Clothes can get expensive, but we're helping you to stick to your budget by having a personal stylist give us thrifty tips. She found me a GORGEOUS dress for $1!
Charissa Dantas runs Be Fearless on a Budget. She took me to the Goodwill on Priest Dr. and Elliot Rd. to score a wardrobe for $20 or less! She does this once a week, so I was confident in the challenge!
I asked her what she recommends for first-time thrifters, and she said, "I would recommend a category and stick to it, dresses, pants, whatever. Shoes are right in front of the store, easiest because they're on display."
We found that pants and skirts are great there because, "Goodwill has a sale every day of the week. There's a sign up front that says what color it is, and you just have to look at the tag. They're all sticking out for pants. You can see which ones are having a sale," Dantas said with a smile. To elaborate, we went on a Thursday, and that day all orange tags would be on sale for $1. So, we looked for that color. The sale and corresponding color changes daily.
It really is amazing because some of the name-brand items we found were only $1 or in general, massively discounted. "Have a plan before you go in, and that's why it's so important to do your research to know when the best sales are going to be."
We found several options! I tried on three different dresses, with heels and accessories. There was a black-and-white striped dress with black heels, a grey-and-white striped dress with similar heels, and a gold-threaded number with classic beading on the shoulders. They looked like blingy pendants. Pair that dress with heels and a cute purse, and we made it to $20. When it came time to check out, the gold dress I went for was only $1! Dantas joked, "One dollar, make you holler!"
Her motto is, "You don't have to spend a million dollars to look like a million dollars."
Dantas offers her personal stylist services for $65 an hour, with a requirement of two hours for shopping. But, Smart Shoppers, she can be your stylist for half off! All you have to do mention Smart Shopper and email her, or call her at 928-273-4477. You have until February 1 at 6 p.m. to score the half-off Deal of the Day. Then, you can go shopping with Dantas any time that works for both of you in 2019.
Want some more of her tips? See her answers to the following questions:
- What are your favorite Goodwill locations? Dantas shared,"...Priest and Elliot, Alma School and Ray, Guadalupe and Rural, Scottsdale and Acoma, and 7th Street and Thunderbird."
- Where else do you like to shop? She exclaimed, "My Sisters' Charities Thrift Shop!! Especially on half-off days. Savers- every Monday is half-off day. Goodwill on Thursdays. It's $1 day, so that's my favorite day. The Goodwill bins on 51st Ave, Treasures 4 Teachers Thrift Shop in Tempe, 360 Thrift in Mesa, and the $3.99 Liquidation store in Tempe."
- Any tips on brands? "Start with the brands you know and are familiar with. If you still need help, go follow people on Instagram who thrift and/or resale for a living, and follow the brands they pick up," said Dantas.
- How can we find out where the clothes came from? "I just Google the registration number or style number listed on their tags if they haven't been ripped off. I only do this IF I've never heard of the brand before or trying to look up how much it retails for when it came out on the market," Dantas said.
- Any other tips? "Always look for a dry cleaning tag. That way you know someone took care of it. Start with brands you already know and love when you start looking. Use your sense of touch. I can tell something is great quality just by touching it. That way you'll know it'll last long and not fall apart on you. Follow other thrifters on Instagram and watch what labels they pick up, and make a mental note to try and watch out for those," shared Dantas.
- Who do you like to work with the most? Dantas said, "I work with all types of women. However, my favorite type of woman to work with is a business woman or entrepreneur. I LOVE LOVE dressing them and making them look like a million dollars without spending a million dollars. You are a brand, so it's time to start dressing the part and be confident in the way you look. I want everyone to go from, 'Can I afford this?? To... How can I NOT afford this!?!'".
Dantas also told me that if you can scope out the stores in advance before a big sale, it's best to go the night before, and come back the next morning to snag it when the price drops. Happy shopping!