A crown to guide us

A dear friend, call her Edwina, once told Modern Mommie and I that hair reveals a good deal about how we think. She said it was one reason we were such great mates. The three of us think wild and curly thoughts. She's right. We do. I've always loved that metaphor. Sometimes it explains so much and others it's just makes me smile and giggle.

A few years back, we planned a mom's retreat into the mountains at a friend's "huggably" cute, rustic cabin. We drank lavender cosmopolitans from lavender sugar-dipped glasses and each made our own crown. The crowns were Modern Mommie's idea. If creativity was tested on a scale like an IQ, Modern Mommie's would be in the 99th percentile. Combine that with her artistic background and kaboom! Who knows what idea will come out of her head; be assured it will be incredible, wild and curly.

I got to thinking about Edwina's notion about hair and Modern Mommie's marvelous crowns and a Golightly family tradition was born. We do not write New Year's resolutions, we sit around the dining room table for most of New Year's Day and build crowns. As we construct them we think about the skills, tools and disciplines we'll need to fulfill the goals and challenges for the coming year and incorporate symbols into the crown. I imagine if we put on our crown a few times during the year, the intentions that went into building it will seep into our heads. I figure it's a more direct path to the mind than starting at the fingertips with writing. And, when you speak of your goals, well, they fall out of your mouth. We talk so much these days, one must wonder if anything that is said remains in our heads.

So that is how the Golightly's spent New Years day. But, -here's the thrift part - I did not need to go to any craft store or run any special errands to make this happen. I'd acquired all the items needed through time at the thrift store. For example, I might see a plastic bag that has a folding yard stick that I want for $3. Within that bag might be ephemera, buttons, beads, little paper flowers, scrap-booking items, etc. Sometimes I give things to Little Pie's art teacher and other I keep for occasions like crown building. You just never know when you might change paths and need a new crown.

Here's an equation I know to be true: thrift store = eclectic craft store that saves money while reducing the waste stream. Trust me, some of the most amazing treasures one finds in a thrift store cannot be purchased at anything craft store.

I now shall reveal the 2011 Golightly parade of crowns. I will not speak about them because they are all personal.

Follows is my crown for 2011. I will note that the acorn dangling on the left was one of my Christmas presents from Little Pie. She spent one afternoon searching for the biggest acorn she could find. That little gift spoke volumes to me; the thought that my daughter would spend an afternoon under oak trees in a park to find a treasure for me.


Mr. Golightly's crown:


Petite Poe's crown:


Little Pie, with great enthusiasm built two crowns:


As a family, we seek out different, more meaningful options for those sale-promoting holidays. For example, every Black Friday we don't go shopping. We go chopping. At the moment, Modern Mommie, Edwina and I are brewing up a new Valentine's tradition for our six girls. We do have fun.

Am I a blog snob?

January 12th's post, “Am I just a bottom feeder of conspicuous consumption?” was a response to a comment from the post, “Myth-stakes”, which sprung from a comment from “Americans are screaming the need for a bigger reuse market. Why is there no answer?” Phew!

These comment threads are filled with an assortment of opinions that sprouted a lively dialog. It seems something has been tapped; a nerve, a fresh perspective, an unwillingness, an “Aha!” or simple annoyance. Let’s ride this a bit more and see where it goes. Either way, it grew conversation and got people thinking.

Now the question seems to be, am I a blog snob? To some degree, everyone who blogs is, as they share their opinion, is subjective and isn't (obviously in many cases) being subjected to being true. Nonetheless, there is a divergence of opinion on blogging. As for the description “holier than thou”, I’ve been called much worse. Surviving middle school gave me some thick skin. Tossing my opinions and stories on the Internet made it even thicker.

Blog etiquette is as diverse as the blogging world. There are best selling authors and media professionals writing blogs along with people like me who feel like they’ve found a good cause and/or a creative outlet. That explains my typos, etc when I mistakenly click the "Publish Post" button which is powerfully placed - less than a half a centimeter - from the "Save Now" button.

As for the two-year life of The Thrifty Chicks, I recall removing a just few comments, most were spam, one profane, a few trying to peddle sex somewhere in Asia. Sad, no? Comments on this site are rarely taken personally. They test convictions and invite reflection. Thoughtful criticism intended to evoke dialog is certainly encouraged. I do ask for clarity of content in comments – two or three adjectives doesn’t exactly back a point.

