thrifted thursday: beating the back-to-work blues

I don't know about you all, but I found it pretty hard to come back to work last week after 3 weeks of setting my own schedule, drinking during the day and having favourite friends just hanging about simply waiting for fun and activities.

I wore some pretty holiday things during those 3 weeks, too - a beautiful dress to a beautiful wedding, all my summery shifts and frocks including a wonderful maxi dress which I completely associate with holidays and sandy beach time.

I use clothes to put me in a good mood, and so I'm wearing my way through the work-appropriate side of my extensive wardrobe, throwing in some colour and thrifted glory to get me through my working week.

Last week it was hot. Hot for Armidale, anyway- mid 30s. On Tuesday, I wore this combo:

Earrings: $2- Re-Use-It Centre, Whistler
Dress: $8 - Lifeline, Armidale
Slip: $4 - Lifeline, Armidale
Belt: $1 - Re-Use-It Centre, Whistler 
Shoes: $10 - Kmart (2013)

The dress is a sort of cotton t-shirt material, which breathes well in hot weather. The slip was mainly so Important University People didn't see my underwear underneath. This dress is not colours I would normally wear, plus it has a zip in the front which I find odd, but the collar aspect and the length of the dress really grabbed me, and I do not regret my decision. Also, there are pockets. Plus, it has enough colours in it to accessorise to my heart's content, so orange earrings could easily be worn with blue belt and shoes.

On Wednesday, I had a job interview. I went to Big W and bought a super boring interview costume. I went home, looked at it and felt sad. I decided I wanted to be myself in my interview, so I went with this outfit instead:

Dress: Vintage, on extended loan from my friend Tash (maker of amazing things, more to come)
Belt: $10 - Lifeline, Armidale
Cardigan: $9 - Big W (2013)
Shoes: $4 - Lifeline, Armidale

I got the job, so obviously, it was the right outfit! I felt like a sophisticated and extremely employable version of myself. The green belt is one of my absolute favourite scores from Lifeline. Green leather, with enough length to wear it around my hips too. It goes with almost everything. My super boring costume will be returned to Big W and exchanged for underwear, I suspect. All my bras have died at once... maybe a murder-suicide pact.

On Tuesday this week, I wanted to celebrate my new job good news! I wore this:

 Dress: $8 - St Vinnies, Armidale
Belt: $2 - Re-Use-It Centre, Whistler
Necklace: $12 - The Eclective, Armidale (my awesome friend Anna)
Shoes: $5 - Big W (2014)

I love the cut of these sorts of dresses - conservative enough for work, but colourful enough to be a happy vegemite! I also wear a slip underneath this one as sometimes there's static to contend with otherwise. I like wearing belts around my waist with these kinds of dresses - all kinds, really.

Which brings me to Wednesday's outfit:

 Dress (& belt): $25 - Vintage on Hill, Uralla
Shoes: Gifted (didn't fit my friend Ellie) - Urban Outfitters
Necklace: Gifted owl/ $5 leaf & chain - Diva

I scored this dress on the weekend from "Vintage on Hill", an amazing shop in Uralla, NSW. I have found a few of my favourite dresses there, so I always go in with something of an expectation. I was not disappointed - I don't have anything in this colour yet, and there's lovely cutaway detail on the front, plus the matching belt! I have been an Etsy vintage shopper in the past, but increasingly I prefer buying them locally as I get to run the fabric through my fingers, plus eye the dress off for size, try it on, etc. Some things look weird on the rack but awesome when you put them on, I find.

Thanks go to Ellie, my lovely housemate, who took photos of me being silly for this post. 

Stay tuned for more thrifted Thursdays, as I attempted to gradually get at least one wear out of all the clothing I own!