Wednesday, October 21, 2009

I Wear People's Old Clothes And You Should, Too!

Since I’m three weeks into my four months of second hand-only clothing purchases, I thought I’d share why I’m doing it, how it’s going, and my tips. I’m a huge fan of tips.

Why?

Think about all the energy and chemicals that go into producing cloth, sewing a shirt, packaging the shirt, and then marketing and advertising the shirt. Not to mention the fuel used at as the cotton is shipped to a production plant, then the cloth is shipped to a factory, then the shirts are shipped to a warehouse, and then out to stores. Whew!

Compare this to a second hand shirt which likely traveled from a person’s house to the second-hand store. Also, by reusing the shirt, it diverted from a landfill. Winner!

Plus, I have honestly enough clothes. I really do. (Uh, just don’t tell my husband I said that.) With a small closet and a dresser full of clothing – I’m not going naked any time soon. I examined the reasons I buy new clothes – for a specific occasion or because I’m bored with my clothes. I’m not a huge shopper, anyhow. (Malls give me hives. It used to be fun to ‘hang out’ there in middle or high school, but now I never go unless I have to get something specific to pick up. Like H2Ocean at Hot Topic. And let’s not talk about how much I stuck out like SORE THUMB at Hot Topic in my little floral skirt and purple-streak-less hair. I felt like shouting, “DON’T JUDGE ME! I HAVE NOSE RING! AND BELLY BUTTON RING! I’M REBELLIOUS, TOO!” See, that’s what malls do to me. I feel utterly un-cool at them. And overwhelmed. Moving on.)

So, How’s It Going?

AWESOME!

I mentioned that sometimes I buy clothes because I’m bored with my wardrobe. And then sometimes I don’t even wear the new clothes much. And then sometimes I realize I’m getting rid of things I HARDLY WORE. It’s a painful cycle of mistake clothes bought out boredom. Buying second-hand makes this a little less annoying, because at least if I get rid of something I hardly wore, I didn’t buy it brand new – wasting all of the resources (including MY MONEY) that went into the clothing.

It still makes me mad at myself, though.

I also tend to fall into that terrible trap of not wearing everything I own because I have too much of it. Paradoxically, when I have less clothes cluttering up my closet, I wear more things! It’s amazing!

Simpler = better, once again.

I satiated my clothes boredom by shopping at Plato’s Closet twice this month – a grand total of $50 for a pair of shoes and half a dozen shirts. Win.

Tips!

  • Try not to rule out second-hand clothing because you think it’s OMG! SO NASTY! to wear other people’s clothing until you check out a consignment shop for yourself. There are plenty of higher-end consignment shops that even a person who would never THINK of stepping foot into a thrift store would adore.
  • Be prepared for thrift stores that don’t have changing rooms. Sad, but true. I’ve been known to wear a skirt and leggings to try on pants – just hike up the skirt and wiggle into those jeans! Or try on shirts over a tight tank top. Or have a friend hold a sheet around me. I have no shame. But I’m fun in a thrift store!
  • Scope out stores in nice suburbs or neighborhoods – the kinds of places where people might shudder at the thought of wearing Banana Republic clothes from last season. Their loss, your gain.
  • Take your clothes to a consignment shop or second hand store and you might just make a little money. If all else fails: Goodwill! Never throw away what can be reused…or Mother Earth will smite you.
  • For young adults: Plato’s Closet. Yeah, it’s for juniors – but I’ve found tons of insanely cute, name brand clothes in there. Just be prepared for feeling like a teenager.
  • Wash it before you wear it. Yep. Do it.
  • Clean out your closet! I cannot say it enough - simple is better. You will be happy. I promise you.

22 comments:

  1. I adore shopping consignment! I live in a larger city and there are tons of incredibly cute econdhand shops with higher end clothing.
    I am aware of the waste that goes in to producing clothes, so I do try to shop mostly at consignment stores (and on Kijiji/Craigslist too!) but I am still bad for shopping in malls.

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  3. what a fab post. I love vintage/thrift/hand-me-downs -all of it. It's just more fun!

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  4. Amen! I love second-hand stuff. For all the reasons you mentioned... and reading that you "wear more" if you "have less" is key for me too.... reminding me I need to clean out my stock too. I have too much, often forgetting what I even have, yet almost always feeling like I "have nothing to wear"!

    Thank you for this post... I just have to find a consignment shop that I actually like the style of clothing I carry. That's my next challenge. :D

    PS. And I hate malls too. How funny a place I used to thrive out now gives me the willies!

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  5. Love this! I actually did this for all of last year and it was totally by accident- I was just looking for an inexpensive way to find my style.

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  6. Great point, Kyla. I'm trying to "find my style" too. Not quite conservative. Not quite punk rock. Not quite vintage. And the clothes I've had for years are NOT me.

