{"id":2114,"date":"2018-11-01T09:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T13:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2114"},"modified":"2018-11-07T17:25:39","modified_gmt":"2018-11-07T22:25:39","slug":"giving-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2114","title":{"rendered":"Giving Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thrift Store Styling\u00a0<\/em><\/h1>\n

By Nichole A. Cavallaro\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Philanthropy is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as \u201cthe desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.\u201d The desire to promote the welfare of others \u2014 in one word, \u201ckindness.\u201d<\/p>\n

In college, I belonged to a large sorority that was created based on service and philanthropy. I recall fundraising many weekends in a row on campus, collecting change and putting it toward a particular charity or cause. We\u2019d also travel out of town to volunteer at events, offering our support and time to those in need. We\u2019d often pull all-nighters and find lodging where we could to make it there and back to campus before a chapter meeting on Sunday and the inevitability of classes Monday morning.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to now \u2013 my philanthropic efforts aren\u2019t as adventurous and tumultuous as they once were, but I do many things to achieve those same efforts. Clothes that either don\u2019t fit or no longer serve their purpose for me are bagged up, ready to drop off at Goodwill or The Salvation Army.<\/p>\n

Of course, I don\u2019t just donate anything that isn\u2019t up to par. I\u2019m mindful of what I donate, as I was once in a position where going to a thrift store was something I needed. I actually liked thrifting because of my ongoing love affair with different styles. Whether it\u2019s looking for vintage glassware or a stylish coat, I\u2019ve developed an eye for dated pieces and updated ones, as well.<\/p>\n

Here are some tips for putting together a look found at a thrift store:<\/p>\n

1. Look at the tags! You can tell a vintage label from a current one. It\u2019s usually in cursive \u2014 you know, the handwriting no one really uses anymore.<\/p>\n

2. Look at buttons, zippers, stitching and patterns. Be mindful of loose threads and faded colors.<\/p>\n

3. Consider going to a thrift store if you\u2019re going on a vacation to somewhere warm. Again, a few pieces that aren\u2019t brand new aren\u2019t going to kill you. I recently went to the Caribbean. Although the thought of spending money on summer outfits was exciting and enticing, I chose to use that money\u00a0toward the vacation. Yes, I bought a couple budget-friendly items to wear to dinners, but a few summer dresses from Goodwill weren\u2019t only perfect, but also perfectly priced. I scoured the jewelry section and bought a Kate Spade white enamel bangle for a dollar. My logic is: I\u2019m a mom who needs to be comfortable and functional.<\/p>\n

4. Be mindful of work pieces. I tend to stay away from polyester blends from a thrift store. But if you find a basic blazer that fits and is the right price, go for it. That brings me to my next tip\u2026.<\/p>\n

5. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Steam clean it, take it a dry cleaner, hand wash it or machine wash it. Always clean it before wearing it.<\/p>\n

6. Ask yourself: Is this something you could easily buy new for around the same price? For example, I see a lot of tops from Target, Express, Old Navy and other brands.<\/p>\n

7. Shoes can be tricky. Try them on, of course, but try to find some that aren\u2019t too worn out and damaged.<\/p>\n

8. Another shop with discounted prices is Plato\u2019s Closet. I\u2019ve brought things there to sell and have seen designer pieces for work, school, college and casual settings. Although this store is geared towards a younger crowd (about ages 18 to 25), there are still some nice pieces in there as well as mint-condition shoes.<\/p>\n

9. If you donate, consider what you give away. Would you wear it? Your intention is kind but make sure you\u2019re not giving away garbage. Most places won\u2019t even except shabby clothes, footwear or broken dishes.<\/p>\n

There are consignment shops for children, too. Those are gold mines for parents because although clothes can be pricey, children grow quickly. Most of the time, you can find clothing and tons of toys that are practically new, some with the tags still on. I\u2019ve found awesome (and new!) pajamas, toys and tops for my daughter. The price I paid for those items was amazing compared to what I\u2019d spend elsewhere.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to wear the best and most expensive labels to feel great. Being happy with who you are and what you wear is a mindset. Being kind is the best label.<\/p>\n

After all, kindness never goes out of style. SWM<\/em><\/p>\n

Nichole A. Cavallaro is a Syracuse-based lifestyle blogger. Read more of her work at eneverythingnice.blogspot.com.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thrift Store Styling\u00a0 By Nichole A. Cavallaro\u00a0 Philanthropy is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as \u201cthe desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.\u201d The desire to promote the welfare of others \u2014 in one word, \u201ckindness.\u201d In college, I belonged to a large…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fashion"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/syracuse-women-magazine-logo-jan-17-smallest.jpg?fit=445%2C200&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3134,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3134","url_meta":{"origin":2114,"position":0},"title":"For Carolyn Hendrickson, Philanthropy is a Lifestyle","author":"Staff","date":"November 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By Ken Sturtz \u00a0 A stillness swept over the church as the congregation sat enthralled by a visitor\u2019s story of how he\u2019d been called upon to make a life-changing decision to leave a career in business and devote himself to missionary work. Then he offered a piece of advice: if\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cover Story"","block_context":{"text":"Cover Story","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=100"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Carolyn-Hendrickson-0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Carolyn-Hendrickson-0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Carolyn-Hendrickson-0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Carolyn-Hendrickson-0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Carolyn-Hendrickson-0004-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2655,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2655","url_meta":{"origin":2114,"position":1},"title":"SELF-CARE: Philanthropy: Solving the social problem of mental wellness","author":"Staff","date":"November 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Nichole A. Cavallaro \u00a0 \u201cPhilanthropy\u00a0can be broadly defined as love for humankind.\u201d Philanthropy exists to improve the wellbeing of humankind in preventing and finding a solution to social problems. Philanthropy is not to be mistaken as charity.\u00a0Charity\u00a0works to eliminate the suffering caused by problematic areas in society, while philanthropy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/kat-yukawa-K0E6E0a0R3A-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/kat-yukawa-K0E6E0a0R3A-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/kat-yukawa-K0E6E0a0R3A-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/kat-yukawa-K0E6E0a0R3A-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/kat-yukawa-K0E6E0a0R3A-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3380,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3380","url_meta":{"origin":2114,"position":2},"title":"Guest commentary: At the Heart of Giving","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"November 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Carolyn Hendrickson As someone who genuinely enjoys building relationships, I am always curious what motivates people to give. 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