“Pre-owned,” “Vintage,” “Thrifted,” “Secondhand“—no matter how you phrase it it boils down to you purchasing used garments. The idea of buying “pre-owned” garments may make you squeemish, but I HIGHLY recommend trying it before you come to that conclusion. From vintage stores to thrift stores (yes, there is a difference) to the good ol’ Salvation Army—one’s trash is truly another’s treasure. The idea of buying vintage or thrifting has really taken off in the past few years. There’s even an amazingly catchy song + music video about the fabulous finds while thrifting.

Not only is it a cheap alternative to buying new items, but shopping vintage exposes you to trends from previous generations. While this post features a hand-me-down vintage item, this series will contain a mix of store-bought and hand-me-down items. These are a fabulous pair of high-waisted trousers in a brown multi-colored houndstooth fabric I received from my boyfriend’s mom.

I was very thankful that she and I are the same size—I don’t need to tailor these at all. Typically, vintage finds may need to be tailored (i.e. hemmed, taken in, let out, etc). Other pieces in this series will demonstrate what I mean. As for these, they fit my waist perfectly, the length is ideal for showing off heels, and they’re not too tight. To update them a bit I paired them with an off-white 3/4 sleeve blouse, a hunter green studded skinny belt, and chocolate brown crocodile wedges. [click on all images to enlarge]