Black Cords (What is Hip?)

I like the music they play at thrift stores, so full of surprises. It is very similar to the grocery store jams, which are also quite enjoyable. Do you ever have those moments where a song playing is oddly in sync with what you are doing, sorta like a soundtrack to your life? I was sifting through tops at Salvation Army today when this song came on.

Check out these lyrics from "What is Hip" by Tower of Power:

So you wanna jump out yo trick bag,
Ease on into a hip bag.
But you ain't just exactly sure what's hip.

So you start to let your hair grow.
Spent big bucks on your wardrobe.
But somehow you know there's much more to the trip.

What is hip? Tell me tell me, if you think ya know.
What is hip? And if you're really hip, the passing years will show,
You into a hip trip, maybe hipper than hip.
But what is hip?.

How am I supposed to shop when I'm questioning the purpose of shopping itself? What is hip? I don't know! Is Tower of Power trying to tell me something?!

As you're striving to find the right road,
There's one thing you should know:
What's hip today might become passe'

Basically Tower of Power talked me out of buying anything today.

I don't know if black cords are hip, but I wore them the other day at the mall. I think hanging out at the mall used to be hip back when there were pay phones and you had to call your parents to pick you up.



Black Cords: I wear jeans a lot so I try to find other pants to switch up the game every once in awhile. I have to thank Jenny (again) for pointing these Black Cords out to me when we were shopping the clearance racks at Target.


What is hip? Tell me tell me if you think you know. Think about it y'all!

Black Clutch

Amy & Colin's wedding was great fun! So much fun that by the time I got home I was too tired to do anything, but sleep. Therefore, I did not post anything yesterday as originally planned. There's always today.

I started my day with some shopping at Value World with my mom. My plan was to go through every rack, but I ran out of gas about 1/2 way through. That place is huge! I got really excited at first, because I immediately found one of the items on my list -sweater vest-. I thought it was a sure sign of an amazing shopping experience, but sadly that was all I found.

Oh yeah, I forgot, before we went shopping I asked my mom if I could look through all of her old jewelry. The upside to having a mom who doesn't get rid of anything...is having mom who doesn't get rid of anything! I can always find an interesting piece in her collection and it is usually something she has had as long as she has had me (or longer). She also has some of my old stuff, which is fun to look at and reminisce. For example, take a look at this stellar accessory.
When are ying yangs going to make a come back?! Ha. I also recall having a velvet choker with the triple threat: ying yang, peace sign and smiley face. Watch out!

Later in the evening I drove to Ann Arbor to spend time with my friend Alex. We had coffee, baklava and Middle Eastern food. We popped into the Value World in Ann Arbor, but only 15 mins before closing time, which isn't enough time to really dig. Next time. I did however get a blue sweatshirt jacket from Alex. I like getting clothes that once belonged to my friends, because when I wear them they remind me of that person.

Today's feature item is an accessory that I originally bought for my Halloween costume last year when I dressed as Joan Halloway from mad men.



Black Clutch: I normally would not pick out this clutch, but I had been looking for 60's era ideas online for my costume and noticed that many of them had the fake snake/crocodile skin look, which is what led me to buy it. I normally pack all of my costume items away or immediately re-donate, but this one may get more use. It did last night! I took a crappy picture of the clutch and then did a crappy job cutting it out so the image isn't so hot. The picture of me holding it is a better representation of what it looks like.

I teased on the last post that I had two exciting blog announcements and one of them I would reveal yesterday. Since I didn't reveal anything yesterday I should do it today, but instead I will delay it another day (at least). How else can i keep you coming back? ;)

Black Tunic

I made it to Michigan.

I was just talking to my brother on Skype and I said "not sure what I'll write about today in the blog". He said, "you'll think of something". So here's something...

I worked most the day today, but had two great meals, lunch with friends and dinner with family. I had a donut for breakfast, but that wasn't so great. In fact, I wish I could take that one back.

Now I'm doing laundry and preparing for Amy's (sister-in-law) wedding. Exciting!

Also on my mind - trying to figure out how to blog after Sunday since I won't have my computer for a week - no photoshop & no indesign. eek. Time to get clever quick.

I also have two exciting blog announcements coming soon. One which will be announced tomorrow. The other next week, so check back soon.

I can thank Jenny (thrift-shopping-partner-in-crime) for today's feature item.

Black Tunic: This black tunic was originally in Jenny's try on pile when we were shopping at Goodwill. When she asked me if I might like it I thought - um yes, please! Since we were shopping on the first Saturday of the month all items were 50% off. That means I got this bad boy (or girl) for $2! I especially like the detail and button on the back. Oh and the pockets, I love the pockets! Thanks for looking out Jenny!