I think America needs a stronger reuse market for many reasons. Instead of listing them again, I’ll reference two opinions that ran in The Christian Science Monitor; “Green shopping, don’t say ‘eww’ to thrift stores”, and "We count calories. Why not carbon?” The first ran on Dr. Suess’ birthday, hence the reference to The Lorax.

I also think many people are very uncomfortable about expanding an American reuse market mainly because it presents a new/old way of managing our lives.

Many of today's Americans have a knee-jerk reaction to thrift, thinking the stores are infested with body lice and fungicide is sprayed on tattered clothing. This is sad because it really wasn’t that long ago that Americans thought product reuse and repurposing a common sense way of life – the days were the focus was on economic solvency, not accruing more debt. A parable to this is the post “Six Baccarat tumblers” about my great grandmother.

The conventional retail market probably doesn’t like it because it would translate to a radical shift in American shopping. Eventually, retailers would find a manner to profit from this emerging market. Good grief! Look what they did to credit default swaps!

If manufacturers can profit off Chia Pets, surely they can profit off used items like cowboy boots. I recently read that we would be better served putting Chia seeds into our mouths rather smearing them on a pottery figurine. Apparently those little seeds are very nutritious. As for cowboy boots, ever put on a new pair? Ouch! It’s like having braces on your legs. Best to let someone else put in the pain of breaking them in. Two honest and old cowboys had a good laugh at me in a tack shop Alamosa, CO when I tried a new pair of new boots. I can still see them sitting back in their chairs laughing as I screamed a few explicatives on how those boots felt on my legs and teasing them that they must have maimed many a legs selling such braces without a medical license. When they finally caught a breath, they told me about an old hide out of Billy the Kidd that I happened to be camped near. I think they were pulling my leg. But, it’s more fun to believe the story so I shall.

So, am I a blog snob? Is my message “holier-than-thou”? After sitting on my soapbox and thinking for a spell, I must say, no. I don’t believe so. I think I’m a person who has found a cause worthy of advocating. I’m passionate about it but certainly don’t think that those who disagree are damned. I'd be foolish to think there are not people who taken exception to what I write or how I write it. As long as people keep dialoging and thinking about more reuse, I'm cool.

Seeing consumer waste makes me sad. Really sad. When I watch the natural world in motion, I am in awe it's eloquent system. I believe dead-end waste is one of man’s worst inventions and we keep finding new ways to invent it in different forms. This disturbs me as I think about our legacy on this planet and I am but a mere drop in the bucket of humanity. Reuse is certainly one way to slow down the waste stream.

Before I became a mother, I worked fundraising at one our nations leading zoo’s; was an Assistant Director at a summer camp and took our girls on overnight hiking and canoe trips; and worked in The Office of Environmental Affairs for the City of Boulder. However, I also worked in the investment industry for a major investment company as a planning analyst on business relocations. I’ve experienced both sides.

We are not perfect beings. Even in our quests to do what we think is best for our families, communities, and our country we aren’t always right and even good ideas have down sides.

My style of writing might appear to be "hoity" to some. But consider that I'm having to sway opinions about reuse and I attempt it with a dash of humor and - as my family's matriarch says - a few good "someone's gotta say it's". But hey, I've also been labeled insightful, and pithy.

When you are advocating for the underdog, whether it's a just cause or not, many adjectives are thrown your way. Though I do find it amusing to be cited "hoity" when I'm the one digging through the gray bins of thrift and trolling the urban alley's for treasure. One thing I know I try to be is thought provoking. Sure, I mix in the "look what I found's" in to provide eye candy and lead people into thrift temptation.

One thing I know to be true, we are capable of change. There was a time when the great whaling captains of Nantucket scoffed at the idea that the world would turn it’s back whale oil and a rock that burns would crash their market.

New books for 8% retail cost, where else but at the thrift?

NOTE: THIS POST ERRONEOUSLY POSTED TODAY. IT WAS SCHEDULED TO RUN ON SUNDAY THE 16th. PLEASE BE CERTAIN TO READ THE OTHER POST OF TODAY, "AM I A BOTTOM-FEEDER OF CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION?" MY APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION.

