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I have to let you in on a little secret... I really dislike spending money on clothes. I love fashion, I love going shopping and trying things on, but that moment when I'm up at the cashier with my three items and she says, "That'll be $90, please." Ugh, I hate that moment. I'll let you in on another secret. I wear second-hand clothes. When my sister worked retail she would give me bags of clothes that she was done wearing when she had to buy the newest trends at her store. I truly owe her for everything she's given me over the last few years. I get clothes from friends that they are done with, and I give the clothes new life. One of my top 5 strengths from the Gallup Strengths Finder is Restorative which means:

You love to solve problems. Whereas some are dismayed when they encounter yet another breakdown, you can be energized by it. You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution. You may prefer practical problems or conceptual ones or personal ones. You may seek out specific kinds of problems that you have met many times before and that you are confident you can fix. Or you may feel the greatest push when faced with complex and unfamiliar problems. Your exact preferences are determined by your other themes and experiences. But what is certain is that you enjoy bringing things back to life. It is a wonderful feeling to identify the undermining factor(s), eradicate them, and restore something to its true glory. Intuitively, you know that without your intervention, this thing-this machine, this technique, this person, this company-might have ceased to function. You fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. Phrasing it the way you might, you saved it. -Source

I love bringing things back to life. This makes total sense. I love antiques. I love restoring things and re-purposing items. So, of course I love thrift shopping and getting use out of clothes that others have discarded. Last month, I was done with my Christmas shopping early (shocker!) so I had a day when my lunch break wasn't consumed with last minute trips to the store, so I thought that I would stop in at a second-hand clothing store to see what treasures I could find. There is one near my work which is nice because I really need to give myself time to look through the items to find the good ones. Let me tell you, I found some great deals! I got a long winter coat, boots, a purse and 5 shirts for under $100! And I was back to work within the hour. It was a great day. Exceptional, really, because there are some days when I find nothing, but that's ok. It's the joy of the hunt.

I also love discount stores like TJ Maxx where I have to have the same mindset as I do when I go to second-hand stores. I give myself time and look through each piece of clothing in my size. You never know what's hiding in the racks. At Christmas time I found some treasures at a big discount store in our local mall. It's overwhelming at first, but once we narrowed it down to the kids' sizes, we found several great pieces of clothing. This past weekend we realized my husband essentially needed a whole new wardrobe because he will be traveling for the next month, meeting with the top people in his company. We wanted him to look sharp without breaking the bank, so back to the discount store we went.

Looking good doesn't have to be expensive. One of the most important things to learn is how clothes should fit. This is especially important on men's dress clothes. Just because we're shopping discount, doesn't mean the clothes look cheap. I found a great tailor so that if I find something that I love that doesn't fit quite right, I can get it adjusted for my body type. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, why doesn't she just buy clothes at full price that fit correctly? Honestly, I still save money by buying second-hand or discount AND paying the tailor instead of paying full price at a department store or a boutique.

Interested? Here are my top 3 tips for building a wardrobe that won't break the bank:

1. Patience. Give yourself time. When you go into a second-hand store or a discount store, find your size and literally look at every single piece. My favorite second-hand store also color-coordinates the merchandise which I appreciate.

2. Versatility. Buy pieces that go with a lot of different things and can be worn for multiple occasions. Think, can I throw a cardigan over this dress and wear it to work AND throw a cute leather jacket over the same dress for date night?

3. Adjust & Repair. Find a tailor that does great work at a great price. While you're at it, find a shoe repair place. So many times shoes are thrown out for a minor, fixable blemish. I use My Tailor and Caniglia's here in Omaha, but there are a lot of great tailors out there.

Happy Hunting!

~S