Jeans and Dresses and Shoes, Oh my!

When I was overweight, I hated clothes shopping. I would go out and look for clothes, ultimately ending up in the section of clothes that inevitably were neon colored shirts and shorts with Pooh, Tigger and other random characters on it. What the #u@k. Seriously?  There is just something wrong on a cosmic level if my niece and I were able to buy the same shirt. Just sayin. Like being overweight isnt enough of a "hey look at me" to add a fluorescent green shirt with winnie the pooh on it so when we're walking down the street, we can stand out like monkeys in a baboon cage.

When I started really losing weight, I had to go look for more work clothes. I was getting to the point my pants actually fell off instead of unbuttoning them.  But, the frugal part of me looked at these price tags on the clothes and had a big problem spending $40 on a shirt. Or, $70 on pants. Especially since I knew I wanted to lose more and those clothes wouldnt be in my closet that long.  It was just like money down the drain.




So, I went to Goodwill. You need much patience when you go to Goodwill. Especially when they open on a Saturday and EVERYTHING in the store is 50% off. Its almost as bad as Black Friday, both the day and the song. People will literally take things out of your cart when you turn around. Thrifters are a devious creature.  I warn all new people that go with me, if you THINK you might like it, put it in your basket, or if you REALLY like it, hold on to it. Otherwise, it might not be there when you look again. But, I digress. The first time I went there I found many, many designer names for sometimes no more than $3.00. I started going to Saver's too. And I found many items there, same idea. My principal is this- I won't spend more than $10.00 on something at one of those stores unless its A) brand new with tags or B) something I REALLY want.

Goodwill and Savers and all thrift stores are a great way to keep your wardrobes updated while losing weight without spending a ton of money. In fact, most of my closet is from thrift stores, ebay purchases or stuff people gave me. I was able to go do a Goodwill run with one of my friends one day that I spent a hundred bucks. But, I literally had about 12 full bags of stuff. Shirts, jeans, shoes, dresses. The only things I will not buy at thrift stores are undergarments and bathing suits. I inspect all of the clothes for stains (if its just a little dirty, I can wash it) for rips, missing buttons (and if there is a replacement), holes...anything that would discourage me from buying it. If the shoes look like they've seen the nuclear apocalypse, I dont buy them. But, I've made some stellar scores at Goodwill. I got a pair of Chinese Laundry heels that have lasted about 4 years (and are still in my closet) for $3.00. They retailed for over a hundred. I've scored on Seven jeans. Most of my favorite stuff was once someone elses at one time. And I consistently get compliments on what I wear. You just need patience and a discerning eye when you go through a thrift store. The best part is that once you are done wearing whatever you purchased, you can donate back to Savers and get the tax credit for making a donation to the Big Brothers and Sisters of Arizona! Win Win!

Its funny that back when I started thrifting, my ex husband and I were making close to a hundred grand a year. But, I didnt see the value in spending money on something that wouldnt last. The first time I started really shopping, I was a size 14. I knew I wouldnt be there forever. If I could go to Kohls or Target and spend $50-$60 bucks on two things, I could go to Savers and spend that same amount on 8-10 things. To me, thats economical.  In this economy, there are a lot more people that think thrifting is chic. My friend and I have been doing it for years- we'd send text messages to each other, "Dude, I scored big at {insert thrift store name here} this weekend. I got {insert number of amazing items} and even a {insert brand name item here}! So, we think its funny that the rest of the economy has caught up with our line of thinking. Hell, people even ask me what to get me for birthdays and Christmas and such. Most of the time, my response is a gift card to Savers. :)


Have you ever thrifted before? What's the best thing you've found?