I usually don’t know our Discover Goodwill contest winners but Teresa, our May winner, is actually a friend of mine. What’s interesting is that I actually met Teresa for the first time back in May 2012 when she was a volunteer model for a Goodwill fashion post I wrote. We had just launched our site (March 2012) and I had put out a request for “volunteer models” I could use to showcase clothing Goodwill had to offer. We met and hit it off instantly. What endeared me to Teresa even more was the fact she began entering her friends in future contests, thinking of others and wanting to help them out. She’s also helped with some of our contest winners we’ve done makeup and hair makeovers on. Meeting new women and getting to know them is a “perk” of our contests I love!
DRESSES GALORE…
Teresa knows her body and what looks best on her frame. The colors and cut of this “Sweet Thing” dress looks perfect on her ($7.99.)
Teresa learned about thrift store shopping at a very early age when her mom would take her and her siblings shopping at the local thrift stores as kids. Teresa said they had a very tight clothing budget, which went much further at the thrift stores versus shopping at the mall stores.
This (label was missing) dress is in perfect condition with intricate beading and a structured fit ($12.99) that really flatters Teresa’s figure. She plans to wear this with a little black cardigan. And the reason Teresa’s on the phone? We were actually shopping at Discover Goodwill (the Circle location) when the Black Forest Fire started and Teresa was getting updates since she lives in the area. (Thankfully she didn’t have to evacuate and her home was safe.)
Love this black and white Evan Picone polka-dot dress on Teresa. Evan Picone is a higher-end label that’s usually more expensive but not when you find it at Goodwill! ($7.99)
Teresa has continued to shop thrift stores throughout her life, regardless if her budget was large or small. Why? Because she loves the ever-changing inventories, the “treasure-hunt” to find unique and fun items at great prices, the environmentally friendly practice of re-use rather than buying everything new, supporting organizations that help the local community….and of course the great prices!
This was one of my personal favorites Teresa tried on. And when we saw the price ($2.99), it immediately went in the “buy” pile!
Teresa was thrilled with this basic black Liz Claiborne dress. It was priced at $7.99 but on sale for 75% off so it was only $2!
Teresa was recently laid off from her job of 12 years but the bargains available at Goodwill will make it possible for her to maintain the ability to shop for “new” items for her wardrobe, even as she closely watches the “bottom-line.”
We bought all of the above dresses (719Woman bought $25 worth and Teresa bought the rest) and then moved on to tops and skirts. We typically try to “pose” our winners as I take pictures but it was seriously busy the day we were shopping. I felt bad that we took so long in the dressing room as there was a line of shoppers wanting to try on clothes too so I really appreciate the fact that Goodwill lets us do this during business hours. And the other women were nice about how long we were taking, offering comments and enjoying the fashion show. My friend and fashion contributor, Ashley joined us but didn’t get to stick around for very long because she too had a home that was in the possible danger zone of the fire…we sent her home to make sure everything was ok.
BEAUTIFUL BLOUSE & SKIRT COMBINATIONS –
Well, we started off our shopping trip with the purpose of finding tops for Teresa and obviously got sidetracked with the dresses! Teresa didn’t really NEED skirts but we found the deal of the day with a Mossimo black skirt that looked like it had been custom-made for her. The length was perfect and wouldn’t need any tailoring to fit her petite (and short-waisted) frame. It was originally priced at $3.99 BUT 75% off that day so it cost a whopping one dollar! SOLD! This is the skirt she has on in the next set of pictures.
Teresa liked how this Apostrophe top fit, which she’ll wear with a brown skirt she already owns, and will also look great with jeans. The top was priced at $2.99 but on sale at 30% off so the entire outfit cost $3. Less than a burger and fries!
Ok, here’s why Teresa had a VERY successful day…another huge deal on this purple Charter Club top! Priced at $2.99 but on sale at 75% off so it was 75 cents! Paired with the dollar skirt, entire outfit less than $2.
The vibrant colors of this patterned Worthington top looked beautiful on Teresa. It didn’t look like it had ever even been worn ($2.99) and will go with a lot of clothes Teresa owns already. I think Teresa’s a great example of how to dress your body in figure-flattering styles. She chooses necklines she knows flatters her body, and actually elongates it. She chooses more tailored styles that showcase her assets and she makes sure hemlines hit in areas that don’t make her look shorter.
This is such a sophisticated look; simple, tailored, and classic. The blue Jason Maxwell top was $3.99.
I’m a fan of animal prints myself so this was a particular favorite of mine. I swear, Teresa looks great in so many different colors, prints and designs and she’s not afraid to wear them. This Grey Signature Collection top was only $2.99.
Teresa confesses she’s definitely a “clothes horse” and is constantly looking for new items to incorporate into her closet(s). And she’s delighted that when she donates her own gently worn items to Goodwill, she’s helping others in our community and providing some fun fashion for another woman.
Here’s an example of how one top can have a totally different feel when paired with two different skirts. The top is White Stag and cost $2.99. The first skirt is our $1 Mossimo find and the second skirt, (black lace) is $4.99…and she can mix and match all the pieces with other items in her closet.
LOOK TALLER…
Teresa found this Allison Taylor 100% silk skirt for $3.99. We paired it with two totally different tops and this is a perfect example of how the way your clothing fits, can change-up the way your body looks.
Now while we both loved the way this black blouse ($3.99) looks on Teresa, paired with the skirt, it makes her look shorter. The length is too long for the skirt and the black takes away from the “springy” feel.
What a difference a shorter top can make! This pink Suzie in the City top ($2.99 marked 30% of for a final price of $2) hits Teresa higher up on her waist and instantly makes her look taller and leaner.
You know, I appreciate our winners that are willing to model the clothes we find. It’s totally different having your picture snapped in a dressing room versus oh, anywhere else! And as women, you know that when you’re trying different styles on, different undergarments can make a huge difference. One of our pictures shows Teresa’s bra straps because we don’t all shop with two or three different styles of bras in our pockets! (Thanks for letting me show them Teresa…ha!)
As always, I want to give a shout out to Discover Goodwill and in this particular trip, the staff at the Circle location. And I apologize to all the women who were shopping that day for hogging up one of the dressing rooms for so long. Thanks for your patience and nice comments while we snapped away.
Teresa said (and it’s quite obvious from today’s trip) that she can always find stylish, professional, and unique clothes at Goodwill, which she routinely gets the most compliments from others on. Teresa went home with all the items we featured today (and more), and as always, I took home a few things myself.
Teresa attends several events every year where formal attire is required so she’s always on the look-out for gowns she can add to her collection. When she saw how fabulous this dress looked, it immediately went in the “buy” pile. Teresa looks stunning in this David’s Bridal gown that only set her back $16.99!!
Teresa, I had a blast with you and you found so many great bargains! You look fabulous in every single item…and there were a LOT of items! I’m so happy I met you last year, find it funny that it was exactly a year from when you first modeled that here you were again, (but this time we actually bought you something!) I’m proud to call you a friend and think you’re one of the most generous and kind-hearted women I know.