs and make a longer hem. I then made a pattern out of some paper for both the cuffs and the hem, and cut the fabric to match. I sewed the two sides of the cuffs together making sure to tuck the raw edges in, and attached them to the sleeves of the kimono. For the additional hem fabric I repeated this but added it to the bottom of the kimono body. That wraps up our DIYs, let’s see the final results!
final results
Thrift Store Price: $5.19
Thrift Store Price: $11.49
Thrift Store Price: $7.19
Thrift Store Price: $3.49
Vintage Store Price: $65.00
Vintage Store Price (plus fabric!): $30.00
We are so happy with how these pieces turned out and they were a fraction of the original cost. Let us know on our Instagram if you attempt this challenge and check out the full video below!