GoodWill Winners

I don't know if it was a sign of the economy or what but both of the Goodwills I went with a girlfriend to this afternoon were packed. I'm not complaining that more people are turning to resell clothes. I am a great proponent for one main reason. With so much good stuff already out there why buy new? There were people out today that looked like they didn't usually shop thrift along with the regulars. My husband refuses to buy any clothes new since I can get him 10 shirts for what it would cost for one new. If he doesn't like any of them I bring home he immediately gives it away to Goodwill, no harm. I am more of a hoarder of clothes but I have actually given away over 5 bags to Goodwill this year. I'm trying to take a bag out for every bag I bring in now but it doesn't always work out. On more than one occasion I have pulled something out at my local GW, started to admire it and then realized that I had actually donated it for one reason or another.

Today I got him 6 work shirts, including the washable linen and black silk in the picture above. He likes all but 1 of them. I got myself 5 shirts including the light blue one above and a wild swimsuit cover up in the picture for the cruise this summer and a pair of jeans. I also got the cute black and white shoes, the metal necklace hanger, and the fold up wine rack that I will use as a display at my craft shows for wrist cuffs. I like that it folds up so it won't take up any room in the car. The one casualty was the lovely mug that tragically didn't survive the trip home. All of this for less than $50. I spent almost 1/4 of that amount on dinner afterwards.

Clothes Horse

One area of my life that I'm not able to support handmade as much as I would like is clothing. When it comes to accessories and jewelry I'm all about handmade sellers but handmade clothing, particularly in my plus size category, is hard to find and usually out of my price range. I have bought some screen printed shirts for myself and my husband but that's about it. But I recently purchased something not only handmade but lovingly pieced together to my exact specifications by my latest girl crush Katwise. You can see me above rockin my sweater coat made from pieces of sweaters she sewed together. There is a great swishishness to it in the back that you can't see and I love how the sleeves and hood came together. I know that we are pretty much out of sweater season but trust me, I will get my money's worth out of it. The pleasure I have already gotten out of it is well worth it. It isn't the full coat in the listing in her Etsy shop but a cross between the coat and the hoodie. I don't think she is doing custom orders for a few weeks since she is hitchhiking through Mongolia. No, I didn't make that up. That's just the kind of girl she is.

I get over 75% of mine and my husband's clothes from thrift stores and resale shops. Occasionally I'll treat myself to something new if Coldwater Creek or Lane Bryant is having a big sale and my husband will sometimes get himself a new pair of jeans new but that's about it. My absolute favorite thrift store in St. Louis is Scholarshop. It is an upscale thrift store in West County, so it is where all the rich people donate last year's clothes that they wore once or twice. It isn't as cheap as Goodwill but it is totally worth it. Instead of paying $3 for a shirt you pay $7 to $10, but it is normally a name brand and relatively new. I get all of my husband's teaching clothes there and most of my own work clothes. Their Fall opening is a yearly date with 2 of my girlfriends. We get there early and line up outside to run in as soon as they open the doors and grab all the good stuff. It is a total rush.

I also shop at the Goodwill near my house. I actually have 3 decent thrift stores within a half mile radius from my house which is something that makes me happy. I can spend a Saturday afternoon and hit all 3 in a few hours. This Saturday I just hit the Goodwill but they had a great selection of Spring tops in my size. I bought 8 shirts, 3 pairs of pants and one skirt for $36. To the right is a picture I took of one of the new spring shirts I got with a pair of black capris and a scarf I just finished. I'm really tempted to keep that scarf for myself. The Goodwill's in this area have gotten much better quality merchandise in the time I've lived here. You can't go into it looking for a specific thing but if you have a little time to explore you can usually find some real treasures. While I was there they were actually putting out a donated bag pipe marked $25 which I was very tempted to get. There is also a Salvation Army where I find a better selection of men's items than womens so I go there when shopping for Mike.

I wish that I could support the vintage sellers on Etsy more but again, it is harder to find things in my size from them. If you're wondering what the difference between vintage and just used is, in order to be considered vintage it must be at least 20 years old. It's kind of sad but I think there might be some clothes in my basement that would be considered vintage now. That makes me feel really old. Not that I could fit in them but there are a few things from high school I've kept for sentimental reasons. Yes, I am a pack rat. I love clothes in general and shopping can be a great release for me. Luckily I have outlets that are in my budget so close to home.