Barbie Turns 50!

Wow, I just love hearing about stuff that spawns my childhood memories--Barbie turns 50 this year ladies and gents!! And, in celebration Mattel will be throwing the fashion spectacular of the season this February! The fashion show will have some 50 designers volunteering their time and efforts to create life size Barbie garments! Part of the show will include garments by the likes of Vera Wang and Jeremy Scott as well as bright pink stilettos with every outfit. Who better to design the shoes then shoe master himself, Christian Louboutin! Mattel will also be heading up some incredible collaborations over the next year with Barney's and the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). Barbie is no longer just a toy brand, but Mattel is gearing up to launch the Barbie fashion brand! I sure can't wait to see!! Keep on reading fashionistas for more fashion inspiration. Make sure to look for your own good find at: www.thegoodfind.etsy.com and friend us at: www.myspace.com/thegoodfind!!

Color, Color Everywhere!

I think I am beginning to see a trend here for Spring!! Beauty and art merge as one yet again in this spring's latest and most innovative compacts. So fun!! Smashbox's new palette has 10 brand spanking new iridescent eye shadows to play with. The best part: they are all in a beautiful box compact, splatter painted Jackson Pollack Style! (can be found at http://www.sephora.com/) Bobbie Brown's Brights Palette is also following suit with a palette arranged as dots of color. This little compact pulls me back to art history class and looks quite similar to the Dot Paintings of Damien Hirst (can be found at: http://www.bobbibrown.com/)! These are all great additions your fashionista beauty kit ladies. The great looks that Thrift will be bringing you this spring definitely need fun spring cosmetics to pull together your look! Keep checking back for more! Remember to check Thrift out at: www.myspace.com/thegoodfind and you can always make purchases at: http://www.thegoodfind.etsy.com/!

An Homage to the Late Stephen Sprouse

So, as I was catching up on some issues of magazines that I am months behind on, I found myself flipping through Harpers Bazaar from October. I stumbled across a full spread layout of a fully nude (except for some strategically placed LV bags) Marc Jacobs and I gasped... No, not because Marc looked great in his hot new buff bod, but because of the strategically placed LV bag.

There it was- the re-released Stephen Sprouse creation LV “It-Bag” (Being released in conjunction of the Sprouse retrospective at Deitch Projects). Now, of course I can’t afford the hefty price tag of the bag, but a girl can dream, right? BUT, here is really why I gasped over the Sprouse bag: The fact that once again the merging of art and fashion has come around full circle.

The idea behind this bag is the same idea that is behind Thrift!! Fashion meets Girl, Fashion Meets Art, Art meets Girl……I think that this is an incredible never ending cycle that really proves fashion is a form of art. Any designer can attest to that!

Stephen Sprouse infiltrated high fashion with street style, graffiti and art. He was a man years ahead of his time. He merged a love for luxury with a passion for art (including music as art here too!). Many of the designs he was known for were rooted in the graffiti found in the subways of New York in the 80’s. He utilized silk screening to create day glo graffiti on beautifully made garments.

Victoria and I are working in this same direction. We want to bring back street cred to fashion and give it a little spunk using hand painted techniques on the garments. We are creating these gorgeous handmade pieces for women just like us. We are bringing the art back into fashion and giving you Thrifters one of a kind pieces you can’t find anywhere else! Stay tune for more!!

Check us out at: www.myspace.com/thegoodfind

Buy at: http://www.thegoodfind.etsy.com/

Check out the newly launched Sprouse website at: http://welovesprouse.com/#/en_GB/sprouse-s-nyc

Let The Paint Be Your Shadow

Here at Thrift we've been working hard on the new spring line Nikki has been experimenting with new textures and painting techniques to come up with some rad looking designs. I hope you're ready for some out of the box ideas and some unique pieces to wear! Keep checking back for updates on the spring line!

NEW SPRING 2009 LINE- THRIFT

My musings on our Spring '09 line.....

