Credit: Dana Gaydon

OC Goodwill Shows Us How to Dress Like Your Favorite TV or Movie Character (for Under $100)

Thrifting Is IN—Here’s Where We’re Shopping in Orange County

Holly Golightly (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”), Marilyn Monroe (“Seven Year Itch”) and Joan Harris (“Mad Men”) are screen sirens known for their iconic fashion sense. But you don’t need a celebrity stylist to dress like your favorite character; Goodwill of Orange County has got you covered! Together, we created these characters’ outfits below for under $100! Every piece you see, from head to toe, was thrifted at a local Goodwill shop! Thrift Shopping Orange County

“Gilmore Girls” and “Beetlejuice”

Characters: Rory Gilmore and Lydia Deetz

Price: $70

Credit: Dana Gaydon

Rory Gilmore (“Gilmore Girls”) meets Lydia Deetz (“Beetlejuice”) in this edgy schoolgirl look. The dark academia outfit is a Korean fashion staple, perfect for hitting the museum or reading a book at a coffee house. And we are obsessed with the beret and boots!

Similar characters:
Hermione Granger, “Harry Potter”
Julien Calloway, “Gossip Girl”
Cher Horowitz, “Clueless”

Thrift Shopping Orange County

“Annie Hall”

Character: Annie Hall

Price: $71

Credit: Dana Gaydon

Title character Annie Hall taught women of the ‘70s the art of power dressing—of rocking the androgynous style with pieces borrowed from men’s closets. Adding a few feminine details (heels, jewelry and a pop of lipgloss) make this look a great choice for the office or for a business-chic aesthetic.

Similar characters:
Shosanna Dreyfus, “Inglourious Basterds”
Dana Scully, “The X-Files”

 

“Little Sure Shot”

Character: Annie Oakley

Price: $85

Credit: Dana Gaydon

This modern-day Western ensemble pays homage to “Little Sure Shot” Annie Oakley of the musical film, “Annie Get Your Gun.” Visit an equestrian center, an outdoor public art walk or an authentic saloon in this mixed-print rancher attire, featuring a floppy Western bucket hat and bolo tie.

Similar character:
“Calamity” Jane Canary, “Deadwood”

Thrift Shopping Orange County

“Sex and the City”

Character: Carrie Bradshaw

Price: $45

Credit: Dana Gaydon

This ultra-feminine dress screams Carrie Bradshaw (“Sex and the City”); the tulle skirt is as synonymous with Carrie as her nameplate necklace. We love the juxtaposition of the fishnet nylons and studded platforms with the soft pearl earrings and necklace. This one’s a date night winner with your own Mr. Big!

Similar character:
Emily Cooper, “Emily in Paris”

 

“Maleficent”

Character: Maleficent

Price: $50

Credit: Dana Gaydon

This over-the-top low-cut black and pear green masterpiece is an unforgettable showstopper–something the dark fairy antagonist Maleficent, Disney’s Mistress of Evil, might wear. Wallflowers need not apply! Turn heads in this fabulous ensemble at a gala fundraiser or while sitting front row at Paris Fashion Week.

Similar characters:
Evil Queen, “Once Upon a Time”
Nina Sayers, “Black Swan”

Thrift Shopping Orange County

“Last Night in Soho”

Character: Alexandra “Sandie” Collins

Price: $30

Credit: Dana Gaydon

Wearing this dress, femme fatale Sandie Collins (“Last Night in Soho”) would make grown men blush, not unlike Marilyn Monroe’s character in the iconic film, “The Seven Year Itch.” Similar to Collins’ peach chiffon dress, the “silly little dress,” as Monroe called it, is a steal at Goodwill and perfect for wedding guests or bridesmaids. 

Similar characters:
The Girl (Marilyn Monroe), “The Seven Year Itch”
Joan Holloway Harris, “Mad Men”
Queen Clarisse Renaldi, “The Princess Diaries”

 

“Criminal Minds”

Character: Penelope Garcia

Price: $44

Credit: Dana Gaydon

Penelope Garcia (“Criminal Minds”) has a fun and vibrant style, much like this floral multi-print A-line dress. A tea party or bridal shower would be a great opportunity to show off this fun, polychromatic puffy-sleeved number. Be sure to throw on some funky-colored specs to complete the look.

Similar characters:
Villanelle, “Killing Eve”
Rebecca Bloomwood, “Confessions of a Shopaholic”

Thrift Shopping Orange County

“The Carrie Diaries”

Character: Larissa Loughlin 

Price: $50

Credit: Dana Gaydon

Larissa Loughlin (“The Carrie Diaries”) knows how to mix wild and vibrant colors and patterns that just work for her. An outfit like this is so fun and easy to piece together at Goodwill and would be perfect for the hostess of a housewarming party or even a game night with friends. 

Similar characters:
Lucy Ricardo, “I Love Lucy”
Betty Suarez, “Ugly Betty”

 

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

Character: Luna Lovegood 

Price: $49

Credit: Dana Gaydon

Luna Lovegood (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) has a free-spirited sense of dress, mixing colors, textures and prints from tailored to flamboyant–all of it quirky, creative and most of all, expressive. She marches to the beat of her own drum! Wear this to a festival, a dinner party or the theater.

Similar character:
Carrie Bradshaw, “Sex and the City”

Thrift Shopping Orange County

About Goodwill of Orange County

Credit: Goodwill of Orange County

The mission of Goodwill of Orange County is to hire and help provide jobs for those with barriers, including physical, cognitive and language, and those who have been out of the job market for many years. Shopping at Goodwill allows us to celebrate great fashion while making a difference in our local community. “Everything that we do services Orange County,” says Eric Smissen, Goodwill of Orange County’s director of employee & brand engagement. “The money we raise at our stores doesn’t go somewhere else and then get refunneled back down to us. It stays right here. The beautiful part of Goodwill is that it really allows for the industry in a particular region to focus on what their community needs and build programs around that.”

 

Two Ways Shopping at Goodwill Helps the Local Community:

Credit: Dana Gaydon
  • Thrift shopping benefits the environment and its people economically, societally and environmentally because recycling goods reduces your carbon footprint. In 2021, Goodwill of OC diverted more than 5 million pounds of usable goods from local landfills—the average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing every year! 
  • Funds earned by Goodwill of Orange County stay in Orange County to help locals obtain employment, including the necessary education, training and employment services they need to get a job. 

 

There are 23 Goodwill shops and boutiques across Orange County. For those looking to score a unique item from the comfort of their home, Goodwill also offers online shopping at ShopGoodwill.com

Goodwill of Orange County
410 N Fairview St
Santa Ana, CA 92703
714.547.6308
@ocgoodwill

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I just moved from the Palm Springs area to Orange County. I've been writing for a couple years and enjoy writing about culture, lifestyle, and beauty. I'm excited with the abundance of material for which Orange County will provide.

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