On the eve of 2011, I challenged readers to shop for the 2011 holiday season year-round and spend “A dollar a day for the 2011 holidays” by shopping thrift. January on into February are exceptional months for thrift shopping because: 1) people purge their homes in the last minutes of 2010 for donation tax write offs and 2) many unwanted holiday gifts end up in thrift stores; still in the box or tags still dangling.

I thought it wise to check in mid-month and report my progress. This post is on books. I love giving books, maybe because my friends and I love reading them. And what better way to save money on shipping than with the book/media postal rate?

I found many new books, dead certain the spine has never been cracked. Perhaps a tossed holiday gift? Most of these finds will become birthday gifts.

A few of my favorite selection from adult fiction and non-fiction are:

1) The World of Escoffier by Timothy Shaw. This biography of one of the world's most famous chefs is a glossy page masterpiece complete with amazing photos, art and script.


2) The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt.


3) Stones into Schools by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greg Mortenson, founder of The Central Asia Institute and co-author of Three Cups of Tea, considered by many as one of the most important reads of our time.


4) A fresh, never been opened paperback of the 1998 re-release of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. This is one of my favorite British classics and was made into a film in 2003, which is lovely but nothing compared to the book.


In the children's section I found:

1) The twentieth anniversary hardback of Babe, The Gallant Pig by Dick-King Smith. Yes, this is the darling sheep herding little pig from the movie, Babe. This endearing story with heart-warming illustrations by Maggie Kneen are a great gift for the young child who is tired of having picture books read to them and is up for the challenge of an honest chapter book.


2) National Book Award Finalist, each little bird that sings by Deborah Wiles. This hardback edition has likewise never been cracked. I recommend this book to readers of all ages. The back of the book begins, "Top Ten Tips for First-rate Funeral Behavior" as written by ten-year-old Comfort Snowberger who lives in a funeral home and writes obituaries.


3) The secret lives of Princesses by Pillippe Lechermeir beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Dautremer. This book was a COMPLETE score and I will keep it for my own Legacy Library. However, it’s gorgeous artwork and whimsical nature will probably force me to buy a few used copies for certain little girls I know that NEED a copy of this book at their sides. It has a page of "The International Alphabet of [Hand] Fans" similar to naval flag signals as well as a page of "Palaces & Residences" which include a Manhattan Walk-Up, an Inuit and Rustic. If you have a little girl in your life who loves books, I think she needs a copy. Mr. Golightly and I firmly believe that it had to be a mistake that this book was donated. It's a complete charm and we've read it together and enjoyed every word and will adapt some of the terminology into our daily speech like "to have a toad on the stove" is princess talk for "running late".


On the vintage circuit I found the 1960 original The I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Bracken with illustrations by Hilary Knight. Apparently, a 50th anniversary edition was recently released. The copy I have resells at around $15 but – to me – the book is priceless. I'd buy it just for Knight's illustrations.


A quick tally of my thrift purchase of these lovely books, seven hardback and one fresh paperback, comes in at $14.

Had I selected them new online, the total purchase would have exceeded $175.

Had I bought them online on used market it would have totaled near $90.

In addition to saving all that money and having lovely gifts for the coming year, I found a paperback copy of a book I almost bought at the price-o-club because I was in desperate need of a read. Instead of paying close to $10 for The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, I paid $1 at the thrift. Call it serendipity, but it happens a lot when you thrift.


It can all be found at the thrift, new releases, current best sellers, classics, and rare and out-of-print books for a small fraction the conventional market would have you pay.

One of my favorite book finds is a small, very old, first edition French translation of Beatrix Potter's Tiggy-Winkle (Histoire de Poupette-a-L'Epingle) published by F. Warne & Co. Ltd., London. This book has no publication date but is so precious to behold, like a little baby. I paid 50 cents for it.

I'm certain many readers have favorite books scored by thrift. Do tell.

Am I just a bottom-feeder of conspicuous consumption?

Let’s just reference Wikipedia on the subject:

“Conspicuous consumption is lavish spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth. In the mind of a conspicuous consumer, such display serves as a means of attaining or maintaining social status.”

There is no doubt we could add meta meanings upon meta meanings to further define this social phenomenon. We could sip lattes or a fine Merlot and hyper-intellectualize this subject until we are personally drunk and awe-struck by our magnificent conclusions. For the sake of brevity in a blog post, let’s just keep it short and use the above definition.

