Back to School for Girls!

It’s been a very long time since I’ve been shopping for school clothes and supplies.  Back in my early school days, I had mostly second-hand, hand-made and hand-me-down items.  Back then I found it to be a little off-putting and wanted all new clothes.  Today, of course I’m all about getting good clothes at an enormously reduced price.

School supplies are costly enough, but add in new clothes, and you’re putting a big dent in your pocket.  As a parent, you want the best for your kid, and as a kid you just want the coolest clothes. It’s a part of the social environment to have your own style, but you want to wear what’s popular too.

Well, my trusty mother and I struck out to see if we could find trendy outfits at Goodwill.  Of COURSE we were successful.  Mom is actually way more aware of what is popular in today’s younger generation than I am!  So we put together a few outfits for various ages, and fitting trends.

First, you can always use a dress in your wardrobe.  Turquoise and brown have been a famous color set for a while, and this simple, sweet dress with a little glitter is great for school. Price: $2.99: Angela Frost.

This $5.00 outfit is simple, yet colorful and sweet.  Pink and black are another trendy coupling that doesn’t seem to be losing its flair.  Great for fall.

Leggings under a skirt is all the trend (I used to wear that back in the 80’s!).  Jean skirts, cammo shirt, and you are looking snappy!  This outfit is a mere: $7.00 and can be worn so many other ways.  And, if camouflage or jean skirts go out of style, it’s not a major loss.

A timeless classic, the knit top and jeans (yes, I’m noticing these drop pockets in jeans making a comeback), with a little flair and simple vest, this is an every-day more classic look.  Price?  Chump change: $8.00.

I always save my favorite outfit for last, and this is no exception. A little clash in color actually creates a very stylish look.  Turquoise skirt, with a striped t-shirt with a wide neckline and a teal cable knit sweater is what I’d wear on picture day!  And at $7.00, it’s a steal!

$35.00 for 5 outfits is such a great price!  Even way back in the 80’s, I was paying $35.00 just for a pair of jeans or shoes!

- April

Goodwill trains teens for summer jobs

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the summer of 2010 was predicted to be the worst year for young people to land a summer job since the Great Depression.

Teens typically have a difficult time finding jobs during tough economic times because of their lack of experience, but this summer Goodwill’s workforce readiness education program was there to help make them more competitive in the job market.

Dominique Powell is a 17-year-old who has broadened her résumé this summer and is more confident about her work experience thanks to a joint program between Goodwill Industries of Denver and the City and County of Denver.

Powell is one of more than 300 at-risk youth who received intensive job skills training from Goodwill to help them find summer jobs and promote long-term employment in their future, and one of 30 who landed a cream of the crop professional internship.

The City and County of Denver partnered with Goodwill exclusively to help get teens into these summer internships.

This is Powell’s first experience in a formal workplace and she says, “It makes me feel older and more prepared to work in a real-life work environment.”

The George Washington High School graduate recently completed her internship working in the human resources department for First Bank doing a variety of tasks from filing to administering employee application tests. First Bank has been a champion of the program, encouraging other businesses in the area to participate.

Powell is attending Colorado State University this fall and has now changed her major to business because of the experience she’s gotten at the bank.

Goodwill’s Job Readiness Training program develops students’ skills through job-search strategies and professional development, mock interviews with local business and community leaders, and soft skill development, including critical thinking, decision-making, goal setting and taking initiative.

The program provides an intensive week of training for students, like Powell, before helping them move on to job applications and interviews with local businesses already committed to hiring youth in the community. Once they’ve secured the position, Goodwill staff provide case management and coaching throughout the internship.

“When these students come in, you think at first they’re going to be a burden, but they’re very well-coached, and polished by the time they get here,” said Gretchen Morrison, Senior Vice President/Director of HR at First Bank Holding Company. “Now they’re on their way out, and we don’t know what we’re going to do without them.”

Some of the students who have completed Goodwill’s readiness program have turned their summer jobs into permanent positions, like 17-year-old Cleo Clausell.

Clausell’s summer internship with First Bank’s call center has turned into a permanent part-time position with the bank. The experience with Goodwill has taught her to be more proactive about her wants and needs and she says she’s excited that asking for more work actually led to a permanent job.