While I'm in the Detroit area I will definitely be doing some thrift shopping. Sometimes when I go thrifting I am content to sift through rack after rack, item after item, but on those days when I don't have much time or patience it is a good idea to go with some ideas in mind. On my shopping list -

1. Sweater Vest
2. Boots
3. Faux Fur (looking out for a friend!)
4. ??

Wish me luck!

Cozy Grey Cardigan

Oy. I'm not loving today. First of all I woke up with a horrible stiff neck (what a pain in the neck). Then, my day job proceeded to kick my butt all over the place. Unfortunately there is no time to rest. Tomorrow I am hitting the road for Michigan for my sister-in-law's wedding on Saturday. Then, I will fly out of Detroit next Thursday to visit my brother in LA. What does this all mean? It means I have to do a LOT of packing tonight - for multiple climates. I really dislike packing. Any suggestions on strategy?

With that said I am going to make this one short and sweet. For today's feature item I am posing next to a piece of public art in Bloomington.



This is Red, Blonde, Black and Olive. Click the link to read more!


Cozy Grey Cardigan: I found this great cardigan about a year ago at Salvation Army. I can't remember exactly how much it was, but knowing my shopping habits and the pricing at Salvation Army I feel confident that I paid under $3.00. I wear this piece so much that to me it is worth quadruple that price. Honestly, if I had tracked number of wears last year this would have been at the top of the 'great value' list. It is super cozy and versatile and I love it!

My night is improving- Joe just brought me home a whatchamacallit (candy bar).

Since tomorrow is going to be hectic, I'm taking a day of blog rest. See you on Friday.

Purple Polka Dot Blouse

Back to the grind today and therefore less time to work on wrinkled dollar, but I don't give up that easily...

While getting dressed to go pottery painting today I remembered another reason why I love to shop used and clearance. I am a klutz! Ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you that I am prone to spilling/tripping/breaking/ripping/burning, etc. So, the less I spend on clothes the less I worry when I squirt mustard (or pottery paint) on myself. I would much rather stain a $2 shirt from Goodwill than a $200 cashmere sweater from Nordstrom. I'm not sure why anyone would wear a $200 cashmere sweater to paint pottery, but that's not the point. The point is, tonight I wore black.

I am really excited about today's feature item. It is one of the shirts I purchased for $.99 this Sunday at Goodwill. You may recall seeing the polka dot pattern on the teaser image Sunday. Check out my purple polka dot blouse.



Disclaimer - While I do love to read, I am doing a bad job pretending in this photo.

Purple Polka Dot Blouse: I was sifting through the $.99 blue tag rack at Goodwill when this purple polka dot blouse grabbed my attention. I think it was fate, because I had just read a "Trend Alert" blurb in a magazine about polka dots. Perhaps that is why it grabbed my attention in the first place. I teetered back and forth for a little while on whether to even try it on, because it isn't what I call a "safety purchase" at Goodwill, which to me usually means that I am familiar with the brand name. I finally decided to take it because I thought it had similar qualities to a silk top that I tried on at the Banana Republic Outlet the day before that was out of my price range. Once I tried it on I was sold, especially for $.99!

My Cat, Annyong really wanted to be in today's feature photo with me, but we couldn't get it just right (her stripes clash with polka dots) so I am sticking this one in to appease her.



Did I mention? - My pants, belt and cardigan were also a great deal, but I'll save those for another post.

Gingham Military Flannel

I love Mondays so much more when I don't have to work! Joe and I had a great day together and got a lot done.

Last night we decided to go through our closets and get rid of some stuff. As much as I love acquiring new pieces, I like getting rid of old ones too. My closet usually remains the same size since I typically donate/sell as much as I buy.

We separated our stuff into three piles:

1. Attempt to sell
2. Donate
3. Trash














So, today Joe and I went over to Plato's Closet with our "attempt to sell" pile. They didn't buy much of what I brought, but they did take a summer dress, for which they offered me $3. That doesn't seem like much, but it took $3 off a really cute $8 dress I found. Joe on the other hand did very well, making $44!

The feature item today is something I picked up at the outlet mall on Saturday. It is a little bit more than I usually like to spend for a top, but it is nice quality so therefore worth a couple extra bucks. Plus, I think it has potential as a great layering piece. Here I am modeling while doing some shopping at Goodwill yesterday:



Military Gingham Flannel - GAP Outlet had all clearance items marked down an additional 30%. This was marked at 13.99 so I got it for $9.79! Go ahead and check my calculation, because I did like 5 times. Math is not my forte.



