Thrifted Salvatore Ferragamo

This has been quite the weekend.  The 3rd Annual Yeggies were on Saturday evening and, as a second-time nominee for “Best in Fashion and Style,” I had big plans for a special thrifted outfit.  Just as I hopped out of the shower, my day turned a corner: my best 4yo photographer fell backwards off the couch and cut her head open.  Oh my, heads do bleed.  Moms out there will understand that moment before you know how serious it is, seeing all that blood.  Selah.  Her very name means “pause”…

And then it’s 250 miles per hour as you jump to action.  Throw on clothes, console her distraught brothers, try to stay calm, go to the ER.

She was in fairly good spirits – thank God – and only needed two stitches which are well-covered by her gorgeous thick blonde hair.  But, we didn’t leave the hospital till after 6pm when we should have been leaving for the Yeggies.  Thank God again for my roomie-sister-cousin who gave up her plans and stayed home to monitor my baby (and wash the blood out of her hair, and clean up everything, and make cookies) – because of her, Mr. Style and I were still able to go to the Yeggies.  I had 3 minutes to get ready so I chose makeup over hair then hit the road.

No time for lovely pre-show outfit shots, no time for the pre-show cocktail I had planned.  Just enough time to count my blessings…

To make a long story short, I did not take home the hashtag metal this year which was a disappointing end to the evening.  However, just like last year, I’m willing to bet I would win for cheapest most amazing outfit because those stunning shoes on my feet there??  Those are thrifted Salvatore Ferragamo.

These shoes are worth well over $800 regular retail and are in excellent condition – thrifted for $13.30!!  Next to my Lida Baday dress and blazer, this is my best Hall of Fame find ever!

I’m wearing a silk charmeuse Vince dress – worth over $200 regular retail – thrifted for $6.50, and a secondhand necklace I recently purchased at a school fundraiser for about $5.

I borrowed my earrings and wore gifted She Does Create bracelets.  So basically, my Yeggies outfit was worth over $1000 and I paid about $30.  Beat that.  Anyone?  Anyone?

Here is what I was hoping to say at the Yeggies, and I’m going to say it anyway because regardless of the outcome, I am thankful…

“Thank you to my one-and-only, my iPhone, I mean my husband for all his support of this hobby of mine.  Thank you to whomever donated these Salvatore Ferragamo shoes so that a girl like me has a shot at owning $800 shoes.  Thank you to everyone who donates so that we all have the option of making more sustainable choices as consumers.  Thank you to local supporters like Suzanne Dennis, Nadine Riopel and others who are faithful readers and endless encouragers and are living out their values right down to their toes!  Thank you to Karlynn and Mike Johnston for their blogging support and designing my new website.  And thanks most of all to my team of photographers, my children, who work for gum and totally accept our secondhand lifestyle.”

I didn’t win but here’s what I know: my kids are amazing.  If they’re doing this now with a crap camera in 5-minute photo shoots and can make a 41-year-old full-time working mother of three look good, imagine what they will do in 15 years!  I want to thank THEM for all they do, especially my 4-year old who has been snapping fashion shots since she was old enough to hold a camera.  As luck would have it, we sat a table of photographers and these beautiful women embodied what the Yeggies are all about: community!  There was no competition between the photographers even though they were nominated in the same category, only encouragement and support.  They graciously sent the floral arrangement home for my daughter – she gave me flowers when I was recently injured and understands flowers as a love gesture.

Thank you to Blake Loates, Michel Feist of Ampersand Grey, Sharon Litchfield, and Jillian Coursen for their love gesture to a little girl and for keeping the focus of the Yeggies on what is truly important.

In the name of community, I encourage you to check out the list of 2014 Yeggies nominees and follow all of them!  Every single person on that list is doing good work, Yeggie or not, and deserves as much local love as we can offer!  Meanwhile, I’m still counting my blessings, snuggling my girl and planning to keep on doing what I love – sharing my passion for thrifted sustainable style!