Mid Life Melanin MaMa

High-end, Low-end and somewhere in the middle.

June 21, 2016

Well hello Family this was inspired by our Angie. I am the hugest proponent of thrifting or op-shoping. There are many who do not have the budget to remake or create a wardrobe from middle to hi-end stores. My clients and I often shop at thrifts or Op-shops. I just love that name Op-Shop thank you Sally for that. It just sounds so much better to me as an American lol.

I often 90% of the time purchase from the Op-Shops but the other 10% is a splurge on myself. I don't do Ann Kline & Michael Kors. They have enough people to keep them in business 4 ever. I like designers like (H.O.T) House of Tem or Creative Flow by Oshun Bey or Hand Cady Couture by Naketa Grant. While most of you have never heard of these names. Just as many have and we slay all day in these one of a kind handmade creations. Each designer is different but each brings something to the table that I or others love.

People have a misconception that because I op-shop or thrift that I am
cheap I’m not. My choices are transparent. Yes I will brag about a
deal found but I will also brag just as much about the beauty that is
custom like my (H.O.T.) grown that was made.

Concerning the gown heard round the world.
This gown is a custom made piece. It is beautifully designed in every way from the Fashioner (H.O.T.) HOUSE OF TEM Tem's House. His custom designed pieces are worth every bit of what I paid for them. Yes, sister has 2 custom pieces and will be INVESTING in more. I love me so I'm worth it. I'm sure you can find something similar If you truly are LUCKY in the thrift.

Heart to heart moment. Not everything I wear is thrift.

I thrift so that I can live and retire travel and purchase things that I love like couture hand made from (H.O.T.) OR HAND CANDY COUTURE.

My friend Angela Smith Sew Sistah of Thrift in Style spoke truth to power that even thrift vintage pieces may cost more than $50 +. My Thrift $$$ are not your $$$ and that is okay. We have to train ourselves to know that we are worth a splurge sometime.

If you want to reach Tem please contact him here with serious inquiries only. https://m.facebook.com/HouseOfTem/…
I've included pictures of my designer items and my thrifted finds all are special to me.

As always thank you for your comments and or just looking at the pictures. I know I can be long winded but hey, what are you gonna do. I love pictures and writing. Have a great one.

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Posted in the Shopping category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

18 Comments

  • columbine(erin) replied 7 years ago

    You have a great eye and I like your style, Ledonna. I don't thrift much anymore, mostly because it takes me awhile to find things and with three small children, I have less time, but my very favorite dresses are thrifted.

  • Barbara Diane replied 7 years ago

    It's cool to hear that you also splurge, and that you have great plans for the money you save thrifting. 
    I enjoy your posts.

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    Columbine- Much respect to you for the 3 little ones, whew. I full understand. Som.of my best dresses came from.the op-shop

    Barbara Diane, I am glad you enjoy n reading the post. I'm this close to retirement. I can feel it. Lol

  • calmwave replied 7 years ago

    Love your style, Ledonna! You really look great.

  • Echo replied 7 years ago

    I always love your outfits, and you always look great. But the gown in #2 is simply breathtaking. Your designer and custom pieces are well worth the investment!

  • Angie replied 7 years ago

    Fun to see all your outfits side by side like this, Ledonna. All equally theatrical with the same underlying vibe, but quite different from each other. 

  • Tanya replied 7 years ago

    What a treat to see a bunch of your stunning outfits together.  They are not similar at all, yet have certain flair in common.

  • replied 7 years ago

    You look amazing and the black and white graphic dress is stunning, like nothing I've ever seen before. 

  • CocoLion replied 7 years ago

    The green flowy dress in picture 3 is so stunning, I love it on you more than I can find the words to say, it is so perfect and unusual.  I think it is timeless too.  I have no idea if it's designer (it looks designer) or not, doesn't matter, may you wear it forever.

  • Shelly replied 7 years ago

    I Op Shop as well when I get the chance or go somewhere in a "classy" area (those ladies drop even current styles when they are bored).

    I love your style and I love how you work with what you have.

