Absolute Vintage Columbia, MO

Today I went with my friend Allie to Absolute Vintage in downtown Columbia, MO. It is a great little vintage shop located on East Broadway. They have a great selection of vintage hats and have a ton of vintage jewelry. The shop is setup like you would picture any vintage store with round racks in the center of the store and other apparel lining the walls. In the back near the dressing rooms they have some evening wear and a decent selection of shoes. The staff here is friendly, but their prices are non-negotiable. I did however receive a coupon while checking out for $5 off my next purchase of $20 or more. They have an awesome Facebook page which they update frequently with new merchandise! Plus they have the cutest leopard print bags to put your purchases in!

Absolute Vintage

923 East Broadway
Columbia, MO 65201-4857
573. 875. 8440

My Finds

Turquoise Blue Silk ' Liz Claiborne' Blouse

Priced at: $8.00

Purchased at: $8.00

           

Front

Back

This is a classic 1980's style blouse which includes huge shoulder pads and pearl buttons! It's 100% silk, has a subtle small check print, and has three pleats across each shoulder with a three button closure at the waist. This blouse is extremely flattering as its wide shoulders make ones waist look extremely narrow. The color is amazing and the pearl buttons give it a dressy feel! 

 
 

Purple, Red, and Green Silk Printed 'Haberdasher' Blouse

Priced at: $8.00

Purchased at: $8.00

This is blouse was way too fun to pass up. I died for the ascot necktie that this blouse has and the print is a wavy stripe that just screams 1980's! It appears to be silk and has awesome shoulder pads, but is too big for my so I will have to do some alteration. I did try to get a discount since I need to alter it, but did not receive any since the garment was not damaged. I am planning to take it in a bit at the side seams which will help with the fit. It does however have great darts at the waist which once fit properly will give this blouse a great shape!

Tip:

Never be afraid to buy something that needs to be altered! Since the item was a low price to begin with even if you take it to a professional to have it altered you will still probably save money in the end!

 

My Sisters Bachelorette Party!

Tonight was my sisters bachelorette party and I decided to wear the black blouse that I found at the Goodwill in Lake Zurich! I hand stitched the hole on the back and it was good as new! This was an incredible night and a night we will never forget!

{My Sister Jen and I}

Goodwill Lake Zurich, IL

I needed to find something to wear to my sisters bachelorette party so my Mom and I headed out to our local Goodwill store in Lake Zurich, IL. After combing the racks very carefully, I selected several tops to try on. I have been making a conscience effort to not purchase items that are black because I find myself always picking garments that are plain neutral colors, especially black since it can be very flattering. I have a dear friend, who I did my MS degree with at the University of Missouri, who always looked fabulous. Whitney always wears bright colors, lots of prints, and loves a silky blouse. I have been trying to emulate her fantastic style by purchasing more prints and silky blouses.

On this trip to Goodwill, I found myself pulling items off the rack which looked a bit silly. I firmly believe that you have to try everything on and I constantly try things on that most shoppers won't even pick up. You just never know how it will look until you try it on!

This Goodwill is huge and has a really good selection of shirts and sweaters. The staff is very friendly and willing to help you out with finding merchandise. Dressing rooms are available. 

Goodwill

746 S. Rand Road

Lake Zurich, IL 60047

847. 550. 0769

My Finds

Black Silky 'Laura & Jayne Collection' Vintage Blouse

Priced at: $3.99

Purchased at: $2.99 (discount for being damaged)

This great black blouse (oops, I know I said I was trying to avoid buying black!) had amazing seaming that fit my body really well. The blouse is unique as it buttons up the back! It had a small hole along the button placket in the back, it could easily be repaired but I did ask for a discount since it was "damaged". This garment is from the Laura & Jayne Collection which made it debut in the late 1980's. This is a classic piece that I am sure will be one of my most worn items and is a diamond in my mind!

Tip: Ask for a discount on the garment if it appears to be damaged and don't be afraid to buy things with holes in them if they appear to be a quick fix!

Pink and Black Houndstooth 'Custom Shirt Shop' Blouse

Priced at: $4.99

Purchased at: $4.99

Front Option 2

Back Option 1

Back Option 2

Front Option 1

This awesome 1980's custom blouse is an great addition to my wardrobe. This is a perfect example of a garment that most would not pick up off the rack. Its loud print and interesting neck tie would probably deter most people from trying it on. I have to admit that I was a bit confused about how to wear this shirt, but then I decided that I would just wear it however I felt it looked the best. It has a long neck tie that can be worn in the front or the back and can be left to hang down or can be tied in a bow!

Peasant Printed 'Merona' Blouse

Priced at: $2.99

Purchased at: $2.99

This shirt is originally from Target and is a shirt that I thought would be good for causal outings and to wear to class. It's 100% cotton and has smocking around the waist which I find to be a flattering style for me. I liked the large paisley print and the combination of purples and earth-tones. It's really light weight and will be great for spring and summer!

Gray Beaded Ribbon Necklace

Priced at :$4.99

Purchased at: $4.99

My Mom pointed this necklace out to me, it has a great combination of pearls and beads. It's wide and is a statement on its own so I thought it would be a great addition to my wardrobe as I could see myself pairing it with some of my solid color t-shirts to dress them up a bit!

Goodwill Sarasota, FL

This past week I have been in Sarasota, FL at my families vacation home. I came down a bit early with my Dad and the rest of my family met us down here later in the week. My Dad and I had a great time working on the house and spent some redecorating. We decided to go checkout a Goodwill Clearance Center, which we really couldn't imagine what we would find there. We thought that it had to be the worst of the worst, but we were pleasantly surprise when we walked in! It was a well organized store with a ton of merchandised. The pricing structure was a bit different then traditional Goodwill stores as they priced the items based category. We were looking for some new lamps for the house and found 3 that fit our beach theme perfectly! And the best part was that two of them were on sale and we purchased the lamps for $1.99 a piece! The third lamp cost $3.99 - our high ticket item for the day. I had also done a bit of research before we headed to the clearance center I found out that they offer coupons!

South Trail Goodwill Clearance Center

7241 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231

 941. 923. 0464

My Finds:

Salmon Pink Linen 'The Limited' Shorts

Priced at: $2.99

Purchased at: $1.50 (Discount from coupon)

These salmon pink shorts are high-waisted and will be a great addition to my summer wardrobe. They do need to be altered a bit, but have great waist darts that can easily be taken in. I absolutely loved the color and think they will look awesome with a blouse and heels this summer!

Tip: 

Do research on the stores that you are going to be shopping at you never know when you will find a coupon!