Vanessa Moss

The One Item I Don’t Thrift

One clothing item I rarely thrift is denim.

I’ve found a pair or two of jeans in Goodwill over the years, but I don’t usually peruse the pants section, mostly because I don’t like trying things on in the store.

I thrifted these Madewell jeans last year…the only denim thrift purchase I’ve made in years!

At this point in my life, I can eyeball a piece of clothing and tell whether it will fit me well, so I can usually avoid a Goodwill dressing room.

Nobody cherishes going into a Goodwill dressing room.

People doo doo in there sometimes.

Pants are one of those items you have to try on, even if you know your body type and sizing super well, because fits vary dramatically depending on the brand and cut of the pant.

It has taken me years, but I’ve finally found the denim brand that works best for my body — Madewell.

My size is consistent in all their styles, so I can easily wait for a sale and order online — no try ons necessary.

I’ll be a high waist pant girlie til the day I die, and Madewell does it perfectly. Their high waist hits me just right, doesn’t cut off circulation to my cooch, and flattens my fupa quite nicely. Plus, all denim cuts I’ve experienced cradle my butt cheeks respectfully.

I haven’t found another jean as flattering! (but if you have a go-to brand, let me know – I’m always down to explore)

Here are my fave styles of late:

I just purchased these for $50 — The Curvy Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean

I love that wide leg jeans are having a moment. These are incredibly comfy.

I’ve been wearing these non-stop this winter, and was influenced by a friend to purchase them — Flared Wide-Leg Crop Jeans

A super dark wash that feels classy/easy to dress up — The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean in Airy Denim

I’m good on denim at the moment, but if I were in the market for more, I’d be eyeing:

The Cleo Straight Jean

Love a white pant.

The Emmy Wide-Leg Jean

Into these pockets.

What’s your favorite denim brand?

Last week’s thrifted ‘fits:

>> Goodwill thrift haul reel on my Instagram profile!

Sweater from Goodwill West Palm Beach; also wearing my new $50 Madewell jeans!

Sweatshirt from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Express shirt and vintage jacket from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Mom found a pair of chucks – a nostalgic purchase! When she got her first job at 14 she saved up to buy a pair.

Mom in a gorgeous dress found at Goodwill West Palm Beach

Things I left at Goodwill:

This dress looked so pretty, but I’m cutting myself off on dresses for now.

Gallery Moments

I’m a big fan of the gallery wall, and have several in my home. I’ve always liked using them in a non-traditional way (traditional being matching frames hung in a perfectly symmetrical grouping).

A traditional gallery wall in our home featuring images from our favorite vacation.

I like thinking of my gallery moments as wall scrapbooks. I mix and match frame styles, include photos next to artwork, and hang objects like baskets and hats.

If someone writes me a cute note, or I leave a wedding with a polaroid keepsake, I’ll tuck these pieces into the edges of frames.

My gallery walls are constantly changing as I bring in new pieces from my thrift adventures, like puzzles that are never finished.

One of my favorite galleries is the one above my desk/office space in our primary bedroom.

It includes a floral painting found years ago at Stitches and Rust (the owner now operates a shop called Trashé Vintage), and a painting given to me by my mother.

The artist’s granddaughter was my mother’s neighbor in Missouri, and gave this piece, along with another large collection, to my mom for free, as long as she promised to keep them safe.

The post office gave us a copy of Elaine’s passport photo, so I tucked it in the floral painting’s frame, along with a tiny image of my boys that was leftover from some prints I made to go into a locket for my mother-in-law.

Now that my mom lives seasonally with us in Florida, we’re keeping all the art on our walls.

I’ve hung a hat from Stone Button Studio in Northwood Village, a little stained glass and shell mirror purchased at the Northwood Holiday Home Tours market in 2024, a basket I’ve just added to the collection this weekend (purchased at The Rust Market in Lake Park), and my favorite piece of all — framed hand written notes from my mother.

My mom wrote these notes to me when I was two years old. I had done a couple of cute/sweet things, so she jotted them down as memories and added little love notes in too.