There have been times when people challenge that I’m just acting out conspicuous consumption in the reuse market. My answer? No.

Comments have appeared in past posts that I often cite brand names like Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, Tiffanies, Coach, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, etc. Guilty as charged.

Here’s the catch, I don’t reference brand names to snob out. I don’t look down my nose. When I do, I’m cross-eyed and that gives me a headache. Any more, a name brand does not often represent quality, merely a name and – often times - a higher price point.

My point is that while the majority of Americans go to malls and buy such brands, I shop in thrift stores and buy the same, often with tags still dangling, for about 5% of the conventional retail price.

Why can I do this? Many reasons. I’d wager retail therapy is probably the biggest. If retail therapy really worked, I imagine our nations major thrift retailers wouldn’t be so well stocked – at least like they are in Denver.

Still don’t believe that I’m not a conspicuous consumption junkie? Our TV is thrift and it does not have any form of cable. Nor do we have a Wii or any other electronic games. We’re a modest one-car family of four in a 1,800 square foot home, which I consider ample.

I’m not going to keep up with The Jones’. I cannot afford to. Well, my credit limit will let me compete but – as I’ve written before – no lender is going to pull me down into so much debt I need a pressurized submarine. Besides, I don’t even know what The Jones’ have.

Yes, many of the items I purchase were made overseas. But, I’m saving them from a landfill and by extending the life of a sweater; a new one need not be produced to fill my need. I’d love it if more manufacturers came home, like if the idea behind the Locavore movement turned to dry goods. But, that’s going to take time and legislation – a lot of it. But, "There will be retail lobbyists"

I don’t scoff at people in shopping centers, though I am annoyed by how slow they walk, like they’re enjoying the retail sensory overload. I see them as potential converts and quietly wait for them to ask where I found my boots so I can say, “thrift”. I understand that many of these people have never considered thrift as an option. There’s no mass marketing campaign asking them to. We have recycle bins from our cities, we’re told to turn off lights and turn down thermostats, but there are few media outlets that even whisper, “try thrift”.

I love it when a person converts to thrift, finds a Flinch Point, has a little Retail Remorse, and earns a set of Snake Eyes.

If dropping name brands that can be found at thrift stores catch the attention of a few eyes and ears, I think it worth it.

Okay! Okay! Three weaknesses. Children’s books for my Legacy Library. Premium scented candles I buy on sale. I’ve a chronic fear that our home smells of cat litter thanks to our three cats. Vintage coats – but I put a stopper on that one years ago when I figured one for each day of the week was sufficient. Oddly enough, the purchase of all those coats combined doesn’t even compare to the cost of a new quality dress coat.

Truth be told, I’d love to live a home similar to The Burrow of the Weasley family from the Harry Potter series pictured below. Or how about Famer Hogget’s home in the movie Babe? If you like, click here for a brief tour of the Golightly home.

A few of my favorite finds in 2010

2010 was an anomaly of a year at the thrift store for me, the Golightly budget tighter than ever. Thanks to a pair of Snake Eyes, that didn't necessarily translate to an austere lifestyle. Some of the best creativity is found during times of scarcity.

I went to the thrift store about half as often as in years past but still managed to score a few treasures. Though I've always held a deep appreciation for what I'm fortunate to find, I think this year's haul meant more.

My favorite find was this vintage Simplex copper whistling kettle. It must have been a hit because Simplex, a long standing British company, still manufactures this same model today. I paid $6 for it. Funny how something as simple as an efficient whistling tea kettle can make a family happy. We drink more hot tea thanks to it.


For about $3-$4 a bowl or pot, I added several items to my collection of vintage graniteware and learned there is actually a National Graniteware Society though I'm not a member. Cooking and serving with these colorful pots, pans and bowls makes me happy. I find these gorgeous vintage items for less than half of what I would pay for a piece of plastic or glass at a discount chain retailer. Color evokes feelings. Think about a gray winter day and then seeing a woman walk by in a flowing red coat. The image would evoke a smile, a feeling of happiness or some sense of warmth.


It is worthy to note that I had never heard of Simplex tea kettles or graniteware until I took up thrifting. Shopping thrift extensively broadens product education.


