First Friday Fashion Hunt, October 2009
From the closet of Shannon Yadon
It’s fall. Time for school, shorter days and warmer clothes…. Wait… back that up- we’re in Hawaii! It’s fall, time to bring a sophisticated flair to going out clothes- time to transition away from slippers and cut offs and into some new hot looks.
Susan & I took a self-imposed challenge: find easy to wear outfits that make going from beach to downtown on a Saturday night a snap. Armed with a sense of adventure and a camera, we hit the Kaimuki Goodwill Store on a time limit: 1 hour to find ourselves an outfit for the next First Fridays block party in Chinatown.
Our strategy was similar to a game-show prize spree: rolling through every women’s aisle, we plucked any item deemed ‘cute’ regardless of size, price or brand. Soon (like 20 minutes soon!) our cart was brimming with options and we hadn’t even gotten to jeans and pants yet!
Shopping like there is no budget is rather liberating. In a high end retailer this strategy leaves me with my stomach in knots debating whether to buy the t-shirt or the purse- but I usually can’t afford both. When prices are less than $6.99 per piece though, I can afford to buy the whole outfit (and still have a martini afterwards!)
What we found that works:
Form fitting and stretchy is always in style, but only when it properly fits. Susan’s black asymmetrical dress (from Charlotte Russe) has a ruching detail running up the side of it- a clever way to keep the spandex from hugging too tightly across the midsection. The material is wrinkle resistant and is perfect for balling up into a beach bag for the day and then is a quick change to go out at night.
The price? $6.99. Check! A no-brainer purchase.
A lose and swingy babydoll knit dress with macramé-type knitted details is beachy yet chic. The color and the comfort is what sold me. The matching purse (brand new with tags still on it by Merona) could double as a beach bag- big enough to carry a change of clothes (this dress!), a water bottle, a small towel and a book. This look is much more of a “Afternoon BBQ (where a certain cute boy I’ve been eyeing may be making an appearance) Look.” With as short as it is, I don’t think I’ll be hitting the dance floor in it, but I will definitely enjoy watching the sunset in it! However, it could easily lay over a pair of my own jeans for more versatility.
The price? Dress: $4.99. Check! Whether layering with jeans or wearing alone, I look forward to debuting it soon. Merona Purse: $5.97 Heck Yeah! Double Check!
Susan found a cute shoulder-detailed top from Ney York & Company and a versatile black skirt. The top is classic enough to wear to the office and then out for some pau hana celebrations with coworkers. We decided that this outfit was a little too “butttoned up” for First Friday, but a good investment for future work social events.
The price? New York & Company Top: $4.99. Doubles as work appropriate attire- Check!
Black Skirt: $5.99 Check!
Other notable finds: A brand new looking pair of BCBG T-strap sandals and a knock-off bag that looks awfully close to last year’s Coach bag.
Shoes: $6.99 Super Cute, Super Check!
Purse: $4.99 Trendy pattern, Thrifty price- Check!
Summary of our adventure: One hour and less than $50 later we’re not only ready for First Friday, we’re set to tackle work-style pau hanas and beach bbqs! Successful shopping trip? Check!
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