hey buddy: How I thrift, Pt. 1

kitty - CAT, dress and shoes - thrifted, belt - clothing exchange, socks - H&M

*Update! This dress was featured in Willamette Week's Street: Under Her Belt. So exciting!*

Thrifting is one of my favorite things in life. There's nothing better than finding a diamond in the rough.
A few weeks ago I hit up one of my favorite thrift stores on a weekend road trip. It was a good day.
Although I come across lots of gems, I try and stick to what is practical, which can be difficult if you're on a roll.
Here's some questions I think about to help me decipher what I really want instead of just buying it because it's a good deal:

Am I buying this because I will wear it or do I just think it's interesting?
I don't like to hoard, so if it's not exactly my taste but it's cute, I'd rather just leave it there for someone else to discover and appreciate more.
Where would I wear this?
I try and think of at least three places or events I would wear it to. Otherwise it would just be collecting dust in my closet.
Is it easy to clean?
So often I come across the cutest outfits, only to realize it's dry clean only. I hate dry cleaning. I don't like thinking about not only taking it to the dry cleaners, but remembering to pick it up. Unless I absolutely want it and am fully committed, it goes back on the rack.
If it's a project, will I actually do it?
There were several times in the past when I've picked something up thinking "oh yeah, I'll just put a string of lights around this rusty bike frame, then get some hooks and suspend it from my ceiling" only to find a year later it's still in the garage and I haven't done anything with it. When I'm at the thrift store (or see something free on the street) I think about whether or not it's a feasible project. Hemming or adding a button? Sure, no problem. Sewing on a zipper? Well, I haven't done that in over 10 years so the likelihood is slim.

Besides the dress pictured above, here are some other things I scored that day: