It’s In the Bag

Oh dear readers, it’s been a long time. And for the lapse in posts, I do apologize. I am working on drafting an editorial schedule which will guarantee regularity…even a few themed posts. So be excited!

As for the irregularity in clever little updates and quirky finds, I must say that the short story of the matter is that I’ve been rather busy. Busy in trying to work toward long term life goals is a whole new level of productivity of which I am not accustomed. Short term goals are so much easier, suffice it to say. Upload pictures, promote, update the blog. These are all activities I very much enjoy. But things needed to change.

And I couldn’t be happier to say that I am accepting my own ability to change for the better. Since joining Weight Watchers and committing to standard exercise and assorted daily physical activity I have lost nearly 30 pounds in the last two months. The chronic pain and fatigue from degenerative illnesses has been significantly less and I have a new found appreciation for life.

I have also expanded my freelance writing career as a fashion and beauty blogger for Rock This Style. And this has been a fun and rewarding experience, albeit one I feel is slightly conflicted by own ideals on commodities and cost. I love and appreciate fashion as an art form and I love the ability to transform and evolve my look as I so desire. And well…we all know my love for Sephora. BUT... I also have what could best be described as a torrid love affair with the kitschy, vintage, one-of-a-kind finds that only secondhand venues can provide.

So, in honor of my changing pants size and my new title of fashion blogger, I will attempt to utilize Let’s Go Thrifting to reconcile the difference between these two worlds.

God knows I need some new (to me) clothes while my body is transitioning. Now I can look for trends and vintage looks that are inspired by Rock This Style, but for a price I can afford.

And that was the long version of the story. Whew!

Have you just ever felt so…accomplished that you had to share the satisfaction with others? Weight loss? Writing gigs? Overall sense of accomplishment? It’s in the bag!

And since this isn’t solely a getting-to-know-you post…when it comes to bags, I’ve found a few that I just adore.



$4.97 @ Goodwill.

















This spacious floral number is my new favorite carry-all. Wallet, keys, phone, makeup, book, iPod. It will all fit inside with room to spare. It came with a shoulder strap, but I think I’ll use the handle so I can swing it to and fro’ while skipping down the street. 


$4.97 @ Goodwill.

















And for the first time, I’ve found two lovely bags on the same thrift trip. This beige, distressed leather satchel from Nine West has a little bit of a Western feel, which is great since I can't find cowboy boots in my size anywhere.

Sigh.

There is still much to be said on the topic of change…and, of course, the topic of thrifting. And I can’t wait to share my experiences with all of you!

 What positive changes have you made lately?

Country Life, City Life: The J. Crew Catalogue of Thrifting.

City life, a bustling metropolis of businesswomen on the go. Big meetings, short deadlines and faraway out-of-town conferences. What’s a girl to do?

Why, pack up her dreamy, vintage sky blue Samsonite train case, of course!



Samsonite train case, $6.97 from 2nd Avenue Value Store.

 
But when the big city lights shine just a tad too bright, a gal’s just got to get away. May we suggest a leisurely holiday to the countryside…of Japan?

Towering mountains, limitless lakes and a cool and easy breeze makes this country life worth living. Sit back and take it all in.




Three-dimensional handmade tree bark art from Japan, 50 cents at a local Philadelphia flea market.

There she can enjoy the comforts of breathtaking views and with just a few simple ingredients, equally exotic cuisine.





Vintage Japanese Cookbook, 1969. $1 from the flea market.

For ordering information, please scout the aisles of your local thrift store.

And The Winner Is…

As a way to thank all of the followers and fans of Let’s Go Thrifting! and to celebrate our first landmark accomplishment, I decided back in February to have a giveaway in honor of the 50th follow.

And after plotting, planning and waiting it out, the time is finally upon us.

So I whipped out my favorite thrifted hat…



…assigned everyone a number from 1-50, wrote the numbers on little scraps of paper, tossed them inside…



…gave them a shake, closed my eyes and plucked out lucky number 25.