Little Pie is a little Buddha. I found her this darling vintage, hand-painted Japanese incense holder for $3. She lights rose scented incense and sits in the lotus position to briefly meditate when she needs to make a challenging decision. She's nine. Those moments are priceless.


I picked up this Invisibility Cloak (a reference from the Harry Potter series) at a half off day for $4. This relatively heavy throw helps pull our eclectic living room together and keeps us warm while reading on the fainting couch I rescued from the alley several years back. The tapestry of this throw is magical and I don't wish to think what it's original price point was.


Many confuse frugality, equating it to practicing economy in a miserly fashion, which means parsimonious - or stingy - even "cheap." I believe that Mr. Golightly and I were frugal in this $50 purchase of an 1867 oil portrait by L.R. Evans in this ornate frame. We scored it at a 50% off Saturday at Goodwill and were the envy of nearly everyone in the packed store. It's nice to have original art in the home. Though I've not researched this painting of young Edward Jones I've no doubt the gilded frame alone is worth far more than the $50 we paid. As for now, Edward is a regular guest in our dining room He's almost family, even if we haven't quite figured out who he is.


Of course there were other wonderful finds, hand knit sweaters and a skirt from lele knits for $3. The never been worn pink and black vintage leather gloves with cashmere lining for Little Pie and Petite Poe were quickly welcomed in at $3 each.

Mr Golightly's favorite find? This extraordinarily old hand forged copper pot for $6.


It no longer holds water thanks to a tiny leak, but we always have use for containers and this copper pot is better than anything plastic. We're no Antique Road show, but, we do know this pot is very old.

We haven't completed our research yet - but handmade, dovetail-jointed copper and brass pots were never mass produced. Any ideas?

What were your extraordinary finds of 2010?

Myth-stakes

The comment below came from the previous post on January 2nd. I had to check an initial emotional reaction, but I gave the premise some serious thought. I appreciate comments, even if I don’t agree with them. After writing a response, I thought the topic worthy of a post on its own.

The comment:

“First, a real reuse economy will price the needy out of the market and also result in fewer goods to reuse, which you do not address (not that you need to, since this is a Manifesto, not a Reasoned Consideration of All Outcomes). However, I will say that there is nothing about reuse that makes it somehow immune to tackiness or a throwaway quality. Because, really, taking a perfectly serviceable wool sweater and making it into a felted cupcake equals making landfill material. What I am saying is that the reuse "movement" has plenty Billy Bass items and acting a though reuse--virtuous as it may be--is somehow aesthetically superior just makes us all sound snobbish.”

Dispelling the Poor Clientele Myth

I don't agree with the assumption that “a real reuse economy will price the needy out of the market”. Thrift stores currently have a wide audience, just look at the parking lots. There are BMW’s next to clunkers held together with duct tape – and everything in between. It is a myth that charitable thrift stores exist solely to serve the needy customers. Please refer to a letter from the Denver Goodwill CEO I posted in January, 2009 dispelling one of the many myths about thrift stores. Besides, many easily identified discount chain retailers specifically and successfully market to the lower-tiered income segment. Since there is no comprehensive study on the thrift market, we’ve no exact data where those with fewer economic resources shop more frequently.

Who is Thrift Serving?

Like many retailers, the aim of the charitable thrift is indeed “profit” – but philanthropic profit. Unlike conventional retail, these non-profits’ proceeds in turn fund programs that help change the lives of thousands of people for the better. I know that Denver Goodwill alone serves well over 10,000 people each year. That’s why, on multiple occasions, I’ve referred to shopping thrift as Poetic Shopping. The purchase of a reused or repurposed item helps repurpose another person’s life. Thrift shopping is a more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable practice.

Yes, many thrift stores have raised prices. I think this is in reaction to the fact charitable organizations have to help a growing population of those in need during these extraordinarily hard economic times. Like other non-profits, the Goodwills, ARCs, DAVs and Salvation Army’s must fight harder for the foundation and corporate support that’s been cut back. Recessions are very hard on non-profits. On the bright side, I think we can take solace that any price hike in a thrift store doesn’t go to extravagant and inappropriate corporate bonuses or a corporate jet. Isn’t that a relief?

