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By Julia Marchand

On hot summer days, festival style prevails! That’s because the trend itself was inspired by long days in the sun that necessitated light layers and wide brimmed hats to keep shady and comfortable. Whether you’re actually attending an outdoor concert series this year or just trying to stay cool while looking cool, hop on the boho bandwagon to seamlessly blend summer attire in with summer adventures. Here’s how…

Image via MarandaVandergriff.com

High waists, light denim, and sunnies are all staples in festival style, but how exactly can we incorporate them into our wardrobe without seeming drab or outdated? This festival guide from blogger Maranda Vandergriff is a fantastic place to start! She’s got some great ideas – like wearing this button up dress she found at Goodwill as a duster – and seriously practical advice. One of the best suggestions she has is to search for vintage items in thrift stores. These unique pieces will completely embrace the style and may have actually attended a festival or two before you were even around (Woodstock, anyone?). Check out her post for more inspo!

Image via Pinterest.com/sfgoodwill

Make sure you’ve also got some great accessories ready to round out your look. As with so many different styles, jewelry can make or break it. To channel the haute hippie inside of you, drape on lots of jewelry – necklaces, rings, bracelets, the works! Look for stone and crystal jewelry under the counter of your local Goodwill store or check out Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties‘ (CA) jewelry pinboard for inspiration. This ring, for example, would be the perfect addition and I love its great price tag, too!

Image via Instagram.com/jpenningroth

After festival season has come to a close and fall creeps in, reminders of your summertime adventures will be a welcomed sight. Since festival fashion always embraces bold patterns inspired by cultures around the world, an excellent way to bring this aesthetic into your home is with a geometric woven tapestry. This one was snagged by Jen at a Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries (Boston) store and it perfectly captures that boho vibe we are paying homage to today. If you’re not lucky enough to find a similar weaving in your local thrift store, maybe you are brave enough to try making one yourself! There are always skeins and skeins of yarn on the shelves when I browse Goodwill and with a little time and creativity, those could easily become customized wall hangings!

I love how so many of the style elements described here can be paired with more conventional clothing pieces to remain a little more neutral, but when donned together, they create an outlandishly fun boho look. Another truly wonderful thing about shopping at Goodwill for your warm weather attire is that through its entrepreneurial business model of collecting and selling donated goods, Goodwill helps communities extend the life of usable items in environmentally sound ways, and prevents items from piling up in local landfills. Think of shopping at your local Goodwill as a way for you to give back to the earth that has provided the ideal summer weather for your festival enjoyment!

By Julia Marchand

Throughout the year, I look forward to summertime. Not only for the obvious reasons: the warmth, the sun and the generally leisurely attitude that many people adopt, but also because summer brings trips to the ocean. I realize, of course, that we could go to the ocean any day, but what is the fun in going when it’s cold out? It’s summer now, so the time has come for this girl to plan a trip to the seaside!

Image via Dina Days

If you ask me, maxi dresses were made for just such a trip. They’re flowy so they’re comfortable for a car ride (we usually make the drive to Ogunquit, Maine which is almost two hours away), they’re light to keep things cool in the sun, and they’re long so everything stays PG even when a strong ocean breeze blows. On my upcoming trip, I’m likely to wear an outfit very similar to this one styled by blogger Dina of Dina’s Days. It goes perfectly with a bright jacket, which is necessary on any Northern Atlantic shore, just in case the clouds roll in. By the way, can you believe that this entire look was thrifted? The dress was only $1.50 at Dina’s local Goodwill! I love that style is so accessible through Goodwill stores.

Image via Seattle Goodwill

Speaking of style, these fab friends from Seattle Goodwill are killing it in their vintage swimsuits! The collection dates from the 1860s through the 1980s with immaculately preserved clothing and accessories for every occasion. This group would definitely catch my eye strolling along the beach together! Just imagine how many wonderful seaside memories were made in those suits over the years. For more photos, click through to their blog post!

Image via Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago

Can’t make it to the ocean right now? You can still pretend by decking out that dining area with a maritime feel. Merri from Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago swept me away with this gorgeous display. My favorite part is the rope used for napkin holders. It’s such a simple idea and easy to execute, but it really captures that nautical flair. Merri has lots of great tips on how to assemble your own beachy tablescape (I mean, who’d have thought of turning a bath loofa into aquatic-looking netting?), so make sure you stop by their blog for more!

Do you have any plans to head to the seaside this summer? Make sure you stop by any Goodwill stores you see on the way! Your support will help Goodwill to continue doing its part in preserving our planet – its oceans included – by serving as sustainability innovators. This is done by harnessing renewable energy, including installing solar panels on Goodwill roofs to becoming LEED certified. Let’s all contribute to the health of the planet so future generations can wear our swimsuits to the beach as part of their vintage collection!

By Julia Marchand

Before I became a mom, I heard a whole slew of gripes from other parents. The one that kept recurring more often than any others was “Kids are expensive!” Creativity becomes imperative for those on a budget who don’t want their little ones to go without the games and goodies that make childhood special, so here are a few kid-approved projects to keep the little ones and your wallet happy…

Image via makeit-loveit.com

Fishing can happen any time of any day when it’s taking place right at home. I discovered this adorable little DIY fishing game lurking in the depths of Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries, Inc. (Cincinnati)’s Baby & Kids On A Budget pinboard. Reel in a few low-priced men’s shirts the next time you’re thrifting and get started on this project on your next rainy day! You’ll feel proud creating something from scratch and might just be able to bait your kids into playing quietly for more than five minutes!

Image via DelightfullyNoted.blogspot.com

By now you probably already know that thrifting second-hand furniture is worlds cheaper than buying brand-new. That’s especially true when it comes to kids’ furniture! The worst part about paying full price for the furniture your kids will use is knowing that it will probably be drawn on, scratched, and stickered in no time. Why not start with furniture that is already conducive to your kids’ creativity? Jennifer crafted this truly inspiring playroom and shared it on her blog, Delightfully Noted. It includes a kids’ table that she scored at Goodwill for just $2 and transformed into a chalkboard to stay one step ahead of those inevitable doodles! Go ahead, little ones, draw on!

Image via Pinterest.com/GoodwillSCWI

Who said everything in your kid’s room can’t be just as fun as the toys they request? I challenge you to turn the most boring object you can think of (a dresser, perhaps?) into something exciting for your bambinos! It really can be as simple as slapping a fresh coat of bright paint on a Goodwill bureau and swapping out the regular knobs for toys you grabbed on your way to the check out, too! I found the above project idea on Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin, Inc. (Madison)’s pinboard of DIY Ideas and instantly loved its kid-friendly quirkiness.

These days I don’t have to trust other parents when they tell me how costly raising a child can be because I know, first hand, that it’s true. Thankfully, I drive past Goodwill every day on my way to and from work so I can easily swing in. Goodwill doesn’t just help my family to live a better life, but it does so for many other families as well. Goodwill agencies have actually been recognized for their forward-thinking family financial stability practices that allow program participants as well as employees and their families to access individual education and training needs that include debit management, budget and credit counseling, and educational workshops. With familial support like that, I am proud to invest my hard-earned dollars in Goodwill stores and come home to my own family a little more inspired.