It’s still January and somehow it feels like I’m running out of time
The Frugal Wench Urge to Go On Vacation for a Jacket
BlogBlog
The Skinny Scarf
Blog
Some like to call it Spring but I prefer: Skinny Scarf Season. A skinny scarf is like a jean vest, absolutely no warmth provided, simply vibes. The art of the skinny scarf is making a comeback like most 2000s era trends and yet again, we choose to embrace. I believe a skinny scarf can elevate and set the tone for an entire outfit. I found this particular skinny scarf at a thrift store in Laguna beach about two months ago after avidly searching for quite some time. A skinny scarf should be two things: as skinny as Mariah and make you feel like Lizzie McGuire.
I paired the colorful knit skinny scarf with a simple back cashmere sweater and a new pair of thrifted Levi cutoffs that I cut and distressed myself. Then, my favorite tie-up sandals from Madewell and sunglasses from Captain’s Helm.
If you still aren’t convinced to buy or event knit yourself a skinny scarf, here are some iconic skinny scarf moments for inspiration. For all we know, the scarf Taylor left at Maggie Gyllenhall’s house could have been skinny.
New Year, New Something
BlogWe are two weeks into 2021 and honestly, in my heart of hearts, I can’t say I feel much different. But I am more than ready for something new. Of course Audrey and I have set our new year’s resolutions and goals for the coming 12 months. I look forward to them every year. But time is a funny thing in that tomorrow can just be the next day, or the start of an entirely new year. If you focus on the monumental change of the calendar, it’s easy to use that excuse to change your life. Things feel more real when they have an important start date, they feel more whole. For example, if I add a new skin care product into my routine, it feels right to do it on a Sunday, at the start of the week. And at night when my routine is the longest. It makes sense to start a diet on the first of the month, even if you quit on the 4th. We are bound by subjective time, but it helps, and I love it.
Erin’s Resolutions:
1. Decide Aura: For the past few years, I have started an important ritual to kick off my new year- deciding my aura. I think that personal energy is a super important factor in how my life is going, and it makes complete sense to me that that energy would be exuded in a color. Color is a huge part of who I am, why wouldn’t I exude one? And why shouldn’t I choose what that color is? I have yet to have my aura read by a professional, though I am sure there is a color that encompasses my whole being and is perpetually casting me in an angelic halo of light. But choosing a color I wish to give off is exciting because it sets an intentional attitude I will try to hold for an entire year. How I want to come off to new people and what parts of my personality I will emphasize, etc. The first aura I chose was for 2019 – magenta. 2020 was amber. 2021, I have decided, will be sage green, which should help me have a balanced and harmonious year in adventure and peace. Sign me up.
Besides my aura, I came up with a few other resolutions:
2. Be more complimentary: I want to give a lot more compliments. I love receiving compliments, so to give them, I think, will bring more positivity to my life. I want to focus on the good that I notice and vocalizing that will make it more apparent.
3. Do the splits?
4. Procrastinate less… hence this blog post (2 weeks late but we’re trying)
5. Make more money: I’ve thought about it, it’s the only way I can live
5. Read more books: recommendations?
6. Thrift more
Audrey’s Resolutions:
This year I decided to focus my new year’s resolutions on what my heart truly wants. Without even a second of hesitation this list sprang into my head like divine intervention and I can’t help but feel it is destiny for all of these things to come true within these 12 months.
1. Break someone’s heart
2. Get a sugar daddy without even trying
3. Learn to cook but never do it and eat out every meal
4. Join a pyramid scheme
5. Get a really bad haircut
6. Continue not being vegan
7. Make really bad paintings and give them to acquaintances so they can’t throw them away
8. Be the prettiest contestant on a game show
It’s not 202fun for nothing, okay? We will be starting new chapters of our lives in 2021 if all goes correctly, including but not limited to: moving out of our parents house, becoming famous and getting slim thicc. All this and more to come while being frugal wenches.
Trends we are excited about for this year:
1. Ballet inspired clothing (audrey’s sweater)
2. Skinny scarves
3. Low waisted baggy men’s jeans (on us and on actual men)
4. Dressing like Ashley from Disturbia (2007)
5. Long sleeves that trumpet at the end and roll because they are unhemmed
When we find the sleeves, we’ll let you know….
Remember That Road Trip?