As a side project of this blog I am tracking how often I wear items I purchase. The purpose of this is to determine cost per use. It sounds complicated, but it is basically taking the price of the item divided by the number of times it has been worn. So for example if you buy a shirt for $10 and you wear it 20 times, it is like paying $.50 cents for every wear. Using this logic I can truly see where I am getting the most value. If I pay $20 for a pair of jeans and wear them 85X this year that is much better than buying a skirt for $5 and only wearing it 10X. Make sense? Tracking this information will also help aid in the donation process since I will have a better idea of the items I'm not wearing. You can expect to hear more about this project in future posts, but I thought I would bring it up, because I am hoping to get a lot of wear out of the military-gingham-flannel (quite a mouthful) so I can bring the cost per use down and increase the total value!

Ok, I'm spent. Some great items coming soon - stay tuned!

Old Navy Skirt

Sunday is .99 cent day at Goodwill - all clothes and shoes tagged with the “color of the week” are just .99 cents! Joe and I headed over there this morning to see if we could find any blue tag items worth snatching up. I didn’t really expect to find anything, but lucked out with three tops. Look for them in upcoming posts. Here is a preview.



I started giggling while I was shopping, because the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” came on and three people browsing next to me started whistling in unison. I thought I was in a flash mob for a second.

Between my outlet shopping yesterday and goodwill shopping today I’m really piling up some items to feature, which is good, because after this 3-day weekend it is back to work. So sad.

The featured item today is a skirt I found at Old Navy a couple weeks ago. I got some cute tights for Christmas so I have been on the hunt for cute skirts ever since.



Skirt – I checked Old Navy a couple times for clearance skirts, but didn’t see anything I loved. Joe and I were walking around the mall and I thought - okay let me just peek in there to see if there is anything new. I’m glad I did, because this skirt was all by itself in the slew of other skirts I had seen over and over again. I was pretty excited when it was my size and only $1.97!

My shirt, tights and socks were also a great deal, but I’ll save those for another post.

wrinkled dollar

What do you do with the wrinkled old dollars crumpled in your wallet?

Hi, my name is Jessica and this is wrinkled dollar, a fashion blog with a twist. When I go shopping for clothes and accessories I try to stick to an under $15/item guideline. Of course, the less the better! Through wrinkled dollar I will share my bargain purchases and how I incorporate them into my daily wardrobe.

Doesn’t everyone like to shop-for-less? Here’s why I do:

• Spend less so you can spend more – The less $$$ you spend on clearance and used items, the more you can splurge on must-have pieces!
• Be unique – Did you ever buy a shirt that was displayed at your favorite store and then see someone else wearing it the very next day? You immediately feel like that item is no longer yours. Shopping used and clearance lessens the likelihood of that happening,
• Treasure Hunting – X does not mark the spot when you are shopping racks upon racks of clothing. There are no maps to point you to the great items at low prices, but if you like a good hunt the reward will definitely be something to treasure!
• Get out of your comfort zone – Shopping clearance narrows down your choices and introduces you to some pieces you wouldn’t normally notice or consider.
• Trends Change – Don’t feel guilty for buying an item that may be out of style next season. Spend less and enjoy it while you can!
• Recycling – Buying used clothes is a form of recycling and shopping clearance helps stores deplete their excess inventory which in many cases will be destroyed.

To start off wrinkled dollar on a high note I took a trip today to the local outlet mall, Edinburgh Outlets. Whenever I go shopping I like to wear something that is comfortable and easy to change out of when I try on clothes.

Here’s what I wore today.



(Can you find my husband, Joe in this picture?)

Above is an example of what wrinkled dollar will look like; a picture of me wearing an outfit with an item(s) highlighted. Then I will talk a little bit about the highlighted item(s). I decided to highlight three items today since this is the official kick-off!

• Hat – I saw this hat at Urban Outfitters before the Holiday season. It was already on clearance for $9.99. I considered buying it at the time, but couldn’t bite the bullet. I’m glad I waited, because I found it again the day after x-mas when all clearance items were an additional 50% off.
• Black Cardigan – I was helping my mom look for work sweaters at Salvation Army when I found this Target Mossimo cardigan in great condition!
• Jeans – It’s 50% off everything at Goodwill the first Saturday of each month! Jenny, my thrift-shopping-partner-in-crime, pointed me in the direction of these Forever 21 jeans!

My boots, shirt and purse were also a great deal, but I'll save those for another post.