Clausell is attending University of Northern Colorado – Lowry this fall and is majoring in education.

Not all summer jobs can turn into permanent ones, but the summer intern is receiving workplace confidence that will last a lifetime.

Brea Miller, 17, is a senior at George Washington High School this fall. The Goodwill program has helped give her direction and self-assurance.

“Before I applied, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself,” Miller said. “Now I feel more confident with this work experience under my belt.”

Thanks to First Bank for their support of all of our summer interns!

Wedding Season

Summer and September are some of the busiest months for weddings. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve hit a point where you have multiple weddings every summer. In fact,  I’ve been doing that quite frequently for about the past 10 years.  (Am I admitting my age?  Maybe).  It gets quite expensive if you end up purchasing new outfits with every wedding invite, let alone the wedding gift.

I have stopped shopping anywhere else other than thrift stores for what I wear to weddings.  It’s inexpensive and fun to have different outfits that look stunning and only cost a fraction of what you might find elsewhere.

Recently I went to Goodwill and looked for dresses that I thought would be great for a wedding.  I was looking for a fun dress for me, but I found more than I could even write about.  There was a great selection of fancy, frilly and fantastic dresses to choose from.

I embellished on the Classic black dress. To me, the classic black becomes that dress you rely on over and over. It becomes that old friend you feel happy comfortable and pretty in. You can wear to a wedding, or to work, a night out, or really anywhere.

This classic black with a satin bow is perfect in its subtle beauty.  It is such a classic look and length, and just conservative enough to be worn at almost any event.

The same goes with this stretch/nylon dress, double layered with a sheer black mesh over a more fitted inner wrap, it’s elegant and hugs the body just right. Made by London Time.

Or maybe this little black number, made by Ruby Rox.  Tiny white polka dots and a pretty little white silk flower right at the waistline give you something a little more flirtatious.

For more fun, a jungle printed strapless cotton fitted dress is perfect for a summer wedding, made by GapStretch.

Fuchsia is such an outstanding color to wear, especially with a tan or dark skin.  It really pop and gets you noticed in a crowd. Blush brand.

Softer pinks are also a trendy color, and this dress made by Forever 21 has a brown under layer and lace embellishments, and a frilly embroidery on the bottom of the dress gives it fun and youthful look.

My favorite dress is the J.P. & Mattie antique white linen dress with what looks like watercolor flowers painted on it. The straps you can tie, so they are charming and adjustable.

All the dresses are on sale for $7.00, which is a great find even compared to other stores that have dresses for $20 on sale.

Trend of the Week: Super Soft

Don’t you just love your comfy clothes? I LOVE clothes that feel like a warm fuzzy hug.  Or that feeling of a knit shirt that has made it through years of washing and is being held together by threads.  The paper-thin t-shirt is a great example of this trend -  I hope it joins the clothing world forever!

For this week’s trend, I pulled anytime clothes that are “oh-so-soft.”  All of these items are being held this week for our trend of the week email subscribers, but they’ll be back on the rack on Saturday if you want to purchase, so come and get them while they’re hot!  Side note: to subscribe to Goodwill’s trend of the week email, just click here.

First up, a rockin’ Janis Joplin tee.  It is almost gauzy it’s so soft and wonderful.  It is a great memorabilia shirt and so fitting for it’s aged and worn look.  This is made by Bob Masse Studios for $3.49. Size small.

Cachet is one of my favorite stores.  Their clothes are fun, classy and chic. This dress is so thin it’s almost a whisper on you, and is a knit rayon blend.  From the pattern, you wouldn’t suspect it was stretchy and silken soft. I love Cachet, but it is expensive.  And being a thrifter, I await times when I see their clothing hit the thrift stores (which is rare).  These dresses typically start at about $80.00.  This beauty is a mere $6.99. Size: medium.

Simple, sleek and another softie, this shirt has just a little bit of femininity with the small ruffles at the shoulder.  Another rayon and knit blend, this just wraps around the body so nicely and the color is very unique.  Eggplant is supposed to be in this fall, and this shirt can be great for going to a casual event. Express, size Medium.  $3.49.

Hollister is such a fun brand.  The shirt below looks like it’s regular cotton, but I can tell you, it is pajama soft.  The coral color, goes great with a little sunny glow.  This shirt is great for a long torso, very flattering.  Size medium, $3.49.