A polaroid from Vince and Elaine’s first daddy daughter dance, and a tiny envelope with “Vanessa and Vince” written on it and a cute little butterfly

To this day, I can’t read the notes without crying. Even before becoming a mother myself, they brought tears to my eyes.

I love those notes so much that when my parents asked what I wanted for my college graduation gift, I just asked to have them matted and framed.

My mom couldn’t believe it — frame her slanted writing and spelling errors?!

Hell yeah! That’s what I love about it. The busy, working mom of a toddler taking a few minutes to jot down a moment she wanted to hold onto. A piece of life with her family she wanted to keep from fading. A quick little love story for later.

I love having moments like that on my walls.

Finally put up this rattan mirror I thrifted from Goodwill a few weeks ago.

Last week’s thrifted ‘fits:

>> Goodwill thrift haul reel on my Instagram profile!

>> Consignment shopping reel on my Instagram profile!

Sweater thrifted and gifted from a friend

Button up and striped H&M pants from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Huarache sandals from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Anthropologie skirt and MANGO tote from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Sunshine State cap from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Handmade dress created from a thrifted, vintage tablecloth purchased from a designer who exclusively sells at The Rust Market in Lake Park

J. McLaughlin sandals from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Men’s striped button up from Goodwill Denver, CO

Trashé for Moi, please.

Palm Beach County’s thrift community is made up of the best, most generous and creative people.

As an avid thrift shopper, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know several local shop owners, and I’ve come to discover that folks who curate and collect have the warmest hearts. It’s just a tried and true combo.

I’ve known the owner of Trashé Vintage, Heidi, for many years. Our sons were elementary school friends, and when Heidi and I first met, her store was called Stitches and Rust.

Her eye for curation is impeccable, and her prices have always been within reach for the average shopper. The style of her shop has evolved over the years, which I think is a reflection of her own evolution as a person — a very cool thing.

Heidi hosted a community-wide rummage sale in the parking lot of her shop over the weekend and it was fun to see that, much like her artfully collected shop, she’s curated a community of people who love shopping secondhand, eating tacos, and singing karaoke in the middle of the day.

The Cozy Cottage table had items exclusively $5 and under

Mom snagged a free pair of sandals from the clothing swap section.

Baby chose her own outfit for the outing — head to toe black was an aggressive but respectable choice.

The rummage sale prices were insanely good. I spent $15 and came away with an awesome haul.

I also got to catch up with Denise, owner of The Cozy Cottage in Lake Worth Beach, who gave me a bag of clothes she’d collected that reminded her of me.

See what I mean about this awesome thrift community?!

Here’s my rummage sale haul:

Goodies included these wreath earrings (so tempted to wear these all year round) and a little vintage vase pendant. I’m picturing this on a long chain! Love unique finds like this.

I also grabbed two pins – I’ve been adding pins to some of my purses, and have been accessorizing sweaters with them this winter.

We ended the afternoon with a trip to Goodwill. Naturally, I left with a few bags.

Thrift haul coming soon to my insta profile!

Things I left at Goodwill:

I know someone was JAZZED to snag this side table. So good!!

Last week’s thrifted ‘fits:

>> Dominica souvenir hauls on my instagram profile! <<

J.Crew sweater from Goodwill West Palm Beach

No tag sweater from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Nike windbreaker from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Sweater from Goodwill West Palm Beach, J.Jill linen button up from Goodwill Denver, Pin from Trashe Vintage’s Rummage Sale

Linnette bag from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Treasure and Bond Boots from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Dominica Souvenir Haul

I’m still crashing back to reality after spending the past week in literal paradise.

We immediately started back to work, so my house is a disaster. Bags are unzipped and halfway unpacked, stuff spilling over the sides.

The laundry is a mile high, I have 31 unread text messages and a few voicemails, and I don’t have the courage to peek at my gmail inbox until I’ve cleaned up my work mail.

During weeks like this, I ask myself: how long is too long for a vacation?

I think the sweet spot is 5 nights. We left for 8 (Vince’s preference) and the effort to catch up has brought the tension back to my (now perfectly tanned) previously relaxed shoulders!

I have, however, found pleasure in unpacking our souvenir haul, which I’m happy to share with you now.

