We all know how expensive the holiday season can be, especially when you buy a new outfit or dress every time you have some type of holiday event to go to! Whether you have multiple holiday parties coming up, or even just one, I urge you to at least test your chances of finding the perfect holiday look by shopping at your local thrift store.
Yes, the thrift store can be hit and miss at times, but it’s 100% worth a try to help save some money this holiday season. An added bonus is it’s likely you won’t be caught in the same dress as someone else!
I took the challenge of going to the thrift store having only holiday party outfits on my mind to see what I could find, here’s how it went!
This is the first dress I tried on, I originally gravitated to this dress because I loved the satin fabric and length but once I had it on, I wasn’t really a fan of the neckline. Normally I don’t mind sleeveless dresses but this one wasn’t particularly flattering on me. However, it could definitely work with a cute cardigan or blazer.
Okay, so this dress was definitely a total no-go.
I wanted to try it on because I loved how sparkly it was. I also loved the scoop-neck but it just didn’t work on my body type, which is just the nature of the trial and error of thrifting!
This dress could totally work on someone else and be holiday appropriate with the right accessorizing, but it was just too tight and short on me for my liking.
This dress was one of my favourites because it would be perfect for any holiday party in my opinion, because it could be dressed up or down depending how it’s styled.
I loved the silhouette of this dress and found it to be really flattering on my body type and I was also obsessed with the sleeves. The emerald green colour topped off the dress making it totally holiday appropriate. (Note: I purposely wore nylons, but found these pumps while I was there!)
As you can tell by my reaction, this dress was a complete fail.
I originally wanted to try it on because, naturally I’m attracted to sparkly things. Plus, finding a nice dress at the thrift store would be a total score for a fancy holiday party, but once I put it on, it just was not what I was envisioning.
I loved the top and sparkle detailing, but the fit and length was just awkward.
When thrift store shopping, the key is to stay open minded and not get discouraged.
It’s important to remember that not everything will work out as planned, which is why you should always try things on.
This dress would be perfect for a work-related holiday party or event, because it’s classy but is still chic and trendy! The length of it is super flattering and not too short, which is something I appreciate, because there’s nothing worse than fiddling with your dress all night.
You can’t go wrong with a classic black dress for any party.
The off-the-shoulder lace detailing adds a little something extra, making it a little more fun and holiday worthy.
If you were thinking this dress is a little short, think again because this number has built-in shorts and I don’t think anything could be better for holiday partying. I loved the lace sleeves on it and I found the silhouette really flattering. Did I mention the built in shorts?!
Last but not least, and quite possibly my favourite of all the looks. Who says you need to wear a dress to a holiday party? I wanted to add in trousers to show that if you can’t find a dress that works for you, or if you simply just don’t feel like wearing a dress, you can totally make pants work.
I found this whole look during my one trip to Value Village including the pants for $9.99, the sheer top for $6, the tank top for $3, and the shoes for $8, totalling about $27.
I think the red trousers complete this whole outfit, and can definitely be worn again, which is always a plus!
Overall, I think there is tons of potential of finding holiday party outfits at the thrift store.
Of course, there are always some ups and downs when it comes to thrift store shopping, but I would totally wear some of these looks to a holiday party. Plus, who doesn’t love a good thrift store challenge?
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