BlogThe Frugal Wench Guide to the California Coast
There is one very large exception to us being Frugal Wenches: vacation. More specifically, food on vacation. Even though we were both extremely tight on pocket money after spending nearly every cent to our name in the month of September (birthday month babyyy), we decided to go on a week-long Pacific Coast road trip. We have driven the coast many times before, so I’m sure you are wondering why we decided to go again. One word: Twilight. Summer of 2020 rekindled our desire for the angsty, supernatural teen romance we are still in search of for ourselves. It was the Summer of Twilight for us and we just had to go to Forks. The plan was simple, drive all the way up the coast, stopping along the way to hit all the spots and end in Forks, just nearly at the Canadian border. If we could’ve lived the entire trip with the iconic and absolutely necessary blue filter of the first film, we would have.
Let’s talk about the highlights – outfit edition:
Day 1:
Audrey: American Apparel tie dyed t-shirt dress (thrifted).
Erin: Gap green striped 2000’s-esque blouse with denim shorts (also thrifted).
These were the perfect road trip outfits to wear while driving up the Southern California coast. We made a ton of stops, including Santa Barbara, beached seals and Big Sur. All places where we somehow spent money… all charged on Erin’s ~Visa~.
Day 2:
Audrey: Black t-shirt from Brandy Melville and black cigarette jeans from J. Crew (thrifted).
Erin: White cargo capris (thrifted… how else? lol) and a green cut-off tank top by Free People. Giving Keira Knightley in Bend it Like Beckham vibes.
Another LONG day of driving meant balancing comfort and style, while also channeling a Northern California vibe – foreign territory honestly. The weather had started to cool down so opting for pants with a light top was definitely the move.
Day 3:
Audrey: Anthropologie green, flare corduroy pants, black and grey men’s golf sweater (thrifted) with black plaid high-top vans.
Erin: Free People cardigan sweater (thrifted), Ralph Lauren white long underwear top, Loft Jeans (low rise and honestly weird but they just hit different with boots), with my Blundstone green suede boots.
Now that we had finally made it into Oregon, we definitely needed to dress for colder weather. Exciting! We only had a short drive from Eugene to Seattle so these outfits were not as comfort centered as our others (see Audrey’s very tight pants), but they worked well for a sunny fall day checking out campuses and drinking coffee with a cute jack russell terrier named Maddy (spelling assumed).
Day 4:
Audrey: Grey/blue turtleneck sweater (thrifted from grandma), grey men’s Levi’s (thrifted from Captain’s Helm), black low top converse.
Erin: Blue Ralph Lauren flannel shirt (thrifted from grandma), Levi’s 501’s (outlet), Anthropologie puffer coat (purchased after an assault of too-targeted instagram ads left me without a choice… happy for it though), black low top converse.
After picking up Erin’s Best Friend Becca (capitalized as an official title), we did some touristy things around Seattle like Pike’s Place Market and the gum wall. We dressed in “comfortable, Pacific Northwest chic” or at least what we thought that would look like.
Day 5: TWILIGHT
Audrey: Thrifted tan and brown striped t-shirt, brown flannel, and J. Crew jeans. Worn with the same plaid vans and Erin’s baby pink raincoat from Urban Outfitters (paid full price and was then marked down 50% a few weeks later…).
Erin: Black and white striped long sleeve shirt purchased in Florence from Misguided (Italian Brandy Melville) under a Target t-shirt appropriately hand-embroidered with “AS IF YOU COULD OUTRUN ME.” Worn with Levi’s 501s (outlet again, different wash), Blundstone boots, and Pendleton raincoat from good old Costco.
All outfits worn on this day were inspired by Bella Swan and Bella Swan only. Bowling shirt on the first day of school with keds meets vampire heartthrob in the PNW… obviously. I think we got the point across.
Day 6:
Audrey: Brown tie dye top, brown corduroy pants, and vintage men’s Levi’s denim jacket (all thrifted). Paired with platform Dr. Martin’s. She was 6’1″ and had Netflix quaking in their boots.
Erin: Orange velvet wrap shirt (thrifted), same Levi’s with torn knee, same Anthro puffer. (not photographed)
For our last day in Seattle, we kept the same vibes going for a morning of brunch and fancy croissants before we started our return journey south. Highlights of this day include the food mentioned above, spending time with good friends ❤ and getting our ears pierced (holes 2 and 3).
Day 7:
Audrey: Striped vintage (haha) Victoria’s Secret lounge pants with blue Madewell t-shirt.
Erin: Blue sweater and embroidered pants (both thrifted) with converse.
A LONG day of driving after spending a quick morning in Portland eating donuts and fried chicken sandwiches. With stops along the Oregon coast and in the redwoods, our outfits were comfortable and warm.
Day 8:
Audrey: Vintage rugby shirt from Depop, blue Ralph Lauren baseball tee, also from Depop with same gray jeans.
