Partying at Mancini's: Thrift Fashions for the Swanky Supper Club Set

So while Laurie was bouncing all over the world wide web and New York trying to right her thrifting wrong, I had the pleasure of reveling in one of the best things about thrifting: having a wardrobe filled with outrageous pieces that can create the perfect look for a situation you wouldn't normally encounter.

Yesterday was an amazing day for many reasons, least of which was that it was 37 degrees and I was able to take a bike ride for the first time in several weeks (I should also share with you that some possibly homeless, clearly not right in the head, man started screaming at me that he "loved" my outfit, which consisted of this long furry jacket, my huge Sorels, huge navy chopper mittens and my pink thrifted bicycle helmet. All very sexy). It was also an amazing day because it was the day before my dear friend Mary W. (otherwise known on blogger as "Momar")'s birthday. Which means that we get to go to Mancini's.

Now, for those of you not familiar with the Twin Cities, Mancini's is a bit of a St. Paul staple, or, as they state on their website, "a St. Paul tradition." It's this amazing swanky supper club that serves steaks, is covered in mirrors and shiny railings (but in a old supper club way, not a strip club way), has a whole wall of photos of "F-list" celebrities like Ashlee Simpson(-Wentz), all with music from the Midas Touch, a middle aged rock band that does covers of things like Bruce Springsteen and pretty much anything from before 1990. Needless to say, this sort of atmosphere invites all types, the most common of which are elderly drunk veterans and their middle-aged, trashy girlfriends/wives/mistresses.

What does one wear to such a soiree? Well, I decided to take a cue from Patsy on Absolutely Fabulous and rock a 90's drunk, rich, trashy woman vibe. Despite what you may think of me, I don't normally dress like this, but with a closet of thrifted treasures like I have, you bet your sweet bippy I could come up with such an outfit!



So for the first item of business, I had to start with my head. This is the only place that I feel could have been more Mancini's-appropriate, as it was clear that the hairdo of choice is a dried out, feathered, bleached blond look. As I had worn a headband that everyone said resembled a pair of underpants on my head last year, I thought it only fitting to wear another headband—this time one fashioned from a thrifted jumpsuit that I cut the legs off of and a large bead from a bracelet that was included in a thrifted "grab bag" my friend Mary D. gave me for my birthday one year.




Next, I was ecstatic when I realized that I finally had the perfect place to wear the drunk, trophy wife, bejeweled sweater that I picked up this fall—Mancini's of course!



Outside, I wore this fake fur coat, from the same fall trip I found the sweater at (a close runner up was my reversible leopard cape, but I deemed it as too cold, despite the more balmy temps).



I finished off the outfit with a high-waisted black pencil miniskirt from work (courtesy of H&M), my fold-over black leather clutch (which, as it turns out, can fit an unexpected amount of junk) and these electric blue suede pumps.

Total success! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY!!!!!!!!!!