Long story short: during the LA wildfires, we had to evacuate, and then decided to flee the county. Of course, when packing for an emergency evacuation, there are certain things that don’t make the cut. For example: pretty dresses, makeup, stilettos. So, when the opportunity arose for dinner & drinks in Palm Springs, I turned to a thrifted date night outfit.

After a week of stress, anxiety, tears, and a whole amusement park full of rollercoaster emotions, my husband and I needed a night out. Without us saying anything, the friends we were staying with offered to watch the kids. Oh my god. We were so thankful. Also, we were exhausted. I wasn’t sure if I’d even be able to stay awake for an evening out. But, deciding to make the most of it, we agreed to leave the twins and go for margaritas.

However, a problem soon surfaced: I had nothing to wear. And I know people say this all the time while staring at their closets full of perfectly acceptable and gorgeous clothing. But this was for real. I literally had nothing that would work. When packing my duffel bag pre-evacuation, I only grabbed comfortable clothing. I didn’t know how long we’d be gone for. I didn’t even know if we’d have a home to come back to after the fires, but that’s another trauma.

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Needless to say none of my usual garments came with me. I had no choice but to opt for a thrifted date night outfit. Which, I was actually super excited about. It was one of the small joys that I had to distract myself with while away from home on that whirlwind wildfire week. I love a thrifting challenge, and finding the perfect date night outfit at Angel View Thrift Mart was a thrill.

My $30 Thrifted Date Night Outfit in Palm Springs

The drive to the thrift store from our Airbnb was only four minutes. After all, I had to make the most of the twins’ nap time. It was a timed shopping spree and I was ready! I had a chance to listen to approximately three FLO songs (How Does It Feel?, Soft, and On & On) before I found a parking spot and hopped out of the car, dashing up the street in the only shoes I brought with me: Fear of God Adidas sneakers. Super comfy and pretty much go with everything. Everything casual, that is.

There are two thrift stores side by side on Indian Canyon Drive: Angel View and Prestige Boutique. I don’t know which one I went into first, but it was the one with the more curated collection of designer garments. One of the first items I picked up was an espresso-coloured Nicole Miller dress. It’s so cute: form-fitting, knee-length, ties at the shoulders. It’s a size four but to my absolute surprise, it fit me! I swear, the fabric must have a lot of give or something because normally I wouldn’t even fathom trying on a size four.

I thought that might be my date night outfit—until I came across a slinky, silky chocolate-brown top. It didn’t have a brand name inside and was pretty minimal, but chic. I decided it absolutely had to leave with me too, even if I didn’t end up wearing it for date night. To my chagrin, I didn’t find a pairing for it. No pants, no skirt. But that was ok, because I had the dress.

Well, then I decided to pop next door. I was really only looking for shoes because there was no way in fashion hell I was going to wear that cute espresso dress with my worn-in sneakers. Some dresses look amazing with sneakers; this was not one of them. The first boutique I went into only had cute shoes in size eight and I wear nine. I was this close to stuffing my feet into size eight Ferragamo kitten-heels but ultimately decided I didn’t want vintage pumps to mean pain.

Almost immediately, I stumbled upon a pair of white patent leather strappy sandals. And oh my god, they were actually in my size! And they were Calvin Klein! It felt like a Cher Horowitz moment. I snatched them up right away. And then I got to thinking: hmm, this top would look really cute with some trousers and these strappy sandals. So, off I went to explore the chaotic racks of pants.

As I was about to lose all hope, running my hands through endless hangers and skinny jeans, I spotted a pair of coffee bean brown pleated pants. I didn’t recognize the brand and at first that gave me the ick because I wasn’t sure if they’d be good quality or a (gross) Fashion Nova equivalent. But I decided to try them on anyway. They fit like a glove. I was sold.

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Ok, so now for our actual date night. First, we tried to go to Bar Cecil. I’d been Googling cocktail bars on the couch and this one seemed cute. Mostly because of its Parisian influence and my husband and I are obsessed with Paris. However, when we got there, they had a sign outside that said they were at capacity. I was about to suggest we sit at the bar when I noticed, in fine print at the bottom, it said: “Including at our walk-in bar.” So much for Paris.

We ended up at Tac/Quila. Which, in reality, I’m really happy about. We had the best nachos and crispy calamari. The smoky sauce that the calamari came with was delicious. The margaritas were yummy and the ambiance was good too. I’d 10/10 recommend if you’re in Palm Springs and craving Mexican food.

Also, let me just say: this was the first time in my entire life that I’ve gone out on a date without any makeup on. I was completely bare! Unless you count moisturizer and clear gloss as makeup. It was weird. But not uncomfortable. Anyway, the whole point of my look was my thrifted date night outfit, not makeup. I kept thinking about Gabrielle Solis in that one episode of Desperate Housewives where she’s trying to teach Juanita not to wear makeup and has to show up at the Latino Businessman of the Year event with a naked face.

If you don’t remember the scene, here it is:

I’m happy to say I wasn’t wearing huge sunglasses, nor did I accost anyone in the bathroom, trying to steal their beauty products. At 33 years old, I guess I can confidently say I’m comfortable in my own skin with my bare-naked face. If I ever have a daughter, I’ll make sure to teach her that, too.

Thrifted Date Night Outfit Details

Top: Long-sleeve with a knot in the front, $5
Pants: Chocolate-brown pleated trousers, $10
Sandals: White patent leather Calvin Klein with a mid-heel, $15
Bag: Dior saddlebag not thrifted

Didn’t wear any makeup and just slicked back my saltwater pool hair into a low bun and called it a night! Altogether, my thrift store finds added up to $30. I think it might have even been a little less because the store was doing 50% off yellow tags and I know my top had one of those. Anyway, the outfit cost less than the margaritas, nachos, and crispy calamari.

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Ultimately, the thrill of thrifting for a date night outfit is unmatched. Each rack offers the promise of hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Scouring through vibrant vintage pieces, you never know what you’ll find. Will you opt for a form-fitting dress and kitten heels? Or maybe a miniskirt, boots, and an oversized blazer. Whatever you choose, a thrifted date night outfit will always be the best solution for those times when you literally have nothing to wear.

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