on trying to cut Target out of my clothing diet.

If you've been reading my "outfits under $35" articles, you know that I have been focusing on buying clothes secondhand and from small businesses versus from big box stores.

If you haven't been reading those articles, I suppose I forgive you.

The long and short of it is Target doesn't need my money. Small businesses do. And we're a nation of "fast fashion" - we buy a shirt, wear it once or twice, then get rid of it.

I am guilty of that, too. Once upon a time - ten years and 30 pounds ago - I shopped at Forever21 and H&M. Classic fast fashion: items that are produced quickly and cheaply. Not meant to last. I would wear them a couple of times, and they'd either fall apart or I would regret my poor decision and put it in the Goodwill pile.

Back in my fresh-out-of-college days, I was a world-champion Goodwill shopper. I had all the time in the world and none of the money in the world. I would spend hours painstakingly sorting through racks and racks of other people's cast-offs in the massive St. Paul Goodwill. 

But then I started to make a little more money and got a little shorter on time. I left my Goodwill habit behind.

The next step from Goodwill was the clearance racks at Target and Maurices. Minnesota companies!

I still was a champion of secondhand, though. One of my all-time favourite places to shop was a place called The Country Peddler in Brookings. They had consignment clothing, and I would take in my old things and shop for new things - and I almost always had credit to spend.

It took me a little longer to come around to boutiques. In my struggling days, they were waaaaaaay out of my price range. It took me a long time to shed that mindset. It took the realization that it was less about the price tag and more about the face behind the store. Someone's dream. I wasn't helping Jeff Bezos buy another island - I was helping someone pay their bills.

So now I'm a die-hard small business supporter. Food, clothing, whatever I can. Small business or bust.

I do still love some good secondhand clothing, though. For that, I have shifted to online thrifting. It's truly the best. I use Poshmark, thredUP, and (to a lesser extend) ebay. These sites are treasure troves of affordable clothing. Purchasing from these sites gives money directly to the people selling items and helps one more item avoid the landfill.

And that's where I am today. I have cut almost all big box stores out of my non-essential shopping. I do still have a weakness for Target and Maurices - but like I said, they're Minnesota companies, so it could be worse. That being said, if you see me on any given day, I can almost guarantee I'm wearing something thrifted, something from a small business, or both.

An example: my top is from a small business, and my jeans are thrifted.

ten outfits under $35, part XVII.

Oh boy.

Have I got some outfits for you.

I mentioned in my last cheap outfit post (a mere two months ago!) that I was refocusing my clothing purchasing on small businesses and secondhand items. And I have been doing just that. 

There are amazing deals on nearly-new items on Poshmark and thredUP... all you have to do is look. In my outfit breakdown, I'll tell you what brand my thrifted item is should it be worth noting (ex: Modcloth via Poshmark).

What I didn't tell you in the last post was that I did actually need new clothes. I had a baby nine months ago, and while I have lost some weight, I am still quite a few pounds off from where I was pre-pregnancy. Even if I do get back to the same weight, my body will never be the same shape again. So many of my pre-pregnancy clothes do not fit my post-pregnancy body.

So not only I have I been buying my new things secondhand, but I have been selling my old clothes online!

https://poshmark.com/closet/callagator1987

It's awesome.

Anyway, enough about that. You're here for the outfits, so let's get to it.

(If you'd like to check out the previous cheap outfit posts, here they are - going back all the way to 2012!)

$40 or less
$30 or less
under $35, part I
under $35, part II
under $35, part III
under $35, part IV
under $35, part V
under $35, part VI 
under $35, part VII
under $35, part VIII
under $35, part IX

under $35, part X  
under $35, part XI 

under $35, part XII 
under $35, part XIII
under $35, part XIV

under $35, part XV 

under $35, part XVI

sweater – THML via thredup – FREE! ($10 off order) 

pants – AE via thredUP – $15.99 ($10 off)

shoes – Poshmark – $15 (damaged)

Lake Poinsett sea glass necklace – Michaels/gift – about $2

TOTAL: $32.99

Now is the time of year when it's not very easy to get a good photo. It's dark when James leaves for work, and it's dark when I get home from work. So many pictures have to be taken after I'm home and it's pitch black outside... so we have to choose some part of the house that's not covered in baby toys. This entire outfit is thrifted except the necklace. But the necklace is made out of a piece of glass I found at Lake Poinsett and a necklace I've had for a million years, so it's upcycled. And the two chairs? Secondhand!! The little stuffed guy and the pillow are from small businesses, as is all the art on the wall.

top – Prairie Mermaid – FREE! (clearance + $5 gift card)

jeans – Levis via thredUP – $9.99 ($10 off)