Suction and Deduction

In part because Americans are such voracious consumers and easily suckered into buying new stuff we don’t need (the giant suction of the economy of new crap), we consume a disproportionately embarrassing quantity of natural resources. It will take a long time for an American reuse economy to – as the commenter writes - “result in fewer goods to reuse”. But if that day comes to pass, I will smile, cross my arms in satisfaction and think, “Mission accomplished! We finally learned a worthy lesson and embraced reuse”. I doubt I will live long enough to see that day. But, I certainly hope it will come to pass so I can dust the dirt off my hands.

Supply and Demand in a Larger Reuse Market

Like the conventional market, a reuse market is tiered by value and has different niches and price points. Also, like any other component of the capitalist market, a larger re-use market would be subject the forces of competition, not just with each other – but with conventional retailers as well. History shows us that where there is competition, prices drop, not rise.

Thrift outlets also like to keep inventory moving, hence the weekly half-off colored tag sales. This is testament that thrift stores don’t empty content and drive up the cost of the remaining stock because of scarcity. If there were “fewer goods to reuse”, outlets wouldn’t have half-off days! Thrift sale days boost customer traffic, inventory flow, and the charitable bottom line.

The Landfill Myth

As written in the comment, “…taking a perfectly serviceable wool sweater and making it into a felted cupcake equals making landfill material, “ – au contraire. My daughter received this handmade set of petit-fours from one of my girlfriends for Christmas. It, along with a quilt the same friend made of recycled material, has become one of my daughter’s most treasured items. I consider these items heirloom quality and firmly believe that as long as they are in my or my daughter’s hands they are not landfill fodder. Should my daughter have children, I’ve no doubt this is something they will honor too. I would rather have my children have play tea party with handmade felted cupcakes than plastic ones made across the Pacific Pond.


It is worthy to note that charitable thrift stores do not destroy leftover
merchandise like many conventional retailers do. This January 2010 post cites how some major retailers often destroy unsold merchandise before tossing it in the dumpster (the corporate misanthrope instead of the philanthrope). Conversely, unsold merchandise from the thrift store is packaged into huge lots and sold to third world countries where these items are used and appreciated. That's why we see photos of kids in rural Bolivia wearing NFL t-shirts. Goodwill Denver even maintains a pile of shoes without mates that are sent to countries where landmines are a problem.

Certainly items bought in thrift stores may eventually be tossed in a landfill. But even if a pot purchased at a thrift store is eventually thrown away, at least its product life cycle was prolonged – directly translating into a smaller stream to that landfill. That pot could easily be donated multiple times, too.

Mirror, Mirror

There’s no shame in scoring something cool (aesthetically pleasing) at a thrift store, especially if it’s vintage, not a knock-off. It’s fun, and there’s no sin in sharing a story of a successful thrift safari find. There’s a practice that plays out in the conventional market that I wrote in a September 2009 post. Lots of retailers replicate widely available vintage thrift items, selling them at ludicrous margins when the originals are worth many times more. So, one has a choice to purchase the little fellow below for pennies on the dollar. Isn’t the original supposed to be worth more? Are product designers going to thrift stores for ideas? Quite possibly.


Of course a reuse market is a reflection of the conventional market, peppered with estate items and hidden gems. If crap is being sold in the conventional market, it will filter into the reuse market (so no, thrift is not immune to tackiness or non-useful items). This is no revelation. I wrote a post about this in August 2009, “Standing naked in a thrift store”.

The consumer of a new item has a conscious, free will choice whether they wish to purchase a singing Billy Big Mouth Bass, Chia Pet, chocolate fountain, etc. In the thrift, store an antique Limoges covered dish just might be sitting next to that tacky plastic trophy specimen. I can testify to that.

In conclusion, I prefer to be more original by rescuing worthy items (and perpetuating the useful life of something otherwise disposed of) rather than falling victim to an economic monoculture. But that's just me (and Mr. Golightly).

Americans are screaming the need for a bigger reuse market. Why is there no reply?

I feel frustrated when readers write me, wishing for a market like Denver’s. I want to help them. These people are expressing a genuine need! A need is usually welcomed, if not celebrated in a capitalist society. Filling an honest consumer need is a sure fire way to make money! Unfortunately, I believe our culture is too busy inventing new “needs”. How else would we have products like the Chia Pet and an electronic singing bass mounted on plastic, faux-wood circulating the market?

