Smiling from ear to ear :-)

I love a good consignment shop. A perfect afternoon for me is to scour a consignment shop from top to bottom, just browsing around at all the interesting finds. When we lived in Michigan there was this wonderful consignment shop in Milford called "Our Blessings". They carried merchandise for women, children as well as home furnishings. I purchased many items from Our Blessings, including a set of lamps (these lamps can be used as a weapon they are so heavy) $15/piece! If you can find a consignment shop in an upscale location, you have struck gold!

I found a decent consignment shop here in downtown Bordentown, it doesn't have the selection that the one in Michigan does, but every once in awhile they will have good merchandise. It doesn't happen often, but once in a blue moon you may stumble upon a deal of all deals. For me, today was that day. I like to browse when I have a specific item in mind, that keeps me focused. Today I was in the market for a casual jacket. We've been having such an influx in weather lately that some days don't require a heavy coat. I found a sage green, fully lined, DKNY jacket with a removable fur collar. It's a very casual coat and has a brushed corduroy texture to it. It has a hidden zipper up the front and three snaps (top, middle, bottom). With the collar removed it has a cute belt with a brushed buckle that wraps around the collar. This coat was brand new with tags and retailed at $102. I got it for $27.

Now, believe it or not, that was not the "blue moon" buy I was referring to. With jacket in hand, I continued to browse the other side of the coat rack and came across some really cute things. I picked up an arms full and tried them on 1) a suede eggplant collarless coat with three buttons down the front, really cute @ $70 but I wasn't "in love" with it, 2) a red boiled wool coat @ $40, nice, but I'll pass, 3) a fur lined tan trench coat @ $68. Well, I tried on the trench coat and BAM!!! I immediately fell in love (think hearts dancing around my head)! Upon closer examination I realized that it was all completely hand made. Hand made as in, "NOT SOLD IN STORES" hand made. This coat was so classic it looked like it could have belonged to Grace Kelly! It is Gorgeous, Simple, and Classic. I can dress it up or wear it with jeans and boots. It has this huge collars that wrap across your upper back and runs from shoulder to shoulder, there's one hidden button inside the front center for closure and you can wrap the coat closed and tie it secure with the matching belt. It's has an a-line cut so it swings out from the waist, so beautiful, it fit me like a glove (if only I can find dresses in that same style). And the lining is real fur, so heavy I can wear it in the winter and removable so I can wear it year round. It must have been too small for the recipient and they sent it to the consignment shop - one person's loss...my happy treasure :-)

I put it on layaway just to be sure I wasn't making an impulsive buy - I'll rescue it this weekend-for $68, I'd be nuts to leave it!