'I Tried': Recreating my favorite onscreen outfit with ThredUp for under $100
ThredUp is a familiar name to me, but when a representative for the brand reached out to see if I'd like to receive $100 in credit to use while checking out some recent updates and offerings, I knew I had a mission: I would recreate my favorite onscreen outfit of all time.
What is ThredUp?
For those unfamiliar with the company, ThredUp is a consignment site where you can create an account and use it to buy and sell your gently used clothes. The company has been around since 2009 and has processed approximately 230 million secondhand items to date, according to its website.
When shopping on ThredUp, you can filter your search results by category, size, brand, price, condition, color, material, pattern and more, allowing you to cut out the noise while browsing.
Why buy secondhand?
Thrifting has become more of a hot-button topic than ever thanks to conversations around sustainability in fashion (the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in 2018 alone, U.S. landfills received a whopping 11.3 million tons of textiles, the bulk of which was discarded clothing).
ThredUp's website attempts to confront this issue by providing a tool under the "Item Details" of each listing that claims to approximate how much energy and how many emissions you would save by wearing that specific item 10 times.
Price is also a consideration: Thrifting and secondhand clothing is almost always cheaper, so it's easier to build a look on a budget.
Choosing a look
Anyone who knows me has heard me talk about this outfit for years, but the green set worn by Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1998 adaptation of "Great Expectations" is my sartorial white whale.
Judianna Makovsky, the film's stylist, built Paltrow's wardrobe around director Alfonoso Cuaron's vision of a lush, verdant dreamscape, which is why we see her largely in green -- this two-piece set arguably the most memorable of her wardrobe changes.
I'm hardly the first to appreciate this look: It came into cultural relevance again last autumn when Emma Stone wore the look in New York City while arriving at "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert."
Recreating the look for less
I started by searching phrases on ThredUp's website like "green silk button-down shirt" and scrolling through options on my phone before I realized ThredUp has a photo search option, and plugging in an old promotional shot of Paltrow in the outfit was my golden ticket.
When searching this way, ThredUp identifies and breaks down the look by piece, allwoing me to start at the top and work down.
I chose my preferred size and sorted results from lowest to highest price before selecting a top from the brand Kittenish that was originally $21.99 but was on sale for $10.98 thanks to a 50% off promotion running that week -- something you can also receive when putting together your first order.
Using the same method, I moved on to the skirt and selected what looked like a close-enough match from Anthropologie for $48.99, then found a perfect match for the onscreen sandals via Ann Taylor Factory for $10.50 and a Jones New York alligator-embossed satchel for $19.20, which carried a note that it was a "flawed gem," but I found no visible issues upon arrival.
My spree took under 20 minutes and almost no effort, a much easier proposition than hitting multiple stores to try to find these pieces.
The final reveal
My bundle arrived a week later, all exactly as described. The top is pristine and has abstract gold buttons that look like they could be taken straight from a Donna Karan runway. My expectations for a perfect color-match were low, but I was shocked to discover the top and skirt are nearly identical.
The accessories, despite thrifty pricing, are leagues above what I expected. Shoe-wise, I lucked into a comfortable emerald green sandal that's a dead-ringer for Paltrow's, and the bag, while clearly not "luxury," is a fantastic stand-in for the on-screen carryall. It also fits my work laptop and is now part of my daily rotation!
After steaming to smooth the shipping wrinkles, I put the pieces together and admired my work. My greens lean more toward "martini olive" than the original, but it's "inspired by," not a replica.
I also broke tradition with the '90s minimalist chic vibe by adding jewelry, including a Donna Karan necklace that's a nod to the designer.
Final verdict
I had a blast putting this look together, and after a quick and poll via my Instagram story, many friends and followers guessed the reference easily.
The best part is this styling adventure was not only possible but actually easy thanks to ThredUp's immense inventory, search functionality and quick shipping. I've since searched ThredUp for even more inspiration, and I'm delighted with everything from the deals on summer basics I'm finding to high-end designer pieces from designer faves like Vivienne WestWood and Alexander McQueen.
If you want to expand your thrifting repertoire, save money and shop without the guilt of buying new, ThredUp is your new best friend. Check it out today.
