Focus on Quality and Timelessness

When you buy used clothing, it's that much more important to focus on quality and timelessness. After all, the clothing is already used, and who knows how old it is? If you go after something that was trendy last year your clothing will soon look dated.

These outfits, created from my new (to me) summer wardrobe, may not reflect your personal style or preferred colors, but note how just a few quality or classic used pieces can stand the test of time to create some very presentable outfits. Each piece shown was either purchased at Goodwill or a local thrift store. The necklaces and belt shown were also purchased used.

I hope you feel inspired to check out your local Goodwill or thrift store for your own classic, quality finds!

Comments

Having Enough (Thanksgiving Edition)

I culled my closet a couple of weeks ago, inspired again by Courtney Carver's Project 333 to limit my clothes only to what I intend to wear over the next (in my case) four months. Everything else got put into drawers or taken to an unused closet upstairs. While I'm sure I've gotten some things wrong (I just haven't figured out what they are yet), it feels like a revelation to walk into my closet: Not too much, and not too little, it's exactly enough. The "Fulfillment Curve" from Your Money or Your Life (Dominguez & Robin) What does having "enough" clothing look like? When I left my job as a financial advisor, I no longer had "enough" clothes. I had plenty of clothing for meeting with clients in person; I also had workout clothing and a couple of more formal dresses. But I didn't have anywhere near enough clothing to meet my new daily circumstances of hanging around the house, meeting with a friend or running errands. I'v...

Casualization of Clothing

I'm taking a break from talking about used clothing this week to focus a bit on history. I recently saw a photograph of women from the 1920s, and it occurred to me what an amazing transformation had happened for women's clothing in just 30 years. Here's an image of what women wore in the 1890s. Note the long sleeves, high necklines and rear bustles. These outfits would also have required a corset underneath and petticoats. I found this image at ThisVictorianLife.com . The couple who runs the site wears Victorian-era clothing in their everyday lives. Here is an image of what women wore in the 1920s. Note the (relatively) high hemlines, short sleeves and more contemporary necklines. Also note the low heel on the shoes. I found this image on a Pinterest page. While I personally prefer clothing that's a bit more figure-flattering, imagine the freedom these women from the 20s experienced compared to their 1890's sisters! Have things changed as much 100 years later? Ma...

You CAN Purchase Great Jeans Used! Here's How

Confession: I have only rarely tried to purchase jeans used. My preferences are usually so specific that I despair of ever finding that needle in a haystack. But having recently done research on how devastating the manufacture of denim is to the environment, I thought I would rescue a pair of jeans from my local landfill if I could. Here are some steps you can take to locate your own great pair of used jeans: Don't just shop I didn't properly prepare when I first went shopping. I naively assumed that if I just tried on a bunch of jeans I'd eventually find a pair I liked. That might work in a more traditional store that offers new clothes, but I didn't find this approach helpful (plus, as I write this, we're in the middle of a pandemic, and you may not wish to try clothing on at the store). After visiting my local consignment store first and trying on nine different pairs of jeans, only to strike out, I got more strategic. Review your criteria I reviewed the tags ...

Goodwill (Wardrobe) Hunting

Search This Blog