You know Spring is coming when you find gorgeous silk camisoles in thrift stores like this Tahari piece I pillaged.  This piece is just jaw dropping ultra FABulicious,  sexed up, and is a  size 4.  I paid $3.25 for this item that would retail for so much more.  The next item I found was this St. John knit short skirt size 4 as well.  I love St. John and think this skirt would look fabulous on a 20 year old girl if she mixed it with a funky top by Stella McCartney or a 70 year old woman when she puts on her vintage Chanel ( found in thrift store) jacket on.

Angelina Jolie was the face of St. John but was replaced by wife of White Stripes’ Jack White Karen Elson in a effort to be more fashion forward.  This luxury brand to me ROCKS and I’ll tell you why.  I love the simple fact that you can take any piece from their collection and add it to another brand and you have a classic look.  These pieces are designed to mix and match.  I paid $5.25 for this skirt.  The shoes are by Camper which I totally love.  You must click that link and watch their video it’s so creative.  Camper is the living history of a family business from a great family of innovators, who for more than a century and involving four generations have dedicated themselves to the footwear industry.  Camper was born in 1975 in Spain and opened their first store in 1981 in Barcelona.  I love that each shoe has a different strip, one is horizontal the other vertical.  Brilliant and so damn creative. These shoes were $5.25.  I put this entire ensemble together for $13.75, now that ROCKS and ROCKS hard, just the way I like it.  Don’t forget to shop at The Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook. For entertainment value check out my YouTube videos about thrifting.  Toodles for now.  Daniel

I have to tell you I got very excited when I put this entire ensemble together for under $5.00.  Going to one of my favorite thrift stores where everything was priced at $1.50 that day, EVERYTHING, makes for a nice day.  Knowing this my goal was to search to see if I can actually put together an entire look, and I think I did.  First I found this Nanette Lepore silk top size small and the color of a washed out stalk of celery, completely wonderful and very Spring 2010.  Natette designs in her atelier in New York City alongside her husband, Robert, who helms the business side of the worldwide brand.   Next I needed a bottom and what better bottom than Tahari.  These gorgeous black slacks with a subtle print goes from office to evening in a blink of those Dior eyelashes.  Women have been drawn to Elie Tahari designs for over three decades, and this devoted following continues to revel in the feminine embellishments, sensual fabrics, and subtle textures that have come to define the Elie Tahari collection.  Finally I needed a pair of shoes and these raspberry BCBG Paris slingback shoes are perfect.  I gobbled them up so fast you would have thought I was at the Neiman Marcus Final Last Call Sale.  The light color top with the black slacks and that simple splash of color in the shoes makes this one SEXed up ensemble and all for under 5 bucks.  Yes I’m patting myself on the back right now.  Don’t forget to shop at The Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook.  For your entertainment check out my YouTube videos.   Toodles for now.  Daniel

I received an email from a follower named Pat who wanted to share his findings of  8 Turnbull & Asser dress shirts, all the same size, at one thrift store for $4.00 each.  Needless to say I was extremely happy for the guy,  finding 8 Turnbull & Asser dress shirts all the same size from the same store,  for $4.00 each  won’t happen again till Halley’s comet returns.  The closest I can come to anything remotely comparable is me finding 4 Ermenegildo Zegna short sleeve shirts all from the same thrift store and paying $14.16 for all four.  Who knows how 8 Turnbull & Asser  shirts end up in one thrift store or 4 Zegna shirts,  but I don’t ask and I don’t tell.  Pat was at the right place at the right moment, just like me, it’s all about timing with a splash of luck and a twist of patience.  Now I’m thirsty for a martini !  Just think I now have 4 short sleeve Zegna shirts perfect for this Spring / Summer and I paid $14.16 total.  Can you even get a pair of white socks for that today?  Be sure to check out The Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook and also watch my YouTube videos  Toodles for now.  Daniel

I always giggle when I find Brioni in the thrift stores, I don’t know why exactly but I do.  It could be a nervous giggle because I think someone might come right behind me and grab it out of my hands and re price it.  It could also just be overwhelming happiness that I found a damn Brioni item.  Brioni is universally recognized as the most prestigious luxury brand in the men’s fashion world.  Likewise, the materials and finishings used in the women’s collection reflect the same expertise combined with a great personality.  This French cuff mens dress shirt size 16.5 and tailored in Italy for Neiman Marcus was priced at $3.00.  The next item  Theory capri slacks size 4,

made with rayon, cotton and lycra giving that stretch that conforms to the body.  Theory was founded in 1997 on the principle that men and women want to feel comfortable and sexy in modern clothing.  Theory is geared to answer the needs of a contemporary customer, one who has a demanding and versatile lifestyle.   Sophisticated, urban and discriminating, yet seeking comfort and value.  They are priced at $1.50, at Neiman Marcus these capri slacks would retail for anywhere from $180-250.  Finally I found this really gorgeous constructed womens jacket by Yumi-Mazao made in France size 44 or USA 12.  Yumi-Mazao was founded in 1985 in Paris and they have 3 boutiques: Paris, Boulogne, and Strasbourg.  The price of this jacket was $4.00.  If I were styling a client I would put in her the Brioni French cuff shirt, Theory capri slacks and the Yumi-Mazao jacket and would have spent a whopping $8.50 for a completely luxurious ensemble.  My client could then walk into the Ritz Carlton and look and feel like a million damn dollars.  Be sure to shop at the Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook .  Toodles for now.  Daniel