  • Jaime replied 7 years ago

    You know I love your thrifting skill but more than that is your putting together an outfit skill. You have the range of a virtuosa!

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    Shevia You are a thrift master sister. I see you. Lol

    Shelly we go everywhere to shop lol. You are so right. My hope is thrifted. Because someone got bored and wanted to change c the color scheme. Lol

    CocoLion I love that fit. Two separate pieces found at different times. I loved how the flowed together. All thrifted and when the wind flows . Look out lol

    Isabel yes I belong to a F.B. thrift page and the lime are still going. Sigh....600+ I want to delete the post but the designer is getting so much of a bounce from it. I'm happy for him. Talent should be recognized.

    Tanya we have so many options lol I wish I could change 2x a day lol

    Angie I don't know when dressing became so significant to me. I used to be a sweats wearer. Now even my sweats have a dramatic flare. Lol

    Echo, Calmwave thank you so much I just love the looks. Isn't it fun we can choose everday who we will be with the clothing we choose to put on

  • catgirl replied 7 years ago

    The vest and trousers with hat is KILLING me.  I love it!  I still love to thrift but sadly most of our stuff here is throwaway Costco or one-off Forever 21 stuff, or else someone's board-stiff old leather jacket. 

    When I lived in Boston I used to go the Dollar A Pound place in the garment district in Cambridge - it was where clothes went to die before they were torn into rags.  Everything was literally piled up on the floor in the rag factory.   you had to get there at 7 AM on Saturday and dig around in the piles with the rest of the maniacs.  Occasionally we would uncover a cat.  Our rule was that if you ever managed to find a pair of anything you HAD to buy the pair.  My best find ever was a lime green heavy suede miniskirt from the 60s - I still regret losing it when I moved!

    The store is still there but much trendier now than 25 years ago.  Check it out

    https://garmentdistrict.com/departments/

    Yay for clicking with a designer who gets you.  My sister had a gown designed by some up-and-coming designer in Brooklyn and it was AMAZING.

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    Alaskagirl we have a by the pound for the Salvation Army. It's only open on Wednesdays I would have to take a vacation day to go there it is actually on my thrift bucket list. I have my hazmat suit all ready to go, seriously.

    Did you really find a cat oh oh la hahahahahaha you have me laughing out loud in the middle of the night.

    That green skirt sounds like the business.

    I'm off to check the website. Thrifting is so the new thing. Designer Vehicles in the parking lots. I love it. Lol everyone wants a great deal.

  • catgirl replied 7 years ago

    Oh, we found more than one happy cat nestled in. A group of us would go every week and then to breakfast. We kept a journal of everything we found including "Find of the Day", "Ugliest Find", pairs of anything, etc.

    One of my friends once found this adorable Swedish clog but despite all our searching we could not find its mate. She was inconsolable and wrote a little song called "Ballad of the Lonely Clog" that we would sing in the car. This was 1991 and I still remember the words! Good times!

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    Awe lol I can hers the song now lol

    It sounds like a great time. I think that is what my little sub blog is. A live journal of thrift.

    Sometimes I dream about things I thoug I have bought but never did.

  • rachylou replied 7 years ago

    Oh, I want to say I'm totally into being a patron of local designers. I'm so into place and the land and cultural landscape. I'm a creature always of my place, and like how local designers bring it to the table. I don't know how much it's the goal of every designer to expand their territory, but I do really love when designers bring a distinctive sense of place. I hope that's not disappointing to anyone's dreams...

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    I hope that's not being a dream killer Rachylou. I don't think so. I would rather support someone I know and can speak with. Someone who knows my style and what I like.

    I am a creative creature of habit. It is hard to get me to move to far from what I know. I'm a Taurus we are very bull headed

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I'm a 44 year old Mid Life Melanin MaMa with my beautiful daughter who just entered her toddler years. I hope you will join us honor fashionable and Thrifty Adventures. As we discover a life that is full of fashionable color and joy. We hope to inspire you, make you think, but most importantly make you smile. So I invite you to Journey with us on this thing we call life.