Bettie is Back! Quick NJ Shore Pit Stop

Hello dears,

It's certainly been a while, but after a hiatus your darling Bargain Bettie is back, and with a vengeance!  I was able to score my old work laptop for just $100 (talk about a bargain!), and am ready to get back to updating my fellow thrifters and deal-lovers with my finds.  Just because I haven't been writing certainly does not mean I haven't been shopping (obviously), so hopefully I can catch you all up on some of my deals through more regular Friday Finds!

My most recent shop stop was a stumble-upon moment while spending the day in Red Bank.  I'm planning an event for my company at the GORGEOUS Oyster Point and Molly Pitcher hotels, and after a walk through had some kill time in town before heading on the road home.  I grabbed a quick bite to eat at Taylor Sam's (probably one of the best salad's I've ever had) and was walking back towards my car when I noticed the windows of Greene Street.  The outside of the store looks so chic I wouldn't have even known it was consignment, had the words "Shop, Recycle, Consign" not caught my eye!

The first thing I liked about Greene Street from the moment I stepped in was the ambiance and set up. High ceilings, great lighting, a bit industrial chic with good music; it definitely had a great boutique feel.  Everything felt very fresh; it didn't feel like you were shopping secondhand or consignment at all.

The store was organized into clothing item type: a rack for shirts, a rack for dresses, a high-end designer rack, etc.

A decent men's section!

A section of dresses along the wall.

One thing I LOVED about Greene Street was their shoe section; something about the way they displayed their shoes made me want to desperately find a pair!

For my fitness ladies there was an Activewear rack.  I pulled a super cute Lululemon CRB and a pair of Athleta knickers to try on.  Unfortunately neither fit, but if you're a secondhand Lulu/Athleta junkie like I am, the rack is definitely worth a look.

Ultimately I entered the dressing room with a very heavy hand of hangers - a great cherry printed dress from J.Crew, a funky patterned babydoll by BCBG, and some other fun pieces:

My absolute FAVORITE was a plaid fit n' flare.  I was so sad that it was tight across the bust and was pulling!  It was ever so slight, but pulling in that area is a pet peeve of mine when I wear clothes, so I knew it would constantly bother me.

In the end Greene Street had a really great selection of fun, different pieces.  Everything I had pulled was in really great condition.   By my standards it is on the pricier side; while you're paying significantly less than in-store prices for clothes that are in like-new condition, $30.00 and up for a second-hand, current trend dress isn't my idea of a knock-your-socks-off find (I'd rather spend that on amazing vintage!).  For instance, the plaid dress I liked was $28.95 - if it had been under $15-20, I would have more seriously considered purchasing in light of the pulling. However, if you're simply looking for prices you could find on a clearance rack at your normal mall stores, this would suit your fancy.  Greene Street is actually a chain with multiple locations in NJ and the greater Philadelphia area - I'd love to check other locations out to see what their stock is like.  Apparently they have a men's only store in Chesnut Hill - maybe I'll bring my sweetheart and get his opinion!

My stop at Greene Street was a fun way to end my nice summer day in Red Bank.  I know I barely scratched the surface of fun shopping in this town - I'll be sure to report back when I return for some more serious hunting!

Until the next adventure,

xoxo, Bettie

P.S. - Red Bank is 15 minutes away from one of my favorite places in the world, Delicious Orchards, so you bet I made a pass on my way home.  If you come to this area, don't leave without the world's best cider donuts and pies!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!: The VNA Rummage Sale

It's beginning to look a lot like fall outside; the leaves are turning, air conditioners have been turned off, and Halloween decorations are going up.  Every time a season changes I find myself saying "THIS is my favorite!", but I really think that fall may take the cake.  Pumpkin and apple flavored everything, that crisp fresh air, getting to pull out my favorite sweaters...I love ALL of it!  The beginning of October and the season bring another one of my absolute FAVORITE things, the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) Rummage Sale.  I took Friday off of work this last week to spend three full days shopping this sale inside and out, and I'm so excited to share my finds with you!  But first, for those of you who are seriously missing out and don't know what I'm even talking about, here's the skinny on the host, the Visiting Nurse Association, and the sale!

