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Excessories

Get Tight With Those Tights

I heart tights because they’re a quick, cheap way to take an outfit up a notch - in this case many, many notches.

I’d initially paired the Salv Army H&M Button-Down with my Chinese Military Shorts and Kors Gold Pumps: The look was neutrally cool, but in dire need of some pizazz.

Enter the Patterned Crochet Footed Tight. BAM! Now that’s more like it.

Below, a few ways to tighten up your look. Hardy har har.

Sparkle & Fade Nylon V Stripe Tights, $12 (or 2 for $20) at Urban Outfitters. If you’re going to buy stirrup tights, have the guts to wear them with a very high heel so the stirrup is fully visible, maximizing their potential for Flashdance-esque hotness. Otherwise, what’s the point? Hue Stirrup Tights, $12.

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Nifty Thrifty

Salvation Army Vest, Before/After

Remember that vest I snagged from Salvation Army for like $3.50?

Check it out now in its post-dry cleaning, cropped state.

Paired with Forever 21 high-waisted jeans and a pale yellow button down (courtesy of Beacon’s Closet), it’s kind of fun, no?

It’s amazing what one can do with a few bucks and a pair of scissors.

Nifty Thrifty

No Pain, No Gain: Salvation Army

A lot of bargain hunters who find things at Salvation Army will tell you it’s not that bad. And they are lying. I’m not going to bullshit you: It’s a sketchy, icky, bizarre and often fruitless endeavor. There’s a layer of dust that encompasses every garment in sight, and the heinous-to-cute clothing ratio is around 7 to 1. There’s no dressing room, there’s the occasional crackhead to contend with, and everything smells a little off. It’s the last stop before the dumpster for discarded apparel everywhere. But if you’ve got the stomach for it, it’s still worth a shot. Because it. doesn’t. get. any. cheaper.

I know these things don’t look like much, but I can’t illuminate their full potential with outfits until after they’ve been sterilized (Read: Dry Cleaned. You can’t just launder Salvation Army stuff pre-wear - you don’t know where this shit’s been). So I’ll just give you the rundown of what I got and what I paid, and you can judge for yourself.

For two button-down shirts (H&M and GAP), a preppy hoodie (Polo), a crazy vest (no name, and possibly a mistake, but still worth the fiscal risk of $3.50), and a corduroy shirtdress (Banana Republic) - all told, four tops and a dress - I paid $23.45. TWENTY THREE DOLLARS AND CHANGE. This basically means that, on average, each item was less than five dollars. And that’s pretty effing sweet.

Stay tuned for the Salvation Army Series of Outfits if you’re somehow not impressed