Another recent closet cleanout round unearthed this forgotten about pair of overalls. When I acquired them about 5 years ago, I was disappointed that they didn’t look the same on me as they did on the taller and more slender model in the photos.
But I really liked the stitching details and its roomy fit so I hung onto them thinking that someday they would look better. I won’t say that today is that someday. However, my rediscovery of these overalls got me thinking that maybe I could make a few changes that would improve the situation. This is why these overalls became the focus for today’s post even though they were not a thrift store find. Whether it’s a dusted-off treasure from years past, or an item that was bought from a thrift store, or perhaps a well-worn favorite that’s been given new life, that fashion find is covered under the Reclaim-Recycle-Reuse theme.
I’ll get to the changes that I made shortly. Before I do, let me tell you about the rest of the outfit because several pieces were thrifted. Like my blouse. I choose to wear a more structured top as opposed to a tee because I’d seen other bloggers wearing button-downs with their overalls which I thought looked fabulous. However, my first thought after seeing myself in the mirror was “Farmer John” despite the fact that my overalls are far from the traditional denim ones and I wasn’t wearing a plaid shirt. This initial impression was reinforced by The Husband’s first comment which was “heading out to the farm?”.
Nevertheless, I was determined to make it work. And back to my blouse, I couldn’t be more pleased with it. Last Sunday, on our way home from a weekend excursion (details of which will be in next Saturday’s post), I’d persuaded The Husband to stop a few thrift stores along the way. I didn’t find much that interested me except for this blouse. The colors in the print caught my eye as I was going through the rack and by the feel of it, I thought it might be silk or tencel. The fabric content/care label was missing but the brand label said Tianello on the front and Made In USA on the back. It was my size and I liked the pattern so for $5 it seemed like a good deal.
Then I did some research on the Tianello brand and found that it’s a company based in Los Angeles specializing in eco-friendly garments made from natural fibers. Specifically, they are known for Tencel clothing and washable silk blouses. Blouses similar to mine are selling on the website for $100 to $150. I’d say that I made a good find.
Regarding the changes I made to the overalls, let me start with what I didn’t like about how they fit me. First, I thought that they were too short (see photo on the left below). And second, even at the straps’ shortest setting, the top of the bib hit me at an odd place across my chest. Also, the straps extend about 7″ past the buttonholes and they attach to the front of the overalls. I don’t like flaps or pockets or a lot of extra attention attracting fabric dead-center on my chest. There’s enough of me that attracts attention so I try to avoid anything that acts like bullseyes if you know what I mean.
Anyway, the issue of length was easy to solve since the overalls had a 3″ hem plus another 1/2″ foldover. In the photos below, the middle one shows how they looked with the added length. I haven’t quite fully figured out a solution to address the problem of the straps. My preference would be for the straps to attach to the underside of the bib and not on top as they do now. One idea I have to use large snaps but for now, I’ve pinned them in place which is shown in the photo on the right as well as the rest of the photos.
More on the details on the outfit. My sandals are by Blowfish and were a retail purchase a few years ago (first seen in Want, Find, Love: Plaid Dress. However, another of the thrift store finds in this look is my cross-body purse. From the look and feel of it, I fairly certain that it’s leather and from the styling, I’d swear that it was by Fossil. But, there is no label so I cannot be certain. Not that I care because I like it anyway and it picks up on the red in my blouse.
My bracelet is a narrow strap that came with a whole alphabet of slide-on letters that I’d given to my daughter. She eventually gave it back to me as it wasn’t her style. (Mom can’t always be right, I guess. 😆) There is only one of each letter (and a few doubles of vowels) making it hard to spell out a lot of phrases or names so I decided to go with @finewhatev. The earrings were part of a 5/$15 bundled purchase I made on Poshmark recently.
Lest you think that I was flaunting local mandates regarding masks, I only removed mine for the photos. There was hardly anyone around when these photos were taken, but nevertheless, all precautions were observed.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Now, onto the Fine-Whatever link-up. My featured blogger from last week is Amy, a lifestyle blogger who writes about fashion, travel, gardening, card-making, Bible Journaling, and home decor who can be found at Amy’s Creative Pursuits.
Have you ever made a few changes to a garment to make it better fit your figure or to better suit current styles? What’s your opinion on thrift store and resell shopping? Does the idea of wearing someone else’s old clothes give you the heebie-jeebies? Is it just a passing trend for those who can afford more or is it a smart way to live “greener” and reduce one’s carbon footprint?
Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.
27 Comments
I love that you persevered with the overalls and made them work for you with a couple of tweaks. The blouse was a great find too! My husband teased me when I wore my cord overalls…like he’s an expert in fashion!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
My husband is the same way … giving my commentary on my outfits when all he wears are baggy cargo shorts and t-shirts.
Love this outfit, you look great! It’s amazing how some little tweaks can make a garment look and feel so much better. <3
http://www.couture-case.com/
Thank you. I’m glad you liked how I changed up these overalls.
I enjoyed you reworking the overalls. The snaps sound like a viable solution and you can get some very large snaps. Good job on finding that top! Unearthing gems like that makes it so much fun. Take care, Terri
I’m glad that you enjoyed this post. It is finds like this blouse that makes the time spent searching through thrift store racks worthwhile.
Love this! I’m all about those 3 R’s! And the thrill of the thrift is so real- your pieces are fabulous. I especially love those overalls. This is all so fun! Wishing you a great weekend:)
I see that we are kindred spirits when it comes to thrift store shopping.
OH thank you so much for the feature, I so appreciate it! Yes, I have made changes to my clothes. I got a fabulous pair of pants from Stitch Fix that I absolutely loved, but they didn’t have belt loops, so I was constantly pulling them back up. I ended up adding my own belt loops to the pants. As for thrifting, I’m not much of a thrift store shopper because I just can not stand the smell when I walk into those stores, and I also find it so time consuming. I never get lucky at them or find good stuff, so I tend to avoid them all together.
You’re most welcome regarding the feature in this post and how clever of you to add belt loops to your pants. There is a unique aroma associated with thrift stores. I think that they spray the clothing to freshen them (or kill bugs?). And sometimes, I find searching through the racks a bit tedious as well.
I’m such a fan of thrifting…in fact our Instagram thrift challenge is this upcoming Monday-Wednesday…I hope you join in!!!
And making our pieces work for us is so smart. It’s almost silly to expect things to fit without any changes unless they were made for you!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Absolutely. I try to participate every month.
I’m filled with admiration for those who can make alterations and create something new and delightful. The blouse is very pretty, and an excellent buy with its eco credentials.
Thank you, Gail.
Oh what do men know! Lol. I like the fact that you made it work! It is so therapeutical, if that is a word, to be creative with clothing.
I’m glad that we see eye to eye on this topic.
I love thrifted clothes! It’s just a shame that the thrift shops we have here in the Algarve aren’t really the best for style!
I love your dungarees and how you’ve altered them. I’ve never been much good at altering clothes — the extent of whish is hemming jeans and trousers!
Hugs
Suzy x
It can be hit or miss with thrift stores and sometimes it does depend on where they’re located.
This outfit is cute, comfortable, and you look as if you’re ready for fun and adventure. Your top is absolutely lovely. As for buying pre-loved clothing, I am totally in favor. In fact the two tops in the post I linked were both from Poshmark. And I’m also fine with altering clothing. I have a new purchase from Royalty for Me that is about to get the makeover treatment. I bought a pair of mint colored jeans on sale. For $10, I couldn’t pass them up. But they came with a pre-ripped hole. I don’t want any holes in my jeans that I haven’t earned myself. So I’ll be covering it in some way.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Thank you, Michelle. I’ve repaired a pair of ripped jeans as well. Gaping holes are not my style, whether or not I was the cause of the tear.
I love how you reworked your overalls! Your blouse is such a great find and so pretty!
Jill – Doused in Pink
I’m glad that you like the look, Jill. Thank you.
I think you did a great job with the overalls and I love the mixed prints here. I have been doing more shopping on Poshmark lately for Spring tops. The booties look great with this look!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Thank you for the wonderful compliments, Jess. I’ve been doing a bit of shopping on Poshmark lately too.
I love the changes you made to the overalls. The length looks much better on you. I have really been wearing my Feb thrift finds a lot probably partly because I haven’t shopped all month and those were my “newer” items. Love that blouse! What a great find!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
I’m happy to hear that you like the longer length of the overalls. Sometimes it can be hard to judge whether that kind of change really makes a difference.
Oh my gosh, this is the cutest outfit ever, Rena! I love these overalls. Now I want to go thrifting this weekend and look for some fabulous treasures! I am so sorry that I keep missing your link parties! I guess I don’t do much on Saturdays and then I forget to check back!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com