I've never been a fan of cropped tops. I mean, they're cute and everything but I always felt a little weird about exposing my stomach. However, when I found an adorable one at the Housing Works Buy the Bag sale, I knew it had to come home with me. Since I'm not fully ready to show the world my belly button, I paired the top with a high waist skirt, also from Housing Works, where I walked away with clothing for 35 cents a piece.

I normally don't like skirts this length {it's a few inches shy of being a maxi} but how could I ignore that pattern and built in belted waist. Gorgeous!

Last week I received an email and the subject line read: What about plus size thrifting?The message proceeded: Patrice, I love your blog but it must be easy for you to shop since you're so small. I'm plus size (a 16) and I want to get in to thrifting. Will I be able to find stuff?I responded to the reader's email but I also wanted to post it on the blog since I've had people ask me this question before.The simple answer is yes, plus size guys...

Last week you guys had some great suggestions when I asked if and how I should continue my Thrifty Threads 365 challenge. A lot of you thought I should continue my thrift only wardrobe but set a monthly limit for my purchases. And that got me thinking about the cardinal sin of thrifting: overspending.

I know some people think, 'how can you go over budget when everything's so cheap?" But "cheap" stores are the prime location to go crazy and drop a ton of cash. You're so enamored by the prices and awesome finds that you snatch everything up, whether you need them or not.It's kind of like when you go to the dollar store {for me it's Dollar Tree. Isn't that place amazing!?}. You may walk in with the intention of buying a few things but other goodies always catch your eye. And you end up with bags of miscellaneous items and you rationalize by saying 'it's only a dollar." Well, those dollars add up. And it's the same way with thrift shopping. Though I like to think of myself as a thrift enthusiast, even I've been guilty of this.

My Thrifty Threads 365 challenge {a year long hiatus from purchasing new clothes, I can only thrift} will be over in just four weeks. I can't believe almost a year has passed. When I started the project on September 1, 2010, I had no idea how it would turn out. I thought I'd be temped to shop but that wasn't the case. Instead, I nabbed so many great items on my trips to secondhand stores that I realized I wasn't missing out on anything. With all of the awesome goodies...