Confession no. 1

Hey there thrifters (or non-thrifters...that will change soon), it's me, Ray, and I'm here to save the day.. or your life. 

The time has finally come and after 72 hours of hard work, no sleep, frustration, excitement and angst- I'm ready to dive in and get honest with you guys. I've dreamt of starting my own blog for YEARS, but I found myself making a number of excuses. "I don't know how to tech", "I'm too busy (shopping.. typical)" etc. Whats felt like thousands of years later, mama we made it. Welcome to my blog, here you will find all things thrifty and learn how to get nifty. 

Not a thrifter? That's okay, let me make you one. Tune into my blog bi-weekly and give me a chance to convince you on why you should thrift. Actually, I'll give you four reasons now. 

1. Thrifting WILL save you $$$! If you're on a budget *college students especially*, you're a frugal gal, or maybe you're a trend shopper and can't get yourself to spend an arm and a leg on an item you may only wear three times, thrift shopping is for you. Do I really need to explain why more money in your pocket is a good thing? 

2. Shopping at thrift stores reduces your carbon footprint, and saving the earth is hot. There is a numerous amount of ways to reduce your footprint, but thrifting is one of them. Live your life by the three R's: Reduce your number of purchases with department stores, Re-use other people's clothes and Recycle your unwanted articles. Someone will gladly purchase your old clothing- one womans junk is another womans treasure. 

Copyright: Madewell.

3. Many thrift stores support local charities. Whats a better deal than shopping for less and supporting a cause? It's almost like adopting a pet at the shelter.. you pay a small amount for an animal in need, and you save their life. If you're a Jacksonville native (DUUUUVAL), a local thrift store that gives back is 'Hope's Closet' founded by the Church of Eleven22. When you purchase from Hope's, you're allowing Eleven22 to disciple people, fund community transformation programs, and support their ministry partners. To learn more about their mission, visit https://www.coe22.com/hopescloset/. 

4. Thrift Shopping allows for more creativity- Express yo-self. A lot of department stores and malls tend to produce the same styles and charge a heftier price; whereas thrift stores are prominent for having funky and one-of-a-kind items. If you want to shred a pair of jeans and do a D.I.Y trial, thrift stores make it easy for you with a large selection of denim made anywhere from the 1950s to the 2000s. Purchase that $7 pair of jeans, and get crafty. You can find anything from housewares items to toys, shoes, belts, tops, dresses, pants, and jewelry in thrift stores. You can even find a wedding or prom dress in many thrift stores, how awesome is that? 

Now that I've convinced you, or given you more reasons to continue thrifting, let's pop some tags and get started (don't take that literal.. stealing is lame.) 

Let's get interactive.

 I've put my literal heart and soul into making a subpar quiz for you guys and I hope you get some  answers. As the results can't be 100% accurate because theres too many classifications, I did my best to include the most realistic and applicable options for you guys. Take one minute and complete this quiz to find out what style you are, then thrifting will become a whole lot easier. After completing the quiz, refer below to find out what style you lean toward, as you may be in the middle of two.

What Type of Style Suits You Best? 

Scores: You can score anywhere from 8-56 points. Ignore the percentage, refer to the total number. 

8- Tomboy

The definition of tomboy ten years ago differs from todays definition. You are similar to street style, but you're more laid back. You don't follow the social norms on what women should wear, you mix it up. Comfort and simplicity- thats all you need. 

16- Vintage Style 

Ahhh, one of my favorite styles. Vintage is fun to find, but also rare at that. It may be easy to find a piece that screams 'vintage' at your local Forever 21, but they're not actually vintage, because they're new. Not bagging on Forever21, love that store. You may be the 'mom' of the group if this is your style. Thin-rimmed, metal glasses (fake or real), mom jeans, and patterns are just a few of your favorite things. 

24- Artsy

You're most likely creative and like to think outside the box. You have no limits. Your closet consists of patterns such as stripes and checkers to free lance. The more color, the better. You also follow the latest trends, but add a twist to your style. Not sure how it looks on the hanger? You're bold enough to try it on and find out for yourself. 

32- Bohemian 

Not only do you look like you just stepped out of a festival, but your style screams 'free-spirited'. Pair together a crochet top with your favorite flare jeans or maxi dress and two-buckle belt and add your floppy hat, bam. Your outfit is a go. 

Copyright: Zaravictoria.com

40- Street Style

Street Style is a broad spectrum, but you more than likely tend to stick with the trendiest items. Throw on your platform white sneakers with a pair of cargo pants or ripped jeans and a crop top- then you're good to go. Oh. don't forget a rad pair of sunnies.

48- Preppy 

There you have it N.Y.C.. Blair has been spotted at the met in her best attire yet. Ok, sorry.. I had to. If you scored preppy, maybe you prefer to get dolled up in your pearls, skirts, and blouses. Or maybe you prefer to wear Vineyard vines tee shirts with your favorite pair of gym shorts. 

56- Chic 

If you scored chic, you're still trendy but prefer to go more sophisticated. You choose less bold colors, and more loose-fitting but flattering styles. You are classy all the way. 

Now that you've read through the seven provided styles, don't limit yourself to just one. Be who you want to be, create your own box. Tune in next time for a topic you don't want to miss. 

Signing off, 

Ray<3