Thrifted Resort Style: 9 Days in Playa del Carmen

All items featured are from local thrift stores*, Black owned businesses**, and/or Etsy*** unless otherwise noted. All items purchased with my money. Many items such as swimsuits and caftan still had original tags on them, even though purchased second hand. I will leave the retail price vs. what I paid for thrifted items. Retail items will be linked. All clothes, including retail items, were washed/sanitized/dry cleaned prior to wear. I don’t wear anything, new or second hand, before cleaning.

Welcome to my first blog post about thrifting; my favorite pastime! Black women and luxury is a hot topic and I want my community to know you don't have to break the bank to feel and look luxurious. Thrifting is therapeutic for me *chuckles* as I'm a licensed mental health therapist and practice owner. But, more than that, thrifting helps me maintain my business and personal budgets. As a small, Black owned business, I did not procure loans nor investors to start the business. We as a community are quite resourceful and this blog is dedicated to reflecting our innate and passed down knowledge.

Dresses | 4 (pink, white, lime, persimmon)*

I literally found the above pictured dresses in one day. A lady coming up on the racks behind me stared and exclaimed, "Wow, you're making out today!" Why yes, yes I am. The persimmon dress is a COS cotton/linen dress found with original $175 retail tag. The lime and pink dresses are vintage Newport News and Ashley Smith. And, the white strapless is a vintage Express. All dresses were $7.49 with 20% as I am a member. Which reminds me: Sign up to be a member at your local thrift stores! Free. And, no they don't spam you. I know what you're thinking . . .aren't thrift stores already cheap, why do you need a discount?! To be honest, after Macklemore's song, thrifting has become increasingly popular. Which unfortunately, leaves me fellow thrifters to endure raised prices. I've been thrifting for over twenty years and I'm not 35 yet. The women in my family all leverage their budgets and style in this way. I get it honest.

Linen | 3 Pants (white joggers; white wide leg*; black wide leg*); 1 tunic*; 1 tank; 1 dress

I know, I know! If you look at linen wrong it wrinkles. And, yes the above photo is right after taking it all out of my suitcase. Did I use the iron? Yes. The heat and humidity present in Mexico in August is a force. Take linen! Search your local thrift stores for varying pieces. Linen is a prized natural fabric and these days can be expensive. Every piece of linen I own is from the thrift store. Pant prices at my local stores range from $3.49 for silk to $6.99 for linen. Not sure why silk is priced cheaply when it is a prized fabric as well. But, that's a blog for another week.

Tops | 3 (silk leopard*; black cotton crop; black satin crop)

Tees | 3 cotton***

Etsy!!! Ok, so when I'm not thrifting, I'm Pinteresting (yes it's a verb), and scrolling through Etsy for craft inspiration. I originally wanted these tees for WFH (work from home) virtual client sessions. But, vacation came first. The traditional monogram creates a level of refinement I like without being ostentatious.

Bottoms | 3 cotton shorts/leggings

Marshall's finds. Jockey brand.

Swimsuits* | 4 (2 black; one white; one red) | Silk Caftan

All were thrift store purchase. Prices ranged from $3.99 to $5.99. And, all had original retail tags. They were originally from Filene's Basement. While I did not get the chance to shop there (closed before I moved to the DMV), I hear great things about this store. It also tells the age and craftmanship of the items and it seems they can be labeled as vintage (anything 20+ years old). The silk caftan was originally from a company called Soft Surroundings (could not locate similar on website). I paid $12.99.

Undergarments | 10 panty styles; 3 bras (one is convertible)** | 2 sets of pajamas

Without a proper foundation, you're screwed. Ladies check your back, sides, and front before leaving the house. Undergarments can make or break your outfit. All bras are not created equal. And, until recently, "nude" was not either. All my undergarments are now my skin tone or black. 80% of the contents in my lingerie chest are by Black owned lingerie companies! Know your body type as well. I'm top heavy with a short waist and long legs. I sit all day for a living. Low rise panties aren't my friend. I need French cut/high waist.