I was so tempted by the hand woven baskets for sale throughout the island, but didn’t have much room in my suitcase to bring one back.

Luckily, the resort greeted us with a little welcome basket full of goodies I can add to my basket collection.

My favorite items in the welcome gift where the patchouli oil and soap. I used the entire bottle of oil during our stay — not only does it smell great, it’s also a mosquito repellent!

The resort didn’t have more, but I plan to scour the internet in search of more of this elixir.

Of course, I searched for shells on every beach we visited. I didn’t have much luck, but did find a piece of brain coral and an old conch.

I purchased a necklace from a vendor stand at Champagne Reef during our second day trip.

On our first day trip, we visited a chocolate factory, where we learned about the entire process of chocolate being made, from fruit to bean to tasty, hand-packaged treats!

We bought a bag-full of different flavored chocolates to share with family and a book about the factory owner’s great grandmother who shed her life in London society to live a simpler life on Dominica.

I grabbed a belt with shells on the buckle from the resort gift shop, along with two children’s books for Elaine on island lore.

Naturally, we all got t-shirts and Elaine selected several hand-beaded items from the duty free shop at the airport on our way home. My fave is the parrot she’ll put on her backpack (she already has a little pegasus from last year’s visit).

The guide we hired for our day trips, Dave, was so wonderful. When we met his family, we learned that his brother is a chef and makes amazing cakes but is currently out of work and recuperating from a car accident at home.

When Dave picked us up for our ride to the airport, he brought two cakes his brother made for us, plus some coconut fudge (he heard us gushing over it after we bought some at a stand during one of our day trips).

Pretty sweet bonus souvenirs. 🙂

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Last week’s thrifted ‘fits:

>> Thrifted items I’ve tailored for the perfect fit in this instagram reel! <<

Oversized button up and sunnies from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Striped pima cotton button up from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Scarf, Lucky Brand tank top, and Madwell jeans from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Holding Off the January Scaries in Dominica

This week, I’m coming to you live from the island of Dominica.

In 2024, Vince and I discovered that our favorite way to vacation is visiting islands in the Caribbean.

It started because Hawaii is on my bucket list, but a plan we had to visit fell through, so Vince started researching islands closer to us that gave similar vibes.

We wanted hikes, waterfalls, beaches, and tropical rainforests.

After diving down several reddit threads, the French Antilles quickly surfaced as the ideal location — these tropical islands are only a 3 hour flight from Miami and offer what we wanted and more.

So far, we’ve explored Guadeloupe twice and are now on our second visit to Dominica.

(We’re taking advantage of having a pre-school aged child. Once kindergarten starts up for Elaine, we’ll only take long trips on school holiday breaks.)

Dominica, in my opinion, has the most stunning beaches I’ve ever seen.

It’s technically not part of the French Antilles, but it’s sandwiched between the French islands Guadeloupe and Martinique.

I know, I live in Florida, and we have nice beaches, but these beaches are secluded, provide excellent shell hunting opportunity, and the water is crystal clear for snorkeling, an activity I only recently got brave enough to try.

There’s also something about traveling to a beach — on vacation I can’t be distracted by laundry and my never ending list of errands like at home. So, beach times just feel different here for that reason too.

There is no thrifting on the islands, of course. My collecting hobby translates into shell and souvenir hunting.

I’m not big into t-shirts and refrigerator magnets. I’m drawn to woven baskets (obvi) made of local materials, handmade accessories and caftans, and any children’s books written by islanders we might run across.

I love spontaneously stopping into a shop during a drive or discovering an outdoor market with locally made goods.

Should I share a souvenir haul at the end of this trip?

Here’s one of my highlights from this trip so far:

We hired a guide for the first time to take us on a jam packed island day:

-A visit to the Red Rocks
-A tour of a chocolate factory
-Lunch in Calibishie (we stayed in this tiny beach town on our last visit)
-A quick beach dip
-A waterfall hike

On the drive back to the resort, our guide mentioned we’d be driving by his mom’s house and asked if we’d like to stop by for some “coconut jelly” (coconut water).

We got to meet his mom, step-dad, and brother, and he grabbed coconuts from the backyard tree for the freshest most delicious water!

