Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The fashionable budget

After going through the list of things needed for driving, seeing hats for $250 and more, *call for pricing* and all that jazz, I have been looking for something to change things up. Being so under dressed at the festival of driving pleasure show and seeing what I need to do to step it up a few notches on my turnout, I went shopping. Because that's what I needed to do!

After Thanksgiving I went to one of the Antique Malls we have here. Actually I went to two of them, but the first one was a total bust and I didn't find anything I could work with or that I wanted. For those of you not familiar with our 'Antique Malls', basically it is a huge store with several aisles inside. Each aisle has a large number of 'booths' or spaces that people can rent to display their stuff, in hopes of selling it. Their stuff is all tagged with a price and booth number. When you buy something, the people at the front register note which booth number it came from so that the right people get paid. It's kind of like a giant indoor swap meet or yard sale, only you don't have to be there 24/7 to sell stuff. It is also heated or air conditioned which is a huge Bonus here in the summer. Since each booth belongs to someone else- the assortment of stuff varies by their hobbies and interests. It's a bargain hunters paradise and although it is called an Antique Mall, not everything inside is an antique.

I was mainly looking for and at Hats.  The one turnout review that had posted information about 'building the right look' for your turnout, suggested to start with the hat and work from there.  Although it said that a complete outfit in black looks like a funeral procession, black goes with everything and can be easily accessorized to change the look several different ways.  One of the things I found in the AM was a couple of hats I could work with.  Well one of them I could anyways. 

It's a small black hat with a narrow brim and even came with a decorative gold and white flower shaped pin. I'm not too sure on the pin. I like it, but I can still change it or leave it off if I want/need to.



The bonus in this hat is that I can make a brightly colored hat band to match my shirt as well as something to go on or with the driving apron.

Then there is this atrocity, sorry- hat.





I had to take it outside in the sunlight to get a better pic that is closer to the actual shade of BRIGHT DAMN ORANGE that it really is. Even blogger doesn't have anything close to that shade. I can't imagine anyone wearing a hat or clothes this color and being able to successfully pull it off, but whatever.  For $8 it is a cute enough hat and put together in a way that it will make a great pattern. From there I can reproduce the look but in a color that will go well with my skin tone. 

Which was one of the hard parts for me, about shopping for a hat. Reds, maroons, and pinks are pretty much out as a general rule. Some shades of purples- not even a consideration.  Don't see too many in yellow... Mostly what works for me is earth tones- blues, tans, browns, dark greens, grays and of course black. What did I find a lot of- colors that didn't work, styles that didn't work and just plain hats that were not very flattering.  Big brims tend to flop when you move, trotting can make them fold down over your face- not good for obvious reasons and the lighter colored hats sort of scream LOOK AT ME!  Besides that, light colors around horses tend to attract slobber, dirt and horse grime.

Once I had the two hats, I took the liberty of looking at a few jackets. I found one that fit for a reasonable price. Although it is again- black- it will work because I can wear a different colored camisole under it, matching the hatband to it and tying in the driving apron as well. WIN!



What was even more amazing was finding the original price tag still on it the jacket. I don't remember the brand but the tag read $225.00 and I got it for a Lot less than that.  It is a tailored fit, nice quality fabric, but $225 for a jacket?  All totaled the trip to the Antique Mall proved to be a good one. I got the two hats and the jacket for just under $45. Not a bad day shopping and hopefully a nice enough look for our turnout at upcoming events.  

2 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

well done! $225 for a jacket? I know it is probably not even considered expensive to some, but for that money it better make me thinner and taller! LOL sounds like you got it for a steal

Cut-N-Jump said...

I'm with you on that one FV! It is a nice jacket and since it fit, for the price, it was a steal. At least I will be better dressed towards the turnout portion at upcoming events.