Black can be worn by anyone.  J Crew does this tissue hoodie right, as usual. Size large, priced at $3.49.

I need to find entire outfits that feels as wonderful and soft as what I found at the Archer Goodwill!

Rebellious T-Shirts

People often use clothing as a form of self-expression, and t-shirts are perfect for self-expression because they come in such great variety.  From embracing the latest trends to going retro, it seems like there is a t-shirt for everyone these days.  A lot of people use sarcastic t-shirts to put forth a little bit of their personality.  I personally went through a stage where I had a ton of relatively rebellious shirts.

You can definitely still find shirts that will make a statement at your local thrift store.   A lot of these might be a little risqué, but they are still fun and I can think of tons of different uses for them.

The first shirt would be perfect for a husband during a Halloween event. It’s  a little kooky, but it’s fun too.

You probably don’t want to wear this to a meeting with your boss, but I can see teen boys loving this one:

This shirt is a little hard to understand, until you take a further look.  It shows a picture of a city in disrepair being healed with nature, flowers and other living organisms.  It says the earth is hungry.  This shirt makes a statement, and is perfect weekend wear for green chic Colorado.

Love this one. Simple, and cute. (Also reminds me of Bart Simpson a little).

A few retro style t-shirts – what was old is new again!

It might be fun to have a theme party where everyone would wear their favorite statement t-shirts. What a good way to get to know people without even having to talk to them!

Trend Alert: The Tress

As you know, I attended and blogged about the Goodwill/Macy’s event last week. During that event one of the hosts, personal shopper and motivational speaker Carolyn Strauss, gave some great tips that I took home and immediately put to use.

One of the best tips she talked about was to make sure any new items match at least three different pieces already in your closet, or that they’re able to put together at least three different looks.  (My theory is, if you can do both, you are so ahead of the game). I hadn’t heard about this tip prior to hearing it from Carolyn, and I must say I am eternally grateful!

She also talked about a current trend that I know we’ll be hearing more about:  the tress.  The tress is kind of a t-shirt/shirt/dress.  It’s stretchy and you can scrunch it up to be a shirt, or stretch it out to be a dress.  This idea is so fantastic for travel and if you want to have a handy yet trendy cute style this summer and fall.

I had been on the fence with a particular tress I purchased at Goodwill.  After the event, I had no doubt that this item was going to be inducted to my wardrobe for weekly use.

I decided what different ways I could utilize the tress and found four different looks that I love!  I’m sure I could have found even more, but I was satisfied with the complete different looks I came up with and I am now taking this with me on my next business trip!

My first outfit is the tress in full on dress style.  Comfy, complimentary and unique, the tress accentuates shoulders and has a geometric green, tan and white polka dot with a black background.  Very versatile and looks great with a cute pair of heels.

The second outfit was heels, white summer pants and the tress scrunched up into a shirt style.

Finally, this tress is perfect for fall when worn in dress style with black tights, knee-high boots and a black knit jersey.  Nice and warm!

Another fall look is the tress with nylons (or tights), black heels and a long fitted blazer.  Great business outfit.

I could see this tress going with shorts, a skirt, and even accessorized for a night out on the town.  What a great addition!  I’m glad I made my decision AFTER the I heard Carolyn speak! Now I have so many outfits in one!

Books for the Bookworms!

I’m usually so focused on clothes and accessories when I visit  thrift stores that I never really pay attention to the book section. Today, I thought it would be a good time to see what little treasures lurk in the luxurious bookstore at the Denver Goodwill on Archer street.

The book nook at Archer is a very inviting environment, complete with the rich smell of coffee, bistro tables, and brick walls. You would almost feel like you were outside if it weren’t for the rich beautiful wooden floors.  What a treat!  I got lucky and found some truly interesting books during my last visit.

It was pretty interesting to peruse all the books and see what people have donated. It makes you wonder what kind of person owned these books and where they came from. A person is truly revealed by the kind of books they read, don’t you think?

For example, I didn’t know this World Report book existed.  It’s full of information on human rights and I found it extremely interesting.  I also think it’s cool that this was in the Goodwill store, a nonprofit organization that is truly dedicated to helping those in need.

