This styled post will be a bit different this time because I want to introduce you to my friend Stasia of Thrift Me Pretty. I met her online about 8 months ago when we were both taking the same online course and then we got to meet in person over the summer. I love her styling approach and I thought perhaps you might also. I set up a little Q&A with her so here we go!
1. What is Thrift Me Pretty?
Thrift Me Pretty is my business. My blog. And my heart. I work as a rather unconventional Personal Stylist, using wit, humor and thrift store finds, to teach people about Sustainable Style and Inside-Out Congruency. I believe, with all my heart, that dressing on the outside in a way that reflects your truest spirit is a gift that you can give to the world. Because when your inside matches your outside, you are showing everyone the most authentic version of you. When the two are in alignment, there is space only for magic. I help people identify who they are on the inside, so they can stop hiding behind the veil of uncertainty and safety, and express their most truest brilliant self on the outside.
I hold my values close to my heart, and encourage people to shop sensibly. I have a very limited wardrobe, filled only with things that I love. I thrift. I buy products from artisans, and shop local whenever possible. Being eco-conscious, supporting my local community and reducing my global impact are all important to me.
I encourage you to flirt with fashion, discover your own personal and unique style AND maintain your values. Ah-mazing!!
(Stasia with her Moldova necklace.)
My absolute greatest motivation has been my daughter, Raisa. She’s 7 years old, and has long wanted to dress like a boy. Although I “allowed” her to dress in clothes that sort of aligned with her preferred style, I didn’t do it without putting up a fight. In fact, I offered up a lot of resistance to her fashion picks, and we battled almost every morning. Day after day I tried forcing her to wear the boot cut jeans or capped sleeved t-shirts I had bought for her, when she only wanted to wear “boy” pants and “boy” shirts. And then one day last December (2013), we were at a thrift store and she asked me to buy her a shirt and tie. I resisted. I squawked. But I gave in. Not because I supported her thrift-store picks, but because I didn’t want to fight with her in public. When we got home, she quickly put on her shirt and tie, looked in the mirror, and took her own breath away. She, in a whispered voice said, “WOW, I look so handsome.” And in a flash she bolted across the dining room floor and said, “Mama Mama, look how much faster I can run!” and then she jumped and said, “Mama, look how much higher I can jump when I’m wearing a shirt and tie.” And in that moment, seeing that she could RUN FASTER and JUMP HIGHER when she was wearing clothes that matched how she felt on the inside, I realized what a resistant ass I had been. Me, a Vermont living progressive mama and a personal stylist that preached the importance of dressing authentically, was holding on so tightly to societal norms, that it prevented me from truly SEEING my own child. Ouch.
To be truly SEEN… isn’t that what we all want? I could talk the good talk, but SHE tested me. She pushed me. She expanded my heart and my mind.
Imagine if I had continued fighting? Squashing her spirit a little bit everyday.
3. How long have you been thrifting and what are you top 3 tips?
Oh, good question! I didn’t start thrifting in earnest until around 6 years ago. Sure I hit thrift stores before that, but I simply dabbled. Here are my TOP 3 THRIFTING TIPS.
1. Just because it’s cheap, doesn’t mean it’s RIGHT FOR YOU! The clothing you wear on the outside MUST BE a representation of who you are on the inside. I call it Inside-Out Congruency. If it doesn’t match YOU, put it back, no matter how nice it is and how well it fits.
2. Look out for pit stains and ring around the collar! To truly see if a shirt has stains, you really need to check it out under natural light conditions, so walk over to a window before you purchase and give it a good once-over.
3. Check to see that all zippers zip, buttons button and snaps snap. Broken closures are often the reason something will land in a thrift shop in the first place, so check ALL OF THEM!
4. What are you top 5 go to accessories?
1. My Gorin Brothers cap – because no short-haired girl should EVER be without a stylish hat that can be worn when you haven’t tamed or combed your chicken-do.
2. My Moldova necklace – usually worn layered with another silver pendant necklace, when the neckline of my shirt is already voluminous.
3. My chunky big-bead necklaces (of which I have many) – worn when my neckline needs some added volume or I need to add some spunk and color to my outfit.
4. Scarves – I’ve got a ton of them, and wear them all the time in the fall and winter. Not only do they add flavor to any outfit, but they are toasty warm and stylish to boot!
5. Sunglasses – Although mine are cheap (got kids??), they protect my eyes, keep my hair out of my face, AND are stylish!
(Stasia with her host sister from Moldova both wearing their Moldova necklaces)
5. What does your Moldova Necklace represent to you?
I served in Peace Corps Moldova from 2003 – 2005, and though it’s been almost 10 years since I left Moldova, I think of my time there almost daily. It was one of the richest, most life changing (and challenging) times of my life. Moldova is a small country that many people have never heard of. Every time I wear my necklace, someone inevitably asks me about it, and I’m able to introduce them to a little corner of the world that they would otherwise have never known. Once a Peace Corps volunteer. Always a Peace Corps volunteer.
Isn’t she great! I love her message and I love how passionate she is. If you are interested to know how you could work with her head over to her site and take a look around and get on her newsletter(I’ve been loving it). You can also follow her on instagram @stasiasavasuk which is great because her daughter is her photographer. They are seriously adorable.
