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The Thrill of The Thrift

Well here it is. The 100th post of Paul Walters on Style. Maybe there are a few things I would have done differently if I was starting this blog today. Perhaps I would have posted more often. Perhaps I would have come up with a more creative name. I guess all the shoulda-coulda-woulda's hold about as much weight as a fart in the wind, as now there are only the considerations to be made about going forward.

I hope to be able to offer more material more often. I do try to avoid as much uninteresting filler as possible, wishing to focus on more substantial and appreciable information. If any of my readers have any ideas concerning things you'd like to read about or blog names that snag more attention spans let me know. That being said... today's topic!

With the current economic situation falling like a lead balloon (I really don't believe it to be "getting Better"), it's time for all of us to tighten our belts and embrace the philosophy of frugality. The penny-pinching mentality can be a tough one, because like any growing boy I'm always yearning for cool new toys. And like any boy-turned-man, the toys I want today sure are more expensive than they were when I was a child. It's like 1 Corinthians 13:11 says; "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Sometimes I wish I still could get all warm and tingly inside by buying a Superman costume, but things are different now.

Now I'm thrilled by a new pair of Allen Edmonds, the fit of a tailored sport coat, or the way a Ralph Lauren Purple Label shirt feels against my skin. Sadly, these things don't come cheap, and in a recession, they usually just don't come... unless, one finds alternate methods of filling his materialistic needs. My mother has worked for Goodwill Industries for most of my life. She's an associate Vice President with the company, and needless to say, I've been in a lot of Goodwill stores. As a kid (restrained by my childish ways), it was easy to recoil at the thought of shopping at Goodwill. The stigma associated with being someone who shopped at Goodwill was supposed to be reserved for poor people, and not the upstanding upper-middle-class kid I was.

As an adult, however, struggling to become established in a time where everything is harder than it ever has been, I began to enjoy visits to the Goodwill store. Not only were the clothes inexpensive, but they were expendable. I began shopping for clothes that I could do back-breaking work in and not feel bad about throwing the clothes away when they became too heavily soiled. As time went on, I was able to afford (or at least make enough money to justify buying) nicer things like custom suits and shirts and expensive shoes. My Goodwill shopping, however, continued. I began looking for vintage pieces and rare finds. As the economy has been tanking, I have found some sweet deals.

The items featured here today are from only one visit to Goodwill, and here they are:
-Ralph Lauren Purple Label dress shirt. Approximate retail price $475 - $595 (shown at top with coat and tie, and at right)
-Armani Jeans sport shirt by Giorgio Armani. Approximate retail price $155
-Saks 5th Avenue Broadcloth buttondown. Approximate retail price $135.

Again, these items came from only one trip. I regularly find many garments from Brooks Brothers and Polo Ralph Lauren. Tommy Hilfiger items abound. Lacoste polos are not uncommon either. Regarding thrift store shopping, let me offer the following tips:

First of all, buy in your size. Don't buy a great shirt or pair of pants because of the brand or quality unless it fits you perfectly. An ill-fitting garment looks cheap, regardless of the quality. I have a couple of sport coats I've thrifted, and I always try them on and mentally add up how much tailoring will cost me. Depending on how much work needs to be done, certain purchases aren't worth it. A good rule of thumb with jackets is to get something that fits in the shoulders as closely as possible. Also pay attention to the length of the hem and how much fabric needs to be taken in. If a jacket needs to be taken in too much the pockets will inhibit the process at the seams.

Secondly, look it over well! I've gotten a great deal before on a perfect fitting shirt only to realize after getting home that there was a rather significant tear in the fabric that I had missed before. Do a thorough inspection. A third tip goes hand in hand: assume that stains will not come out. Don't confuse your drycleaner with a wizard. Stains that have been sitting for too long will not come out without risk of damage to the fabric, and we don't want that!

It's important to remember that we are in the worst economy since the Great Depression. Some say the current economy is even worse when one takes into account the effects of inflation. There is no pride to be lost by thrifting. If anything, consider your secret to be one that brings you enormous power. Christopher Lasch said, "Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success," and the appearance of success comes cheap, at only $3.79 per shirt.

Until next time,
Cheers!
-Paul

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Back to Life. Thanks for Your Patience (A Letter From the Editor).

My dear readers, I have been absent from the web for too long. I offer my most sincere apologies and promise that I am back to stay. I thank those of you who follow this blog and I hope that you have not lost faith.
I blame my lapse of posting on several factors, including both a full-time day job and a second job at nights, playing music professionally at assorted venues, accompanied by the new "phases" that my two young children are putting into practice.
What can I say? Life can be a mutha. Obviously, my passions lie in the topics discussed here on this site and in the love of style that makes its dwelling in my bones. I appreciate your steadfastness.
My next post will be my 100th. The centennial will have to have been worth the wait. What better time to "turn 100" that right after my coming back to life. I will leave you with this video, and my promise that this farewell will be a brief one.
Until next time,
God Bless.
-Paul