Le Rat de Champs: Small Town Thrifting

Recently, I've gotten to be both a city rat and a country rat. Do you know the story of the city rat and the country rat? It's really quite enchanting. Let me acquaint you with Monsieur Jean de la Fontaine. Here's where you say Enchanté* to him and Merci* to me for introducing you to such a fine fellow. He's responsible for all sorts of famous fables about animals, like this one that forms the basis of the plot behind A Bug's Life. Yeah. He's that big. Disney big. He's like France's Mother Goose, but with clear morals and meaning. Not that it isn't interesting to theorize on whether anthropomorphized eating utensils running off together while a little dog, moon-jumping cow, and fiddle playing cat are hanging around is simply pure nonsense, a poor translation of ancient Greek, or a clever way to eternalize the scandalous relationships of European nobility. It's just not very meaningful. La Fontaine gives you meaning.

Pardonez-moi* for the long digression. Back to my story. First, I was a country mouse. I went small town thrifting. And got some amazing deals. Like this DKNY skirt for $2.50, this goes-with-everything-feels-like-silk tank from The Limited for 99 cents, and this sequin bedazzled top for $2:

 Skirt, Top, Tank: Thrifted / Cardi: Ross (BCBG) / Tights: TJ Maxx / Shoes: Maurices / Necklace: Elder Beerman / White Light: Midday Sun

Yes, those prices are sans error. In fact, I didn't pay more than $2.50 for anything save this fancy (do you see those bejeweled buttons?) velvet jacket, which was $3. I got the skirt that's paired with it for $1...

Jacket, Skirt: Thrifted / 3/4 Sleeved Top: Down East / Sleeveless Top: Gap / Boots: Ross (Apepazza) / Bracelet: Vintage / Earrings: Gabes (1928)

I also found this jean skirt from AE for $2.50...

Skirt: Thrifted / Button-up: Gap ($7 steal!) / Cardi: NY & Co. (also a $7 steal!) / Shoes: Sperry's / Necklace: AE

...and I nabbed this casual skirt from Old Navy, also for $2.50...

Skirt: Thrifted / Belt: J. Crew final sale / Top: F21 / Shoes: Sperry's / Necklace: AE

Made out like a bandit in Tiffany's, I did. Okay, maybe not a Tiffany's. Maybe more like Jared's. (Nothing against Jared, though their commercials do bug me a bit.) But still.

I really must give props to the Husband. We were killing a bit of time before a movie when he pulled into a lot to turn around and saw that the shop's name was Sequel and there was women's clothing in the window. I took little notice, but my dear husband said, "Hey, that looks like a thrift store. Do you wanna go in?" And I did. And it was amazing. Like, the very best from Goodwill but in a cleaner and trendier environment. And with unbelievable prices. I found a new frequent haunt. Yay :)

Up next: a post about my turn as a city mouse, thrifting in Portland!

P.S. I acknowledge that I totally lied on my first post when I said the next one would be about the purge of my closet, but here's a photo to prove that I have actually commenced! I've turned our guest room into donation central. It's still a work in progress. I've yet more to add, and a post to come describing the painful process, but here's what I have so far:

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*enchanté = nice to meet you; merci = thank you; pardonez-moi = pardon me (bet you knew that ;)

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