January/Early February Jewels: Cutout Brass Bangle

I try very very hard, when thrifting, to avoid that intense, sick to your stomach feeling you get when you realize it was a mistake to leave something behind. No matter how carefully you edit, this is inevitably going to happen. Poorly negotiating the tough questions that arise when you are attracted to something, lack of time to consider, fear of taking a risk, or a too high price, can all be reasons for these passing something by. The latter ($$$) is one of the most frustrating pitfalls, and the reason that I nearly missed out on this fantastic cutout brass bangle.

This is an incredible story, and one of the reasons why Green Bay thrifting is unparalleled. I first saw this bracelet over my Thanksgiving Green Bay visit and instantly loved it. I was torn because the price was $10, which is rather steep by GB standards. I was also considering how much money I'd been spending overall, and it seemed especially extravagant. I made the tough decision to leave it behind. Needless to say, I regretted it, and the bracelet was on my mind for the next several weeks.

Fast forward to Christmas, back in GB, three weeks later. I head back to the Salvation Army to do another sweep. First thing, I go to the jewelry counter to see if somehow, by the grace of God, the bracelet is still there. Holy crap, it is. I ask to see it and try it on again. $10 still seems a bit much, but it is worth the price of...wait, what? There is a second price tag! It says $4! This is too good to be true. Not only is it still here, miraculously, but it is MARKED DOWN?! I ask the lady behind the counter which price is the correct price. She says $4, that it was just recently marked down. I simply could not believe my luck. In the world of thrifting, such things simply do not happen. If you pass something up, you kiss it goodbye. No second chances. Only in Green Bay would this seemingly unbreakable tenant of thrifting be upended by the fact that practically no one is shopping for the stuff that I want. Unbelievable!

This bracelet also fits right in the world of the woven metal bangle and the Indian cord necklaces, as if they all magically coordinated themselves. It was a magical week for jewelry thrifting, indeed.

Thrift Off #1: African-Themed Print Dresses: The Response

THIS OFF IS OFFICIALLY ON!!!

I present my Response to Holly's challenge. It is an equally African-themed*, mock turtlenecked, backless, knit dress!

Exhibit A:


Exhibit B (backlessness):


Exhibit C: African-Themed Print


Rather equally matched, I would say! I am sure that most women would feel blessed to have either garment gracing their closets.

It is my feeling, that the equally myriad gifts of both Holly and I--which are readily on display on this blog--are also, equally matched. The true test of this initial OFF will most definitely be of our heretofore unseen rhetorical gifts (who has a collegiate debate coach for a live-in boyfriend!? Watch out, woman)! And can only be judged by you, our readers.

In our next two posts, we will unleash on each other, and we invite you to unleash your votes!

*In acknowledgment that "African-Themed" is an insufficient, blanket term to describe the commonality of these prints. "African-Themed" seemed to be the least insufficient, and blanket, compared to the other alternatives of common design parlance--i.e. tribal, primitive, and worst of all (in my opinion) "ethnic"--which are, at best, reductive, and at worst, just plain offensive. Without knowing the more precise origin of the style of print seen in my dress, yet knowing it is indeed continentally African in original aesthetic, and the animals in the print of Holly's dress also being natives of various parts of geographical Africa (with the exception of the implication of the presence of a tiger, which are Asian, and were similarly thoughtlessly assembled in a presumably African collage), these semantics were thoughtfully chosen.

Thrift Off #1: African-Themed Print Dresses: The Challenge

Welcome one and all to the kick off of one of Operation Sparkle's newest installments of 2011—the first ever THRIFT OFF!

For our first Thrift Off, I am presenting the challenge piece—a piece that had me squealing like a stuck pig in the middle of Fox Valley Thrift store during some post-Christmas thrifting—the African-Themed Print Dress.









As Laurie and I will each get a chance to plead our case after each piece is presented, I am garnering every ounce of my willpower to resist blabbing on and on about the greatness that is my African-Themed print dress—lions! leopards and/or cheetahs! tigers cutout back! mock turtleneck! AGHHHHHHH! SEE! I can't stop myself!

A word on Thrift Off logistics:

This is a whole new experience for us, so we will be tweaking the process as we go. That said, our initial Thrift Off process will be as follows: The challenge (the first post, featuring a simply awesome piece that can no longer go on without being hailed for its greatness), then the response (containing a piece that is more or less superior to the challenge piece), followed by defensive arguments by each party. After the last defense (scheduled for the forth day of the Thrift Off), readers will have two days to vote on their favorite of the two items. Votes are accepted through comments directly on the blog (following the last defense), or, for those of you who know us through the intimate connection of facebook, on facebook (following links relating to the Thrift Off).

Questions or suggestions? Please let us know!

AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

This Week's Finds!

It was a good week! Here are the highlights!
This is an amazing cut out tunic, with a hood, and bell sleeves. It is a actually a swim suit cover up from the 80's (I believe) but it is definitely suitable for more than just the beach.

I LOVE this antique floral toile print. It is very wallpaper-y in the best way.

This sweater vest is just utterly charming.

This crazy abstract jacquard upholstery pattern jacket/blazer/shirt fulfilled the wtf? category this week.

And in the world of long skirts, this is a freaking fantastic velvet button front floor length skirt with GOLD BUTTONS. The picture does not do it justice.