Goodwill Fashion Expert—Bjorn Nasett

Wisconsin farm boy, Bjorn Nasett has a career that spans 30 years. He enjoys being a writer, wardrobe stylist, vintage and resale clothing expert, hair stylist, makeup artist and photographer! In his spare time he adopts senior dogs and strongly believes in pet adoption. Check out his website www.fashionfarmboy.com!

If you have specific questions send him an email at askbjorn@goodwillsew.com.

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Watch Bjorn in action! ... See more videos featuring Bjorn (and more) on our AmazingGoodwill YouTube channel!


Posted by Bjorn Nasett on Oct 12, 2016 2:29:39 PM

Elbow Room

Have you ever wondered why those elongated oval patches are placed over the elbows on sport coats and sweaters? I always assumed it was because of wear on the elbows—sort of like a patch on the knee on a kid’s pair of pants. So, as I did a little research, I found that I was totally correct!

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Feb 7, 2013 2:17:00 PM

Last Minute Mardi Gras!

As numerous reference books point out, Mardi Gras is a reference to Carnival celebrations, which begin on or after Epiphany and end on the day preceding Ash Wednesday.  The actual word “Mardi Gras” is of French origin and is literally translated as “Fat Tuesday!” This term refers to the practice of eating rich and indulgent food before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins on Ash Tuesday. Who knew? Before I did my research, I thought it was a costume party in the world famous French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana! This style of party is a tradition worldwide and many people attend them regardless of whether they understand the real meaning or not. New Orleans held its first celebration in 1856, and from then on their little celebration evolved into a costume parade with floats and continuous revelry that attracts people from around the globe. No matter what, it IS a great excuse to create a costume! This includes the wearing of masks that sparkle, shine and catch the attention of other partygoers and observers alike. It is interesting this year that the Super Bowl will be held a little over a week before the actual date for Mardi Gras February 12, 2013 isn’t it?  Maybe you or your friends are going to a Fat Tuesday party, and you know what? Goodwill is the BEST place to find lots of ideas for crazy costumes. They have beads, baubles, and other items that can help you get your look together in a flash.

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Dec 20, 2012 11:38:00 AM

Ice Ice Baby!

If diamonds are a girl’s best friends, then rhinestones, pearls and glittering costume jewelry must run a close second! While at a holiday party recently I wondered when faux gemstones and other types of costume jewelry first became popular. It seems that in the past few decades these fabulous fakes have become a large part of the fashion vocabulary. Since then, I set out on a quest to find out a few facts about the fakes and thought I’d share them with you here.  Now, on your next trip to the Goodwill Store & Donation Center nearby you can peruse the jewelry display cases with a more informed opinion when it comes to those shiny eye catchers.

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Dec 12, 2012 11:30:00 AM

Random Repurpose - Wool Sweaters

Have you ever gone to your closet to get out one of your favorite wool sweaters only to find that over the summer the moth’s had a picnic with it and left nice little holes here and there? I find this very frustrating because I hate to throw anything away that could be re-used in some way. While at a craft fair recently, I noticed a vendor selling “felted” ornaments of all kinds. I ended up buying a flower-type Christmas ornament to give to a friend for the holidays. I asked her exactly how one goes about “felting” wool. She told me that it’s really a method of shrinking wool that causes it to become much more dense and matted together. This reminded me of a few times when I’ve accidentally washed a wool sweater in the washing machine. And then I had an idea! 

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Nov 8, 2012 2:03:00 PM

Random Re-Purpose = A Great Gift Idea!

Well, it’s almost that time of year again when we share the bounty of our creativity and resources with others. If any of you are crafty in any way shape or form you know that sometimes a project just suddenly comes to mind from an item you pick up at Goodwill. For me it was a package of $1.99 Styrofoam balls. 

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Oct 4, 2012 3:26:00 PM

Bling Around the Collar

There’s a popular saying in the world of fashion …“everything that goes around comes around.”  So is it any surprise that we’re seeing stand-alone accessories, such as collars, rise to the top of the fashion heap?  In a word, no. In the past we had dickey’s, which was defined as a garment that is only the front or neck of a shirt, worn under a jacket, shirt or sweater, thus giving the illusion that you’re actually wearing a shirt. Now, we say the heck with the shirt - let’s just focus on the collar. Worn with everything from dresses to t-shirts, this is an easy trend to adopt into your style vocabulary. I’m going to show you some examples of how these items look, and then show you how to make one for yourself using items you can find at Goodwill!

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Sep 6, 2012 3:20:00 PM

Stylish Suitcase Makeover

As any of you who read this column know, I love vintage fashion and accessories. The past speaks volumes. Not only about what we wore, but who we were as a society. That is the key to understanding current trends in fashion, many of which come directly from inspirations taken from the often-glamorous past. As part of our on-going reduce, reuse, and recycle mantra, this month I’m going to focus on the age of travel.

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Aug 8, 2012 2:46:00 PM

Pillow Talk

Pillows are the easiest way to transform any room in your home into a cozy inviting environment. Just like in fashion, these accessories can make or break the look of your room. Change them seasonally or even on a whim. As part of our on-going series on reducing, reusing, and recycling, I’m always looking for ways to give fashion items a second life. While shopping at Goodwill one day I had the idea to make pillows from clothing items at the store. The inspiration came from seeing a pillow that was secured with buttons down the back. A light bulb went off in my head, and I thought I could do the same thing quite easily using button-down shirts.

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Aug 2, 2012 3:07:00 PM

Great White

Now that the last days of summer are officially ahead, I thought we should discuss the wearing of white garments. While white itself is never out of style, there are those who still follow the old regulation that states that you may not wear anything white beyond Labor Day. That decree has been broken over and over by stylish people who flaunt conventional wisdom, and with good reason.

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Jun 7, 2012 10:47:00 AM

Tie on some style!

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on May 10, 2012 11:25:00 AM

Caftan Conversion

As part of our continuing series on reducing, reusing, and recycling, I wanted to explain how easy it is to utilize items that you find at Goodwill to make a bold statement in your home. Perhaps you’ve gone by an item at the Goodwill store and thought, “I really like that fabric, too bad it’s not my size (style, or other term for “not quite right for me”). Don’t walk by. Take another look at the fabric and try to imagine what else could be made from it. That’s the story I have with this olive and tangerine patterned caftan I found at the Goodwill store for $4.99. For some reason I was just drawn to the bright, cheerful colors, and also liked the white contrast piping on the sleeves. I almost kept walking, but then I realized there was a lot of great cotton fabric there. So I took it home and pondered just what to do with it.

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Mar 28, 2012 2:06:00 PM

Create A Fashion Cuff!