Getting and Spending: Tough times for thifters
A post I never wanted to write, but what happened to thrifting? I enjoy thrift trolling when the seasons change, for an easy update, and also to shop more responsibly, given a pinch of luck. On a recent foray with my veteran-thrifter girlfriend Carroll, I had my Moment of Thrift Truth. We go for various reasons, mostly as a post-prandial excuse to spend more time together, partly because some of our favourite clothes are secondhand. But, as we agree, it is not enough to buy a bargain; we need a quality garment. Clothes are the rescue dogs of the apparel world: you have to love them, want to give them a forever home. I came up empty. Every knit was acrylic, or it was the major content. Even the cotton tees I use for exercise were missing. If I did spot something in a natural fibre, it was damaged. I found a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dess, excellent condition, size 0; I tried on a supple faux leather jacket too tight in the arms. Maybe I'm done with this, I thought. The petite and ...
