On my recent road trip to Alabama, I did some thrifting in Baton Rouge! I only had time to stop at one thrift shop and The Purple Cow did not disappoint!
My family was en route to Alabama and stopped midway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Welcome to Louisiana – I was SOOOOO happy to see French on the signs!
We arrived late, discovered the hotel we booked did not accept dogs (unlike the policy listed on their website), had to make a last minute change, unloaded the entire van and canoe to get our bags, stumbled to our room, then fell fast asleep. Jk. I blogged and watched hotel TV in bed, as per standard vacation protocol. But still, the next morning I was itching to relax by going thrifting in Baton Rouge before heading out on the next leg of our journey. So, I used my tricks to find the closest thrift shop with the best reviews and headed to The Purple Cow!
Thrifting at The Purple Cow
The Purple Cow is the Winners of thrift stores! Seriously! (That’s like TJ Maxx for anyone South of the border.) It looked like a department store with sections for men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, furniture and home decor, housewares, books, shoes, scarves, toys and more…
Art work at the Purple CowHome decor at The Purple Cow!Housewares at The Purple CowBooks at the Purple Cow!The “Designer” section at The Purple Cow, not to be confused with…The formal wear section!
I loved that that the women’s clothing was divided into types, then sizes, then grouped loosely according to colour. It was like Goodwill and Savers/Value Village got together and decided that they’re both right – but the prices at The Purple Cow beat them both!
Most tops were in the $4 range including new-with-tags items and there were sale items!This top wasn’t a fancy brand but it had that quirky Anthro or Mod Cloth vibe. If I liked horses, I would have taken it home.I must have been in a Mod Cloth mood because I snapped a shot this Tulle cardi with a retro vibe. However, LOUISIANA IS HOT and I couldn’t entertain the thought of thrifting a sweater of any kind.I LOVED that the regular racks at The Purple Cow went up to XXL *and* there was a Plus section – and both had tons of stock. THANK YOU.I didn’t even realize till this writing what a retro mood I was in. Maybe it’s the Baton Rouge air?? In any case, I *wanted* this dress but instead of bringing it home, I just admired it. Dresses were in the $7 ballpark.I think this “dress” was only $5 but THAT’S BECAUSE IT IS A TOP NOT A DRESS.SEE! More retro! These floral print slingbacks would have come home with me if they had been my size. 🙁These embellished slides did not fit either but they sure were pretty to look at. Shoes were in the $6 – $8 range but I scored a pair of red sparkly flats for my daughter for one dolla. I didn’t photograph them so you’ll have to take my word for it.I liked the scarf display where you could actually see the scarves!The bag section was plentiful and prices were reasonable, even on designer brands. This Coach bag was authentic and in good condition.But *this* Coach cross body bag is the one I took home for only $8! This is the first time I’ve thrifted Coach, not because I haven’t found it before – I’ve seen plenty in fact – but because it’s usually over-priced, in poor condition, and not what I’m looking for. This time however, I set my intention for a small brown cross body bag with character, and the Thrifing Universe delivered! (P.S. I shared this on Instagram Story– it’s long gone now, but this is your friendly reminder to follow me on Instagram for real-time thrifting shenanigans!)
Something pretty cool happened while I was thrifting in Baton Rouge at The Purple Cow. I was filing through the racks, looked up, and spotted…
Tiffany from Red Stick Moms Blog! I recognized her shirt right away, then I interrupted her phone call (sorry Tiffany) to tell her I work with Houston Moms Blog and then made her take a selfie with me… 😀 Making friends in Baton Rouge!
Running into a fellow City Moms Blog contributor was like icing on the cupcake of an already fab thrift shop! I tried on a few pieces in the fitting room and chronicled the experience on Instagram Story.
Y’all told me I *should* get this top and YOU WERE RIGHT but by that time, I had already left. Insert crying emoji. Now whatever will I do? #thriftregretsI did however get this stretchy silk-blend Elie Tahari top for $4. I don’t know where I’ll wear it in my fancy life but I’ll find somewhere.And I got this Simply Vera Wang tee for $4 because I love the length, the print, and the colours.
The Purple Cow is a “little thrift” store not in size but in the fact that proceeds go towards its mission to help struggling families meet the challenges of everyday living. Yet another place for truly conscious consumerism! Thanks for all you do, Purple Cow! The only bad thing about thrifting at The Purple Cow was that I only had about an hour. I could have happily spent the whole day there! So, promise me that if you are ever in Baton Rouge, or if you’re lucky enough to live there, go thrifting at The Purple Cow! D’accord? Merci!!
xoxo Nicole
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It was pretty cute! I had a horse-print shirt once and felt like a fraud every time I wore it! Otherwise, I probably would have bought it! Thanks for commenting!
4 Comments
Operator won’t you put me on through
I gotta’ send my love down to Baton Rouge..
Now that you have Garth Brooks in your head, I LOVE that Vera Wang top!!! <3
haha as long as I don’t try two-stepping in the aisle at his concert, right?! Thanks! I want to paint my whole house those colours!
Lovely stuff! I personally liked that Rebecca Malone t-shirt a lot! I want one:)
It was pretty cute! I had a horse-print shirt once and felt like a fraud every time I wore it! Otherwise, I probably would have bought it! Thanks for commenting!