The Visiting Nurse Association is a non-profit that provides home health and hospice care, adult day services, and community wellness programs in Morris and Somerset County NJ.  Their mission is to "provide their services to all those in need, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance coverage."  Twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring, the VNA holds a huge rummage sale, where the proceeds go towards home health and hospice care to families in need, along with other wellness services not covered by insurance.  Volunteers begin collecting donations at the rummage sale site a month prior to the sale date; people drive up with car and truckloads of items to donate!  The sale is organized into categories that are divided by tents.  For example, there is a tent for Kitchen items, a tent for boutique clothing items, a tent for sports equipment, etc.  They seriously get SO MANY items to sell!  The sale runs Friday to Sunday, and good thing, since it's almost impossible to go through everything in just one day!

This year I decided to take off of work to attend first thing Friday, aiming for the better selection of items.  I also ended up going later in the day on Saturday with my honey, and then returned Sunday with my mom and stepdad.  Each day was a different experience, with great finds along the way!

Inside the Boutique Clothing tent on Day 1.

MUD.  And it was just day one.

Chairs Chairs Chairs galore!

My honey, the undercover bookworm :)

Some helpful things to note about the sale, and some tips I think may be useful :)

• The sale is rain or shine.  Seriously.  Friday was an absolutely miserable day: cold, windy, and downpour rainy. Saturday was the aftermath; even muddier than they before, damp and chilly.  None of this stopped anyone from coming out! Come prepared for whatever weather, and don't wear any shoes or clothing you don't want mud on!

• If you're considering shopping for clothing for yourself, layer up!  Mirrors are hung up in clothing tents, so if you wear tight fitting lower layers, you have the ability to try on clothing before you purchase.  I wore skinny jeans and a cami every day, and simply layered thermals/fleece/my rain jacket on top.  Other women did the same, and some would even drop their pants to their ankles to get an idea if a skirt or dress really fit.  I shared a mirror with a lovely woman on Friday while trying on items; we ended up picking out items for each other and asking each other for opinions on what we were buying!
• Keep your eyes peeled at all times.  Sometimes items get placed in a tent or location you wouldn't expect.  For example, there was a section of leather shoes, bags, and boots in the Vintage tent - I spotted a newer pair of Frye booties, and an Isabella Fiore handbag there, though I would think they would be in the Boutique Clothing tent.  
• Save room for Sunday!  To clear as much of their inventory as possible, each tent has a different deal on the last day.  Tents with smaller items sometimes have fill-a-bag deals, where you can stuff a brown bag with whatever you can for $10 or $15.  Other tents are 50% off.  I made out like a bandit on Sunday!  
• and related to those notes...don't hesitate to go through tents more than once!  You can easily overlook something and spot it the second time around.  It works out even better when you come across it on Sunday...that's how I came to own this Valentino blazer....for $25 :)

That's also how I got this chair for my little vanity table for $6 instead of $12!

I really made out like a bandit this sale!  Here are a few of my other favorite finds:

The cutest mid-century kitchen canisters; and they stack! Set of 3 for $12.

My haul from Boutique Clothing!  Highlights were the turquoise Tahari dress for $8 and the 90's does 50's floral dress for $5.

The VNA Rummage Sale is really something not to miss.  If you missed this fall's sale, join me in May for the spring edition!  I'll be sure to post reminders well in advance!

How have you been spending your fall?  Did you attend the rummage sale?  Anything else fun going on?  Let me know in the comments below!

Until the next adventure...xoxo, Bettie

Saturday Shopping by the Sea: Ocean Grove's Fall Flea Market

 

It's been a while since I've posted; mainly because it's been a while since I've been on a shopping adventure!  After my summer vacations I decided it was time to do some pre-fall cleaning, which evolved into pre-fall painting, re-decorating, and purging stuff I didn't want anymore.  I came across the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, and so far it has been life changing!  I've been a bit consumed by tidying lately, but since I've created tons of room for some new goodies, when my bestie Hailey (Splendor and Sierra) asked me to join her and her boyfriend Adam at the Ocean Grove Flea Market, I thought it was perfect timing.

The adorable town of Ocean Grove hosts the Flea Market twice a year; once in the spring and once in the fall.  Almost 400 vendors participate; the Flea Market spans quite a few blocks from the Ocean Grove Grand Auditorium to the boardwalk.   This was my first time at the Flea Market, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  There is certainly a little bit of everything, and definitely something for everyone!

