thrift store runway

If you're a serious thrifter like me, then a good portion of your wardrobe comes from thrift and vintage stores, eBay, flea markets, etc. Not only can you create a unique style by rocking secondhand threads, but now, you can even earn some serious cash.I first learned about Thrift Store Runway earlier this year when they contacted me about being a judge. Judge what, you ask?The site is a virtual fashion show for those who love to thrift. Thrifters submit their best Thrifty Threads outfits and the winner can receive up to $500.

Looking Fly on a Dime thrifty threads 365Can you believe it's been a year already?! Exactly one year ago today, I started phase two of my Thrifty Threads 365 challenge, a full year where I only buy secondhand clothes and spend $50 or less per month. For the past year, I've shown you my Thrifty Thread outfits as well as a tally of how much I've spent each month.
For the month of September, I spent....zero dollars! Seriously, I didn't spend a penny on clothes or accessories last month. I've been way too busy with work to shop {woe is me!}. Oh, and I'm prepping for The Today Show next week {but more on that in a few days}.
And over the past year, I only spent $460 on clothes. Yup, an entire year's wardrobe for less than 500 bucks.
And with that $460, I've snagged some great pieces...

Looking Fly on a Dime DirectoryI constantly have people ask me what my favorite thrift stores in NYC are. I've done posts on this before {thrift shopping FAQ}, as I have a set of shops I visit on a regular basis. When it comes to New York, I can direct anyone to the appropriate shop based on their needs.

But I also have readers ask about thrift and vintage shops outside of the Big Apple and then I'm usually stumped for answers. I always tell people to check out The Thrift Shopper {enter your zip code for secondhand shops in the U.S} and of course I take to my Facebook page for suggestions, which is exactly what I did when someone hit me up on Twitter asking for great thrift stores in Baltimore.

thrifty threads 365, looking fly on a dimeAnother month down, so it’s time to recap my Thrifty Threads 365 challenge {a full year where I only thrift shop for clothes and accessories, no new items}. My budget for each month is $50 and how much did I spend for the month of August? *drum roll* Exactly $0. Yup, zero.

I seriously didn't realize I went the entire month without shopping for clothes until I went to pull out my receipts for the previous month. There was plenty of evidence from dining out {I eat out way too much, trying to curb that}, but not a single receipt from Goodwill, Salvation Army, Housing Works or any secondhand store for a clothes purchase. I thought this had to be a mistake, maybe I threw some receipts away. But after racking my brain, I realized I didn't buy any clothes for the month.However,...

Do you guys know what today, August 17 is? Well, if you read the title of this post, then you know it's National Thrift Shop Day.

And though many people think thrift shopping is a hard skill that only certain people can acquire, that's so not true. Yes, it takes patience but anyone can master it. If you're new to thrift shopping, you can always check out my Thrift Shopping 101, How to Find the Best Thrift Store or Ten Thrift Shopping Commandments {part one and part two}.I know thrift shopping has become a fad for some people, but I've been doing this for about 10 years. I didn't start thrifting because it was cool, I did it because I was a broke college student living off of her work study pay check. Now I thrift because it's economical, I love the thrill of finding a cheap, unique treasure and in many cases, the money I spend on secondhand clothing benefits a charitable cause.In honor of National Thrift Shop Day, I wanted to share some of my thrift store scores with you on this glorious "holiday."