Musings from Marilyn

Posts Tagged ‘thrift stores’

I delight in the serendipity of thrift store shopping.  Those times when I run across something so wonderfully unique, that I take pause to wonder if it was placed there fully intended to be found by me!  My latest occurrence was yesterday, while I was looking through the miles and miles of designer fake vinyl purses that tend to populate the thrifts.  Anything made of real leather jumps out at me, and I spied a large, thick leather hippie type of purse that I remembered from the 70s.  They look like they were handmade by some sort of folksy artisan.

As I was marveling at the heft and substance of the purse, I noticed an amazing etched drawing on the front flap.  It was of two little laundresses with washboard and tub, and hanging laundry on a clothesline!  Of course, it had my name written all over it; being an avid laundress/clothesline user AND adoring and collecting vintage purses.  I need another purse like I need a hole in my head, but I could not leave without it!  No one else would ever appreciate the unique whimsicality of it like I would.

I like its large size and durability.  It’s been heavily used but there is hardly any wear to the thick leather.  It’s just so delightfully funky; the juxtaposition of the sweet, quaint laundry scene with the rugged hippie element is hilarious!  I’m sure that there is no other like it in the world.

My son, who is quite used to my unique findings but isn’t into vintage, wasn’t so amused.  “You’re not actually going to wear that are you?” he said, rolling his eyes.  He should know me by now, and should know the answer.  Yes!  As a matter of fact, I will.

~Marilyn

I spend an inordinate amount of time shopping in thrift stores.  At least two to three times a week, you’ll find me in any of the six local thrifts that I haunt regularly.  I mainly shop for “inventory acquisition” (the ‘polite’ term that vinties like to use), but I also shop for myself.  And I mostly love it.  I’ve been shopping thrifts since I discovered them as a teenager, and I’ve never quit.

There is just something so thrilling to me about thrifts.  Malls and department stores bore me silly with their sameness.  At thrifts I never quite know what I’m going to find, and everything is unique.  I get a feeling of anticipatory excitement in the pit of my stomach when I enter the door…where to look first, what to see, what to do!  I actually enjoy going through the racks, digging through bins, and finding things placed randomly throughout the store.

I’m all-business when it comes to thrifting.  No distractions for me please;  no cell phone, no iPod, no shopping with others.  Pretty much a laser focus to scope out the goods.  I know which days are the sale days, “color tag” days, and are the most and least crowded.  I know a lot of the clerks personally, and enjoy a good jaw while checking out.

Of course, it’s not all fun and games.  There are actually quite a lot of annoyances that I have resigned myself to live with while shopping thrifts.  Probably my biggest beef is loud people, be they screaming kids, yelling moms, or people screeching into their phones.  Thrifts are full of them.  I have to work myself into a “zone” to carry myself through.  I like peace and quiet…but I know I’ll never find it at the thrift.

Another annoyance is people who sidle.  I can be the only one in the aisle and sure enough, there will soon be someone who is right next to me going through the racks.  This is something that is so irksome to me that I usually leave and go to another aisle.   But then I have to consciously calculate to come back to that same aisle when all is clear.

The one thing that I’m on the fence about is the amount of “unique” characters that thrift stores seem to attract.  Since I’m a regular, I’ve learned pretty quickly that there are also a lot of other regulars who shop there too.  Some are highly amusing; others are just plain creepy.  One thing for sure is that it is never a dull experience.  They probably feel the same about me too!

It used to be that shopping thrifts was kind of an alternative, funky thing to do.  A lot of people wouldn’t set foot in such a place.  Now it seems like thrifts are getting to be more of a cool, economical thing to do.  That’s okay, the more the merrier.  And the more I hope people will donate and recycle.  Thrifting may not be for the faint of heart, but it will always be unrivaled!

Happy shopping!

Marilyn

Today while poking around one of my favorite thrift stores, I came across an interesting vintage-y looking pink box with graphics of lingerie.  It was quite large, long and banded with two rubber bands.    Part of the fun of thrift store shopping is never knowing what you’re going to come across. I opened the noisy box (it rattled) and was extremely pleased to find a collection of old knitting needles and crochet hooks.  Large ones, small ones, wooden ones, metal ones, curved ones, and loopy ones.  A lifetime of handcraft tools all in one box.

I do knit and crochet, but am not actively pursuing this hobby at the moment.  It’s something that I always do come back to from time to time.   I enjoy the familiar and comforting rhythms of clicking needles and handling yarn.  It alternately focuses the mind and allows it to wander at the same time, while producing a work of art.  There is something about using needles and hooks passed along by someone else.  I wonder how many sweaters and scarves were lovingly knit with the needles over time?  I’m sure a certain energy is passed along after all those hours spent in industrious hands!

I enjoy vintage knitting and crochet pattern books and buy any that I happen to come across.  The patterns are incredibly lovely, intricate, and often amusing too!  How about making a pair of 1940s “Loafer Espadrilles” house slippers, or a “High Chair Doily” for elegant baby dining?  (I have the patterns!)  I am often amazed at how much work was put into making such household items.  I love collecting this aspect of vintage womanly arts.

Now that the cold winter wind is a blowin’ and I’m cuddled up warm inside, I think it may be a good time to pick up the needles and start a project.  I do have a stash of vintage yarn (I collect that too), the patterns, and many types of knitting needles, so I have no excuses.  And a pair of Loafer Espadrilles does sound quite fetching!

Marilyn

I relish living a ‘Pre-Owned’ life, as it were.  For those of you not familiar with the term, it’s another way to say ‘second-hand’ on eBay when listing a formerly-worn-by-someone-else clothing item for sale.  It used to be a free-for-all in Item Specifics when describing condition….’excellent’, ‘great’, ‘okay’, ‘poor’ and so on were some of the terms used.  Now it’s either ‘Pre-Owned’ or ‘New’.

It got me thinking about how, for the most part, I live a ‘Pre-Owned’ life.  I pretty much buy everything second-hand and it actually galls me to have to buy something new.  I finally broke down and bought a new computer and monitor recently due to the fact my old computer was 10 years old; very slow and clunky.  I have to admit that I LOVE the wide monitor and speedy computer…but I digress!

My clothes are almost all ‘Pre-Owned’.  I love the fact that I can get fantastic quality clothing for much less than new.  The vintage, designer and high-end labels are just so much better constructed and the materials used are so superior.  For instance, I love sweaters and am always looking for natural fibers of cashmere, wool, angora and mohair.  The older stuff (which is getting harder and harder to find…) is very thick, substantial and will likely last a lifetime.   If you take a look at  brand new angora or cashmere sweaters, for the most part they are ‘Whisper Thin’ – this is NOT a quality I wish to have in a sweater despite marketing hype!  The difference is remarkable.

Just today I found a really cool ‘Made in France’ yachting sweater with the name label ‘Eric Tabarly’ on it.  It’s very thick and soft navy blue wool with white stripes, and buttons with anchors at the shoulder.  I googled the name Eric Tabarly and found that he was a notable French sailor and considered the father of French yachting, so I learned something interesting too.  That’s another thing…I love the history behind ‘Pre-Owned’ garments.  I imagine sometimes about who wore it before me…and then I silently thank them for giving up the magnificent clothes I find.

I could get into the whole ‘green’ aspect of reusing/recycling clothing, I guess.  And yes, that’s important in this day and age.  But to me it’s more than that.  It’s more a philosophy; a way of life.   Honoring quality, simplicity, history…and just having some dang nice duds to wear!

Here’s to a bit more Pre-Owning in this world!

~Marilyn