There's the standard flea market fare; cheap knockoff handbags, scarves, sunglasses, and of course a vendor selling socks!  However, I'd say the majority of the vendors were selling cool antiques and collectibles, which was exactly what we were looking for.  Hailey and Adam were in search of large vintage mason jars for their kitchen, and possibly a vintage 7-Up crate to match one they currently had.  I wasn't searching for anything in particular; just open to anything that may catch my eye!

Hailey and Adam ended up having a really successful day, finding everything they were looking for, and for good prices.  I was enjoying looking through everything, but didn't really see anything I loved enough to buy until almost the end of the market.  Hailey and I were perusing the tent of a vendor whose taste we loved; everything in the vendor's collection was perfectly curated, very feminine and sweet.  I was immediately drawn to a beautiful deco vanity tray she was selling.  It was in near perfect condition; it came with five glass containers, the middle one with a cute gold lid.  Something about it was so beautiful and unique; it had to be mine! 

After speaking with the seller, she initially wanted around $100 for it, but said that she could do as low as $75.  The piece was actually from Paris; she had recently found it on a trip to visit her daughter who lives there.  The tray was seriously perfect, and it was all the more impressive knowing that it made it across the Atlantic!  But....I wasn't planning on spending that much.  I walked away a few steps, but couldn't leave it behind!  After consulting with Adam and Hailey, I went back and bartered a bit more, settling on $65.  The piece was really one of a kind, and something I know I will treasure forever! 

Here are some other highlights from the flea market:

 PYREX. Can I have all of it?

Photo courtesy of Splendor and Sierra

Photo courtesy of Splendor and Sierra

It was a great day to end summer, with great friends, great weather, and great finds!

I'm still in the process of going through all of my clutter and tidying up; stay tuned for my review of the process in addition to new shopping adventures!

Until then...

xoxo, Bettie

Consignment Pit-Stop: The Vested Interest

Two weeks ago as I was cruising home through Warren, NJ, a cute little store on the side of the road caught my eye.  I was in motion, so I only caught a glimpse, but what I clearly did see were the words Consignment Boutique, and a rack of clothes outside on the porch.  I did some research as soon as I got home, and learned that the boutique was The Vested Interest, a consignment shop that carries like-new items from stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomindgale's, and from high-end designers.  Conveniently I already had plans to be back in Warren the following week for a hair appointment, so I made certain to leave a little early for a quick pit-stop! 

The Vested Interest is on Mt. Bethel road, right off of Route 78, before you hit the main part of Warren at Mountain Avenue.  It's really easy to get to, just take note - Google Maps had me reaching the destination 1/4 mile after I was actually supposed to turn!  Luckily my shopping sixth-sense was in full force, so I recognized the shop and made the turn in time.

Walking into the store there was clearly a ton of merchandise.  Items are pretty well organized by clothing type; dresses, blouses, sleeveless, sweaters, jackets.  Shoes and bags have different sections throughout the store, including one full wardrobe/display case of each:

I was impressed by the pretty decent selection of formal evening wear and plus size clothing as well; those are two categories you don't see that much of.

There was a lot of higher-end designer clothing, such as Missoni, Prada, Kay Unger, and Trina Turk to name a few.  There was a special Lily Pulitzer and Vineyard Vines section for those on the preppy side.  The shop is definitely catered more towards a working woman, so no fast fashion brands like Forever 21 were in sight.  There were lots of really, really nice items; you can tell that the owners do not accept anything that isn't in like-new condition.  SO MUCH of the merchandise was still new with tags! 

Looking around initially I was impressed and intrigued by a lot of the merchandise, but not so much with their prices.  Everything seemed a bit more than I'd be willing to pay, even for used designer.  One Eddie Bauer t-shirt was marked $18 - there was no way I was paying that much for that!   I had been in the store about 15 minutes and had circled once already before the owner finally greeted me, and asked if I knew about the sale.  Um, what sale?  She pointed to a board behind the register I had totally missed - all items with a purple dot were 50% off, items with a blue dot were 30% off, and green dots were regular price. I quickly double checked a Missoni dress I had liked; it was $36.00, with a purple dot!  Okay, I thought, that changes everything! Time for a second go-around of the store!

