Goodwill Style!

Date: March 7, 2015
Author: Sweetwater Style
A couple of months ago, I was happily shopping at Goodwill!
You are probably saying…”How is that news?”
Well…I ran into a friend who was doing a thrift store style consult with Lindsey who is
 the owner of Fashion Fix MN!
Lindsey does closet organization and Wardrobe Styling.
The most fascinating part of what she offers is….. thrift store styling!
I watched the consult for a little while and then asked if I could shadow her sometime and watch this interesting process.
I did just that this week.  I spent an interesting couple of hours with watching her “work her magic”!
Come along and see!
Don’t you just love the mission of Fashion Fix MN?
Her consultations are NOT just about scouring the racks for bargain clothing!  She is all about teaching her clients how to create a styled wardrobe (on a budget) by themselves after the session is over!
The process starts before the client arrives.
Lindsey whipped through all of the racks of clothing like the pro she is…
She had background information about her client so she can select sizes, colors and specific items that fit her needs.
She told me that she looks for quality of fabric and colors more than brands.
She also makes an attempt to move the client outside her “comfort zone”….but not too far!
I agree whole completely that Goodwill is a great place to “take a risk”.  You can do that with thrift store items…..especially if some of those items are at green tag $1.99 prices!
Lindsey has built a good relationship with the staffs at all the thrift stores she uses.  
This means that they support her use of the facilities…a real help to have a clothing rack and understanding that she will be “monopolizing” a fitting room for an hour!
I noticed that the other shoppers are super interested in what she is doing, hanging out and listening to what she has to say!  
 The real fun began when Karin arrived!
For this consult….the client was interested in tops only!
Karin tried on with the different tops and then Lindsey styled the outfit with accessories and other layers!

This great looking orange top still had the store tags on!

The scarf is a great color match….but Lindsey did not recommend it for purchase….just for effect!

She spent time talking about why the scarf wasn’t good….not enough fabric and quality…!

This knit blazer from the rack added a polished look to the top!

Karin’s works as a home stager.  She commented that this look would make her feel professional and yet comfortable when she is meeting with her clients.

While the fit on this yellow top didn’t work…it was the color that Lindsey wanted Karin to consider!

The 2 layerd loose long sleeved cardigan was a keeper!

Karin commented on it’ versatility and comfortable style!

Truthfully…I wanted to sneak it into my OWN cart!

The print top here is an example of thinking out of Karin’s comfort zone.

On the rack…the print has an “old lady” look!

Lindsey paired it with a knit blazer and noted that if you saw this at Anthropologie you would think it was the height of retro fashion!

For thrift store prices….worth the risk!

Color and fabric are the standout features of this pairing.

It is hard to see how really striking the color of this cardigan is.

The striped top is one of those “go to” items that Karin is sure to wear often.

Lindsey talked about different ways to pair each of these pieces.

So Karin isn’t just getting a top and sweater….she is learning wardrobe confidence.

This top was a perfect choice for so many reasons!

Fabric, color, shape all fit Karin’s style.

Notice the necklace!
I would never have picked this up from the rack….but it is just exactly what this top needed to go from great to amazing!

What a fun coincidence….Lisa, another of Lindsey’s clients was in the store doing her own “independent” thrifting and when she saw Karin she stopped to show us her “finds”!

Hmmmm….

It looks like Lisa “learned” the styling lessons from her session with Karin!

The outfit she was wearing certainly “follows the rules”!


Lisa went into the dressing room next to Karin and got some on the fly styling from Lindsey!

A few little adjustments to the tie belt turned this cape into a fashion statement piece!

After the client tried on all of the different outfits, Lindsey walks away to let her decide what she really wants to purchase.

Lindsey does not pressure the client to buy anything!
Her mission is to teach the concepts of the styling and let the client make informed decisions!



I learned a lot during my shadowing experience…..
I was also affirmed about my own “Goodwill” philosophy!
Try new things….
Take a risk…
Get a bargain!
If you do not live in this area, there may be other stylists out there who do this type of thing.  If you know about anyone, add a comment.

If you do live in the Minneapolis Metro area…..take some time and visit the FashionFixMN to see if this is something you might be interested in doing!

Thank You Lindsey….it was great “Good Will Hunting” with You!
Have A Great Day!
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