Meet Maggie…Modeling Fab Finds From Discover Goodwill

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a Discover Goodwill makeover. This month I randomly chose someone I had met but didn’t really “know.”

Maggie works at The Cliff House At Pikes Peak in Manitou Springs as a front desk agent. I see her every time I’m there and have always thought she was sweet. She also shows me pictures of her cats so of course we have that love of animals in common. Maggie was surprised when I asked her to model for me and even though she’s an admitted introvert, she agreed. And of course we bought a couple of outfits for her. Maggie said the photo shoot was “hard for her” because of her shyness but after the first couple of photos, she was a total natural. And she said, “I did it!” We had fun and found lots of great deals.

Maggie wears black pants and a white top for work so we looked for items she could use on her off days. She prefers casual and comfy clothes so we started with those type of items but of course I threw in some things she wouldn’t have necessarily tried on if she were shopping by herself.

This ensemble cost a total of $11.97! Gray Banana Republic walking shorts $3.99, Mossimo tank $2.99 and Annabelle sweater $4.99. Not only do all these pieces look great together, each piece can be worn with tons of other items.

I personally love these shrug sweaters which can be worn with anything and everything. Even in the summer, when stores, movie theaters and restaurants have their air conditioner cranked up, these sweaters can come in handy, keeping the chill away. Love the detail on the back.

Maggie said this Xhilaration skirt was super comfortable and it was a great price at $3.49 (was on sale at 30% off.) This blue ruffle tank, from August Silk was a steal at $2.99. I wasn’t familiar with the August Silk line but found out it’s been featured in the OPRAH magazine, People Style Watch and Good Housekeeping. Total price for this look $6.48.

These wide leg gaucho style yoga pants were one of Maggie’s favorite items she tried on (and went home with.) IZ BYER California yoga pants $3.99 and Matty M top $2.99.

Besides working at The Cliff House, Maggie is going to school where she’s studying biology. She also likes to garden, read, playing on her iPad and hanging with friends. The day we shopped we were both so excited the weather was getting warmer and talked about planting vegetables and herbs. I do believe her green thumb is better than mine though.

Same Banana Republic walking shorts Maggie had on earlier with an Apt. 9 beaded collar tank $4.99…total cost $8.98.

Maggie looked great in so many colors. Here we mixed neutrals and textures for a comfortable but fun look. The gray skirt is Old Navy for $3.99, Mossimo tank $2.99 and the cream crochet top was $3.99.

Maggie, who will soon be 21, loved this little Aeropostle romper dress ($7.99). There were actually 2 of these in stock, in this lime and white and then in a tangerine and white stripe. When she was trying to decide which outfits she’d like, this was a contender but since she already owns some similar styles, she decided to go with something else.

I thought this was a great look on Maggie. KUT denim capris were $7.99 and the American Eagle top was on sale for $3.49. I saw similar KUT capris at Nordstrom and Macy’s for $60 and up. Both pieces were in perfect condition.

A just for fun dress I wanted Maggie to try on…Moda International $6.99.

Maggie was such a good sport trying on what seemed like about 100 outfits and letting me shoot away, with the camera that is. We shopped at the Discover Goodwill on Circle and as always, the entire staff was accommodating and nice. When I show up for a makeover, we usually spend about an hour tossing anything and everything in the basket and then about an hour trying it all on. And as usual, we had everyone waiting in line, commenting and joining in on the whole process. Thanks to everyone at the Circle location and especially those of you who had to put all our discards back out.

I personally think every woman needs a little black dress or two (or more!) This black Mossimo dress not only looks great on Maggie, but she said it was comfortable.. And this dress can be dressed down or up, depending on the occasion and accessories. ($9.99)

Another little black dress…because at these prices you CAN afford more than one! This Princess Vera Wang was $12.99.

On a personal note…even though I didn’t know Maggie that well, she did something last summer that endeared her to me. As you might remember, especially if you’re local, last summer we not only experienced the Black Forest fire, but then the floods. Manitou Springs was hit hard with all the flooding and The Cliff House had its share of damage. The parking structure received a lot of damage since the water just poured through it. There was a mama cat and kittens who were holed up in an old barbecue pit that was built in the brick wall of the parking structure. My husband, who saw mama and her babies, actually got a big bowl from the kitchen and padded it for a floating device for the family. Maggie, who even though she’s on a budget and doesn’t have a lot of extra money, didn’t want to see those babies separated so she took them all in. Unfortunately, the mama was killed by a car and a couple of the kittens went their own way but she still has 4 of the kittens now living in her home so they could all stay together. She LOVES those cats as if they were her children and happily buys them food, litter and toys. She’s just one example of how, when tragedy strikes, we can all pull together, even in the smallest of ways, and do something.

This BCBG MAXAZRIA dress looked fabulous on Maggie, and was one of the outfits she went home with. Again, it’s one of those styles that can be worn in so many ways, depending on how you accessorize. She can wear this with flip-flops for a super casual day or pair it with some strappy sandals and fun jewelry for a night out.

I thank Maggie for modeling for me and spending her day off hanging out with me at Discover Goodwill. I know she was a bit intimidated at first by the big camera and huge piles of clothes but she looked wonderful and we had a good time. Thanks Maggie!

You know, someone recently asked me why I am so “passionate” about Discover Goodwill and shopping there and the truth is, I believe in what they do. I personally am familiar with the store layouts, know the staff at the various locations and the stores are convenient to where I live so it’s easy and fun for me to shop there.  There are other nonprofit organizations like ARC and The Salvation Army, just to name a couple, that give back and have the purpose of helping our communities, so if you don’t live close to a Goodwill, there are other options. There are also smaller organizations that do excellent work too. I’m a huge fan of The Humane Society, which is a nonprofit and that’s where I get all of our family members, (or as some people call them, pets.) When nonprofit groups have retail centers where you can donate and shop, it makes it easy to help others without even realizing it.

If you’re interested in checking out a local nonprofit in your area, (just to check out where the money goes, etc.), you can go to www.guidestar.org. GuideStar gathers and disseminates information about every single IRS-registered nonprofit organization so that you can learn about a particular nonprofit and how it’s rated.

Another reason I support Goodwill? If you take a look at the 2013 Discover Goodwill Annual Report, you’ll see that 90 cents out of every dollar generated, goes back in to our community, helping those in need.

Thanks again Maggie…you’re a sweetheart! I’ll be announcing a new Discover Goodwill makeover contest in June…