Tuesday, February 18, 2014

"Thrift"y Me

.


I don't like shopping, despise malls, fashion houses, fashion shows, salons. But I can't run around naked so I have to compromise.

My reduced financial circumstances combined with a fixed measly pension, shopping-drool adversary, "retail therapy" challenger that I am, environmentalist, reuser, repurposer and recycler (AKA "crazy hippie broad") I go for what needs to cover me to my local thrift shop. There are so many benefits to this. Not least of which are others' castoffs are my treasures. And I get to meet people like myself. And we share our triumphs and disappointments (too big, too small, wrong colour, here's a scarf that goes with the stuff in your cart) and ask each others' advice. No one is pushing me into decisions, or lying to me. Here, honesty prevails.

So last week. I needed another top and pants. A warm top. A cosy top. That looked good. I've been a wee bit in the national news here. (I know, fun eh?) And this has been a very cold winter.

So I ran the outfit shown above by my fleeting and very fair-weather friends at the local thrift and they loved it. I trust their judgement more than friends and sales clerks who would never wish to hurt the old feelings. These caring strangers are always brutally honest.

I'm delighted with the result.

Here's the full cost breakdown:

Pants (deepest grey with a goldy thin french seam stitching on the sides- I like them slender and matchy to my sweaters: $2.99
Sweater (brand new - Jones New York), mohair, silk and wool in shades of deep grey and a light gold: $3.99
Scarf - in goldy-grey mix - $2.99
Bonus: Grey cargo pants for the summer hikes: $3.99

And it was buy 3 clothing items and get 1 free day so for a total of less than $11.00 I get some glammed up. And no tax.

I am only delighted with myself and my new clobber. Hassle free shopping at its best. With very little footprint on the planet.

Recommend.

44 comments:

  1. Your new outfit looks great! Hoorah! Thrifting is the only way to go. The quality is often so much better than I can afford new. I'm still wearing a light-weight knit hooded jacket I got at the thrift shop eight years ago for $2.99.

    I have such a difficult time shopping and trying on clothes due to my muscle weakness that I am just practically wearing rags at the moment. I'm threadbare, but I haven't had the energy to go shopping.

    I'd go au naturel but honest to Pete, in Calgary at -35 with a 40kmh breeze off the north pole it would be unwise. Besides without my clothes on I look like I need ironing and I just hate ironing, don't you? There's not a strong enough starch in all the Dominion to get all this sag smartened up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My dear wife shops at the thrift store here and usually finds a jewel or two.
    Me? I donate my clothes that do not fit me since I lost sixty pounds.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also thrift. Last time I thought I found a real jewel, leather coat, beautiful brown color, brand new, designer, barn jacket style...was told I looked like a man in it (and I am female)!It's going to the poor and needy. I went and bought at the mall (ewww arrgh hate them) a sleek black number...feminine and I look 10 pounds thinner and 5 years younger... I am going to be honest here...IMHO great outfit for out with friends and around town and house...not so great for national news photos, for those more tailoring, sleeker, dark colors. You are an important person (YES that is how you get to the national news level so don't fight me here :D and you have just a short time to make an impression on the millions watching/reading (photo) you in the news. Just a suggestion don't mean to bum you out. Noticing you don't have as many posts as you usually do, the silence is maybe telling you something? Wasn't going to post this but someone loved me enough to be honest with me so I'm passing that kindness on.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome to the club Crazy Hippie Broad. From Crazy Hippie Guy. The guy is for real. Both his hips have been replaced and revised.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Could NOT agree more with all being said.
    Deb, you made me laugh!
    We have Oxfam shops here in the UK, along with all the other charity ( thrift ) shops. I used to be in the rag trade so I know a well made garment when I see one.I've been clothing myself in well cut, well made, pre-loved garments for years and donating to a charity at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love thrift shopping and love not leaving home and shopping on
    line. Love your new outfit..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah Deb:
    Maybe you need to do a bit more online but then the shipping costs can be a deterrent.
    Ouch on the iron. I find as I get older I accept myself more, wrinkles 'n all.

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  8. GFB:
    I have a rule - whenever something comes in, something has to go out. :)
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anon:

    To each her/his own, I guess. Feedback on outfit has been incredible (and I've taken it out and about quite a bit), the photo doesn't do the subtlety of the colours justice and no I don't do tailored anymore. I am me, old style hippy and comfort comes first and foremost. :)
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  10. OWJ:

    Thank you! I just knew you would!

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  11. Here we have Frenchy's, I don't know anyone who doesn't shop there. Must be hard to sell new clothes, when the good old clothes are so nice and so cheap!

    Sounds like you did well!

    I misread what you said and thought you got 1 free day, was wondering what you were going to do with your free day!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you WWW !
    In fact if it wasn't for the outrageous amount of travelling around the world to see all that needs seeing my carbon footprint would be tiny.

    ReplyDelete
  13. If you feel comfortable in it, go for it! Better than a label you are too frightened to wear in case you get a mark on it. The days of formal are over.

    Wear and enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  14. You had a great day! I love what you put together and I, too, am all about comfort, yet, I love color and style, too. Such fun. Thrifting is one of my favorite past times and we have lots of great places here...

