Retro Maternity Wear: Black and White and Sassy
(note, popped collar for humorous effect because I was feeling… fly…?)
This shirt might be the best $10 decision I ever made at Goodwill. Normally, because it’s used clothing, I don’t like spending over, say, $7 ish for a garment (unless it’s really amazing vintage), because… guys, it’s used. I mean, I have nothing against purchasing previously loved garments, but the entire reason anything is at a thrift store is that it’s no longer new. Aka, you can’t return it to the store you bought it from, cuz you’ve worn it too much and it’s lost some value. But that rant about Goodwill’s ridiculous Fashion Focus section where you can find obviously pre-worn dresses for $50 or more is for another time.
Back to this shirt. I tried it on and loved it. But my policy about not getting too spendy on one garment settled in, and it sat in my cart to deliberate for the full two hours that I was there trying on every crazy vintage thing I could find (including a plethora of floor-length Hawaiian Muumuus that I very nearly bought.) I very nearly put it back when my purchases started climbing higher than I am used to (most of it for Etsy).
But then I remembered Marlen’s article on Bustle about dressing emotionally, and realized… through all the deliberation I just couldn’t get this shirt out of my head. It pulled at my heartstrings and just… made me happy.  
So into my closet it came. With the added reasoning that I also need some good shirts to wear over this belly of mine that are not tees or tank tops. I love a good tee, but I’m going to try to up my summer style game this year, pregnant and all, and a loose blouse like this looks so much more put-together over shorts than a plain tank top. (and it has room for air flow. Win win.)
I’m so glad that Marlen more or less convinced me; I feel good today, and the lady at my local farm stand told me I looked sassy. Which is the best compliment I could have hoped for. 
It might be odd to some people that I’m over here deliberating over spending $10 on a shirt when the internet hails budget fashion bloggers as women who spend upwards of $200 on one outfit, but hey: I’ll be blunt. I grew up poor. I didn’t realize it as a kid, but once I started working at 16, that money was precious and budgeted and I was so used to thrift store prices that even though we’re living in a time of plenty at the moment, I’m still shocked anyone would spend over $20 on a shirt like this and call that normal.
No judgement if you do — you can be a smart shopper on a budget and drop $100 on a purse, if that’s your budget — but this girl could probably pull an outfit from her closet that cost her less than half of what most people spend on a single garment. It’s the way I roll. 
I am planning to put Marlen’s emotional dressing into action in my own life and go through my closet to thin out what I have — because I have much more than I probably should admit to. As she said in her article, I want my closet to be full of emotion, and not just “oh, that’s cute.” I want to get rid of the “eh” stuff and move into just cultivating a wardrobe that I’m head-over-heels for.
She has a few other articles I’m using, too (here, and here) and hopefully by the end of the week I’ll have weeded out the garments that I like but don’t actually love.
Top and headscarf, thrifted | maternity leggings and boots, Target | lipstick, wet’n’wild Purty Persimmon
What do you do to keep your wardrobe full of things you only love and can actually wear? Or are you like me, and just so fascinated by crazy vintage that you end up with a lot you don’t actually adore, and only had a minor crush on for looks?
Happy Wednesday!
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9 Comments
Salazar
I think this shirt is super cool! I used to buy a lot of things that simply caught my eyes without knowing how I would wear it, but now I’m trying to be smarter about it – the fact that there aren’t many thrift stores around here certainly helps.
Eccentric Owl
Yeah, I bet that does help a lot! I do put more consideration into certain things than I used to, but I still get caught up in the “oh, that’s cute, I want it!” from time to time. Mostly when it’s the crazy 1970’s vintage garment I’m really drawn to.
Mica
I was just having this discussion with a friend at lunch today! Sometimes you just have to cave in and buy the item you’re pining over, even if it’s normally on your ‘would not buy’ list for whatever reason. Emotional shopping can be a bad thing, but when it comes to buying something because that particular item makes you happier than any others you have in your wardrobe, it’s a very very good thing 🙂
And it is a very pretty shirt! 🙂
Also, I tried that hair thing I commented on your post about the other day – couldn’t get it to work, but hey at least I tried! 🙂
Away From The Blue
Justina Kenyon
I think the idea of emotional shopping is great. I have learned not to just buy something because I haven’t found anything else good to buy. I have the habit of shopping to make myself feel better and will sometimes get upset if I can’t find anything I want to buy. It saves a lot of money (and closet space) just to walk out of the store.
Babymoon Advice
I deliberate a lot over clothing, as well. I used to be an impulse shopper, especially when shopping at stores like H&M and Forever21 where items were really cheap. But now I focus more on quality staples that will last a long time and will still be in style season after season.
Sabrina
http://www.babymoonadvice.com
Emily
This is so timely for me! I have just been thinking recently about how I hang on to clothes for the wrong reasons at times (often guilt). I have decided to give myself permission to purge the things that don’t give me heart eyes, and I am planning to post about it soon. Thanks for inspiring me to follow through!
Emily
I also have a policy that if something is really outside my usual price range, I will give myself a waiting period (kind of like you did, but I usually take even longer). And if I’m still thinking about it, like, that night when I’m trying to fall asleep, I know it’s true love and I get to go back and buy it!
Hannah Rupp
I’m so glad you went back for that shirt! You can’t go wrong with stripes.
I do closet clean outs monthly. Sometimes weekly… lol Being neat + tidy is definitely not in my DNA but ever since I got hooked on watching Hoarders years ago, I’ve become obsessed with keeping my space clean. Also living in small homes have helped me be better at deciding what to keep and toss.
My main rules for buying clothes is asking if it’s it on sale? (I only exclusively buy sale items because I know how quickly my mind changes about fashion) and also I immediately put it back on the rack and if by the time I’m done shopping I’m still thinking about, then I go back for it.
This method almost always works except in the case of a sequin dress I came across 3 years ago and still can’t stop thinking about.. *sigh*
-Hannah | The Outfit Repeater
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