Our guide told us the only Caribbean island that holds a candle to Dominica’s beauty is St. Lucia, so it’s on our list.

For now, we’re holding off the January scaries just a tad longer and soaking up island life. No thrifted outfits this week, friends, just swimsuits, robes, and hiking shorts. 😉

>> Final Goodwill haul of 2025 on my Instagram profile here! <<

Surprisingly Artsy Crafty

Happy New Year! I’m grateful to have this creative outlet and friends who support it by reading and engaging with my ramblings.

So let’s waste no time and get right into my ramblings this week!

I ordered a hot glue gun from Amazon, and I fear it has made me too powerful.

I’ve never been an arts and crafts type of gal, though I admire artsy and crafty folks so very much.

But…has this hot glue gun made me artsy and crafty? Perhaps you can be the judge.

I initially ordered the hot glue gun for my mom, actually. She needs it for a project, but once I had it in my possession, I quickly realized that the possibilities are vast.

On literal Christmas day, I took this hot glue gun into my bathroom to renovate our struggling towel hooks, because the thought had been scratching the back of my mind ever since the Amazon package arrived and I could wait no longer.

Here’s how the towel hooks looked before:

Woof. Chipped and broken.

As you’ve learned by now, I’m really into shells and have a lot of them laying around my house, so I thought: why not hot glue some shells onto these broken towel hooks?!?

So, that’s what I did:

This experience was so intoxicating, that I took my hot glue gun and shells to a picture frame I thrifted during my Denver Goodwill trip in October:

I’m obsessed. What will I glue next?!

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Last week’s thrifted ‘fits:

>> Highlight reel of the thrifted Christmas gifts I gave to family on my Instagram profile! <<

House of Harlow dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Gorgeous necklace made of thrifted fabric, charms, and shells by Sarah Bray Bermuda

Dooney & Bourke bag from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Baby girl’s Christmas eve dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach

My Christmas day sweater and linen slip dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Vintage, secondhand Lilly Pulitzer caftan purchased at a nonprofit event

Baby girl’s Lilly Pulitzer romper from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Woven bag thrifted and gifted from a friend!

Sweater layered over a white sun dress – both from Goodwill West Palm Beach; Necklace made of thrifted materials by Sarah Bray Bermuda; Ring from A Timeless Treasure in Northwood Village

Sam Edelman sandals from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Sunglasses from Goodwill West Palm Beach; Top from Nearly New Shop West Palm Beach

Can you believe my mom found this bag brand new at Goodwill?! She gifted it to me for Christmas.

I hope the new year brings you many thrifting adventures, friends!

A Thrifted Christmas Table

This year, our boys were out of town for Christmas, so Vince and I hosted a small Christmas dinner with just baby girl and our moms.

I’ve been collecting items for my Christmas tablescape for several months and am sharing here all the details of my completely thrifted, gifted and secondhand Christmas table:

-White Dinner Plates – Goodwill West Palm Beach
-Green Cloth Napkins – The Nearly New Shop West Palm Beach
-Napkin Rings – Thrifted and gifted from a friend
-Silverware – Wedding Gifts
-Milk Glass Goblets – Passed down from my mom
-Candle with Glass Christmas Tree Charm – Goodwill West Palm Beach

-Taper Candles – Thrifted from Goodwill West Palm Beach or gifted
-Crystal Candle Holders – Wedding Gifts
-Table Runner – Goodwill West Palm Beach

The table runner originally had tassels on either end, but they fell off after I ran it through the washing machine, so I tied ornaments on either end to replace them! The vintage wreath ornaments were sourced from The Nearly New Shop West Palm Beach.

-Brass Candle Holders – Passed down from my mom
-Small White & Green China Candleholders – Goodwill West Palm Beach
-Glass Christmas Tree Votive Holder – Passed down from my mom
-Christmas Holly Candle Holder – Goodwill West Palm Beach
-Cake Stand – Garage sale find
-Wooden Nativity People – The Cozy Cottage Lake Worth Beach

Now that all my Christmas gifts have gone out, I’ll also be sharing details on most of the items I thrifted for friends and family this year — stay tuned!

