The Frugal Fashionista – Part 1
October 2, 2009 by admin
Filed under Features, Frugal Fashionista, Main Content
By The Frugal Fashionista, a resident of Victoria’s oldest neighborhood who enjoys sharing her passion for previously-enjoyed paraphernalia with others
The Alliterative Almighty, (a.k.a. the editor of MyJamesBay.com), recently invited me to share my frugal fashion insights with the readers of this blog.
Where to begin? An appropriate simile at this point would be to tell you that I feel like I am “standing in front of my closet wondering what to wear”. So, is it going to be the $4 black and white striped shirt (thank you "Community Closet") with the $2 long flowing grey silk skirt (another thrift shop item) coupled with the little black cami which I wore to interviews #2 and #3 of the job that I now have, OR is it going to be the $6 black velour stovepipe trousers (courtesy of the "Community Closet") paired with the $11 Liz Claibourne red faux suede shirt (another thrift shop buy) as I go out to meet the day?
There’s a certain satisfaction to dressing on the cheap, even if you don’t have to do it. It has a bit to do with recycling the perfectly useable clothing discarded by others. It also has to do with knowing that it cost you very little and knowing that it looks good because, face it, every gal wants to look good without spending too much in the process. If, after buying, you decide it doesn’t look as good as you thought, you simply donate it back to the thrift shop. Voilà, more recycling!
The Community Closet in James Bay is a thrift shop and, because they are a registered charity, you don’t pay sales tax on your purchases. One more reason to buy used clothing from thrift shops! The money they make through the sales in their shop goes back into the worthwhile charitable work of the James Bay Community Project (down on Michigan Street).
A girlfriend when told about my writing assignment wondered what I could put in a blog about clothing from thrift shops. She asked if I was going to say “Dear Readers. Today I bought the only pair of size 12 black linen pants at the Community Closet and guess what? They were the only pair…nah, nah, nah.” I could, I suppose, turn you chartreuse by boasting about my fashion finds but that’s not my intention here. Instead, I want to guide you on a frocking-good frolic, cultivate your creative couture and promote pride in you as you parade your Prada and your Pucci…that could be wishful thinking for both of us but……you never know what the Community Closet has in store…sorry….bad pun… helps the word count, however.
In the coming installments, I’ll be presenting a few of my favourite “outfits” to give you all, faithful readers, a taste of what you too can do! Some pieces came from our local "Community Closet", while others came from thrift shops around Victoria — but either way, you’ll have fun finding just the right frugal fashion for you!!
