looking fly on a dime vintage dressLast week was my Best Dressed Madame event that I hosted during Essence Music Festival and we had an amazing time. Along with my co-hosts Carmen from Lipstick Fashion Mascara and Tiffini of Atlanta Tastemaker Magazine, the night was full of drinks, light bites and fashionable fun. I'll have a full recap for you next week, but for now, let's just focus on what I wore.

Our event was held at May Baily's Place at the Dauphine Orleans Hotel. The bar used to be a brothel {cheeky!}, so our theme was all about dressing up in an over the top, sassy, fun way. I kept my look fairly subdued since I'd be hosting, but I didn't hold out on the glamour.

affordable nyc thrift store, cheap new york thrift stores

I tend to get the same question over and over, "Patrice, what's your favorite thrift store in NYC?" Well, I've done quite a few posts on my favorites {including thrift shopping 101}, but this post is all about my favorite, most affordable shops. These are the places I go when I want serious bang for my limited buck. Yes, New York can be expensive and some thrift stores charge $10, $15 or even $20 for a basic dress, but not these shops.Check out my top three picks for most affordable thrift stores in New York. I'm talking as low as less than $1 for vintage and designer goods.

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Anytime someone asks me how I would describe my style, I tend to say casual chic or dressy casual. On most occasions I don't like being too gussied up but I also love a few stand out pieces. Dressy trousers tend to make me think of a stuffy corporate environment, which is totally not my style, but I found a pair that I had to have during O So Chic's clothing swap party. Instead of rocking the pants as is, I cuffed them up and threw on a bright top and sparkly shoes for a more relaxed look.I love how the red/burnt orange Gucci top I snagged for $1 at the Goodwill Outlet stands out with the pants. Yes, Gucci for $1! Be sure to check in your area to see if there's an Outlet near you, clothes are priced by the pound and you can walk away with great deals.

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From emails to tweets to comments, I tend to get the same questions related to thrift shopping. I've done posts on most of these questions but I wanted to compile a FAQ {frequently asked questions} post for you guys. Here are my top five frequently asked questions related to thrift shopping.Q: How do I find a good thrift store in my area? A: Thrift stores aren't created equally, so it's really a matter of trial and error. It takes time to find the store that's best for you. Take a drive or walk around your area to scope out secondhand shops, ask friends for referrals and visit websites for national chains like Salvation Army and Goodwill to find a location near you. And be sure to check out The Thrift Shopper, it's a national directory of resale shops.Q: I live in a small town, will I find good stuff at my thrift store? A: Some people tend to think only major cities have awesome thrift stores, and this is so not true. Though I'm in NYC, I've come across some really crappy stores. Sometimes, it's the smaller cities that have better merchandise: vintage pieces and the stuff isn't as picked over. If you don't think so, check out what I found while thrifting in a small town in Ohio.