Any thrifter knows how hard it is to find items that are trendy and not outdated. But, part of the excitement comes with laying eyes on that one piece that makes your journey worthwhile. 33-year-old mom-of-three and military wife Caitlin Trantham is familiar with this hunt and she’s able to look at an item of clothing and see beyond what it is.
A self-confessed vintage fashion lover, Trantham transforms outdated vintage items into trendy pieces. But vintage items can be expensive and it’s hard to find items that will work with your style, so she decided to create her own clothes.
She’s been making clothes for almost seven years and during the coronavirus, she became encouraged to pursue her talents while spending tons of time at home, “I just started really experimenting with clothing this year! When quarantine hit, I had a ton of time to practice and make a bunch of projects,” she told Bored Panda.
Trantham loves saving money while helping the environment and she limits her spending to $10 per item. One of her favorite places to shop is at her local Goodwill in Jacksonville, North Carolina, who sells dresses for between four to six dollars. She also shops at her local Salvation Army, but it’s a bit more expensive so she limits how much she spends.
If you’re wondering how she picks out items, she told Bored Panda what catches her attention. “Embroidery, a fun vintage print, embellishments, or anything else that could make a garment special,” she explained. “Then, I analyze the material—am I going to be able to manipulate this? Is it going to fight me? The last thing I look at is closures: buttons and zippers, all that stuff. I need to make sure they can be moved or altered to fit my ideas.”
