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Trendy vs. "Dressing Rich"

When I was a teenager, I LOVED the trendy styles! I've already mentioned the Gunne Sax dress I'd gotten in high school. As a teenager in the 70's I owned "peasant" blouses, halter tops, tube tops, disco fashions... It didn't matter, because I was going to outgrow whatever I purchased anyway. Until I didn't anymore.

By my early 20s (and full grown), I recognized that I'd been duped. I'd spend a lot of money on a trendy fashion, only to discover how OUT of fashion it looked in just a year or two. Surely there was a way to dress that didn't require me to constantly throw out my clothes (and my money)!

In 1982, Leah Feldon published the book, Dressing Rich:

which turned out to be a classic in much the same way as her clothing recommendations. The book, reissued in 2001 with no changes, is nearly 40 years old, but you can still buy it new on Amazon (hint:  you can also get it used for as little as $1.99 plus shipping). It was my first exposure to the idea that I could buy clothing that was "classic" and that would look good for many years.

It was also my first exposure to the idea of purchasing quality used clothing, a strategy that she advocates in the book.

I began trolling the thrift stores in earnest after that, quickly scoring a beautiful white raw silk blazer and an equally beautiful cream-colored blazer, along with a raw silk grey wrap skirt. These were items I could never have afforded new, but they allowed me to project an image of professionalism that I sorely needed in my early 20's.

Investing some time (and a little money) to learn and absorb the lessons of how to dress in a classic way will allow you to select quality used clothing that you can feel good about wearing for years to come.

In future blogs, I'll share other books that I have found helpful.

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