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10 Thrifted Midsize Outfits: Outfit Inspiration for Midsize Women on a Budget
"I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. I am careful to only recommend products I truly love."
Ballin' on a Budget. That's my family's motto. My goal is to inspire you to look good and feel good, but do it without breaking the bank!
I recently took a trip to a thrift store (Goodwill) to find some pieces to add to my midsize wardrobe. I went into the thrift store with a few ideas of what I was looking for. I find it's definitely easier to find pieces when thrifting if you have an idea or vision in mind.
Here's what I was looking for on my thrifting mission today:
Blazer
Rib knit cropped tank
Oversized denim jacket
Sheer white or black top
Oversized Graphic Tee
Plain White Tee
Tan trench coat
White or black turtle neck
Oversized crew neck
Chunky grey sweater
I found some great pieces and some not so great pieces. Goodwill does not allow you try their items on right now, so my true first look reaction happened at home. Check out what I found.
Blazer
First up we have my absolute favorite find of the day. This was the first item I found, too.
I was fine with a plaid, striped, navy or black blazer. I wanted something longer that didn't make my shoulders look too boxy and fit my midsized frame. The woman's blazers tended to be cropped, so I headed over to the men's blazer rack. I pulled three down but ultimately chose the navy one because I loved the sleeve detail.
I had a vision of a sheer white top underneath but I think it would look amazing with a graphic tee or an all navy blue outfit, too.
The blazer I found was labeled as a men's size medium and it fit perfectly. I typically wear a women's size large.
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Sheer White Top
I was initially looking for a sheer white tank top. I was picturing spaghetti straps, something I could layer or wear during summer with denim shorts. This sheer white shirt ended up having cap sleeves and a small v-cut. It actually fit perfectly and was a bit longer in back which I usually prefer.
This shirt fit perfectly under my blazer. The shirt was a bit see-through, but not an astronomical amount! I cannot believe this outfit was from a thrift store! I paired it with a pair of gray denim pants from Target and a pair of heels I already had.
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Rib Knit Cropped Tank Top
Have you ever pictured an outfit in your head but as soon as you put it on, you wonder why you thought it was a good idea? This is how I felt with this tank top.
The cropped look tends to be a little tighter, and I just didn't love how the tops I found hit me, especially on my shoulders. It was a great idea in theory, right?
Maybe if I had sized up they would have fit better, but that's not an option when shopping at a thrift store! You get what you get!
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Oversized Denim Jacket
If you know me you know I live in my denim jacket. It's so versatile! But the denim jackets I have tend to have a more fitted look. I usually purchase a size XL just to get the jackets to fit a little looser, especially in the shoulder area.
I had a vision in mind of a black or light wash distressed denim jacket. This jacket is a mens size XL! You better believe I was not going to be happy if it didn't fit with an oversized look!
Luckily it did. This denim jacket is amazing, I love it. I picture pairing it with graphic tees, cropped shirts, black leggings or distressed black denim. This jacket is a keeper for sure!
In this picture, I paired it with a pair of gray distressed skinny jeans from Target, Snakeskin flats from Old Navy, and the same white cropped tank top I purchased from Goodwill. I was really feeling myself at this point in the try on! I was thoroughly impressed with my thrift store finds!
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Oversized Graphic Tee
My next mission was to find an oversized graphic tee. I wanted more understated so I was on the lookout for something black or white with neutral colored designs. I started looking in the mens section immediately just because they will always have a less defined fit. I started looking at size XL to begin.
I found an old graphic tee from one of the nearby high schools in a size large and another graphic tee that was size XXL. I tried both of them on. I didn't love the size large tiger graphic tee because it had a tighter fit, plus it looked like there were a few stains I didn't notice in the store.
I fell in love with the XXL graphic tee. It was black with tan graphics. It had plenty of room to tuck or tie so that I could style it multiple ways. This shirt will be great paired with biker shorts, denim skirts, mid length skirts, blazers, white denim, I could go on and on!
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Plain White Tee
The next style I had in mind for my midsize thrift store haul was a plain white tee shirt. I was picturing a v neck that wasn't super tight, but was fitted in the chest and shoulder area.
I actually began looking in the mens section because I wanted something that wouldn't be see through, I'm not a huge fan of wearing camisoles under my shirts. I found this size large Old Navy mens white v-neck. I actually love how it fit. It was the perfect length for my 5' 7" frame.
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Tan trench coat
Wow, I went in with a specific picture in my mind of what I wanted in the form of a tan trench coat, and what I walked out with definitely was not that. But I absolutely love the piece that I found.
I found a suede, pink trench coat with a simple, single breasted collar that I absolutely fell in love with. It was a size medium and I usually always size up in coats and jackets, so it was a little tight in the chest and shoulder area, but I would never button it up anyways!
I paired it right away with dark denim, a white v-neck, and black heels. I cannot wait to style this item! I'm still on the lookout for a tan one, so if you have any that you can't live without, send them my way!
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Turtle Neck
I have been seeing so many cute looks with white or black turtle necks. I have to admit, I was a little frightened to try one. I tend to get warm easily and I feared I would get claustrophobic. But when I tried this one on, it was perfect. I fell in love.
From now on, you can find me layering this under sundresses, button downs, other sweaters, tees, jackets, you name it! This piece will be a new staple in my wardrobe. Plus, it looks amazing on it's own! It's thin enough, too, that it's not uncomfortable.
This sweater was a bit longer, but I grabbed a size large. I'm really glad I did because even though I pictured a looser fit, I think it looks awesome the way it is.
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Oversized Crew Neck
The same way I dreamt of a large fitting graphic tee, I was on the lookout for a graphic crew neck. I couldn't find any that I loved that had an oversized fit, but I grabbed this gray crewneck in a size medium. It had a slightly longer collar, but it looked so cute paired with distressed denim and chunky shite sneakers.
The sweater was dark gray and actually looked distressed, although I don't think that it was supposed to. But I personally think it looked better that way.
I picture pairing this with a black trench coat, Chelsea boots, and distressed boyfriend jeans.
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Chunky grey knit sweater
The last piece I had in mind was a chunky grey knit sweater. I pictured wearing this with black denim, tucked in with leggings, tucked into a frill skirt. I found a crew neck sweater from American Eagle in a size large that was exactly what I was picturing. It wasn't too thick and was the perfect length for tucking in or leaving untucked.
I also found a cardigan that reminded me of the popcorn and pompom cardigans I've been seeing other teachers wear at school. This was actually a size XXL, so it wasn't supposed to be an oversized look, but I personally think it looked better that way. I think it'd look beautiful with a black or navy shirt underneath. This is a piece that can be dressed up or dressed down.
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Now what?
I hope that you feel inspired to head out and find transitional and staple pieces that will look great in your closet whether it be retail or thrift shopping.
All of these, plus five other shirts, one pair of shorts, and a bike for my son ended up costing $90. That's insane! That's less than $10 a piece, and some of these items still had the tags on them. If you choose to shop retail, you can also find great pieces for really reasonable prices.
I find it helpful to go into my shopping trips with a particular look in mind rather than waiting for pieces to jump out at me-- I think that will help you, too. And soon the days of being able to try clothes on in store will be back, and we will be back to trying out our visions before buying!
Follow along on Instagram @this.unfilteredlife, Facebook at facebook.com/erica.thisunfilteredlife, and Pinterest @thisunfilteredlife for affordable outfit inspiration.
Talk to you soon,
Erica
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