You bet your bottom dollar thrifty-loving booty it can. Yes, as I take a look back at 2010 and all my thrifting exploits, I can most definitively say that a thrifted dress changed my life - for the better, natch.
The frock in question: this silk, Italian-made designer dress (must have been influenced by Pucci; I call it my Pucci dress anyway) I found at Value Village for just under $20.
I'm wearing it here, along with a spray-on tan, the night before I left for West Palm Beach to fly to my best friend's wedding.
Fast forward a few days: Here I am in West Palm, after my best friend's wedding, with a pal. I COULD have kept this dress, also thrifted, on when the whole gang went back to the hotel bar to party. But no, some sixth sense told me to go back to my hotel room and slide into that slinky Pucci number. Don't ask my why.
Let's just say my Pucci-esque dress was noticed by someone else in the bar who wasn't a member of our party, who, unbeknownst to me as I leaned over the bar to order yet another glass of wine, honed in on a certain thrifter's booty in her clingy thrifted dress. Then, so the story goes, he saw her face. Needless to say he was smitten right then and there, tee hee.
Here I am, a few hours later, in, um, a different part of the hotel, still wearing my thrifted Pucci-esque dress (with a thrifted silver and crystal necklace too, come to think of it). And a big goofy smile too.
The rest, as they say, is history - but let's just say that my darling, darling mannie loves that dress (and this picture) to this day. And I must admit I feel rather indebted to it as well. Finding my dream man: Not a bad return-on-investment for 20 bucks, eh?
was it really that dress or that sweet smile of yours? congrats on both scores!
ReplyDeleteGreat story...and a great dress!
ReplyDeleteLong time follower, first time commenter...
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to de-lurk to tell you how much I enjoy your posts. I've been following for a long time now and love seeing all your bargains and finds. I always look forward to seeing you've updated on my google reader.
You look adorable in these photo's and I just wanted to let you know that even though I don't post much, I'm an avid follower :)
Oh, and I would LOVE to have cool thrift shops here (charity shops as they're known round these parts) but the one's I have locally are pretty dud, content-wise, and just as expensive as retail prices which is why I live vicariously through blogs such as yours. :D
Thanks for sharing!
Well, you do have a certain glow in that dress. And silk! What a find! And just when I'd all but given up on the Village as too darned expensive. Or I'm getting too darned cheap ....
ReplyDeleteThanks Gretchen! Maybe I'll never know but I don't think he saw my smile first, tee hee....
ReplyDeleteSilver Thistle/D, wow, your message is the crowning moment of my day. I am so glad you are a longtime follower and that you enjoy the blog, and that you decided to delurk! Please feel free to do so at any time as I always love hearing from 'new' readers.
ReplyDeleteWowsers, you must live in a very unthrifty place is the thrift is like retail! If I lived in an expensive thrift town I don't know what I would do --- mind, now that thrift or charity shops are cluing in to the fact that vintage is hot and increasingly hard to find, the prices will only go up in general ....
L'age moyen, I do find ole VV is getting expensive but they tend to mark up the mass market stuff (which I never buy) but don't know when they have a good designer piece in front of them - that can def work to your advantage!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see this post, after reading you had the 'blues' the other day I crossed my fingers that all was still good in the romance department. Sounds like you have a keeper this time, and if it was the dress that caught his eye three cheers for thrifted silk dresses! (even if it wasn't the dress three cheers anyway) J
ReplyDeleteJ, thanks for kind words. I was debating with myself telling this story as it's more personal than I normally get, but it's such a damn good story. Thanks for continuing to read!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful love story.
ReplyDeleteThe dress and of course the man are keepers.
Thanks The Witch - of course I totally agree!!
ReplyDeleteOops Queen of Fifty Cents, how could I forget you? Thanks! Best find on both counts!
ReplyDeleteHello Mlle G-Q! It took me a while but I went thru your blog and found this article again and just as I was hoping, pictures of your Pucci-esque dress! Will you believe me if I told you that I loved it when I saw it and was lucky enough to find it in my size last Friday at a thrift store? I am so happy!!! I love the colours, the cut, just everything!!! It's such a great dress, and your lovely story adds tons of good karma to it so thank you for that. I still can't believe my luck! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteOMG Veronica - that is sooo amazing!! You know, I would beleive anything when it comes to thrifting! You wouldn't believe this but I DID recently see the same dress in Value Village or some such thing - I almost bought it out of sentimentality even though I already had the exact same dress, how crazy is that? I think we should meet for coffee and both wear the dress! You are right: it is so lovely. I am kinda surprised there are so many thrift versions out there, though, as it's silk, good quality, Italian designer etc etc. Strange huh?
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed that's why I was so shocked to see it! I saw a tiny version of it on Queen East in the winter time, I bet it's the same one you spotted too but the one in my size was a gift from the Thrift Gods! Before we do coffee, I must get a tan(très très badly!) ;)
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