1 month ago
Join Fox News for entree to this content
Plus typical entree to prime articles and different premium contented pinch your relationship - free of charge.
Please participate a valid email address.
One man's trash whitethorn beryllium different man's wealth — but sometimes that wealth turns retired to beryllium a gown designed by nary different than Jacqueline Kennedy's individual dressmaker.
Kansas Michalke, a contented creator and mom of 2 successful Austin, Texas, said she ever had a knack for uncovering hidden gems while thrifting.
"[My family] was not good disconnected successful immoderate capacity," she told Fox News Digital. "My mom was a azygous mom, my dada was a azygous dad, and we would do car shed income … and this was thing I grew up with."
VIRGINIA WOMAN WHO WENT VIRAL AFTER CHEAP GOODWILL VASE SOLD FOR $100K SPEAKS OUT: 'CHANGED MY LIFE'
"We ne'er really cared astir designers aliases marque names aliases thing for illustration that," she said.
"We were conscionable elemental small state group who [would] spell consecutive to nan clearance conception aliases thrift shops. It wasn't thing that I was ever ashamed of. And I ever liked having things that were different."
Kansas Michalke said she's ever loved thrifting and tin find precisely what she is looking for, but this clip she whitethorn person recovered thing more: a vintage Oleg Cassini gown. (Kansas Michalke)
Michalke was nearing nan extremity of her shopping excursion erstwhile she came crossed a bright, shiny evening gown.
"I did my past thigh and I saw nan twinkle of nan dress and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this will beryllium truthful nosy to play dress up with,’ and I conscionable tossed it successful nan cart," Michalke recalled.
ALABAMA WOMAN 'SHOCKED' TO LEARN $25 WEDDING DRESS FROM GOODWILL IS WORTH WAY MORE THAN BARGAIN PRICE
"I didn't look astatine nan label. I didn't look astatine anything. I was like, ‘My daughters will emotion this. I dream it fits.’"
It wasn't until Michalke sewage into nan rider spot pinch her hubby astatine nan instrumentality that she realized she'd recovered thing special.
Michalke of Texas was taking her past thigh astir her section Goodwill shop erstwhile a pink, sparkly evening gown caught her eye. (Kansas Michalke)
"When I typed successful [the designer's] name, Jackie Kennedy popped up and I thought, 'No way, this is crazy.' And past that's erstwhile I did commencement doing afloat investigation connected Oleg Cassini, and [discovered] conscionable really iconic he was," Michalke said.
Michalke had purchased a vintage Oleg Cassini-designed dress.
The summons value was $15.
While nan first glitz and glitter of nan garment first caught Michalke's attention, she besides noticed nan craftsmanship of nan gown — specifically, nan sequin activity and nan two-sized pearl detail.
WASHINGTON WOMAN MAKES 'SHOCKING' DISCOVERY AFTER PURCHASING $3.99 URN AT GOODWILL
She continued to excavation much into nan activity and life of Oleg Cassini, discovering his relationship to nan starlets of Old Hollywood specified arsenic Grace Kelly.
But it was Cassini's narration pinch Jackie Kennedy that really solidified his spot successful nan history of fashion.
The Austin-based contented creator said she didn't publication nan gown's explanation until she'd gotten successful nan car to time off nan Goodwill shop wherever she purchased nan garment. She coiled up emotion blown distant by what she had discovered. (Kansas Michalke)
The fashionable erstwhile first woman moreover referred to him arsenic her "secretary of style," according to L'Officiel, a French manner magazine.
Cassini was Jackie Kennedy's main manner designer. He moreover designed nan gown she wore during her hubby John Kennedy's statesmanlike inauguration successful 1961, according to nan John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
Cassini died successful 2006, and was "the oldest surviving manner designer successful nan history of American design," according to this curriculum vitae successful nan museum's integer archives.
On Jan. 20, 1961, nan day of nan inauguration of John F. Kennedy arsenic nan 35th president of nan United States successful Washington, D.C., President and Mrs. Kennedy are photographed arsenic they time off nan White House to be a bid of inaugural balls. Five locations were booked to clasp nan tremendous crowd that wanted to attend. The first lady's dress was designed by Oleg Cassini. (Getty Images)
Michalke shared her Cassini find on societal media, wherever galore users told her astir their ain Cassini-branded garments — but nan Texas mom's gown was a spot different.
"What I recovered is different because excavation wasn't a mass-produced item. I can't find nan dress anyplace online," she said.
WOMAN'S $3,700 CAMERA WAS ACCIDENTALLY DONATED TO GOODWILL — HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
"It's decidedly '80s aliases earlier because of really nan tag [is] hand-sewn in, and they didn't usage instrumentality sewing until nan ‘90s, truthful I cognize that it's either ’80s aliases before, but there's thing other I tin find connected it."
What gave distant nan day of nan dress was nan tag that appeared to person been hand-sewn in, starring Michalke to judge nan dress was designed successful nan precocious ‘70s aliases early ’80s, she said. (Kansas Michalke)
She started to do investigation connected nan tag and recovered that nan dress whitethorn person been a portion of Cassini's "Black Tie Collection."
Michalke has tried to find different styles akin to her dress by Cassini, but said she cannot find thing that resembles her glistening gown.
ARIZONA GOODWILL PURCHASE HELPS WOMAN DISCOVER 100 YEARS OF FAMILY HISTORY: 'ACT OF GOD'
"I can't find thing for illustration it, and truthful I'm reasoning that's what makes it moreover much special. Is it perchance for illustration a one-off piece? Maybe a runway piece. I conscionable don't know," she added.
While Michalke hopes to 1 time study much astir nan dress and fig retired its existent worth, she mostly cares astir wearing it while playing dress-up pinch her girls.
Michalke loves playing dress-up successful her caller gown pinch ther 2 daughters, but besides hopes to walk it on to them 1 day. (Kansas Michalke)
"My four-year-old Memphis is obsessed pinch fashion, and her nonstop words were, 'Mom, this is iconic,'" Michalke said pinch a laugh.
What made nan $15 find moreover much breathtaking was that nan infinitesimal Michalke tried connected nan dress, it fresh for illustration a glove.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Michalke said she lives by nan phrase, "Boycott being boring" — and this gem is arguably thing but boring.
Her emotion of thrifting and uncovering awesome pieces astatine Goodwill has inspired her to constitute a thrifting guideline for others filled pinch tips and tricks connected really to find precisely what you want while hitting nan clearance rack.
The Texas mom paid only $15 for this vintage couture gown designed by Oleg Cassini, a favourite designer of Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy. (Kansas Michalke)
"I'm convinced that there's not a bad thrift store. I've ne'er met one, and I spell thrift shopping [at] second-hand property sales, astatine slightest 4 times a week," she said.
A typical astatine Goodwill Industries International told Fox News Digital that its unit loves proceeding erstwhile Goodwill customers find "exciting and uncommon pieces for illustration this."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"It conscionable goes to show nan beauty of thrifting and that you tin find conscionable astir thing astatine Goodwill. It really is simply a wealth hunt successful each store," nan rep said.
"One of nan cool things astir shopping present is each portion has a past life, sometimes pinch a beautiful awesome communicative down it. We dream she loves this iconic find!"
Fox News Digital reached retired to nan Oleg Cassini marque for remark arsenic well.
For much Lifestyle articles, sojourn www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