    Second-hand is a great way to experiment your personality on a tight budget. :D

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  7. I started shopping at my plato's closet because of a post you had written a while back!! I just purchased an ann taylor loft jacket (that was originally over $100 in the store) for $9!!! I was practically squee-ing all over the place.

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  8. I just heard a radio commercial for Plato's Closet the other day, and I was so excited because I *know* I have stuff they'll take that I probably can't wear ever again (unless I lose 60 pounds). I think I might get my things together and make a trip this weekend. I had never heard of it before--I didn't know it was a chain!

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  9. Good for you. I am working on this too. But the thing is- I usually buy my new clothes on wicked clearance- and so buying clothes at consignment is actually more expensive! So yeah. I am having a hard time saying yes to used clothes for more than I pay for new. I am working on it though.

    (I have sold and bought a few things as Plato's closet recently- I totally felt like a kid.)

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  10. Another hand-me-down lover here! When my sister and her friends clean out their closets, I benefit (as does Purple Heart from whatever I don't claim). Paying less for clothes takes the sting out of tailoring costs.

    Also, I didn't realize Plato's Closet was a national thing--some of my students go to the one near school to get dresses for homecoming/prom. Helps that it's in a nice suburb. I'd heard about it for years but had never gone to it. Maybe I should check it out sometime!

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  11. Ah, I ADORE shopping at thrift stores. My most comfortable pair of jeans & favourite sweater were previously worn by someone around town with excellent taste =) Haha.

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  12. One of my favorite ways to get rid of clothes is through garage sales or sharing them with my mom. We share clothes which makes it a tad more fun (only tops, but still, fun!)

    You're definitely right on about the reasons to buy second hand though. I never really thought about it until you wrote it!

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  13. I went to Plato's Closet, and yes, they have some cute stuff, but I'm generally just too big for a lot of their tops, and I have to wear short sizes in the pants, so I really have to hunt for the good stuff. Hunting = easily frustrated me! I give away clothes like crazy, but I have such a hard time finding good stuff at thrift stores. But, I'm going to keep trying because you are just so darned inspirational!

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  14. I really should try this. I really don't have the time to go shopping though so I usually end up grabbing things from Target while I'm there. A new challenge though! I just need to find some good places around my house

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  15. i loooooove 2nd hand clothes! love!

    I adore the fact that you've had a friend hold a sheet up for you, i have totally done that and laughed my butt off while doing it b/c I just felt SO silly! But dang, you gotta know if those jeans fit yo! ;)

    I used to work at Plato's Closet last summer & I was so excited to get the job b/c of the discount buuuut it turned out that the job just wasn't for me & I didn't mind so much b/c WHOA. Apparently I don't really have the bod for most junior clothes now. DANG it! lol! I wish I were tiny and cute like little miss ashley!

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  16. I haven't been thrift store shopping in years. There are some high end "thrift stores" around us too.

    Since when is Louis Vuitton thrifty?

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  17. I used to be one of those anti-second hand people, but then I found the best thrift store when I was away at college. Thrifty Shopper... I miss that place. There aren't any decent thrift stores around me at home. :(

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  18. I just wanted you to know that i found your blog this morning, through the new Google Reader Recommendations!

    Apparently they thought I'd enjoy reading about your life, and they were right! I look forward to reading more!

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  19. This is a great idea ... altough I must admit I've never actually purchased anything from a trift store.

    Last year around this time, I cleaned out my closet and took all my clothes to a store in MN called Turn Style. They pay you for any clothes they sell within 2 months (kinda like a garage sale, but better because you don't have to do any of the work). I made $100! Not sure if this is a regional / national brand but would also be worth giving it a try.

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  20. One of my favorite ways to get rid of clothes is through garage sales or sharing them with my mom. We share clothes which makes it a tad more fun (only tops, but still, fun!)

    You're definitely right on about the reasons to buy second hand though. I never really thought about it until you wrote it!

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  21. I just heard a radio commercial for Plato's Closet the other day, and I was so excited because I *know* I have stuff they'll take that I probably can't wear ever again (unless I lose 60 pounds). I think I might get my things together and make a trip this weekend. I had never heard of it before--I didn't know it was a chain!

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  22. Amen! I love second-hand stuff. For all the reasons you mentioned... and reading that you "wear more" if you "have less" is key for me too.... reminding me I need to clean out my stock too. I have too much, often forgetting what I even have, yet almost always feeling like I "have nothing to wear"!

    Thank you for this post... I just have to find a consignment shop that I actually like the style of clothing I carry. That's my next challenge. :D

    PS. And I hate malls too. How funny a place I used to thrive out now gives me the willies!

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