On a lighter note, check out this Pocket DJ, a guide to making your own music and being a DJ. This is something I never thought of, but it’s such a cool idea if you want to make a playlist but don’t know what would be best.

Wonder what the person who originally bought this book, Exorcising Your Ex, was going through. No doubt a bad breakup!  This looks like an interesting read for anyone who is ready to move on from a bad relationship!

Or how about this job search guide? I know a lot of people could use this during touch economic times. And once again Goodwill is here to help people get back on their feet!

Lastly, This Book of LISTS!  Oh, this one was fun because it was published in 1977!  Total classic.  I couldn’t resist pulling out a few of these lists for your enjoyment.

I guess you can still learn things from this book! Like things you never knew had names.

OR how vegetarianism wasn’t too popular in the US in the 70′s:

Today, it’s almost trendy for women to have relationships with younger men.  It apparently was very hush hush back then.  Can you believe that was 30 years ago?

This was probably the most interesting:  10 prisoners eligible for parole in the next 13 years (why 13??).  Charles Manson was first on the list.  He was eligible in 1978.

Checking out the books at Goodwill is a fascinating rainy day activity – I’d recommend it to anyone. Soft backs are $1.00, so you can find plenty of entertainment for a very low price!

Goodwill’s Good Exchange to Change Lives VIP Fashion Event

Last night I attended the Goodwill Good Exchange to Change Lives fashion event at Macy’s. This event was packed with great food, fashion, music, wine, prizes and gift bags, all for a good cause! Who could ask for more? All it took to enter was a $10 donation that went directly toward Goodwill’s community programs. What a fabulous event – it was great to be there supporting something so positive.

The event was hosted by Macy’s and emceed by KMGH Channel 7′s morning meteorologist Lisa Hildalgo and Carolyn Strauss, who is an amazing personal shopper, motivational speaker and female entrepreneur extraordinaire.

The night started with a fun fashion show covering some of fall’s newest trends, sprinkled with tips on how to multipurpose the clothes.  One of my favorite tips that Carolyn provided was that you shouldn’t purchase anything if you can’t think of three different ways you can wear it with the clothes currently in your closet.

The fashion show was great, but by far the most inspiring part of the show were the three guest models who been part of Goodwill’s community programs.  These three women have all faced struggles in their life, but through hard work, determination, and a little help from Goodwill to boot, they have come out on top.  It was so encouraging to see these strong women who are confident and have made decisions to turn their difficulties into something positive.  They are following their dreams and looking terrific with their new makeovers!

After the show was over there was one final announcement – Goodwill and Macy’s were teaming up to honor one more strong woman from the Denver community with a full “life”  makeover. Brittany Norton has been through a rough time of it lately – she was hit by a car when she was walking down the street and faced numerous physical injuries, including broken ribs, a punctured lung, and more. Her physical injuries have made life difficult, but throughout her entire ordeal she has kept a positive attitude and a smile on her face. Congrats to you Brittany, you deserve it!

Here’s to Goodwill and Macy’s for hosting an event that was fun, informational, and full of fashion.

Good Exchange to Change Lives!

Goodwill is hosting the coolest event this Thursday with Macy’s! It’s called the Good Exchange to Change Lives VIP event, and they’re going to have personal shoppers doing consultations, make-up tips and fashion advice from the pros, free food and drink, and more! I can’t wait to see what Macy’s has in store for fall, and I love going that my shopping habit is all going to a good cause, Goodwill!

If you want to go, you can register here. The first 100 people to register get a $10 gift card to Macy’s, so hurry!  Hope to see you on Thursday!

Shirts Inspired by Scarves

The other week, I talked  about square scarves and their uses.  I have been thinking about these scarves and see inspiration in shirts and their scarf-like patterns. It seems like there is a subtle summer trend with the scarves and paralleling summer whimsical shirts. Check out what I found at Goodwill.

First, this fun Old Navy shirt, has a similar pattern as the scarf I found right next to it. What a pair!

And I love this gorgeous shirt by Banana Republic. It’s silk with a halter neck tie. Paired with this funky polka-dotted scarf, you can’t go wrong.

Or how about these exotic Indian-inspired patterns?

Summer shirts will soon be changing to long sleeves, so get your scarf inspired shirt soon!