Thrifty.
Posted: November 19, 2005 Filed under: Uncategorized 2 Comments »I love shopping in thrift stores. I like vintage. And eclectic. And just plain not wearing what everyone else does. But I like to mix it up.
Today, I went to a thrift shop about 10 minutes from here. I go there all the time, but I’ve never been there on a weekend. (I don’t typically do any errands or shopping on the weekends because I HATE crowds.) But today I did. Mostly because I hadn’t planned ahead and Andrew and I are headed to DC for the Old Ebbitt Grill Oyster Riot and I have nothing to wear.
I found a fabulous top. But I also found poverty and desperation. I admit I was shocked by the huge crowd of fellow shoppers — most of whom were clearly shopping thrift out of need and not out of style. I felt conspicuously un-needy. And really guilty. Was I taking away from these people by shopping in this shop?
I always thought that a charity thrift shop served many purposes. 1) to create meaningful work for some that are difficult to employ 2) to raise money for charity from the purchases and 3) to provide a place for low income people to shop. But today, all I could see was people who needed affordable clothing and here I was, buying it up.
On the other hand, I didn’t see many people looking for funky tops to wear with brown low-slung jeans. So it’s not like I was actually racing for the good stuff against people with no other choices. But to tell you the truth, I felt I should have been at Nordstrom.
I do have a sweet outfit for tonight. But it’s a little bittersweet.
Well, dang, where are all the comments? I walk around thinking about your blog entries every day, I’ve just been too backlogged to write here!
Thrift stores: I’m all for the consignment stores, but I’ve never had the time or patience for “The Hunt.” My girlfriends laughed their butts off at me when I marveled at Goodwill’s not sorting their clothes by size.
And you bring up an interesting issue, buying up all the stuff…it’s kind of like using the handicapped stall in the ladies room: targeted for them, but all are invited, really.
I can totally see your point, but ya have to figure…just because we can afford more doesn’t mean we have to SPEND more; it’s a mentality that causes most of us to be wayyyyyyyy too far in credit card debt!
I laughed out loud about Goodwill not sorting by size! I’ve thought about that, too! I love your handicapped stall comparison… I actually was in a handicapped stall when a patron in a wheelchair came in. And she wasn’t happy!