Somebody’s cast-off could be your next rockin’ outfit!
I love a deal. I mean. I really, really love a deal. But when it comes to buying second hand clothes, regardless of the price, they HAVE to get you fired up and excited when you look in the mirror!
I have shopped, for many years, in second hand stores, unabashedly. I have no qualms about sharing where I purchased an item, or how little I paid for an outfit~ My late husband used to often say that “my wife buys all of her clothes, including her underwear at Second Hand Stores…” to be clear I do not now, nor have I ever bought my underwear second hand…..no judgments now, whatever works for you I’m thrilled!
Probably one of the trickiest issues when you are shopping at a second-hand store is wondering whether the item you have just fallen in love with, is in style or not. I had a penchant for over the top frills on blouses for about a year. There may be one or two still hiding in the closet, but one in particular was a favourite until I saw a photograph taken with me wearing it.
It is so hard to know what is and isn’t in and frankly, who cares? Visiting a second hand store is about the hunt, the discovery and the glee when finding something you know you will treasure for a fraction of what you would likely have paid for it when it was new.
Another tricky issue is our present crisis with the corona virus and keeping ourselves and others safe. A visit to the Value Village website is reassuring in these days when we are all concerned with the spread of COVID-19. Store schedules have shifted to allow for additional time to thoroughly clean and stock the sales floors. Stores have also created additional space to allow for social distancing. Perhaps your local store has chosen to limit the number of shoppers at any given time. Of course all employees are wearing protective face coverings and there are plexiglass partitions in the checkout.
Here are a couple of my finds:
Obsessed with the dress!
My brother-in-law Lou and my darling Anyu, recently passed Mother-in-Law 
Same dress, different day and town with the always dapper Mr. Bill!
I went through this stage a few years ago where I became obsessed with buying dresses to wear to work in the summertime. The above little number is one of them.
Here is another, posing with the lovely Miss Ashley in Peterborough many years ago!
It’s not unusual, when Mr. Bill and I are travelling through a town and have a little time, to seek out the nearest Value Village, Goodwill, local thrift store. The key of course is to know what consistently looks good on you, both colour and style. Regardless of the price, a deal is not a deal, if it sits in your closet.
And of course, I’ve made some classic boo-boos, but typically the financial damage is easy to swallow. Wash it up and recycle to the nearest thrift store for someone else to enjoy.
Being vibrant spills out in your eyes and your smile at any age ~ don’t let a number define who you are or what you wear. Google the nearest thrift store and go check it out just for fun. You just may find you fall in love with the hunt too! And did I mention in closing, I’m all about recycling, reusing and being kind to Mother Earth ~ here is one more taken on our way back from Arizona many years ago!
And darn ~ I love that top! I wonder where I packed it?????
Be Bold, be authentically you!
~ Donna