I hope you had a cozy Christmas full of warmth and love, friends.

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Last week’s thrifted ‘fits and treasures:

>> Mom and I visited the Rust Market in Lake Park for last minute Christmas shopping – reel on my Instagram profile! <<

Sweater and MANGO tote from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Ring from A Timeless Treasure West Palm Beach

Sweater from Goodwill West Palm Beach; Madewell Jeans from Goodwill Boutique in Boca Raton

Hightop chucks from Goodwill West Palm Beach

J. Peterman jumpsuit and leather belt from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Anthropologie skirt from Goodwill West Palm Beach; Amazing necklace made of vintage fabric, charms, and shells sourced from thrift and estate sale trips made by Sarah Bray Bermuda

A closer look at my stunning Sarah Bray Bermuda necklace!

Baby girl’s dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Mom bought me a pair of tassels from the Rust Market in Lake Park – they are on our end tables in our bedroom for now.

This stunning handmade, one-of-a-kind dress made from a hand stitched vintage tablecloth is from a Rust Market vendor named Marcia. She doesn’t sell online/has no digital presence and more people need to know about her!! This dress is one example of many gorgeous designs. I highlighted her in my recent instagram reel – check it out!

Vince and I brought a bottle of wine to dinner with friends and I popped on this vintage ornament sourced from a collection I found at Goodwill West Palm Beach.

Elaine’s set from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Pouf! A Bedroom Solution

I’ve always loved the idea of a bench at the foot of our bed, and keep my eyes peeled for one at all times while perusing the shops.

They are hard to find! I guess people tend to hang on to their benches.

Granted, I haven’t been overly serious about finding one and am only willing to pay Goodwill prices, so that narrows down my possibility of snagging the perfect bench, I guess.

Would scream if I found something like this in the shops.

During my latest Goodwill trip, my eyes fell upon two seagrass poufs. I almost passed them up, because I truly have enough furniture in my living room and loft, and couldn’t immediately think of a place for them.

I stood thinking over it for a while before moving on, though, because I knew those things were expensive and I could snag them for $20 each — a steal.

Then, I realized — I could put these at the foot of my bed in lieu of a bench! I hadn’t really seen this before, but a quick Google search confirmed that it’s a thing:

I’m pretty sure these are the poufs. I was right about the original price!

The floral pillows are from Goodwill too!

The thrifterverse provides yet again. I’m so pleased with this purchase.

Do you think the poufs work here? Or would they be better suited in a different setting?

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With the weather cooling down in FL, I drove past several garage sales while out running errands over the weekend. Here’s what I found:

A basket as big as my baby and the sunglasses she’s wearing (she picked them out) — the basket was only $10!

Things I left at Goodwill:

This rattan napkin holder. Would be good for parties, but I already have several little basket caddies that I use for napkins and party flatware, so I left this for a fellow thrifter to find.

Look at the prices on these Tory Burch espadrilles! I didn’t leave these by choice – they were both too small for me. 🥲

These lime green sunglasses that Elaine looked FAB in.

I also attended a holiday home tour event in an historic district of West Palm Beach over the weekend, which was a blast and also inspiring.

I loved seeing how people have cared for and upgraded their old homes — my community has such great taste!

Me, my mom, and our friend Jill at the holiday home tours event.

My favorite shop keeper, Inge, from the absolute best vintage and handmade shop, Stone Button Studio, was part of the event’s holiday market, so I grabbed a few of her treasures — I can never resist!

I love collecting Inge’s hand painted stones and tucking them on shelves and desks, the same way I place my shells.

I have several of her hanging charms in windows and on plants throughout my house.

This table runner is so gorgeous, I can’t wait to style a tablescape with it.

I hope you’re having as much fun as I am this holiday season, friends.

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Last week’s thrifted ‘fits round- up:

>> Goodwill Thrift Trip Video on my Instagram Profile! <<

Holiday party green dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach, Vintage glass candy earrings from the West Palm Beach Antiques Festival

Baby girl’s bumblebee dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach

White Elephant Exchange

Every year, my office gathers for a holiday lunch and white elephant gift exchange.