Erin: Navy t-shirt under a thrifted hand-made rainbow poncho (I’ve been waiting for this one) with men’s 501’s and converse.
The morning of Day 8, we took a stroll through Fort Bragg’s glass beach and saw some gorgeous coastline. The outfits were planned for this outing, but were comfortable enough to wear for the very long drive home to San Diego.
With so many stops and different climates to consider, packing for this roadtrip was sort of tricky. Luckily, our little prius doesn’t have baggage limits and we brought everything we wanted! Within reason of course… As you can tell from our outfit lists, we ended up rewearing a lot of pieces, especially bottoms, which made our packing a little lighter. Head to our instagram stories for a more in depth documentation of our days on the road.
P.S. Obviously Team Edward till we die.
A Written “What I Would Wear If I Was In” Tik Tok
BlogShould we make the Tik Tok? Should we? Anyway, even if we don’t, we have a Tik Tok. Follow us @Frugalwench.
Audrey and I draw a lot of style inspiration from our favorite characters in books, movies, and TV shows, but there are a few we have actually been able to emulate. Here is a list of our favorite things and how we bought things to match.
1. Confessions of a Shopaholic
This is my favorite book. First of all, it’s all about shopping (relatable). Secondly, it is one of the only books that throughout the entire series, has made me laugh OUT LOUD while reading it. And I’ve read it a few times through. In the first book, when confronted with the option to make more money or spend less, Becky chooses the former and gets a job at an Ally Smith retail store. On her first day she spies the last pair of zebra print jeans in her size on the reduced rack, marked 50 percent off. In the dressing room, she lies to a customer trying them on and hides them for herself. Here’s the quote of when the customer and Becky’s new and serious boss Danielle catch her in the act.
“‘Wait a minute!’ says the girl sharply. ‘What’s that?’ I follow her gaze and freeze. The zebra print jeans have rolled out from under the curtain. For a moment we all stare at them.”
She’s fired that day.
I literally will never forget this scene or her hilarious desperation for a pair of pants she really really wants. So when I was in Nordstrom Rack and came across a pair of zebra print jeans this is immediately what came to mind. So naturally, I bought them. On clearance too.
1a. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
In the second book of the series, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Becky buys a pair of lilac sandals with a tiny little blackberry by the toe. She justifies the purchase as a NEED and the high price acceptable because “everyone knows you should never skimp on shoes, because you’ll hurt your feet.” At the register the clerk tells her about the new pair that just came in. The same sandal but it in creamy orange with a clementine instead of a blackberry. She buys both.
I recently bought a pair of Katy Perry jelly sandals with a watermelon on the toe and of course I thought of my fellow Shopaholic again. I know that the shoes aren’t remotely similar, color, fruit and heel wise (hers were strappy stilettos) but a fruity toed sandal only has one reference.
I’ve paired my watermelon sandals with denim shorts, a pink floral mesh top and a loose knit sweater. With my zebra print jeans, I’m wearing a light citrus colored tank top from Urban outfitters and yellow sandals with floral accents for two outfits inspired by the girl in the green scarf herself, Rebecca Brandon nee Bloomwood. Love you, girl.
2. Nancy Drew
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and remind everyone of our fabulous #PLFM (penny loafer fashion moment). We have always been influenced by traditional preppy style in some way or another, but penny loafers are the iconic statement piece of the preppy fashion movement. One of our favorite movies, Nancy Drew (and also book series, duh) features a revival of the classic shoe, not only sported by our favorite girl detective, but also her new Hollywood friends.
Here’s an entire outfit inspired by the series including our favorite shoes in our own version of The Hidden Staircase. I’m wearing a pair of dark Levi’s 501s, a brown silk top purchased from a thrift store, my G.H. Bass loafers, a headband, and of course a pearl necklace. It just seemed right.
3. Wild Child
If you know Audrey well, you know that she has dubbed three legendary movies as the Holy Trinity of adolescent girl dreams. At the top of the pyramid, in the throne of honor, is Wild Child. In Wild Child, the delinquent main character Poppy, played by Emma Roberts, is sent to boarding school in England as punishment (?) and finds herself, a group of best friends and a super hot new boyfriend (Alex Pettyfer). On their first date, Poppy wears a white blouse with bow straps paired with jeans and flats for their picture perfect jaunt across the English countryside. Audrey found a similar shirt, complete with big bow ties, and is now just looking for the perfect hot date. Respond with takers please.
Like Poppy, she paired the shirt with a pair of men’s Levi’s 501s and ballet flats. Talk about a perfect match.
