Pinterest Inspired Thrifting

Before I go to Salvation Army (or any thrift store), I like to search Pinterest for current specific trends and outfit ideas. I usually create a Pinterest Board, and then I venture off to the thrift store with these items in mind.

My most recent trip to Salvation Army was a success! I spent about $28 during their 50% off sale and purchased 10 items!

---

This lace pencil skirt is Forever 21!

---

This sweater from Salvation Army is Banana Republic. It features a slight high-low style, with frontal pockets, and  two different knits on the front and back.

---

This might have been the biggest steal of the day! It had the ORIGINAL Nordstrom tag for $89.99 still on it, but was purchased for just $2.50. The brand is a vintage Jeffrey & Dara and therefore can no longer be purchased in retail stores.

---

Most people are familiar with the classic Burberry plaid, but its high price is a quick deterrence. This plaid shirt is actually a MEN's shirt, but it has a similar eye-catching plaid pattern with its tan-red-and-black color scheme.

---

Free People is pretty notorious for its flowy oversized and worn-looking tee's and sweaters. When this high-low oversized sweater was found in the plus-size* section at Salvation Army, I saw so much potential in it. By belting it mid-waist, it creates an A-line fit.

(I starred plus-size because I want to encourage you to PAY NO ATTENTION TO SIZE NUMBERS or SECTIONS while shopping at thrift stores. Don't let a number throw you off, some items at second-hand stores are so vintage that they may have shrunk, may have been tailored, or can vary in fit depending on brand. Try EVERYTHING on and wear what fits and looks right.)

---

Tribal, Aztec, Southwestern – these diverse ethnic prints have risen in popularity for long enough that they aren't considered a fading trend.  This sweater is a great find because of its beautiful multi-colored pattern.

---

Army green and studded anything are two trends that are popular apart from each other, but combining them together in ONE LOOK is even better!

---

"Overall, I had a great day" -- My favorite thing to say every time I wear a great pair of overalls.

This overall dress is a rare find. It is a vintage look that may not be popular with everyone, but I proudly admit to owning about 6 pairs of overalls all together. They're so comfortable, versatile, and easy to wear!

---

Waterfall cardigans are great because they can be thrown over almost any outfit to transform it from something simple to something styled. They are flowy and are perfect for those days you just want to cover-up a little more. This one I purchased is Forever21 brand!

---

So, not everyone loves the "School Girl" look, but it can definitely be classy when worn right. I love this Pinterest-inspired outfit. I've been looking for the right plaid jumper for a while, but they are hard to come by. I lucked out when I finally found this one. The cashier checking out my items even complimented my find.

---

All together, I was very satisfied with my purchases. After only spending 28.38 on ten items, each one averaged out to $2.84!

The Young Women's Conference You Must Attend For 2015

On April 10-12, The Church of Rockford First hosted an event called Original Women's Conference where nearly 2,000 ladies were in attendance. This three day span of time was jam-packed with several sessions centered around God's Ever & Always kind of love.

Enjoy this brief recap video as seen on the Original Conference website.

[video type="vimeo" clip_id="91792486" width="634" height="480" byline="false" title="false" portrait="true" autoplay="false" loop="false"]

[divider_line]

Top Buttons had the honor of bringing a fun and dynamic team of ladies to this conference.

After a long morning of travels on Thursday April 10th, our TB team went straight to the conference site at Rockford First to set up our promotional booth.

We not only offered information about our organization, but we also sold hand-crafted button earrings and consignment clothing. All proceeds went straight to the Top Buttons' fund.

Our booth was conveniently located right next to the Teen Room so tons of young ladies were constantly stopping by our table. In addition, we neighbored another amazing organization called Sak Saum. They sell a variety of hand crafted accessories in efforts to raise money to fight against human trafficking. "Sak Saum exists to set captives free through rescue, restoration, rehabilitation and transformation," says their website.

Night one's sessions kicked off the conference with inspiring every lady to make a "In It For Good" commitment to Christ. Just as lover's forever latch locks onto Lover's Lock Bridge in Paris, each lady was provided with a lock and key to initial and forever lock upon fences labeled In It For Good.

[divider_line]

Day two held just as many adventures as day one. We came across so many stylish ladies, we just had to document their outfits. Here's just a few:

Sarah (pictured top right) was visiting Rockford on a pastor's wives retreat when she came across this red Jones New York maxi dress. She shared with us that she wasn't purchasing anything new for a whole year, so it was to her luck that our items were all consignment. Scared that the red dress might clash with her hair, she tried it on anyways and came out glowing with excitement. It was made for her!