The sale really changed the game for me price-wise; things were much more reasonable and were more steals than not.   I went into the dressing room with about 10 items; some notable ones were the Missoni dress I mentioned above, a Calvin Klein khaki shirt dress, and an adorable Lily Pulitzer cardigan.  I loved a lot of the items, but decided to restrain myself.  I ended up coming home with these cute woven oxfords by Hinge:


They normally are around $100, and I got them for $25.

Overall, I think the sale prices really make The Vested Interest a place to stop by.  The owners keep a really great selection of clothing, especially if you're into higher-end designers.  I think I'll definitely be stopping by in the fall for basic sweaters and shirts.

As a side note, before stopping into a shop I always check the internet for reviews to give me an idea of what people are saying beforehand.  I could only find one review of The Vested Interest, which stated that the owner was unpleasant.  After my experience I wouldn't use that term - the owner I spoke with, who co-owns with her mother, was fairly pleasant once I started talking to her.  I wasn't greeted right away, which would have definitely helped with my understanding of the sale, but I didn't feel that the owner was nasty or hard to deal with at all.  Let's just say I've dealt with much worse!  If you plan on stopping by, just keep an eye out for the sale sign behind the register as soon as you start shopping.

Today actually happens to be my birthday, (whee!), and as part of my celebration I asked my honey to accompany me on some bargain adventures this weekend.  I can't wait to report back with what we find!

Until next time,

xoxo, Bettie

Deals in Denville - Restyle Renew Consignment

Happy post 4th of July! I hope you enjoyed a weekend full of barbeques, brews, and best friends! I celebrated my long weekend with a trip to New York City with my little brother, and a barbeque with some close friends on the 4th. This is definitely my favorite time of the year - spending time outside, grilling, walking barefoot, fireworks, lightning bugs...everything.

You also can't have the 4th of July without some good sales to celebrate! Pretty much every store was having some great sales this past weekend. I'm kind of on a tight budget these days, so I'm proud to say I controlled myself! However, I did make a point to visit Restyle Renew Consignment in Downtown Denville, NJ. I've shopped and had great success at Restyle Renew in the past, plus they were having a 25% off of all clothing sale for the holiday. I had to at least make a quick stop!

Restyle Renew is right smack in the middle of Denville on East Main Street. It's clearly become a mainstay of the area, and has been voted Best of New Jersey and Best of Morris County year after year. After walking into the store and perusing the merchandise, it's easy to see why!

The store is a decent size, not too big but not too small. It's pleasantly decorated by items for sale, with mannequins constantly changing to fit the season. Everything hanging is perfectly organized by types of clothing (Tops, Dresses, Outerwear, Skirts, Shorts, Pants, Shoes, Active wear), then by size. There's also a designer clothing section separated by individual designer, and a smaller vintage clothing area on one wall. Glass cases line the back of the store and the register area; this is where you can find vintage accessories and designer goodies like handbags, jewelry, and pricier shoes. They had some great looking handbags when I stopped in!:

I especially loved this light pink Furla with the accent buckle!

The bags were reasonably priced for re-sell (the ones I looked at were in the $130s), and were in great condition. The same went for their designer clothing section. They had a great variety of designers, ranging from St. Johns to YSL, to Armani to Tracy Reese.  Pertaining to designers, the owners are constantly updating their higher end items on the website, which is super helpful.  They also can take requests of particular items you are looking for, and will reach out to you if they ever come across them. 

One thing that makes Restyle Renew unique is how they double as a gallery for local artists. Intermixed throughout the consignment items are various pieces of jewelery and artwork for sale:

Like the clothing and accessories, the artwork is always changing, so you're always guaranteed to see something new.

I circled the store a few times and made two different trips to the dressing room, but unfortunately nothing was meant for me this time around. These two items I really loved, and wish they fit had fit me!

I thought this Yoana Baraschi dress was so Bettie Draper, when she goes out to dinner with Don and his clients! I just thought it was so unique.

How cute are these J.Crew Sailor Shorts?! Absolutely perfect for summer. They were only asking $10.00 for them, with an additional 25% off! Definitely a good deal. Sadly they were too big!

Even though I didn't find anything this time around, I definitely had a fun time shopping at Restyle Renew. Did you do any shopping this past weekend? Find any great deals? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,

xoxo, Bettie

Unique Memorial Day Madness!