Shoes | Aqua Sandal; Water shoe ; Black flat sandal* (Hermès [$630 retail; $6.49 what I paid]; Jute beach sandal* (J. Crew) | Adidas x Pharrell x Superstar sneakers (I wore on flights and ziplining)

Accoutrements & Adornments | 1 Brass/Silver Bangle* | Watch* | 4 pairs of Earrings | 2 pairs of sunglasses | 3 Silk Scarves* (red; black; blue) | Gold Beach bag* (Saks Fifth Avenue) | Red Leather Clutch* (Neiman Marcus) | 2 Cotton Handkerchiefs*

Don't forget to shop the jewelry racks and counters of your local thrift stores. I have found a manual wind, 18K gold bezel Movado and Waltham stainless steel watches, both under $5, not behind glass. There are times when those working in production and sorting don't know the value of what is going out. Or maybe they don't care? Either way, it was a win for me and they will serve as heirloom pieces. Pictured above are Mexican sterling silver earrings purchased in 2020 for $2.99. I couldn't resist taking them. Remember, sterling silver, gold and precious stones should be protected against salt and chlorine water! Choose your pieces wisely when worn on resort and in the pool/at the beach.

I took silk scarves thinking I was going to tie in multiple ways around my braids like the A-listers, but the reality, it was too hot and humid. Temperatures soared to 92 with 60%+ humidity daily. The first day, I tried to be cute and wear the 100% silk turquoise and purple caftan over my swimsuit. I was sweating for at least 30 minutes after removing it once I got back to the air conditioned room. Silk is a protein fabric and traps the air to warm the body. Two of the scarves are vintage Oscar de la Renta and cost me approximately $5 each.

The beach bag came in handy, obviously. It was $4.99. Cotton lined. The clutch was for dinner at resort restaurants or downtown on Fifth Avenue. I paid $6.99 for the clutch.

Size suitcase: 26” with packing cubes

Did I wear everything?

Almost . . .I did not wear: the leopard silk top; the black and white monogrammed tee; nor the tan linen button down. Other than that everything was donned as noted by the above picture. Thank God for packing cubes! These came in my trusted travel back pack by Hynes Eagle which was not used on this trip.

Did I need to wash anything?

Yes. You know the travel section in Target or Walgreens or even Marshall's/TJMaxx? . . .scour it for the mini Dr. Bronner's wash ($1.99). These bottles pack a punch once diluted and can handle washing a week's worth of clothes in the sink or tub. I hand washed my bathing suits in the sink based on the amount of days spent there; air dried on the balcony and towel rack. Remember, humidity can increase drying time. After wringing clothes, blot dry with a towel in order to remove excess water. Laundry services were present on resort. Inquire if you prefer someone else to handle cleaning your clothing.

What else should I bring?

Bandages, sunscreen, medicine, waterproof phone bag, travel wallet, reusable water canteen, masks, plastic bags if you have to travel back with a wet bathing suit, bug repellant. Notice I didn't say spray. Due to checking a bag, the aerosol was not allowed under the plane. I use Badger Balm bug repellant. The mosquitoes are not to be played with. I still have scabs unfortunately due to a mild reaction from mosquito bites.

"I never find anything when I'm looking for it!"

Start early. While this was a surprise vacation to destress from increased work demands, I had most of the featured resort wardrobe ready to go. How?! Don't go into the thrift store with expectations. Give yourself time. And, I don't mean hours to look through everything. Span your search over a few days, weeks or even store locations. Know what colors and fabrics you love. If you live in a region with four seasons, buy for all seasons, not just the current one. Quality over quantity. Check for rips, stains, missing buttons/hooks. And, if it does have those things missing are you willing to repair it? Ask yourself will you wear it more than once? Stay away from trends/logos. Store clothing properly and efficiently. I use under-bed canvas bags for wool, cashmere, silk and other off season clothing.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment, share and follow me @ShoppingIsNotTherapy on Instagram.