Thursday, July 1, 2010

Thrifty Blogger of the Month: Megan of Transmission Me

I am excited to announce a new Another's Treasure monthly feature: Thrifty Blogger of the Month! I always enjoy reading personal style blogs that feature thrifted goods, and I can't wait to share them with you all :)

The first thrifty blogger is Megan of the blog Transmission Me. She is such a sweet person who knows how to rock awesome thrifted clothing in her everyday life.

I did a little interview with Megan so you can get to know a little more about her and why she's well-deserving of the first thrifty blogger of the month :) (Highlighted in purple are my favorites of her ideas and quotes!)

Amanda: When did you first start thrift shopping, and why did you begin?
Megan: My family and I lived in a rural part of Maryland, and we did not have many close shopping options (Target and Old Navy did not exist back then!). My high school friends and I would frequent a small volunteer-run thrift store and pick up worn original Levi's and army pants that went perfectly with our Doc Martens. Our favorite trick was finding little girls' patterned turtlenecks and cutting the tops off into boatnecks. I still do that sometimes!

When I started working in an office, I switched to shopping for clothing at regular retail stores, and quickly grew nauseous at the sight of rows and rows of the exact same item and at ridiculous prices. I started to frequent thrift shops again to find blazers and slacks that didn't cost a fortune. One day I just realized that I am, and always will be, crazy about the rush of finding something unique and special for a few dollars.

Amanda: What do you consider your best thrifted find ever?

Megan: I found my wedding gift "container" while thrift store shopping! I wanted to incorporate vintage and romantic pieces into my wedding decor, and I found a gorgeous decorative bird cage that fit with the antique brass look that I adore. The wedding cards slipped nicely into the slots, and I was thrilled to find it while I was actually still doing the wedding planning.

Amanda: What would be the ultimate coolest thing to see for a dollar at a thrift store? (Mine would be vintage Ray Bans!)

Megan: Oh yes, finding vintage sunnies would be the bomb! I'm also always on the look out for the perfect faux-leather engineer boots. I love the look of those boots with knee high socks and a floral dress. Hoping to find some before Fall so wish me luck!

(Photo: Courtesy of Megan and Outfit: Everything thrifted except tights and shoes :))
Amanda: Do you have any tips on finding great things while thrifting? Please share!

Megan: Thanks for asking! I narrowed it down to four that I've found to be the most useful to me:

1. Study your favorite styles in magazines, blogs, and websites before you go. I started doing this over the last six months and it has helped me tremendously in my choices. It also helps with writing my posts because I can write about what inspired me to pick it out. 
2. Pick items out first because you love the pattern, color, or texture, and then look at the size. If you really love it, but it is not exactly the right fit, with a little imagination, nip, or tuck, you can make it work! I learned to buy things I LOVE, not because I think I need them because they are my size and I kinda liked them. My spending has been cut in half and I adore every single item that comes into my home.

3. Spring or summer, winter or fall, make sure you wear a tank top underneath so you can try things on if there is no dressing room (or the line is too long!). Most of the time I just find a mirror that is out of the way, and spend 10 minutes or so throwing things on and off.

4. Lastly, don't forget to look at jewelry! I have found amazing pieces by closely examining the different clumps of jewelry behind the glass case at the counter. Recently I found some hand-painted vintage screw-on earrings, very similar to ones I inherited from my grandmother. They sold them to me for $2. Also, my beautiful brooch collection is growing because I started to pay more attention to that section of the store.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best thrift store adventures!!

Isn't she great? Be sure to check out Megan's lovely blog Transmission Me and her Chictopia.

Always,
Amanda

5 comments:

  1. aw, GREAT interview! I follow Megan as well and she really is one of the sweetest, kind bloggers out there!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you so much Amanda!! I'm so honored!!!

    And thank YOU Megan for the super sweet comment!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Megan, so glad to see her featured here! She definitely has envy inducing thrift skills, but I think this is the first time I've heard her talk about the process of her own shopping. Great new feature!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree- Megan is awesome :) I'm excited about this monthly feature, and I can't wait to feature more awesome ladies!

    ReplyDelete
  5. She has some great ideas!!! I'll have to try that boatneck idea!

    ReplyDelete

I love your comments! You all are the best!