Thrifting My Way To A Hot Girl Summer

Just over here trying to live my best life in 99% humidity…

My current mantra is consume less, save more and continue to focus on building and maintaining a stylish and intentional wardrobe. In the past it was easy for me to purchase items for my closet without consideration of any valuable criteria. I had no thoughts of, “Can I afford this right now? Does this suit my personal style? Can this item be purchased secondhand?” In an effort to keep myself in reach of my intentional wardrobe goals I created a wishlist of items I am considering adding to my wardrobe this year. These items are pieces I hope will fill in some of the gaps I see in my current closet. It became quite obvious as the warmer weather set in that I was lacking in options for the summer heat.

For many years my summer wardrobe was built upon the denim short as its foundation. Much like my realization with skinny jeans, I came to the conclusion that I needed a change. I was dreading having to wear denim shorts this summer because of how uncomfortable they are. Every single pair of denim shorts I have ever worn gradually ride up my waist as I move throughout the day. One can only take so many denim wedgies in a lifetime and I was at my limit. Also I’d like to mention that denim is not a fabric I would consider excellent for high heat conditions. In addition to my discomfort, I desired a more polished look for my summer outfits. I wanted options beyond the standard denim shorts.

Having been a denim shorts girl for most of my life, I had to figure out how I would replace them in my wardrobe. Challenge accepted! My first step was to research. I was careful not to rush during this part of the process. I searched through various styles being offered from some of my favorite brands. I explored silhouettes I hadn’t previously considered and tried to imagine how each item would fit into my lifestyle, and if the item might work with items I already own. I still wasn’t sure… I needed a way to experiment with different silhouettes without spending a pile of money. Solution: I equipped myself with a list of 4-5 pieces from my research and took myself thrifting!

As I was sifting through the racks of hundreds of items of clothing I made sure to pay attention to details that were important to me.

must be comfortable and lightweight
high-waisted
made of quality materials
colors that work well on me and with other items I own

Thrifting can be an overwhelming activity and I have found that entering the store with a very specific goal in mind and a list of criteria helps the experience to be productive as well as much more enjoyable. In this instance I was able to find a few viable options at the first Goodwill I visited, and two of them have become staples in my summer outfit looks: a pair of light-tan, cotton puffy joggers and a forest green pair of paperbag-inspired shorts. On another thrifting venture I scored a 100% linen t-shirt in a warm, amber-brown color. What I love most is that I can interchange these items with nearly everything in my closet. I’m excited to share the outfits I’ve created using these thrifted pieces in combination with a few items I’ve purchased new in the last year. I hope my writing encourages you to try a new silhouette, get a different perspective and inspires you to get creative with your summer outfits. Keep scrolling to check out three of my favorite looks for hot girl summer 2021.

Stay cool out there, thanks for reading.

Chance of Showers