One of our favorite parts about thrift shopping is the opportunity to discover and try out new clothing brands without making much of an investment. Because we’re always looking for quality materials and designs, a lot of times the brands we’ve never heard of are from high-end retailers that would be out of our reach otherwise. For example, we love a good swimsuit coverup, but neither of us is going to pay nearly $300 for one.
When Devon found this Jen’s Pirate Booty maxi dress at Goodwill in San Rafael, neither of us had ever heard of the brand before. Honestly, it’s such a goofy name that if had been made of a lesser material, we would have thought it was an obscure fast fashion boutique brand. But what Devon found was diaphanous cotton gauze in a subtle peach color, and a care tag that said “wash in the sea, lay on the sand to dry”. Word for the wise: creatively worded care tags are only found from designers who have money to spend on evolving a brand voice. That was the first huge hint that this was a high-end piece.
In case you also haven’t heard of it either, Jen’s Pirate Booty is a loungewear and resort wear line that’s sold by places like Revolve and Free People. The eponymous Jen describes herself as a “beachy bohemian gypsetter” and that’s exactly the vibe this dress captures. With bralettes that start at about $100, the line is high end without quite being luxury. What these designs definitely are is light. If you’re used to fast fashion poly blends that don’t breathe not matter how lightweight they seem, experiencing real cotton is quite refreshing. The brands designs are thin enough that unless you’re wearing it as a swimsuit cover up, you should probably wear another layer underneath.
By the way, we did look it up and while it isn’t for sale anymore, this particular dress had an MSRP of $275 when it was new. Definitely happy to enjoy it at a tiny fraction of that price. With natural fibers and a free-spirited aesthetic, this thrifted find is the perfect attire for catching the late evening sunshine with a crisp sauvignon blanc to celebrate the longest day of the year. Accessorize with gold-toned jewelry and rose-colored glasses to add extra warmth.
Peach Cotton Maxi Dress
$6.99 from Goodwill San Rafael
Compare to $202, $220, or $165 from Jen’s Pirate Booty
