style – Page 5 – Thrift Shopping Buzz

$2 Dollar Thrill – Recycle It & Rock It!

Last weekend I found myself wondering– what can you get for a couple of bucks these days? Turns out $2 buys a whole lot of cool stuff at $2 Dollar Thrill in Ocean Beach. Everything from vinyl records to CD’s to cute dresses and summer tops. I’m not kidding… you really can buy a dress in this place for $2. A super cute dress! When I originally stopped by it was a sunny Sunday afternoon and I was post-beach and completely out of cash (bummer). An especially huge bummer because I spotted a super-fabulous dress and didn’t have 2 bucks in actual cash-only my debit card. (Ahh.. such is life) The good news– I’m planning a return trip next weekend and maybe I can do some damage under $10. Never thought I’d say that!!

$2 Dollar Thrill
4871 Newport Avenue
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
Phone: (619) 222-2772
Web: www.thrifttrader.org

From what I was told, this is the place where the “left-over” stuff from their Pacific Beach store goes. I hear in Pacific Beach the items are priced at $6 (oh… guess this is the high price store-ha). So… recycle it and rock the look! Here’s to recycling and here are some of the cute things I found…

Noon Design Shop – jewelry, paper & goods

Noon Design is a great place to buy gifts–they are budget-friendly with lots of jewelry between $10 and $30. And if you need to send a cute card or invitations for a special event they have a phenomenal assortment. Gotta love supporting locally owned and operated places too, right?

Noon Design Shop
4993 Niagara Avenue #105
San Diego, CA 92107
Phone: (619) 523-1744
Web: www.noondesignshop.com

Beauty is everywhere in this shop. It’s lovingly packed with items such as hand-etched glassware, handmade notecards and soaps in addition to jewelry that spans from dainty to eclectic. Great news– the prices are incredibly good. I found earrings under $25 (I’m talking crystal, turquoise, mother of pearl, sterling silver handmade earrings) and incredible crystal pendants for the more adventurous.

It was a treat just being in this shop! I found it by accident a few weeks ago on one of my strolls at the beach. I will definitely be back for a pair of earrings. (Sidenote: I’m at home now– perusing the well laid out Noon Design Shop website and planning which earrings I want luckily my wallet is across the room in my purse….)

Closet – Ocean Beach… style on a budget

Style on a budget for the budget conscious beach babe in all of us. Yes– that’s what I found when I stepped into the Closet this afternoon in Ocean Beach. The weather is starting to warm up and I was looking for some cute dresses and spring t-shirts. I was thrilled to find a table with colorful t-shirts priced 3/$10. And the dresses are priced at a wallet friendly $15 for those of us who can’t afford to shop at Bloomingdales regularly. Jewelry– they have lots of it– fit for any jewelry emergency you might be having. I found trendy & fun rings and bangles priced between $2 and $5. Colorful summer shorties priced at $9.99 and jeans $15.99.

Closet

4949 Newport Avenue

San Diego, CA 92107

Phone: (619) 222-2999

Facebook.com/ClosetSignature

Cheap, easy, fun & disposable clothes– can’t beat that when the price is right. A word to the wise- be sure to try stuff on in this place especially if you have “womanly curves.” Some of the clothes are cut on the slim side.

Huge selection of shoes and handbags in this place too. I seriously stood in front of the “wall of shoes” for a good 20 minutes just taking it all in. I had a great time shopping here! It’s easy retail therapy for well under $20.

$250 Wedding Dress – A Nite On The Town – Fashion & Bridal in San Diego

Planning a wedding in the near future? Searching for a beautiful bargain of a dress? I have the perfect place for you! A Nite On The Town in San Diego’s UTC neighborhood specializes in bridal, prom, designer evening dresses and tuxedos. Started almost 20 years ago in 1992, they have turned into a leading formal wear shop. You can select from over 2,000 of the latest designer bridal and special occasion dresses (including mother of the bride) and tuxedos in stock. Better yet– A Nite On The Town offers on-site professional alterations and a complete line of accessories.

