Old Clothes, New Outfits
While I enjoy my thrifting outings and adding some new to me things to my closet, there’s nothing like the high of creating a new outfit from pieces that have been in my closet for a while and thinking: ” oh, I really like this outfit!”. Such a moment happened a couple weeks ago, when I was planning outfits for the week after our vacation and decided to wear a couple pieces I hadn’t worn much or at all in a while. I really haven’t gotten rid of much this past year, but I also have been thrifting a little more than in the past, so I am working on enjoying what I have right now.
This outfit started with this colorful blouse: while it is not my favorite type of material (no natural fibers here), I do love the print and it’s been in my closet a few years. I have worn it with olive and with shorts a lot, but I wanted to do something a little different. Here is where a simple cotton skirt comes in: I thrifted it 4 to 5 years ago and wore it a lot at first. The last couple of years, not so much, but it is a classic style so it definitely deserves a spot in my closet.
This outfit worked for church and since I wasn’t going to be walking much, my cute but not so comfortable sandals were a good match. They hurt in between the toes: I should figure out a solution for that. I carried the teal/turquoise theme with my jewelry. I am loving my new earrings I bought in Grand Lake, CO on our vacation!
I have been working on helping the kids be more tidy and organized, but it like herding cats: it’s seems that no matter how many times I rearrange and create new systems, they don’t work for long. It gets worse as they get older. Right now I moved things around a little in the youngest 2 rooms: they still do play with stuffed animals, legos, and they read a lot and I tried to make the cleaning up easier. We shall see if it sticks! I am trying to show them how corralling their toys just makes the place tidier and more conducive to play.
Another thing we are doing this summer is trying to spend less time on electronics: it always takes a few days or more before the kids become less “bored” and more creative! We have a lot of outdoor toys, we have arts and crafts, books, and a lot of games. They just have become too dependent on their devices and this was suggested by my 12 year old. We will have some rewards each week whether it is an outing, a treat or the opportunity to order a Lego set or a book. I’ll try to remember to keep you posted as to how it works. First day of this was mid June and my 15 year old decided to not participate. *update: one child did it for one week… but while they haven’t cut out their electronics time, they have been playing outside a lot with the neighborhood kids!
A bientôt!
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20 Comments
Joanne
That is a lovely outfit! I when I put something “new” together from my closet and it becomes an instant favorite.
mimifce
I am the same way!
jodie
I love how you shop your closet. I have items that aren’t natural fibers, but I still love them too. The colors are so fabulous in this top and make it fun to combine with other items.
OXOX
Jodie
mimifce
Same here!
Marsha Banks
Those earrings look like they were made for this top! It’s too bad those sandals hurt your feet. Maybe some moleskin? It might be too bulky, though, but worth a try!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Nancy
That is good, to cut down the electrics, I think you mean the phone? Sick a pity that kids, and adults, spend so much time on the screen. That’s a very pretty blouse and such a pity about the sandals. Because the colour is gorgeous.
mimifce
Yes, electronics include cell phones (only my 2 oldest have one) and tablets they play on, their video games.
mimifce
That might work. The sandals aren’t too bad if I don’t walk a ton in them.
Cat
You are probably not surprised that my favorite bit of the outfit are the beaded earrings! 😀
mimifce
I thought of you with this outfit and I have a post coming up next month with all of my different pairs. Starting to get a little collection of beaded pairs.
Ann
That is the perfect summer outfit! Hopefully you can find more comfortable sandals. As a retired teacher, I’m a huge fan of turning off the electronics. Children need to be more engaged with the real world, not the virtual one.
mimifce
I will keep on the lookout for a pair, but until then these work unless I am walking a lot.
Leslie Susan Clingan
I bought this top with a link you provided shortly after you first shared yours. I love the colors. Need to pack it for my beach vacay. Your bag, earrings and sandals could not be BETTER with this look. Terrific souvenier earrings from your great Colorado vacation. You will get lots of wear from them.
Hope your latest organizational ideas stick with your kids. When my girls were young, we only had a small living room and if they set anything down in there, the whole room looked upside down. I tried to get them to play in their rooms upstairs but that didn’t happen until they were tweens and wanted to get away from MOM!! I implemented the use of a laundry type basket for each girl that I could ‘hide’ under an end table in the living room. When the clutter was making me nuts, I would go around picking up things and putting them in their baskets. Then they had to take their baskets upstairs every evening and put everything away. That system kept me from pulling out my hair.
mimifce
I remember when you got it. I love the earrings! Baskets and catch all help a lot for kid clutter.
Kathrine Eldridge
In love with this look Mireille! That white skirt is the perfect canvas for this gorgeous top. The earrings are so pretty too!~
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
mimifce
Thanks, Kathrine. I need to pull out that skirt more with other colorful tops.
Sally in St Paul
The white skirt and THOSE EARRINGS are a slam dunk with this colorful top!
mimifce
And to think I hadn’t worn it like that before.
Shelbee on the Edge
I love this idea of restyling old beloved things from your closet. I just cleaned out and reorganized my closet and am planning to style more old things to decide if I should keep them or not. It was like a last chance closet clean out….I’m giving a bunch of stuff last chances before moving them out. I’ll do another closet clean out again next year. I struggle with letting pieces go even if I haven’t worn them in a while. But now I’m running out of room! Your outfit is so colorful and cute. I love your new earrings and those sandals are such a great color! I can’t wear any sandals with the thong between the toes. They just hurt too much and I’ve never bothered to find a solution, I just ditched all of those types of sandals and don’t buy them anymore. But yours are so cute, I might make an exception!
Shelbee
mimifce
I wore the sandals again recently and what I found was that for a short amount of time, like a couple hours, they were fine.