When night two finally came, our Top Buttons team had the opportunity to speak about fashion and modesty at the scheduled After Party in the Teen Room. Each team member passed out book marks with pictures and information on where to purchase key items in their outfit.

[divider_line]

We loved connecting with so many new friends over common interests like our love of God and fashion. Amanda (pictured below in the hat) recently started her own consignment shop called Worth Royalty where her goal is to provide an affordable and appropriate shopping option that shows young women that they are worth royalty.

[divider_line]

Day three included life-changing sessions; last-minute sales; and lots of coffee, good-byes, and travel.

Our very own Molly Dodd and Alexis Gauthier got to meet and hand deliver custom button earrings to one of the guest speakers named Charlotte Gambill.

[divider_line]

For outfit details on what our Top Buttons' team wore to the After Party, here's the scoop:

[divider_line]

Taylor Murray fashioned what she likes to call a "Tomboy-meets-Feminine" look! Growing up, Taylor always leaned toward her tomboy tendencies, however, as she's matured, she's learned to incorporate her unique flair and sophistication to create a wardrobe similar to this outfit.

To purchase key items from Taylor's look:

Blazer | Boyfriend Jeans | Silver Necklace | Tortoise Watch

[divider_line]

Betsie Amendola keeps it simple by representing her every-day "Tribal Print-Chic" look. On a typical day, you can find Betsie wearing neutral colors paired with over-sized sweaters to stay versatile and comfortable. Betsie loves shopping at Ross because it offers a more affordable selection of trendy name-brand clothes.

To purchase key items from Betsie's look:

Aztec Cardigan | Riding Pants | Bangles | Wedges

[divider_line]

Alexis Gauthier's style changes almost as swiftly as her moods. To let you all in on a secret, for this "Classic Black & White" look, Alexis actually purchased all her items at thrift stores! Her black jumpsuit was 50% off at Salvation Army, which tallied up to about $3. While on Spring Break, a white blazer made it to the top of Alexis' Spring Must Have list, so she quickly grabbed this one off the Goodwill racks for just $6. Thrifting may take a little extra time, but with the added effort you can get current trends (as linked below) for just a fraction of the cost.

To purchase key items for Alexis' look:

White Blazer | Black Jumpsuit

There you have it! Three completely different styled looks from the hearts of the Top Buttons team to yours!

[divider_line]

All in all, attending the Original Women's Conference in Rockford, IL was a magical experience. From the performances, to the decor, to the sermons and worship, every detail was intentionally taken care of. Our Top Buttons team had such a blast attending the sessions, representing at our booth, and even speaking to the ladies in the Teen Room at their Friday night After Party.

We had a blast, left feeling empowered, and want to encourage all of you to be at the Original Women's Conference in 2015!

Meet Macey and her Modern-Chic Apparel

Meet Macey and her Modern-Chic Apparel!She's currently in college pursuing a degree in Multi-Disciplinary Studies. Her charming personality is both fun-loving and personable. Macey currently  juggles several involvements between her college classes, maintaining friendships, and volunteering at church. She even serves as a Community Leader in her residence hall at college, meaning that her role is to help build community among her peers. What amazed the Top Buttons team is that she accomplishes all this and more with such poise and professionalism.

[divider_line]

For Macey's first outfit, she wore a plaid flannel top (purchased at Salvation Army for $3) and her favorite high-waisted black pants (purchased at Forever21 for $10).

What's so great about this look is that Macey pulls together staple items and makes them her own! She wears her clothes, and doesn't allow her clothes to wear her. It's amazing how much confidence can make a difference.

[divider_line]

Macey's second outfit provides a completely different look and feel, but incorporates a lot of the same articles of clothing.

This is a really admirable quality, because most girls deal with the illusion of thinking, "I have NOTHING to wear," in the midst of staring at a full closet. While most of us here at TopButtons can admit to having said that, we all know we were mostly being dramatic. Instead of resorting to that thought, challenge yourself to rework old pieces with new ones and pair a variety of tops and accessories with the same basic pants and shoes. Your closet will seem to grow without breaking the bank.

Let's see how Macey did it:

Macey wears a denim chambray that her sister gave her as a hand-me-down; a chunky gold necklace that she got from a closet exchange with a friend; and the same pants and shoes as her last outfit.

[blockquote]My favorite piece is the necklace. It dresses anything up. It was a tie between that and the shoes. They're just so comfy.[/blockquote]

Now that you've seen how Macey styled two outfits by incorporating a few of the same pieces, TopButtons encourages you to do the same with YOUR wardrobe and to let us know your results!

[divider_line]

On behalf of TopButtons, thanks for staying tuned with us on this three part article series with Tiffany, Maddy, and Macey!