I grew up down the street from our local Salvation Army. For our family, it was our Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman-Marcus. With ten kids in the family, my mom a full-time volunteer worker, and my dad a Christian school teacher, it's needless to say how little money we had.I never stepped foot in a mall (other than to visit Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny) until I was 16. Retail was not something I was familiar with, and I am grateful for that to this day.
Of course, the fabulous life of a thrift store shopping family has its downsides. There was a bully of mine named Leslie who used to make fun of me for never having new clothes and being a little behind in the style trends. It was because of Leslie that I first shopped at the mall. I took my very first paycheck from my very first job and spent $150 on two very pretty outfits. But instead of being proud of myself for being seen in retail clothing, all I could think was, "I could've gotten, like, 20 times the amount of clothes at the thrift store."
My family has come a long way since then. I'm married now with a 16-month old daughter and a son due in September. My husband makes good money, supports us all better than I ever could have dreamed I'd be taken care of, and we even get a 20% discount at a major department store through his job. But if you handed me a bottomless limit credit card, I wouldn't take it to the mall. I'd take it straight to the thrift store.
Most thrift shoppers are thrift shoppers out of necessity. There's no shame at all in not having enough extra money for that perfect new outfit. There's nothing wrong with not wearing this trend or that, simply because you can't afford it. Those are, after all, just trends, and they will pass. And if they don't, then that stuff will soon turn up at your thrift store, and you can be in style for a fraction of the cost.
I admit, I used to be ashamed when someone would ask me where I got my outfit, and the answer was a thrift store. Often I'd even lie, naming a department store and telling them I got the last one in stock. Then one day it hit me - I paid $5 for an outfit that looks like it cost easily 20 times that much, and I looked good. And most importantly, I felt good. Not only because I was comfortable, but also because I was getting a good value on a one-of-a-kind outfit. By the time I went to college, I was a full-fledged, proud thrift shopper, and I've only gotten to be more so since then.
My purpose for this blog is not to introduce anything ground-breaking to the world, or to reveal secrets no one knows about. I don't have any hidden knowledge. I'm by no means a fashion expert or interior design specialist. But what I have, to paraphrase Liam Neeson, is a particular set of skills. But unlike Liam, mine are along the lines of bang-for-your-buck, secondhand-shopping savvy, and acceptance for those who feel understandably (but not because it's a neccesity) that they should be ashamed of how and where they shop.
In addition to posting tips on safe and effective shopping, I will also show examples of how easy it is to find quality clothing, furniture, and home decor in a secondhand venue. I will periodically post pictures of my finds and DIY successes, and I will gladly accept advice, tips, and picture submissions from anyone who wishes to add to my blog.
Happy thrifting!
No comments:
Post a Comment