Tag: Fashion

Hippie Skirts and Sleeveless Bargains

August 23, 2013

A New Generation of Thrift Store Shoppers

My daughter has become a thrift store shopper like me. On two recent trips to Goodwill, she went back-to-school shopping and she was excited to find a number of outfits – black camis and ‘hippie’ skirts.  She has her own sense of style and found exactly what she was looking for. Of course she did, she was shopping at Goodwill.

Hippie Skirts at Goodwill
(Photo credit: Emily Bateman) Making a donated item your own hip, current style is what thrift shopping is all about.

She’s a college student looking to differentiate her style from the crowd. When I saw her trying on outfits, I knew she’d struck Goodwill gold.  When you are shopping for your style, you often find exactly what you are looking for at Goodwill. Better yet are the bargain prices.  The skirts and shirts were both just $3.50 a piece.

Save More with Goodwill Rewards Card

Sleeveless Tee and Hippie Skirt
A young thrifter finds a great skirt and cami at Goodwill for $7.

With a Goodwill Rewards Card, shoppers can save an additional 25% on daily specials, which in this case was $6. Total bill – just over $25 with tax. The money saved helped pay for lunch.

Goodwill Sales Funds Job Programs

It’s also good to know that her purchases and support of Goodwill  fund job training programs.  Sales of gently used donated items benefit people with disabilities.  Bargains fund opportunities.  It’s a win win.

Goodwill Vintage Clothing Inspires Canine Couture

August 8, 2013

Guest Blog by  Annette Kaiser, Goodwill Keystone Area

You never know what you’ll find at Goodwill Keystone Area’s Tilghman Square store in Allentown, PA. Two regular customers at the gently used clothing racks are fashion designers Maribel and Jana Nieves, a mother-daughter team who own a studio called Bel Bijoux Couture in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Bel Bijoux Couture
Maribel and Jana Nieves, a mother-daughter team, in their studio.

While their shop looks like any other design studio — with spools of brightly colored thread and coat trees draped with rich textures and fabrics — the design pages and patterns folded neatly in rows of hangers are in miniature. That’s because this couture isn’t designed for humans, it’s designed for their pets.

The Nieves specialize in one-of-a-kind pet coats and were recently featured on NAT GEO WILD’s “Spoiled Rotten Pets.”  Their  favorite place to shop for material is the Goodwill store in Allentown,  because the selections of vintage clothes and modern fashions spurs their imagination and gives them endless choices for fabrics, buttons and other accessories that go into their line.

“When we work with a customer, they tell us what colors and type of fabric they would like,” said Jana Nieves. “We go to Goodwill, browse all sorts of pieces from skirts to jackets, from coats and pants. Once we find something that meets the description, we’ll take a picture and send it to them. You never know what you will find at Goodwill.”

Dogs Modeling Custom Coats
These fashionable dogs had their custom outfits created from Goodwill finds.

Jana Nieves says she can design and create up to three pieces from one Goodwill garment.  Unlike the “sleepy” bolted fabrics found on the shelves of retail textile stores, “the pieces we find at Goodwill have a certain life to them that transform into beautiful pieces.”

For more information on Bel Bijoux Couture, visit t www.belbijouxcouture.com.  Custom coats start at $55 and are guaranteed to fit your life, your style and your pet.

Fashion is Never Finished at Goodwill

August 7, 2013

Style is How You Define It

One thing great about style is that trends ebb and flow, so what was once cool, may go out of style, but it tends to come back in style sometime in the future, reinvented, considered new. Fashion is never finished.

Goodwill Outfits for Less
Corinne found her style at the Goodwill Runway Show.

This is why thrift stores like Goodwill are so fantastic to frequent.  New donations come in every day, meaning many new chances for new styles. 

Why We Do What We Do

With the proceeds from these donations, people who need job training can receive it, people with disabilities can receive care and socialization they need and older, lower-income people who seek opportunities can find jobs that suit them. Goodwill is a nonprofit organization. We invest 84% of what we take in to help people with disabilities and other barriers to independence.

Some Like the Thrill of the Hunt

We organize our clothes by color, so if you know what colors suit you, which are your favorites, you can start there.  Like most stores, shirts and pants are racked together, but unlike most stores, they are all the same price.  Jeans are $6. Pants are $4. Shirts are $3.50. Tee-shirts are $1.50. And so on. With our new Rewards Card, you can save even more on select items.

You might even find that thrifting makes you a fashion trendsetter. Sometimes just choosing to wear clothes you love is all you need to be fashionable.

Need a Party Dress for Less? Think Goodwill.

December 13, 2012

Let’s face it, sometimes, last minute invitations come up. Your schedule clears and you are able to attend a holiday party you had not anticipated going to.  Sometimes your daughter comes to you and says she needs an outfit for the school dance tonight and has nothing to wear.

These dresses were available during a recent visit to a Goodwill in Lemoyne, PA.

You’ve done all of your holiday shopping already and came in at or near budget. You’ve fought through the Black Friday crowds and braved the parking lots packed with Christmas shoppers at the mall.  Now you want to get yourself or a family member a last-minute special outfit without paying retail. What do you do? This is the perfect time to think Goodwill.Our stores specialize in women’s fashions.You don’t have to pay $50 or more. Feel free to brag a little. ‘I paid $8 for this dress from Jones of New York at Goodwill.’ AND I used my Shop-N-Save card to save on this Liz Claiborne purse. Next time, bring along an envious friend to shop Goodwill with you.