Peruvian opal earrings – Etsy – about $4 for supplies

shoes – Modcloth via Poshmark – $20

TOTAL: $33.99

 As you know, The Prairie Mermaid is one of my favourite small businesses. Angie (the owner) has amazing stuff, and she has amazing sales. This shirt was on clearance for $5, and Angie had sent me a $5 gift card... so here we are! The jeans have little black flowers embroidered on them. You'll often see the notation "$10 off" behind my thredUP purchases. ThredUP works on a point reward system, and you earn points for purchasing things or mailing in a bag of your own unwanted clothes for them to sell. They're quite generous with their points, so I've been earning $10 rewards all over the place.

cardigan – Lacoste via Poshmark – $5.51 (was $20, used credit)

pants – thredUP – $16.99

booties – DSW – FREE! (was $80, had coupons/discounts)

necklace – Modcloth – $12.50 (on sale + 50% off coupon)

TOTAL: $35

As a librarian, it's my sworn duty to have a closet full of cardigans. I know it's corny, but I love the little embroidered alligator on Lacoste stuff. I think it's adorable. I would never buy a new Lacoste item, as it's ridiculously expensive. I also don't like polos, which is their main export. So I found this cardigan on Poshmark and paid for most of it with credit I had in my account from selling something to someone else. It's the circle of life.

jumpsuit – thredUP – $26.99

shoes – DSW – FREE! (was $90, all sorts of coupons/discounts)

bumble bee jasper & crescent earrings – Etsy – about $8 for supplies

TOTAL: $34.99

I wish you could see my earrings better. I made them, and I think they're super cool. Anyway, as you may remember from my last outfit post, I am obsessed with jumpsuits. I wasn't sure if I was going to look too much like an Army mechanic in this one, but if I do, I don't care. I love it so much.

sweatshirt – Betsey Johnson via Poshmark – $10

jeans – Loft via Poshmark – $25

booties – DSW – FREE! (buy one pair of shoes, get one free)

"lake time" necklace – gift from Mom and Dad

TOTAL: $35

Poshmark and thredUP have allowed me to inexpensively explore some trends, such as sailor-style jeans. Most jeans with this kind of accent are expensive, but not if you get them secondhand. And it turns out I love sailor jeans.

jumpsuit – Modcloth via thredUP – $22.99

shoes – Modcloth via – $12

TOTAL: $34.99

I hate this picture. Please forgive me. I was trying to think of something different to do rather than stand somewhere in our house with my hand on my hip as usual, and this is what I came up with. I didn't look at the picture until the next day, when my jumpsuit was in a crumpled pile in the laundry basket. Oh well. 

top – Prairie Mermaid – $15 ($15 gift card)

jeans – Express via Poshmark – $20

shoes - gift from Darrah

cat earrings – gift from Mom and Dad

TOTAL: $35

Hey look! More sailor jeans! And check out the sleeves on this top - are they not the coolest things you've ever seen?

dress – Kindred People – $32 (clearance)

booties – DSW – FREE! (buy one pair of shoes, get one free)

TOTAL: $32

I got this dress in a boutique in Alexandria, Minnesota called Kindred People. It's such a cool place with tons of clothes and Minnesota-themed gifts. I am a huge fan of the midi-length dress and was delighted to find this on the clearance rack.

top – Modcloth via Poshmark – $10

jeans – Driftwood via Poshmark – $25

booties – DSW – FREE! (was $80, had coupons/discounts)

pewter Scandinavian earrings – gift from Mom and Dad

TOTAL: $35

THIS TOP. It's got cats all over it, and the collar is a cat. It's so awesome. Poshmark and thredUP have allowed me to obtain embroidered jeans, which are also crazy expensive if you buy them new. This particular brand runs somewhere in the neighborhood of $130 if you buy them new. No way am I ever paying $130 for a pair of jeans.

jumpsuit – Prairie Mermaid – FREE! (had some sewing)

shoes – Modcloth – $29.99

glass pearls and Lake Poinsett sea glass necklace – Etsy/gift – about $3 for supplies

TOTAL: $32.99

Ok, let me tell you more about how amazing Angie at the Prairie Mermaid is. I had just purchased this gorgeous deep purple thrifted jumpsuit from her, and I opened my package to find this one inside, too. The note from Angie said it was also thrifted, but had a small rip at the shoulder seam. Could I fix it and get some use out of it? Red is my favourite colour, and we all know jumpsuits are my favourite type of clothing, so YES. My sewing is terrible, but the rip was so small that no one will notice. My necklace is an incredible set of vintage glass pearls (1960s, I'd say) from one of my mom's friends. I added the sea glass and the little brass piece, and now it's everything I could want in a necklace.

-----

That takes care of another edition of outfits under $35! As always, stay tuned for more. Every one of my outfits EXCEPT ONE had at least something thrifted. Next time - mark my words - it will be all of them.