Put a Thrift Shop Spin on Spring’s Pastel Trend

Blogger Stacey Kay models a pastel dress from Goodwill.

Fashion designers Phillip Lim, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Diane von Furstenberg, Giambattista Valli and Louis Vuitton all showed variations of the pastel trend in their spring 2012 runway shows, which in turn has influenced retailers of varying price ranges to churn out their recreations. While pastel colors are certainly not groundbreaking for spring, this year we’re seeing them take on a bit more of a 60’s palette, with the most popular colors including muted coral and mint green.

Any time that the designers are pushing a trend with a vintage spin, you can save hundreds by recreating the trend with clothing found at your local Goodwill®. So how do you take the pastel inspiration from off the runway and create your own rendition with thrifted clothing? The answer is simple: keep an open mind.

Blogger Stacey Kay models a pastel dress from Goodwill
Louis Vuitton showed a pastel color block dress with complementary shades of color cascading down the bodice in their spring 2012 collection. When I saw this striped vintage dress at a Goodwill in Cincinnati, it instantly reminded me of the look. While the shape and texture were different, the horizontal blocking and colors were spot on, and I knew that with a few tweaks I could take this dress into the 21st century.

Close up of dress pinned at the waist with a brooch.
For my look, I took this thrifted vintage dress from Goodwill and wore it layered over another dress in a matching pastel. While layering dresses can be tricky, in this case it works because the top dress happens to be very sheer. The pastel yellow underneath helps the stripes on the top dress pop, while cinching the waist of the dress with a pin makes it more flattering and provides more body shape. Keep an eye out for big, decorative pins on your next Goodwill shopping adventure, as they can be an excellent alternative to the waist belt.

Stacey Kay models headscarf from Goodwill.

Be sure to keep a few elements of your look modern, as I’ve demonstrated with my platform shoes. A few modern staples thrown on with a vintage or retro inspired outfit go a long way to keep your look grounded in 2012. To complete my look, I threw on a thrifted scarf in a pretty pink, and tied it on top of my hair in a bow. This was a popular way to tie back your hair for young women in the 1960’s, and we’re seeing it surface again in 2012. I always check the scarf bin at my local Goodwill for new, colorful, or interesting patterns every time I visit as I find they are the ultimate, inexpensive accessory to many of my outfits.

Remember when you’re out thrifting for pastels this spring that your purchases at Goodwill are not only saving you money, but are helping provide support services for youth and families. Goodwill’s programs help enable people from all backgrounds to obtain and maintain economic independence and an increased quality of life. This is done through providing career training in emerging fields, like technology and health care.

Now that’s a shopping spree you can feel good about.