Saving in Style Vol. 7

By Amy Power | Photos by Amanda Whitegiver
November 20, 2018

How is Thanksgiving this week?! I always intend to be on top of my to-do list, but somehow the holidays manage to sneak up on me every year. Luckily, I’m taking a break from hosting, so the only thing I really need to do to prepare for the big day is ensure that myself and my children are dressed and pressed.

But what to wear?!

Dressing for the holidays can go in so many different directions depending on how and where you celebrate, so together with the ever knowledgeable and gracious staff at Village Style in Freeport, we’ve rounded up three looks from the shop to help you look and feel fabulous this holiday season.

Look One: Casual

Not everyone dresses to the 9’s for their family get togethers. When keeping things casual, we are always a fan of building up from a polished dark denim. Village Style, like many consignment shops, has a rack exclusively for denim and organized by size, making it as simple as possible to find your new favorite pair. We honed in on this petite pair in a dark wash from Talbots for the sleek cut and perfect fit. Next we added a crisp white button up. We could have stopped with this classic pairing and simply gone wild with accessories or a bold scarf, but it is the holidays after all; we couldn’t resist the lush color of this festive ruffled jacket. Village Style regularly has a broad selection of coats and jackets at a reasonable price (this one is marked down to only $8!) This small and easy addition can quickly freshen up your look and lend the certain je ne sais quoi you are looking for. We topped everything off with a sassy pair of wedge-heeled booties to take it up one notch further, but you could easily go a more classic route with a loafer, pump, or ballet flat.

Look Two: Dress It Up

Outfit Details

Dress: Expressly Trends Olive Dress (NWT), Size M, (Retail price: $37) VS price: $13
Coat: Cartonnier Embroidered Trench, Size M, (Retail price: $178) VS price: $42
Shoes: Jimmy Choo Gold Flats, Size 7.5, VS price: $66
Earrings: Gold-tone Chain-link Earrings, VS price: $4
Necklace: Gold-tone Chain-link Necklace, VS price: $12

TOTAL: $137

There are many ways to approach consignment shopping. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the selection and not know where to begin. A tactic Amanda and I generally implement when we go to Village Style is to take an initial sweep of the store and see what we are drawn to. I’m always sure to check out the high end designer section, where you can find anything from Chanel to Prada. I immediately swooned over these sparkly Jimmy Choo flats. Knowing we absolutely had to incorporate these, we were then able to hunt with a purpose through the racks for complimentary items. The shoes are very glittery, so we wanted to temper them with a classic and simple pairing. We love this green princess cut dress for the flattering shape, rich color, and stretch that will comfortably accommodate holiday indulgences. We were feeling great about our choices, and then Shelly pulled the coat. If you love embroidery, this is the consignment score for you! That’s one of our favorite things about Village Style; Shelly and her staff have a great knowledge of the product on hand. It can often be difficult to go into a consignment shop with anything more than a vague idea, but as fashion trends go, similar things can often be found in multiple styles and sizes, with the help of a knowledgeable staff member. It is best to keep it simple; for instance “a red sweater” or “a top with embroidery,” and if you’re trying to match something you already own, bring it with you!

Look Three: Feeling Fancy

Outfit Details

Skirt: Dolcetti Gold Skirt, Size 4,(Retail price: $120),VS price: $27
Shirt: Carolyne Roehm Black Lace Top, Size 4, VS price: $54
Shoes: Cynthia Vincent Black/Gold Pumps, Size 7, VS price: $40
Earrings: Gold-tone “X” Hoop Earrings, VS price: $6
Earrings: Multi-Strand Pearl Necklace VS price: $19

TOTAL: $146

Whether you need a dress for a graduation, wedding, bridal shower, date, birthday, or holiday, there is never a shortage of festive attire available at Village Style. We could have chosen any number of cocktail dresses for our fancy look, but instead we chose to find the perfect statement piece to build our outfit around. We positively swooned over this stunning gold skirt that makes me want to twirl through the streets of a Lifetime holiday movie. We could have taken this skirt in a myriad of directions, but we wanted sophisticated and classic to be the name of our game. For a few other ideas, this skirt would be absolutely gorgeous for a holiday photo session with a solid top and plaid cape or blanket scarf in rich reds or greens. It would pair beautifully with a fitted turtleneck in deep forest green or black for a more conservative take on the outfit we created. If you’re not a fan of a twirly skirt shape, any metallic, sequined, or even a bold plaid in an a-line or more fitted pencil/mini shape would be a great substitute and any number of fun skirts fitting those descriptions can be found at Village Style right now.

I think we can both say our holiday style picks were all about finding beautifully detailed items that take ordinary items from mundane to extraordinary! It’s often simple to refresh a few basics while consignment shopping and then add in some fun with designer pieces or bold accessories, but if you’re on a really tight clothing budget the fun pieces can just as easily mix with your own closet staples. If you already have a favorite white shirt and denim, snag a great coat and “wow” family and friends with your savvy shopping at the next gathering, then mix it with your black pencil skirt for the office on Monday. A fun shoe is the perfect multi-purpose holiday update whether you’re shopping for a family gathering or a larger holiday soiree. There are always fun styles to choose from in a variety of sizes and price points, depending on brand.