    ReplyDelete
  15. This outfit looks great! and that sweater was a wonderful buy. We have Goodwill stores around here but they are not so cheap and a good deal not that easy to find. I think there are a couple of “resale” store owners around here who go to the Goodwill stores often and buy the best for their shops, then jack up the price and “resale” it in their own shops.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sweet deal! I am happy to buy things at thrift shops but at least here they are never grouped by size and there are virtually never any items in my size, so I rarely do. I am, however, the Queen of Clearance.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I was once on television several times in our local community. I remember once wearing a dress that was a print but had the same color palette as the outfit that you have chosen. As I was being seated before the program began, the talk show host commented that the beautiful saturated color was perfect for television. I was thinking about her comment as I saw the outfit you had chosen.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Excellent thrifting, WWW. I do the same. Not for everything, but charity shops are a great place for casual shirts, jumpers, that sort of thing. And you never know what you'll find.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Apart from the strange colour that appears as purple on my desktop I certainly like your outfit. In fact, a wolf whistle is in order.

    I just don’t have the nerve to go into a ‘second-time-round'’ shop. Mind you, I only buy new clothes once in a blue moon and only when the previous decades batch is falling off me.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Annie:

    I know Frenchie's!!! There is one about 50K from here. I've not been in as I find the SA Thrift so very reasonable.

    "Free Day" what's that? LOL

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  21. Enna:
    Oh lucky you to be travelling :)
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  22. GM:

    LOL, I go to my office in blue jeans, I told everyone that was the new uniform. They are delighted.

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  23. Kitty:

    Yes, comfort is paramount, long gone and not missed the days of suits and high hells. Hell.

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  24. Vagabonde:

    Yes, I do believe that happens here too. Too bad for the true bargain hunters like us!

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  25. SAW:

    My thrift store groups by colour, LOL, so a bit of a challenge, they try to sort by size within that category but not always successfully, makes the special finds all the more gleeful!

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  26. Linda:

    Oh thank you! I am truly pleased with it and it washes quite well in gentle soap and cold water. Twice already, darn thing is hardly off my back :)

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  27. Another "thrift"-y pal there, Stan!

    There is nothing like a good find, right?

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  28. Friko:

    Purple? Maybe that's the dark grey reinventing itself!!
    thanks for the whistle. I've had amazing comments (in the flesh) on this outfit, but when I'm followed around the Thrift Shop it is never the same :)

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  29. Just the ticket in the cold harsh climes - well done you! Sadly being very tall, I have to buy most of my clothes brand new as the majority of stuff does not fit me. Better pass that job interview tomorrow before I need anything else!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Women seem to find better stuff at charity shops. On the odd occasion I peek in a charity shop, the men's stuff is dull, boring and unfashionable. You did well to get all that lot for only $11!

    ReplyDelete
  31. When we are in Seattle we shop at Value Village. We always find good and reasonably priced clothing there. Best thrift store ever.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I find some online pre-shopping is helpful. No one sees me but the birds and bunnies, so I have no national fame to live up to. If I did, I'd dress the top of me and forget about what the bottoms looked like.

    Here's a great presentation, and by the way another fantastic septugenarian. We rock.

    A top in a flattering colour. While you're there read her bio.
    http://www2.cambridgema.gov/historic/cwhp/bios_w.html#WarriorB

    ReplyDelete
  33. That's a "raht, nahce" outfit, as my Yorkshire husband would say.

    I used to love a rummage in the charity and second-time-around shops, often finding gear of great quality with that lived in look. Personally, I don't like the look of new clothes and they're rarely comfortable to me.

    It's such a shame that it hasn't caught on in Spain.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Laura:
    Daughter is tall too and finds the men's section often has tall ladies stuff put in there by mistake, like sweaters and pants and jackets.
    Worth checking.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  35. Nick:

    Men's sweaters are worth checking as many guys find stuff too outré to wear and turn it in, labels intact, brand new. Recommend.

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hattie:
    We have VV here too but the other thrift stores are way cheaper.
    though I so find wools and other peculiars there, I must admit :)
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anon:
    Will check out, thanks for the link :)
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  38. Pamela:

    Thank you ma'am!

    Oh thumbs down Spain!!

    I'm with you on the comfort of broken in clothes. Especially old cotton knits. They feel like a hug!

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  39. I kept meaning to get back over here to tell you how much I liked your new outfit. When I first saw the photo I thought you'd come into some money;) Clothes are so expensive ~ you're lucky to find such good quality ready for a new owner.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Sharon:

    Yes very blessed as to where I live with big city prices not affecting the good old second places :)

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  41. Thanks for the tip WWW. I don't think they do that over here, but I will check.

    ReplyDelete
  42. And as Billy Crystal use to say on Saturday Night Live,BTw "You Look Marrrr-velous Darling." :)

    A while back, I wrote a post of my shopping experience at Goodwill. It was for my children, but I was shockingly and pleasantly surprised.

    Btw, shopping is one of my least favorite things to do; however, like you, I can't go around naked.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome. Anonymous comments will be deleted unread.

Email me at wisewebwomanatgmaildotcom if you're having trouble.