When I pushed back the other blouses on the rack to get a good look at this blouse that

POPPED out at me,  my mouth dropped when I saw the imagery .  This blouse is a real piece of art, it’s gorgeous.  The label is Custo Barcelona made in Spain and size 2, priced at $3.00.  The Dalmus brothers, Custo and David, created Custo Barcelona in the early 1980′s after a long trip during which they traveled all around the world.  Their journey allowed them to discover not only new landscapes but the most varied of artistic, cultural and philosophical expressions.  Amongst the things they found to be most worthy of interest were the typically Californian style they saw on the surfers.  The brothers were impressed by the colorful and innovative fashion trends they came across, and in particular the style of the tops and t shirts which didn’t exist in Spain.  My other big European find was this Valentino black wook skirt size 12 and priced at $4.00.  The designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli for Valentino, completed their training in fashion design at the Istituto  Europeo di Design in Rome.  Maria and Pier met at Fendi, where they worked for 10 years; during this time they established their creative talent in the fashion world.  Today I found two items from two of my favorite countries, Italy and Spain, and boy does it have me JONESING for a trip to Europe.  I can’t even begin to wonder just how much damage I could do to those thrift stores in Europe, but I sure do want to find out.  These 2 incredible European items cost me $7.00, I know that won’t even buy me a cup of coffee in Europe.  Don’t forget to shop The Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook .  Toodles for now.  Daniel

What a steal to find a vintage Lacoste tennis dress for $2.00, it’s almost a crime.  In 1980-1982 I played on the tennis team in my high school of Raymondville Texas, its a stones throw from the Mexican border, and I remember girls wearing this kind of tennis dress.  The label says it came from Sakowitz which was a very expensive luxury department store in Houston Texas.  When I said expensive I mean expensive.  Unfortunately it was liquidated in 1990 and closed its doors, but anyone from Texas can tell you all about it.  Christopher Lemaire is the creative director for Lacoste now and would make Rene Lacoste proud.  Next item I found was this striped short sleeve Jaeger cotton blouse size medium.  The blouse was priced at $1.29 and is so sassy and sexy for Spring.  Jaeger is a high end luxury brand from England and last year, Stuart Stockdale came on board as design director of Jaeger.  He previously revitalized the image of Pringle of Scotland.  It might be early to say this but I think he can do for Jaeger, what Christopher Bailey did for Burberry.  Finally I scored this Ralph Lauren black velvet stretchy blouse made from rayon & lycra size medium and priced at $3.00.  You can either buy yourself a cup of coffee from Starbucks or buy a velvet Ralph Lauren blouse, ok  I weighed the options and I went with Ralph.  My total spent today was $6.29 for 3 incredible pieces and a trip down memory lane from my tennis playing days of yesterday.  Don’t forget to shop at The Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook.  Toodles for now.  Daniel

I stopped in a thrift store I had not been inside of before and walked out with a Burberry wool sweater size large for $2.00.  It was the very first item I looked at when I walked in and the only thing I walked out with, so I’m thinking I might just have to keep peeking in.  How bad can a Burberry wool sweater for $2 be?  I headed over to another thrift store and scored this really cool Marc Jacobs skirt size 8.   After his studies at Parsons, Jacobs began to design at Perry Ellis after its founder had died.  Jacobs became prominent on the fashion scene when he designed a “grunge” collection for Perry Ellis, leading to his dismissal in 1993.  That’s why we love Marc Jacobs.  I paid $3.00 for this skirt that retailed for $275-320.  Right after that big find, I found this Proenza Schouler for Target blouse size small for $3.00.   Proenza Schouler is a high end line of women’s apparel and the brand name originates from the designers’ mothers’ maiden names.  The design team of Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough gravitate towards clothing that is young with a modern edge to it.  In light of this, it isn’t surprising to hear that they worked with Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs before joining up in 2002.  This line for Target is hugely successful and understandably so.  Can you believe you can get a Burberry sweater and Marc Jacobs skirt for a total of $5 and have one masterful ensemble?  You can if you thrift.  Don’t forget to check out The Thrifters boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook.  Toodles for now.  Daniel

Umie was supposed to join Sloan and myself today hitting as many thrift stores as the gods would allow but she was sick.  So Sloan and I hit the Salvation Army where today it was half off except we didn’t know it !  Sloan scored these gorgeous Prada black wool slacks size 10. The company was started by Mario Prada as a leather goods shop in Milan.  Miuccia Prada joined the company in 1970 and today has turned the Prada brand into one of Italy most respected and loved luxury good brands.  I was flipping through the sweater section and can you believe I found this Marc Jacobs teal color size small sweater?  I still can’t believe it.  I never seen Marc Jacobs in thrift stores, this is the first time in my 27 years of thrifting, that says alot.  Did you know that Marc Jacobs entered Parsons School of Design and was the recipient of some of the schools highest honors including Design Student of the Year in the early 1980′s?  In 1985 Jacobs designed his first collection with the Marc Jacobs label.  In my opinion he is one of America’s brightest stars.  Since everything was half off today this ensemble cost me $4.00, that’s right for a Marc Jacobs sweater and Prada slacks.   When we got up to the counter to pay we asked the guy if  they had  any specials today, and he replied “everything is half off.”  We couldn’t even look at each other when the guy was ringing us up because we both were dying.  Don’t forget to check out The Thrifters Boutique and follow me on Twitter & Facebook, and be sure to check out the Google ads.  Toodles for now.  Daniel