Audrey goes to Abbey Mount 
As another, albeit less fashionable, nod to our favorite movie, Audrey created these shirts with Alex Pettyfer’s face on it. Please enjoy one of our favorite looks.
4. Sex and The City
After rewatching Sex and the City for who knows what time, I realized a couple new things about the show. One, that I actually love Miranda. Two, if I don’t copy most of their outfits, what am I doing? This second realization isn’t new, just something that resurfaces after each binge of this iconic series. In Season 1 Episode 6, “Secret Sex,” Carrie walks down the street arm in arm with Big wearing pinstripe pants, a sweater, coat, and new balance tennis shoes. I recently found the perfect pair of Theory pinstripe trousers at a thrift store and I am psyched about replicating this look. Because it’s still summer weather, I won’t be styling my pair the same way, but the tennis shoes and casual top were a must for my inspired vision.
Here, I’ve styled the pants with a pink thrifted t-shirt and my high-top white vans to emulate Carrie and her iconic style with my own flare. But I’ll remember her version of this outfit to wear later this fall.
5. Aquamarine
First of all, amazing movie and also in Audrey’s Holy Trinity. There are a ton of iconic looks in this masterpiece that deserve recognition but the one we have that fits the bill is what Aqua wears after their fun trip to the mall. Say “HELLOOOOOO” to the gradient blue tank top Audrey found on Depop. Paired with a white skirt and espadrilles, the outfit isn’t an exact replica but a reminiscence. Audrey also wears a pair of handmade clay star earrings I found in Capri that are our own version of Aqua’s suck-up star fish accessories. BRB, wearing this outfit until I find my own Raymond.
MONOCHROME MONDAY
BlogWithout a doubt, color is one of the biggest staples of our wardrobes. We like it bright, we like it loud, and we like it all over. With that in mind, we’ve decided to start a new segment: Monochrome Monday.
There’s something special about layering pieces of the same color, on one top of another. And with some luck, we’ll find some cool new looks.
Please scroll for our first installment of Monochrome Monday.
Green on Green 8/31:
Audrey kicked off Monochrome Monday with a verdant ensemble fit to rival our favorite green goddess, a bottle of Aloe. Her outfit consists of:
- Green Free People muscle tank
- Green thrifted, corduroy, and pleated BCBG mini skirt purchased from Depop. A perfect nod to Audrey’s favorite fashion era, the early 2000’s.
- Tory Burch sneakers with kelly green accents, purchased on Poshmark. Audrey had the same pair without the green, and wore them all throughout Europe. When they started to look too worn, she was able to find a secondhand pair on Poshmark! Don’t forget to check online thrift stores for pieces you think are no longer available. Sometimes google doesn’t catch it all.
- Styled with a honeydew boba tea, turned green to match (tasted like a melona bar, worth the try)
Outdoors in Quarantine
BlogWe posted on Instagram a few months ago talking about how being stuck at home during quarantine inspired us to actually start our blog, but it also gave us time to take a meaningful look at our closets. From that go-through, we planned some really great stuff. What we didn’t plan on, was still being stuck inside months later!! With summer breezing by, we, like so many other people, have taken to distanced outdoor activities as the only option to show off and put on our good outfits. We picnicked at a local park, we picnicked at a park farther away, we’ve dressed up to go shopping and we’ve donned outfits only to stare at ourselves in the mirror. All worth it, but as someone who relies on casual clothes to get through most of the everyday, it’s been a new feeling to flex on other shoppers at the grocery store. But even though I want to wear new outfits, there’s something so tempting and easy about shorts and t-shirt that I have to get over to keep these habits going. Here are some photos from a few of our outdoor escapades, including what’s in our bag- a French grocery tote perfect for the summer (purchased as a three pack on Amazon).
Pastel Picnic (local park):
What’s In My Bag:
Book: A Wild Swan A modern satirical retelling of classic fairy tales from the library.
Wallet: Leopards from J. Crew
Chapstick: Supergoop Lipshield (mint)
Lip Gloss: Revlon super lustrous THE GLOSS
Hand Sanitizer: Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Organic Hand Sanitizer Spray (a must currently)
English Food Picnic (park farther away):
How We Thrift!
Blog
Thrifting is a mix of things, dedication and luck. My friends often get frustrated when my only answer to “Where did you get that?!” is, “A thrift store!” and I totally get it. When I hear that response from someone that I ask, I know it’s nearly impossible to get myself because this person bought the only one in existence. But that’s the beauty of thrifting- a sense of individuality. A lot of my thrifting could be attributed to luck and the abundance of options in my size, but I have also been thrifting regularly since 5th grade. Which leads us to some helpful strategies we’ve adopted to make us better thrifters:
1.You can’t expect to walk into a thrift store and find exactly what you’re looking for, like a perfect pair of vintage jeans. But don’t be discouraged either, that of course could happen but when it doesn’t, don’t give up! We often keep a running list of styles or ideal pieces we are looking for in the back of our minds (or written down if you’re organized like that). That way, every time you go to a thrift store, you might not find the ONE thing, but you could find something on your list, and you won’t forget what to look for next time.