A Nite On The Town Fashion & Bridal

8650 Genesee Avenue #222

San Diego, CA 92122

Phone: (858) 457-1233

Web: www.ANiteOnTheTown.com

When I walked into this shop I was greeted by Shanna while I browsed the racks. All formal wear dresses in my photos were between $199 and $350. As far as the wedding dress inventory, prices range from $500 to approximately $2,000 range. For the budget babes out there planning a wedding- this shop offers wedding dress rentals for $250 for the weekend. How cool is that?! (a lot of times women wear their wedding dress once and then it sits in a box in the closet…) I find the idea of renting a wedding dress very eco-friendly and budget friendly– $250 for a designer wedding gown sounds awesome!

Deals happening right now–

$44.95 for a tuxedo with the purchase of a dress (tuxedo is $59.95 without the dress purchase)
Huge Sale: 50% to 60% off on selected items

Buffalo Exchange – Hillcrest

Need something fun to wear? Need an infusion of hip & cool in your wardrobe? Definitely give Buffalo Exchange a try. It’s a thrift store with oh-so hipster fashionable inventory. From what I understand they are a bit on the choosy side about what they take in– which is fine because the stuff on the floor is pretty much awesome. I found some fantastic wristlets and fun shoes. Everything was color coordinated and fairly organized considering this place was packed with clothes! The day I was there it was hard to move around because there were so many shoppers in the store.

Buffalo Exchange – Hillcrest

3862 5th Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103

Phone: (619) 298-4411

Web: www.BuffaloExchange.com

Of special note– on April 21st….

SAVE OCEAN ANIMALS AT OUR DOLLAR SALE!

All Locations Apr 21, 2012

Save ocean animals while shopping for hip used clothing at a bargain. In celebration of Earth Day, Buffalo Exchange is recognizing the work of The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, and its international arm, Humane Society International, in helping to protect ocean animals. All proceeds from the sale of items offered for one dollar each at your local Buffalo Exchange on April 21 will go The HSUS and HSI.

CupCase Your Bra

CupCase Your Bras™ is a stylish protective travel and storage case for your bras. Protect your bras from crimping, crushing and creasing while you travel with CupCase. Bras have evolved from providing function to delivering high fashion. Price increases for these beautiful undergarments necessitate a greater need to protect them while you travel. CupCase Your Bras™ “butterflies-open” with one easy zip and stores up to three bras with additional safe storage for hair ties, jewelry, and other small accessories. Choose from Hot Pink, Pretty Purple, Spot on Leopard or Charming Cheetah.

Charming Cheetah – $19.95

This has got to be the most awesome invention ever! How many times have you travelled and had to crush your bras and panties into your suitcase- all the time hoping during the airport process your undergarments would remain intact in your bag?! (this was my dilemma over Christmas break last year…) This case holds not only your bra but also other tiny essentials like hair accessories and bracelets. Seems like it might be good for swimwear too. Spring break travels?

Seriously, I know nothing about this product until I connected w/ them on my Twitter account. Like I said, I wish I had the CupCase the last time I travelled. I hate the idea of my bras and accessories crushed in my suitcase. Next time I’ll travel with CupCase!

CupCase Your Bras™

Founder: Erin Wilson
Phone: 317-870-1978

Web: www.cupcase.com

“My Sister’s Closet”- Recycled Designer Apparel

Having a bad day? Maybe a “recycled” Kate Spade bag or perhaps a pair of “new to you” Jimmy Choo heels might hit the spot? Tonite after work I stopped by My Sister’s Closet in the Costa Verde Shopping Center in San Diego’s UTC neighborhood. The windows were alive with colorful Spring looks and the designer handbags were amazing as always. I had to remind myself several times to “keep the credit card in the wallet.” (you have no idea how difficult this was!)

The shoes were divine– everything from Jimmy Choo to western boots to pink designer rain boots. Some pricey designer shoes and some of the $12.95 variety (pictured below). However, I was hugely disappointed tonite when I skimmed thru the skirts section because 2 skirts I had all scoped out were gone! Obviously, this goes to prove my new golden rule of thrift shopping– when you see it & you like it, you BUY it immediately. (the cute stuff goes fast!) So much for that other rule– that thing about keeping my credit card in my wallet…. Rules are (sometimes) meant to be broken….