So, what I have realized over the past month or so is the fact that part of starting a company involves the ideas of evolution and adaptation. Not just as a person or a team, but also in the vision of what you hope to create. Many companies change over the course of their existence as they find their own vision and niches. Over the last few months as Thrift has been evolving in the minds of me and Victoria, we have seen a slight change in the direction of our designs. We are still a hand reconstructed vintage clothing line, but we have realized we want to stand out. As we have been designing, Victoria and I have asked ourselves "who are we?" "what is thrift?" But, most importantly, "What do the Thrifters like me and you really want?"

We have realized that we are 2 unique women looking for great feminine pieces with a funky appeal at a really good price! Just like many of YOU out there! Thrift is what you, as well as we, have been looking for! A special shop with one a kind garments that you KNOW no one else will have. All of them at GREAT prices too!

As Thrift has found its calling, we are proud to announce our Spring '09 Line. It is the culmination of "Girl Meets Art". Each of the pieces that will be showcased are hand reconstructed pieces of wearable art. We are showcasing great spring colors with some not so ordinary spring colors such as: teal, pale yellow, purples, light pink, magentas, blue, white and hues of greens. Each piece was lovingly created with 2 hands, 2 hearts and a soulful vision.

This season we have brought in Nikki Berna as a featured artist to collaborate on our line. She is an incredible artist with the ability to create one of a kind painted detailing on our garments with the use of raw objects and unconventional techniques. Her extraordinary patterned painted creations combined with our very feminine appeal will definately leave you guys wanting more! Keep checking our etsy: www.thegoodfind.etsy.com and our blog for more!! Stay tuned thrifters!

HE SAY, SHE SAY WEARS THRIFT!

  

He Say, She Say is Chicago's own duo featuring vocals and songwriting by Drea and producer Mano. Drea will be wearing one of Thrift's holiday garments while performing at a NYE party! She will be repping our plaid number and singing their hit song Crash Dummie.  I'll post the party info asap!  in the mean time check em out! myspace.com/dreaheartsmusic       

          

Going THRIFTING This Holiday Season!

This season, with the economic turn down and all, what better way to save a few bucks and find a unique gift than thrifting?! Thrifting can be a great approach this holiday season and can allow you to buy great unique gifts on a reccionista budget.

Here are some great tips for thrifting:

Go with an open mind! Thrifting is more of an experience when it comes to shopping. Going to the mall allows for convienance while thrifting can be considered an art form. It takes a little time and a whole lotta patience. But remember, you always find great finds at great prices. Also, remember that garments can always be tailored, hemmed and even re-constructed and the garment will still only be a fraction of the cost that it would be at a chain store. It is not always neccessary to go in looking for a specific item. Just make sure you keep the person you are shopping for in mind and the fact that many hidden gems can be turned into great show pieces with enough effort and accessorizing.

Do your research. Look up, using an online web search, local thrift stores near or around your home town. Make sure you read the reviews and maybe even ask friends about it! It is sometimes better to know what you are getting yourself into before hand rather than wasting your time and a trip. Reading reviews will help you decide where to go and when and they can even tell you about the service, people and if the racks are organized (which always makes thrifting that much easier).

Set aside a day or a weekend for your shopping adventure. It is always better to shop with time on your hands in order to not feel rushed or pressured into buying something that is not exactly what you want. You need to give yourself enough time to go through the racks at a thrift shop and sometimes that can be daunting due to overpicked disorganization. It is also important that you think through what you are going to buy and how you are going to make it work. For instance, you see a beautiful skirt for 50 cents and you know it could be a great buy for your younger sister, but it needs to be hemmed... Well, you need to allot enough time for either yourself or a professional to get the hemming done.

Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize! Accessories are always a surefire item to get! Often times you can find great vintage jewelry that need no changes and can be given as is. Make sure you vamp up the gift with some great wrapping or gift boxes for effect!

Remember items can always be reconstructed. We at Thrift- for the good find, specialize in just that! We hand reconstruct thrift and vintage store finds for unique one of a kind girls! This holiday season it's the thought that counts. NOT the place you got it from OR the amount you paid for it! Just shoot us an e-mail for a consultation to review our one of a kind garments for you or that special someone! Check us out at www.thegoodfind.etsy.com OR www.myspace/thegoodfind!

The Thrift Team!