Friday, May 7, 2010

Old & Dumpy to Vintage Chic

VINTAGE MAKEOVER: BEFORE AND AFTERS
As I previously blogged - many-a-time I have visited local, small-town thrift stops and, at first glance, seen racks and racks of frumpy and unattractive items BUT if you truly have that vintage crusading drive and take a closer and more creative look - the potential of many of these "beastly" items are unimaginable...
My hometown thrift store, The Andover Thrift Shop - amidst many other small-town thrift stores - has provided me with dozens of dirt-cheap yet ultra chic, old-school gems that tend to hold a special place in my closet and, more importantly, my heart.
A couple of weeks ago, during a weekend trip home, I bought eight or nine pieces for a mere twenty-something dollars - you, honestly, cannot beat that!
Five of these pieces were items that had most likely been collectin' dust on the shop's racks for years because, like I said, at first glance, they were drab, outdated, unstylish, and downright ugly but their lurking potential immediately caught my eye. So, I bought em' and immediately brought them to my favorite tailor, Emily, and after explaining my desired changes, let her work her magic.
In an attempt to lure more of you to your hometown, cheap, and one-of-a-kind thrift shops, I documented my vintage makeovers in hopes that, in the future, you don't judge the book by it's cover if ya' know what I'm sayin'...
(take note: due to lack of models and my not-so-great photography skills, these pieces don't look half as fabulous as they do when worn!)
1.)BEFORE - long and unflattering AND AFTER - a cute cropped, biker, snakeskin bombshell jacket:
2.) BEFORE - a heavy, knee-length, archaic romper (not the trendy-type) AND AFTER - a v-neck floral mini dress with cinched waist and rolled sleeves:
3.) BEFORE - a retro calf-length, boxy moo-moo AND AFTER - a mod patchwork mini shirt-dress with pockets and a self belt:
4.) BEFORE - an Amish-style shoulder-pad polka-dotted mess AND AFTER - a deep v-neck cap-sleeve wrap mini dress:
5.) BEFORE - the most awkwardly-length and uncomplimentary - to say the least - dress AND AFTER - a soft cotton short-sleeved teal top with cinched waist (could also be a beach-type cover-up) and zip-up back:
I hope you are able to see the potential at your local, small-town thrift stores also because - if not - you are really missing out!

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