And the winner is monogirl from Vintage Spinster!

Congratulations! As promised, you have won The Complete Book of Small Antiques Collecting by Katharine Morrison McClinton from 1965.

This vintage read, and a few other surprises will be shipped to you free of charge as my little token of appreciation.

Thanks everyone for reading, liking, following and sharing your thoughts.
Stay thrifty.

<3 Jackie @ Let’s Go Thrifting!

On Hoarding.

A station wagon is packed and parked outside 2nd Avenue Thrift.

In the last few years, the term “hoarding” has been a booming part of vernacular with regard to mental disorder. This is due in large part to the  look into those affected through TV shows such as Clean House, Hoarders and Hoarding: Buried Alive. But in the grand traditions of saving, collecting, thrift and clearance shopping, a grave situation much like those horrifying hoards on TV is not entirely uncommon.

In a struggling economy where bankruptcy, foreclosure and unemployment are at an all-time high, an eye for frugality and a thrifty resourcefulness are typically positive attributes to possess.

However, I also have certain qualifiers… a test, if you will. If tBut when it comes to the seemingly endless variety of items found at the thrift store, estate sale or flea market, how does the average secondhand shopper know what limits to set?  And just how much stuff is too much? 

It’s a quantitative term, signifying a spatial reality, the words “too much.” But at what specific number is the border between collection and hoard crossed? 5…25…50?

As for me, I have varied interests in music, movies, books, hobbies and decor. And this hunger is in part, satiated by the diversity thrifting brings to the table.

As a diehard thrifter and vintage enthusiast, I can find several reasons justifying an impulsive secondhand purchase. For instance:

• It’s vintage. It’s kitsch. It’s completely bizarre.
• When and where will I ever come across something like it again?
• It’s dirt cheap.

he following criteria isn’t met, I cannot in good conscience make the purchase.

• Does the item serve a purpose? And will it likely be used for that purpose regularly?
• Do I have a space that could be reserved for the item without difficulty?
• Is the item appealing beyond the low price? Or is it a “must-have” just because it’s a can-have for the low price?

Of course there will be exceptions to these personal shopping habits. After all, every shopper begins with good intentions: finding affordable goods that serve a purpose.

And this is exactly why thrift stores serve as a potential danger for the shoppers who just don’t know when enough is enough. The goods are cheap and potentially useful, when kept contained to a reasonable amount. But for the compulsive shoppers who buy, buy, buy without cleaning and purging unused items already in the home, it’s a virtual black hole.

This is especially true if he or she identifies as a crafter. Crafters, artists and creatively inclined folks see the world a bit differently. Items at the thrift store don’t just have a purpose…they have a desirable aesthetic and potential re-purpose.

And I am all for breathing new life into tired items and for healthy creative expression. But when there’s too much stuff and not enough space, the up-cycling or re-purposing of those goods is a task never completed.

This seems to be the cycle of a hoarder who has thrifted too much.

If you haven’t yet subjected yourself to the scares of excess acquiring and saving through the safe distance of the television,  I suggest that you do (if nothing for the visual shock).

After witnessing floor-to-ceiling piles, bags, boxes and crates of “treasures” as they are often referred to by the subjects of Hoarding: Buried Alive, my stomach drops. My eyes nervously dart around the room, scanning the amount, size and space of my own possessions for early signs of hoarding.

I have the sudden urge to clean.

And since it’s that time of the year for what must be universally known as Spring Cleaning, the issue of hoarding cannot be discussed at a better time.

Today I tore apart the garage, cleaning and sorting. Tomorrow I’ll be working on the bedroom and upstairs hall closet.

So I guess I answered my own question. Perhaps the best weapon in the battle against hoarding is prevention.

What are your thoughts on hoarding as a mental disorder?

Do you worry about hoarding tendencies?

What rules or limits do you set to monitor your shopping?