Since my thrifting habit has been insatiable, and I constantly seek excuses to be in the shops, I decided to create my first thrifted basket of the season for the holiday lunch.

We have several animal and nature lovers where I work, so I’m hoping someone enjoys the items I found — brand new and unopened (!!!) — at Goodwill.

I’m always snagging baskets when I find them, so it was easy to pull one from my growing collection in which to place all the white elephant items.

I think, ideally for a thrifted basket, I would arrange the items cutely and tie a ribbon on the basket handle — kind of like a typical fruit or gift basket.

But, the whole point of a white elephant exchange is that nobody can see what the gift is before selecting it from the pile.

So, I decided to tie up all the items in a thrifted scarf.

I don’t love the look, but it got the job done.

I found a fun dog puzzle and wild flower field guide — both great gifts for the animal and outdoor lovers.

Our white elephant gift spending limit is $25. This puzzle would’ve almost reached the limit, had I purchased it elsewhere.

I don’t imagine anyone is going to pull this field guide from their back pocket whilst traipsing Mounts Botanical Gardens, but I think it’s a fun thing to have on a table or bookshelf.

I added this beautiful glass ornament I found at the Nearly New Shop in West Palm Beach.

To decorate the basket, I tied on a bow of holiday ribbon (I found a collection of ribbon at Goodwill a few weeks ago), and another ornament found at Goodwill.

I’ll never tell you I’m good at wrapping gifts or tying bows. It’s a skill I have sadly not mastered, but I did my best and I think it looks kinda cute!

Happy holidays!

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Last week’s thrifted ‘fits round-up:

>> Last week’s thrift haul video on my instagram page <<

Lord & Taylor gingham dress from Goodwill West Palm Beach, layered with a non thrifted sweater.

Baby girl’s top from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Top and GAP jeans from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Linen top and pants from Goodwill West Palm Beach

GAP oversized button up and jeans from Goodwill West Palm Beach

Comfy coastal dress and MANGO tote from Goodwill West Palm Beach

I forgot to do a proper outfit selfie, but the top I wore to brunch with Santa is from Goodwill West Palm Beach!

A Thrifted Thanksgiving Table

I was thrilled to host Thanksgiving this year, not only because I love spending time with my family, but also because it gave me an excuse to create a holiday themed tablescape.

In recent years I’ve gotten more and more into tablescapes.

It’s another outlet for creativity, and I like pulling things from around my house to place down the middle of my dining table.

I’ve pulled framed photos, shells, and collected trinkets for my tables when hosting friends and family.

Lately, I’ve been feeling like almost anything goes for a tablescape.

You want bows? Butterflies? Bird houses? Tie and stick them onto candle holders or table runners and make it a thing!

(My husband was sure to tell me that placing miniature chairs down the middle is a little insane — I just love a miniature piece of furniture, okay?!)

This holiday, I’ve had a lot of fun thrifting specifically for my tablescapes.

Here, I’m sharing the details on where I sourced all the items for my Thanksgiving table.

Goblets – Goodwill West Palm Beach
Glasses – Home Goods (I store these separately / away from our daily use cabinets so nobody can break them, and only bring them out for guests)
Flatware – Passed down from my mother-in-law
Crystal candle holders – wedding gifts
Pink taper candles – Goodwill West Palm Beach
Beaded/wooden candle holder – Nearly New Thrift Shop West Palm Beach

Napkin rings – thrifted and gifted from a friend
Fall wreath – Goodwill West Palm Beach
Bronze candle holders – passed down from my mom
Dark blue dessert plates – Goodwill West Palm Beach
White & blue dessert plates – thrifted & gifted from my mother-in-law

Floral urn – Nearly New Shop West Palm Beach
Block print napkins – Etsy
White vessel thingy I used as a candle holder – thrifted & gifted from my mom
Glass cake stand I used as a candle holder – found at a garage sale years ago

Baby girl made this sweet centerpiece at school!
Teacup I used as a candle holder – thrifted & gifted from my mom
Dinner plates – fiestaware; I chose dark blue plates for our family’s everyday use because the color hides scratches and they look nicer longer!