 Hand-me-down shirt from mama, $1.50 brooch from Unique, $2.00 vintage shorts from Unique, $15 sandals from Marshalls

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope you've been enjoying your long holiday weekend - here in New Jersey we've definitely been lucky with some gorgeous summer weather.  Instead of being down the shore like most of my Jersey counterparts I've been stuck at home studying - scheduling a licensing exam the Friday after MDW definitely wasn't the smartest decision I've ever made! However, you better believe I made sure to give myself a shopping break!  I started my morning yesterday by checking out Unique Thrift's Memorial Day Sale. 

If you're not familiar, Unique Thrift is a pretty large thrift store chain that currently has 30 locations, with a large amount of them here in New Jersey.  What's fun about Unique stores is that they are HUGE - I would say the size of a Marshall's/TJ Maxx, and carry EVERYTHING; clothes, shoes, jewelry, toys, furniture, electronics, accessories, housewares, you name it.   As they say on their website "...a quick trip to Unique Thrift store has been known to turn in to a day long adventure", and they're not kidding! You could easily lose track of time there. Prices are definitely good, especially for what you may come across tucked in their racks - shirts and blouses range from $3.99 to $6.99, dresses for less than $10.00, and shoes in the same range.  They also have a "special section" of sorts behind the registers where they keep more expensive items such as designer brands, fine china, and smaller electronics.  

What drew me to Unique this weekend was their holiday sale.  Every long holiday weekend the entire store goes 50% off on the holiday, with a special preview day for their VIP Loyalty Club members the day before.  Being in the Loyalty Club is totally free, and is similar to most loyalty programs at other retailers; you earn points for your purchases, and in return have access to sales and receive additional discounts and coupons.  This weekend they had an additional incentive - if you downloaded their Unique VIP App to your smartphone, you could enter the store an hour earlier on preview day.

I wasn't sure what to expect, so I arrived at the Union, NJ location around 9:45 AM; 15 minutes ahead of the early access time.  Others clearly had the same idea as me, which I was expecting!  There were about 20-30 people already patiently waiting for 10 o'clock.  The line would continue to grow before they opened the doors.  At exactly 10 they came out and began letting people in, checking each person's smartphone for the app.  People rushed in and grabbed precious shopping carts, ready to load them up!  I wasn't coming in looking for anything in particular, so I took my time wandering the aisles and sections.

There was a lot to look at in the jewelry section; they had multiple cases, all pretty packed:

A lot of it was fun costume pieces, and everything was very reasonably priced. I've been getting into wearing brooches lately, so I picked up these three cuties, along with some fun beads!:

 With the 50%, I paid $9 for the three necklaces and the three pins!

I also came home with an adorable handbag, a pretty vintage scarf, and a nice Ann Taylor top.  However, my find of the day was definitely these vintage shorts!:

 

How cute are they!?  I was giddy when I picked them up off the rack, and even more so when they zipped up perfectly!  They were priced at $3.99, so with the discount they were $2.00!

Overall it was definitely a successful shopping trip, and I would absolutely go to a 50% off event at Unique again.  After doing it once though, I have some advice:

• If you're planning on trying on clothes, come wearing a tight camisole and leggings/tight shorts.  Unique only allows 3 items in the dressing room at one time, and you're required to leave your cart outside the dressing room. Some people were stealing items and entire carts from people trying on!  To avoid this and having to go back and forth from my cart, I ended up trying on only the bottoms in the fitting room, and tried on all of the tops over my cami in front of another mirror in the store.  Next time I wouldn't even bother with the fitting rooms.
• Definitely try to get there early.  Once they opened the doors at the normal time of 11am, there was a huge rush of people.  By the time I left around 11:30, the racks were noticeably more empty.  To get the best selection, and to to shop with a little more ease, it's worth it to get there for 10:00 am.  
• Come patient and ready to be around tons of people!  You'll be constantly maneuvering amongst other people's stuffed carts, and sometimes waiting for an associate to be available to help you at any of the counters.
• Don't hesitate to flip through every item on the rack!  Sizes can be in the wrong spots, and you never know what you'll come across!

If an event like this isn't for you, definitely check out Unique any day of the week!  The prices and selection are definitely worth it, even without the 50% off.

Even though it's been low key for me, it's definitely been a well-spent Memorial Day Weekend.  Enjoy the rest of your holiday loves!  Until next time....

xoxo, Bettie