Liz Claiborne, left and Tommy Hilfiger, right. Purses to accessorize any outfit and they won’t empty your wallet.

While you’re there, you may want to look for a housewarming gift for the party host. A serving dish.  A decoration. A game. You’ll leave knowing that you can still afford a bottle of wine for the hostess. Look for it and find it. At Goodwill.

Silver-plated candy dish. Perfect holiday impulse buy.

Fashion on the Go

May 13, 2010

Save time! People are always looking for ways to get more time. There never seems to be enough of it. For those of us who want more time while getting great fashion deals, these tips could be your new best fashion time savers.

#1 – Make sure you try on the clothes. Tags that are on the clothes may be slightly off because of previous wearing and shrinking. Also, designers can  vary their sizes, which could also throw it off. This will save you time if you try them on now instead of getting home and realizing that the clothes you just spent your valuable time shopping for are the wrong size. Pity.

#2 – Lets say you want to stand out a party. Get your dress from a thrift shop and you can all but guarantee that no one else will have your dress. It probably was not worn that much and, with how quickly fashions change, your mild throwback dress could make you the cat’s meow at your next shindig. 

#3 – Love a pair of jeans with a broken zipper or that shirt with a missing button? Go ahead and buy them, those are easy things to replace! Stay away from clothing with rips or stains. Those could take too much time to fix or not be fixable at all.

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What can Goodwill do for you?

April 22, 2010

Prom and Bridal Gowns at Goodwill Prom season is the perfect time to start shopping at Goodwill. Goodwill offers you fashionable and affordable prom wear and in turn, you support the mission. Take the time to check out Goodwill Stores and see all the great dresses, accessories and shoes to fit you and your budget.

If you give a little, you get a lot in return. Buy a beautiful dress for a great deal… you’ll have a wonderful prom and give back so much more than you may ever realize. All the people that Goodwill supports thank you in advance. So take a trip down to your local Goodwill this prom season.

Goodwill is more than just a store. When you donate and shop at Goodwill, you support a worthy mission. Did you know? Goodwill exists to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to independence in achieving their fullest potential as workers and as members of the broader community.

Show your support, fan Goodwill Keystone Area on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Prom Prom Prom!!

April 20, 2010

As April comes upon us, we can always count on three things:

  1. Flowers start to bloom.
  2. Pollen is in the air.
  3. Most importantly – It’s Prom Season!

Prom and Bridal Gowns from Goodwill High school girls wait the whole year for prom to roll around. You get dressed up, go out, and have a great time with your friends and that special someone. Prom often becomes one of the most memorable nights of high school. I still remember my prom… someday I will tell you about it.

In the upcoming weeks, I, along with my other Goodwill buddies, will be here to offer advice and tips on finding the perfect dress, accessories, and making prom night a time that you will never forget. To let you all in on a secret, your local Goodwill may surprise you with the quality and number of prom dresses you can find there. So check it out and make it this prom memorable as well as affordable.

Visit Goodwill’s Prom and Bridal page for more information!

As always, a great bargain is just around the corner.

Designer labels are here!

March 25, 2010

Name Brands at Goodwill Designer labels are all the rage today in fashion. Designer label prices are not. They cost so much for a name, but Goodwill has them all. And at discount prices.

There was a recent article from the NY Times showing that many designer labels are showing up at many Goodwill stores across the country. Shoppers are coming out to Goodwill now because it is shedding the image of carrying only old clothes. It’s now perceived as a high-end second-hand shop. What could be better than that?

Well… you asked, and now I’ll tell you. What’s better than discount brand names? Knowing that money raised from sales funds people with disabilities find and keep jobs.

Interested in the article from the NY Times? Check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/fashion/11goodwill.html?_r=2

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This Spring means Scarves and Cardigans

March 11, 2010

Can you believe it?! Spring is almost here! This is my favorite season of the year. Why, you ask? Because, I can finally start letting my feet breathe by trading out the boots for sandals. Because, I don’t have to wear a sweater and coat on top of my stylish shirt. Because even though I love hats, I am ready to let my hair flow freely. It’s time to go and update my closet for the new season.

Every year we see fashion change. I wanted to clue you in to some of the new fashion for this season. First are capris or hemmed pants. You can even hem your own pants.

Next try some scarves that are lightweight fabrics, which are all the rage this spring. It is the chic way to accessorize. It will also be a nice change from the thick scarves of winter.

Check out scarves and cardigans at Goodwill!

And last, to help with the transition of seasons, cardigans may be your best friends. These sweaters are not only fashionable but helpful as the weather starts to warm up. You can even try to knit one yourself!

For more fashionable spring ideas you can check out this helpful website:

http://diyfashion.about.com/od/diyfashion101/tp/2010_Spring_Fashion.htm

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Decorate your home with local thrift store finds

March 5, 2010

No one ever said redecorating your home had to be hard. You know what YOU like. Make your home the way that you want it to be. Check out these pictures. Rooms just like these can be fashioned with items from your local Goodwill.

It is so simple. Just go in with an idea in mind and see what you can find. You may be surprised at all the decorating options that are available at thrift stores. Here are some easy tips that you can follow.

  • Have some measurements of your walls, windows, doors, etc. that you can go in with to make sure the items you find will fit your vision of your room properly.
  • Have a design layout in mind and you will be a shopper on a mission. Your room will not know what hit it.
  • Make sure you inspect all the items you find at the store just to make sure they are in the acceptable condition that you and your room deserve. All in all, have fun and enjoy the excitement of adding some flare to your décor!

Remember, stay trendy.

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