Blue stretch headband: Ardene
Prescription eyeglasses: (frames) Venus Eye Design V-12
Adorable sterling silver and Swarovski crystal kitty necklace: gift from Tony ♥
Green cardigan: Old Navy
Purple plaid shirt: Warehouse One
1950s corduroy bucket purse: etsy seller Rue 23 Vintage Clothing
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Denim capri pants: Nine West
Black bow sling-back flats: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Photography by Antonio Cangiano
Earlier this year I shared an example of the type of outfit I typically wear for a day spent hitting the thrift stores, and before this summer wraps up completely, I really wanted to show you an example of what I commonly sport while out garage saling.
It had almost became a running joke. Each Saturday morning when we'd (by which I mean myself, my mom, and Tony) head out and I'd make a point of saying (to Tony) that we needed to grab some wardrobe snaps that day. Yet time after time, for whatever reason, it failed to happen. Finally, after one of our more recent yard saling excursions, as we returned home, I all but insisted he stop and grab at least a couple of photos (in this case, on his iPhone) of me in our own yard.
There's nothing really fancy about this outfit, but that's the whole point. One doesn't want to have to worry about dust and dirt while out garage saling, and you want something that will stand up to hours of wear. Comfortable shoes are important, too, and I usually opt for flats or a very walkable, sturdy heel. Generally, depending on the weather, I'll either wear these denim capris, my Freddie's jeans, or an a-line button front skirt (such as this one) that has pockets (very important for having cash at the ready!).
I'll usually wear a necklace and bracelet or two, but generally opt for stretch or tighter fitting bangles, as I don't want to risk losing a bracelet or having them bang into (and potentially break) anything I'm reaching for in the midst of my yard sale rummaging.
As one can never be entirely certain of what the weather will do, I tend to opt for at least two light layers (in this case a short sleeve button up plaid skirt and a thin knit green cardigan), that way I can button up or slip one off, just depending on what kind of mood Mother Nature is in that day.
Just as pockets are important, so too, I find, is a purse that I can easily get into. This way, if an item costs more than I have in my pocket (or I've depleted my stash of coins), I can quickly grab my wallet and start negotiating the price (I pretty much always bargain for a lower price at garage sales and flea markets).
This 1950s bucket purse is one you've seen before (such as in this post), and that's because it gets more use during the summer months than probably any other purse I have. It's versatile hue, decent size, and weight (empty, it's quite light) means I reach for it all season long (during the winter though, one usually doesn't want an open top purse when it's snowing, so this bag usually gets a breather until the following spring arrives).
So there you - and I (finally!) - have it, a look at the kind of outfit I generally wear when sourcing every yard and garage in town I possibly can for vintage treasures. I suspect it's akin to what many of you also don for these kinds of days, whether your yard sale season is just a few months long (as it is up here in Canada) or something you get to enjoy all year long (lucky you!).
