Thrifty
Posted by violetknot on February 14, 2013
In “A Global History of Secondhand Clothing,” Shell talks about how clothes that are passed along have a story of their own. Personally, I love going to thrift stores to find that one unique item that has been forgotten in the back of a store. Since items are able to be mass-produced, everything is cookie cutter items you can find at any given retail store. They lack a story and depth. Similar to what the article discusses, you never know if the item in the secondhand shop was well love or forgotten in an attic for years. Not to mention, the astronomical amount of money you save by not paying retail.
The amount of clothes one person owns in their closet has gotten ridiculous; often, their hung up with the tags still on them. If one is able to reduce that amount to a reasonable level of clothes that they actually wear, that money could go to better use.
90210code said
Clothes are typically an expression of one’s personality or sense of style. I do find it common like you said that items are still hanging in closets with tags on them, while someone is still waiting to wear them. I am that person. I probably have too many clothes and shoes for my own good. These items are an extension of me as a person. I’m not that materialistic. I’d like to think that. I know they are just things, but clothes are how I express myself day to day depending on my mood.
I do have friends who would rather go thrift shopping. They love the thrill of the hunt. That’s what it’s all about. I’m not above going thrift shopping either. It’s just not my style. I’m not much of an eclectic person that can find other pieces from different eras of style and put it together. To each is own, and I respect everyone’s sense of style.
beealexandria09 said
I totally agree with 90210code! I have a lot of clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses, and etc. I do have some things with tags still on them because either I have forgotten about them, I bought them on sale and its not the right time to wear it, or once I got it out of the store…I didn’t like it anymore…and I lost my receipt. There are a lot of things money can buy you but style isn’t one of them. Whether you have tags on your clothes, new clothes, used clothes, or old clothes…style is simply having the ability to put things together. I think deciding what to purchase verses donating money to some type of charity is your personal choice. As for me, I donate the clothes I don’t wear. My organization actually has a gently used clothes drive going on now!
daniellecraig462 said
I like this topic especially because I love thrift shopping as well! I agree that clothing now a days is very “cookie cutter”. It seems as though every store has the exact same shirt, pants, jewelry, etc. You can find tons of unique things at a thrift shop and it will already have character. And saving money isn’t bad either.
samford said
There’s a great episode of Friends where a piece of Pottery Barn furniture is taken as an original, and of course plenty of cultural assumptions are displayed over the course of the episode in relation to the item. There are a lot of things tied up in our views of commercialism, of taste, or self-expression, and of highbrow/lowbrow in terms of the origins of our clothes. Where was it made, literally? What brand did it come from? Is it limited edition? Where was it purchased? These questions have a wide range of implications on our view of ourselves, on how others view us, etc.