WHO (K)NEW: Some people are weirded out by wearing clothing that was previously worn by others, so vintage clothing holds little lure for them- after all, most items 20 years or older have had a life before they found their way to a vintage boutique or thrift shop. Lucky for them, you can also find tons of items that are virtually new, unworn and unused also hanging on the racks of a thrift store, and so while they are "new" often still with the tags attached, they can be purchased for much less at the local Goodwill or Value Village, than you'd be expected to pay at the mall or online.
Secondhand, but new to you, for considerably less.
#SECONDHANDFIRST: 90% New, 100% Secondhand
Since I seldom ever venture inside a "new" shop before seeing if I can find what I need at a secondhand store, I save quite a bit of jingle while managing to fill up the closet. Case in point, today's outfit, an easy weekday ensemble consisting of mostly "new" items purchased at neighborhood thrifts, priced for 75% less than original retail. Cash spent on this outfit totaled a little under $25.The sunglasses were an impulse purchase, a cheap but trendy pair of drugstore wayfarer frames with cool blue lenses that had caught my eye while waiting in line at the Goodwill. You'd have thought I'd have learned my lesson on buying cheap sunnies, moral of the story is you kinda get what you pay for. These glasses may look good on, but looking out, not so good. They don't do much in the way of protecting your peepers from UV rays, my eyes felt scorched after a short afternoon of prowling the town. Retailing for $19.95, I have to say, they are pretty much just very pretty garbage, and have since been routed to a landfill. I got them for $4, a pittance but NOT money well spent.
The dress however is another story. What a FABULOUS find! I found this vintage inspired number at my nearby Value Village, where I am always stumbling across what looks to be seconds from online dress retailers, Eshakti. The labels are partially cut out, and donated to various charity shops throughout Seattle, like the Goodwill or Value Village. Goodwill, renown for its uneven pricing of merchandise, usually tags them for $30, but the Value Village almost always lists them under $10, which is about $45 less than what you'd pay for if you ordered one for yourself online. There was a big sale the day I found this, so it ended up costing about $6. Not bad for a new cotton dress that fits like a charm.
The shoes are my acquiescence to my new-to-me foot issue, plantar fasciitis. Apparently me wearing my cool leather Vans everyday since May has given me a lame foot. Yes, cute flat Converse and Vans are ruining my feet, and now I must seek out comfortable and hopefully somewhat stylish walking shoes. These faux leather Rocket Dogs are ugly things, but I can hoof it to my local Fred Meyer's and back without a limp. They were unworn when I found them priced at a whopping $7 at the Goodwill, which is about $30 less than the new in the box price tag.
The jacket is neither new, nor purchased. A vintage lovin' gal has GOT to wear something old to soften the crisp of everything brand new. The jacket was procured from the boyfriend's donate pile, after a late summer spring cleaning purge from his wardrobe. It's a well worn cotton twill work jacket with fab red quilted lining, which he wore in the late '90s, but has since been collecting dust in a storage bin. I plucked it out from the purge pile, gave it a good washing, and hung it up on my side of the closet. Sometimes the best shopping happens in your own household.
New but secondhand, this outfit cost me less than $25, but if I would have purchased them at their original retail prices, that figure would be closer to $100. The $80 difference means I can rationalize extra expenses like patronizing locally owned businesses, like Fresh Flours and Pies Ala Mode.
Do you prefer new to vintage when shopping for your Fall and Winter wardrobe? Let me know in the comments.
Now Wearing:
- New but cheap wayfarer style sunglasses, thrifted (Goodwill)
- Vintage men's navy blue twill work jacket, gifted (Boyfriend's closet)
- Vintage inspired Eshakti retro cotton dress, thrifted (Value Village)
- Rocket Dog platform maryjanes, thrifted (Goodwill)