I didn’t end up buying anything tonite. It was just a quick whirlwind of retail therapy being a looky-loo in the store. I did take a few photos of some “finds” in My Sister’s Closet. Probably the best thing I found tonite was the black heels $12.95. Too bad they were a Size 81/2 hiding in the Size 7 section. Being the typical female shoe shopper, I did try on the shoes even though they were the wrong size in the hopes they might fit (big surprise- they didn’t fit). Oh well– perhaps a Size 7 Jimmy Choo is in my future? Cheers– and happy shopping.

My Sister’s Closet

8610 Genesee Avenue #200

San Diego CA 92122

Phone: (858) 455-0045

Web: www.mysisterscloset.com

DIY – Wooden Cigar Box Transforms into Jewelry Box

Do you have too much jewelry and not an organized place to keep it all? I found myself in a similar situation– jewelry stashed in random places to the point I had to “search” for what I wanted to wear. Well, I came up with a stylish DIY project last weekend while strolling thru Kobey’s Swap Meet in the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego.

Tucked in the midst of random odd household items I found the I Liquidate table featuring some fantastic cigar boxes. You read that right– cigar boxes. I purchased a total of 3 wooden cigar boxes and the owner threw in a freebie– I spent $10. I figured this would be an excellent was to re-use something that might be thrown in the trash. The boxes were surprisingly sturdy and of good quality.

I Liquidate (“you call, we haul”)

Ramona, CA 92065

Phone: (619) 770-9921

The stack of boxes looks really cute tucked in my living room cabinet. I secured some felt to line the boxes (price: Free) so my jewelry will be protected. This was a super quick & easy project. It took maybe 30 minutes to line the boxes with the felt. Probably the biggest time-consuming part of the whole thing was deciding which jewelry would be placed in which box (decisions!).

Flashbacks Recycled Fashions – Hillcrest

Flashbacks is diverse and extremely reasonable with their prices. They have a fantastic selection of pre-owned and “NEW” retro clothing. There seriously is something for everyone. Fun place to shop, helpful staff and prices were right on the money. A lot of unique & funky stuff. They have everything! Belts, sunglasses, wigs, tutus, clothes, shoes, & jewelry. (It’s fun to just kinda look around in there.) I’ve been here 2 times in the last 6 months and it was a total blast! No, I didn’t buy a tutu. But did find several jackets and some funky bracelets.

Just so you know they offer cash for clothes too. Buy, Sell, Trade. Bring in some of your “old” things and trade in for something fresh at Flashbacks. From what I understand they are very fair with their exchanges/trades.

Flashbacks Recycled Fashions

3849 5th Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103

Phone: (619) 291-4200

Flashbacks is an eclectic mix of old and new. Some old, and some brand new stuff— tights, 80’s wear, platform shoes and everything in excellent condition, and the best news of all it doesn’t smell yucky! I know it’s the “second time around” but it’s important to me to smell yummy. Bravo on some fabulous recycled fashions. Here’s a few photos:

Twirl –

Twirl in Hillcrest…. what can I say but… fabulous… fantastic… ooo-la-la. I’ve walked by this boutique numerous times but just never went in. I was pleasantly surprised when I did actually walk thru the door. This place is great! I felt instantly welcomed by not only the staff but the welcoming interior. Everything was so pretty. They have a nice selection of dresses, handbags, accessories– anything at all to make dressing for a special occasion a true pleasure.

Twirl

3840 Fifth Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103

Phone: (619) 291-0933

I was in heaven the whole time I was in here. Twirl stocks a color-coordinated variety of adorable dresses, shorts, pencil skirts and accessories all at pretty amazing prices. The clothes range from about $15-$40+ and definitely worth it. Here is a random selection of what I saw:

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SAVE OCEAN ANIMALS AT OUR DOLLAR SALE!

All Locations Apr 21, 2012

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