28 pieces, fifty-leven outfits

Here's how second-hand shopping and strategy paid off in a versatile wardrobe.

You can do a lot for your wardrobe with $300.

I added 28 pieces to my wardrobe in a 4-day second-hand shopping spree in October, and I’m still counting outfit combos. (So, full disclosure, the tally may not actually be fifty-leven yet…) The strategy I used, suggested by my friend Nichole Aksamit, creator of The Thick-Thrift Diaries, involved revisiting my style words and color palette, plus taking inventory of my closet. We also took my measurements, packed some shapewear, and adopted a mindset for shopping success.

(The backstory: I had no winter clothes that fit after losing a lot of weight, and I’d recently been laid off, so money’s tight. Nichole hopped a plane from Des Moines to Baltimore and helped me turn a small budget into a major wardrobe boost.)

This post is my finale to a co-authored mini-series, Thrift Shopping in Charm City, by Nichole and me. Read all about the shopping trip using the links below, then keep scrolling to see clothes and outfits. You may want to open this in a browser because I broke the newsletter photo limit.

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Related: Thrift Shopping in Charm City

with Shaun Chavis of re:dressing and Nichole Aksamit of The Thick-Thrift Diaries

The Windup: A talk-show style convo on prepping for thrift shopping with me and Nichole Aksamit, creator of The Thick-Thrift Diaries. Watch to learn more about shopping strategies and mindset.

Thrifting Adventures in Charm City, Part 1 by The Thick-Thrift Diaries. Our pre-shopping plan and how we navigated mega-thrift stores.

Thrifting Adventures in Charm City, Part 2 by The Thick-Thrift Diaries: Exploring other second-hand clothing venues, including a flea market and consignment stores.

How I Built a Winter Wardrobe for $289: Here’s my side of our Charm City thrifting adventures—including the strategies Nichole introduced me to that made shopping emotionally approachable and personalized.

The Wrap Up: A post-shopping convo recapping our strategies and finds.

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So here we are: the fashion show. You won’t see all 28 items here. What you’ll see is a glimpse of how the shopping strategy worked to create a versatile wardrobe that complements what’s already in my closet.

A statement sweater that can dress up or down

This Tommy Hilfiger sweater appeared to be new—a packet of extra buttons was still attached to the inside. I got it for $4, and it can go with jeans, dress pants, a skirt, under a blazer…

Solid color separates for tonal or color block outfits

Purple’s going to be a recurring theme…

I love this turtleneck with scalloped edges on the sleeves and hem. It goes nicely with a pair of fuchsia pants already in my closet and my cherry pink coat. The sweater was another barely used $4 find. But I could also wear the sweater with navy pants or a number of skirts.

When I first saw this pale pink skirt (Nichole grabbed it!) I wasn’t sure I’d like it. But I love how I can pair it with this red cashmere turtleneck (got that also for $4, and it seemed new or only worn a few times).

I have more than few tops I can pair with the skirt:

And a lot I can pair with the red turtleneck.

Versatile, patterned pencil skirts

These two pencil skirts go with so much, and they were $6 each. Just a few possibilities:

This striped skirt is actually navy and white, but the navy is so dark, I’m playing it off like it’s black to create this mixed pattern look. The sweater was $4.

Blazers with pattern-mixing potential

I found two blazers with bold, versatile patterns, and pattern mixing is something I want to play with. Here, I paired them with jeans and a red tank top sweater I had in my closet.

One dress, multiple looks

We found this dress for $10 in a consignment shop. I liked the pattern and the ruffle, and I couldn’t wait to pair it with my leopard earrings from Symbols of Authority. To go with it, I got two Kate Spade bangles from Poshmark.

I have a couple of bags that could go well with this… my favorite pairing is the MCM clutch, and my second fave is the tan-trimmed black tote.

We found this navy dress at another consignment shop; it was one of my more expensive purchases at $55. It came with its own matching belt, and I picked up this red belt at the same shop for $5 and the earrings for $28. I like the tonal blue on blue. The clutch ($30) is something Nichole found and flagged for me.

I love the 60s and 70s, and one of my style words is rooted. This dress with a hexagon pattern feels rooted in time and culture. We got the white necklace at a flea market.

I paired the patterned blouse (second photo) with navy pants I already had in my closet. And for a third, fun look, Nichole encouraged me to try pairing the blouse with the dress, and it works—the blouse has hexagons in it, too.

Jackets that flex

We found a denim jacket with a peplum—great for my shape. Here I paired it with a graphic tee my sister gave me this Christmas and that $5 red belt.

This was my other large purchase—a jacket that looks like crushed textured velvet for $45. I picked up an acrylic purple ring for $10. I love wearing it by itself but it also goes well with an orchid blouse in my closet.

What’s next?

There were few pieces I found on our second-hand shopping spree that I really liked but didn’t work out. I’m hoping to add a Cookie Monster jacket when my budget allows, and find a few other things I passed up (or at least find the vibe and concept):

I’m happy with the pieces I’ve added to my closet. Our finds exceeded my expectations.

But as I’m assembling outfits, I feel like I’m still missing the magnetic quality I want, and the impact that my style words—rooted, rhythmic, and magnetic—are meant to create synergistically.

I think part of it is up to me to develop a better sense of how to execute what I’m envisioning, to play more with putting things together. I’ve also recognized that I held back when something felt really playful, like Cookie Monster. Why would I do that when that’s what I want? Am I afraid of having too much fun with my clothes? In retrospect, those shopping decision moments felt similar to being afraid of success.

It’s also clear I could give myself more shoes and accessories to work with.

And these are some of my 2026 projects.

A couple weeks after our shopping spree in Baltimore, Nichole saw something she knew I’d like in a second-hand store in Des Moines and shipped it to me. It wasn’t expensive. It was thoughtful and personal.

People are craving in-person connections. More community. More rewarding friendships and relationships. More time with friends and neighbors. Finding in-person communities to be a part of.

Those connections and meaningful relationships can be built with thoughtful gestures like this.

I’ve been inspired to think about how I show up as a friend, cousin, niece, sister, and aunt. I hope you are, too.

Housekeeping

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