2. The secret is fabric. Things often jump out to me based on the quality, color and pattern of the fabric. I find this strategy is most effective when looking through tops, but it applies to all sections of the store as well. When I walk into a thrift store, I head straight to the tops. Tops, I find, are the easiest to go through because sizes are the most liberal and I go through every single one at lightning speed. My arm is literally sore by the end, that’s how fast I go. Same thing goes for denim and other bottoms.
2a. If you can try things on, pull anything and everything you think might work. Sometimes magic happens when a piece comes off the rack and onto your body. And if it’s the opposite, at least now you know.
3. If you end up trying something on that you absolutely love but doesn’t fit right, consider tailoring! I have had several pieces adjusted by our favorite local tailor and it was totally worth it. The main thing to consider before frequently opting for tailoring is budget. It’s not always inexpensive to tailor something so consider how much the item costs plus how much the tailoring will be to decide if the item would be worth that price if it fit perfectly.
4. Bring your metaphorical magnifying glass to check for stains! This may seem obvious but some stains are not always visible when you’re looking on the rack. Pull everything out and change up the lighting to make sure there aren’t any permanent damages to the item like stains but also holes.
5. Another important tip is to check tags for the care instructions. If you’re low maintenance and don’t like to dry clean anything, that could help you decide if the piece is right for you. If there’s one thing we’re serious about it’s following the care instructions. It definitely adds to the lifetime of a piece, especially something that is pre-owned!
If you post if any of your thrifted finds, tag #frugalwench to show us what you’ve found!
Happy thrifting.
-Audrey
Strike While the Price is Right
Blog– How We Shop A Sale –
If there’s one thing we know about shopping a sale, it’s that our most successful retail deals are the fruition of an intense game of chicken between consumer and retailer. Me, the consumer, waiting semi-patiently on the tracks for the price to drop and the retailer enticing me with whatever item I really want, hurling toward me like a moving locomotive. Of course there are times when we pay full price, we’re frugal, not cheap. But there are also times when the price is just too high. In those cases, here are things we consider to try and get the best deal.
Know the retailer: Are there any potential sales coming up? Depending on the brand, you can almost guarantee that there will be an upcoming sale. Is there a holiday this month? Is it almost black friday (a holiday in and of itself)? What season is it and what season is the item? If new inventory is coming in, this item will have to go and they’ll be willing to move pieces at a lower price. If we are talking designer or even lululemon you will just have to decide if the item is really worth the list price because a sale item is most likely not in your future.
Be strategic: There is a risk to waiting for a sale. The item could sell out before you have the chance to snag it. Make sure to consider what kind of sales the retailer has had in the past. If they are stingy when it comes to percentages off, it’s probably not worth the wait. If you know them to have bangin’ deals every once in a while, you could save big. Step 2 sub-step A: Master percentage math in your head.
Know yourself: This is the most important. This is when Marie Kondo’s advice comes most in handy, in the store. Does this item spark enough joy to pay full price? Does it spark enough joy to wait for it? Will you feel regret if you don’t buy it and it goes out of stock? If you think you are willing to pay full price, how many times do you think you will wear it? Do you like it enough that it doesn’t matter? Is the quality worth the price? Some things don’t have to go on sale to be worth purchasing.
Subscribe: I’m sure everyone has been offered the massive “10% off your first purchase” for signing up for a brand’s email list but the email list isn’t only a one time benefit. If you’re waiting for the perfect price, being on the email list will make you one of the first shoppers to know when a sale hits. Plus, you might get extra bonuses or money off as an email insider. Another way to stay up to date is to follow the brand on social media. Getting all of those emails may fill up your inbox, but when it comes to frugal shopping, these tools are necessary to strike when the price is right.
This process is the internal dialogue that runs through my head anytime I make a clothing purchase. It’s saved my wallet but it’s also helped me stay true to what I really want. I’ve found less and less that I buy anything I end up disliking after a short time. It’s a way to build a capsule wardrobe of any varying size. This capsule isn’t only about versatility and minimalism, but about value.
Happy hunting.
Erin
The Long Game
Blog– The Waiting Game That is Shopping Like a Frugal Wench –
Frugal Wench 