Calgary Journal living editors explore new and used in their hunt for staple fashion items

Some like it new.
Danielle has always been a “retail” shopper and purchases her clothes new. A student who works part-time, she usually tries to save up and splurge on herself from time to time. Danielle only spends the big bucks on staple wardrobe pieces. She also keeps her eyes open for large clearance sales once or twice a year.
Some like it used.
Tiffany hasn’t purchased anything new in years. A full-time student and young mom, she can’t always afford to keep up with every trend that the fashion industry deems essential. But she’s skilled at staying current by sourcing clothes on a budget in Calgary’s consignment and thrift stores.
Pondering over plaid

Who doesn’t enjoy a nice lumberjack plaid or tartan accessory?
Today, plaid is everywhere. Celebrities like Emma Watson, Gwen Stefani, and the Olsen Twins are wearing it. So is Adam Levine, Robert Pattinson, Kanye West, David Beckham along with numerous others. The origin of the plaid print — traditionally known as tartan — dates back to the early 1500s medieval Scotland, where clans would use different tartans to distinguish from one another. We may not use plaids to identify our clans, but we certainly use this wardrobe staple to highlight our personal sense of style.
The prices are all over the map, ranging from $15 to $2000. But, you have options. To get our plaid on, we pulled purchased shirts from Danielle’s closet, and then hit the local consignment store, Trend Fashions in Kensington, to do the comparison.
Danielle’s retail chic |
Ritz on a budget |
Photo by Danielle Harder |
Photo by Danielle Harder |
Photo by Danielle Harder Other great options for flannel and plaid are JoeFresh, |
Photo by Danielle Harder I loved these items, but am disappointed they weren’t |
Disclaimer: We do not endorse the retail outlets mentioned nor any of their products. We don’t accept freebies, and our opinions are our own.