I heart triple love thrift shops and vintage clothing stores.
There's a vintage store in my town that is so cool and has yet to do the thing that has tragically happened where vintage now means "sold for eight billion dollars on ebay."
Treasure trove, in which I obtained aforementioned beloved coat and M the seven year old stylist got her 1940's men's fedora. Is awesome.
And when I was a student and grad student, with shopping budget of negative zero minus everything, thrift shops and vintage stores were my salvation.
Need a seafoam green glittery gown for 70's party and Halloween costume as Ginger from Gilligan's Island?
One dollar!
Beaded cashmere cardigans for almost free! This burgundy dress that was so Rita Hayworth that I wore for years as my "wedding attendee" or "other kind of fancy thing" attire? Until I somehow managed to step backwards into the skirt of it with my heel and shred it (Note: No idea how I did that, but it was bad)?
Way more cool and all than the stuff at the mall, plus way less expensive, plus thrill of the hunt etc.
I did have to grapple once, with an older fellow, I will not call him an older gentleman since he was not a gentleman as he hit me with a coat hanger.
Backstory: City where I lived in grad school had fantastic thrift shop.
You had to hunt, feel for the good fabrics, but there were gems.
Such as the camel hair coat I found, pulled off of the rack, held up to myself, only to be told by Mean Man who was NOWHERE near that coat in any way that it was "his."
Umm, no. I have it in my hand.
Mine.
I am now assessing that it is a really nice camel hair coat, and it fits me, mine.
He was not holding it, it was not near him, it was near me, as I found it, and it was mine.
He disagreed.
And while telling this story it somehow sounds like I pushed some frail man out of his wheelchair
(Note: He was NOT in wheelchair)
or kicked his cane out from under him
(Note: He did not have a cane)
The real story is: I tug of warred with a mean man, who yes was older than me and I know I should respect my elders, except for when they are grappling with me over excellent thrift shop find that I found, not him, and he is putting up his dukes like we are going to bare knuckle fight for this coat.
And my friend was laughing away, and already turning this into revisionist history in which I tackle kind elderly man and wrest coat out of his hands and he just wanted to keep warm and I am awful.
But no.
I found it, he wanted it, I found it first, and scurried quickly to acquire it and wear if for ten years afterwards.
With no telltale heart, I got it first.
Along with other treasures over the years.
So even though now I spread my shopping over stores near and far, high and low, thrift and fancy, that is because I am first and foremost a humanitarian.
I am doing my personal best to boost the retail sales as jolt to our sluggish economy.
I am saint-like, really.
Feel free to tell people who award things like that.
So wearing Grace Kelly's coat (trademark pending) and listening to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' most excellent song "Thrift Shop," I was called by my muse otherwise known as Procrastination Plus Good Song Plus Love This Coat Plus Snow Day Entertainment, to write the above Ode.
And am sharing excellent song, which I seriously can't get enough of.
Do not play the video I am attaching at work or in front of parrots who repeat what they hear or your toddlers, but it is one fine, fine song and the video rules:
And as benevolent philanthropist benefactor, am also sharing super excellent Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' NPR Tiny Desks Concert, which includes "Thrift Shop" as well as gorgeous "Same Love" and is fab.
Happy hunting and gathering!