I’ll testify that one can have an enviable wardrobe, cool furniture and a well-outfit kitchen for less than 5% of what most American’s spend. How? By patronizing the thrift market and exploring other, less conventional means. I value reused products. I’ll troll urban alleys and pick through dumpsters (uh, let’s use the nomenclature “urban reclamation”). Quick with a power sander and armed with a little bit of fortitude, I’ve refinished most of the furniture in our 1,800 square foot 111-year-old home. All this done without a super hero mask.

How do I accomplish this? With a little patience and frequent, 10-minute surgical strikes to thrift outlets while running weekly errands. I also shop with a Flinch Point and strive to stick to my family’s current and future needs.

There’s another fact that makes my lifestyle possible. Denver isn’t among the nation’s top ten most populated cities, but it thrives with one of the nation’s top reuse markets. This makes a big difference, at least for now. I know Seattle and Portland can also boast to be vibrant centers of reuse.

For an assortment of reasons the reuse market needs the attention of Offices of Economic Development at the municipal, state and hopefully national levels. I’ve written to elected officials. Rarely do I hear back, mostly with form letter.

The charitable reuse market, with infrastructure in place, is waiting for some great public promo. But, so few Americans go to them, as I discussed in an opinion in The Christian Science Monitor nearly two years back. I’m not certain any critical mass of economists have dared ask the simple question, “What percentage of Americans shop thrift stores, and what is the benefit to our economy?” It would be refreshing to see our universities’ economic departments offer courses that address the reuse market. Or, would major benefactors balk in retaliation?

Promoting a robust reuse market in America isn’t trivial. Neither Mom and Pop thrift stores nor charitable thrift stores have the big bucks to hire slick lobbyists to stand on the steps of the US Capitol, pull elected officials aside and give them Wet Willies, or even a respectable wedgie to open their ears (and mouths) to start promoting – let alone tackling some minor legislation - to grow the reuse market.

Even the Professional Association of National Resalers isn’t so appetizing. No offense guys, but your acronym is NARTS. What does that rhyme with?

It’s near impossible to have the charitable thrift industry get behind reuse and drive the market. Thrift stores are simply funding their programs to aid America’s growing disadvantaged by providing an alternative to mindless consumerism.

There’s a very strong irony in play. More of us are inflicting our own economic disadvantage from years of carelessly participating in an Economy of Crap ushering in The Harbingers of Decline. We as consumers should know better. Participating in the non-mainstream market is like preventive medical care – it leads directly to personal and economic well- being. If the current thrift industry invested more in growing the reuse market they would actually prevent more people from needing programs for the economically deprived.

Millions of us are already unemployed and economically deprived thanks to disasters like the fox guarding the henhouse debacle of Enron, cutesy mortgage credit default swaps, and larger banks clinging to Federal bailout funds to push profits (and fund bonuses) instead of lending money as intended. Didn’t we learn anything from the savings and loan debacle from the ‘80’s? Why do Americans shop and vote like they are ignorant, happy-go-lucky millionaires?

How I’d love to see consumer incentives that make thrift sales exempt from sales taxes. Or incentives/subsidies in the form of lower rate retail leases for repurposing stores in or near heavily trafficked shopping centers. I dream of seeing a high-end Goodwill next to J.Crew, so shoppers can contrast value side by side. How about incentives for stores that sell “new” merchandise, mix in some “reused”? Little boutiques do it. Why not bigger stores? Oh, I’m full of dreams and ideas on pushing re-use. I may be scrappy, but my voice is paltry against the noisy American Retail Machine, in a nation that exploits most of the world’s limited natural resources and sustains this bogus activity on mounds of growing credit, mostly in the form of debt.

Perhaps I should contact Denver’s Office of Tourism and urge them to promote “Thrift Shopping Vacations” to the Mile High City. Good grief, hoards of shoppers visit Minneapolis simply to go to the Mall of America! Say what? I’ve no doubt that the Talbot’s, Banana Republic, Gap, etc are not all that different from those in the town you live in. If you must, you can pay the airfare, lodging penalty and make your offerings to the food court gods and see for yourself. While you do that with your family, I’ll make a few mortgage payments.

For now, all I can say is we have to be our own advocates of reuse. If we want a stronger alternative market, it probably best to actively participate in the one that’s already there. That’s how the market works, even if it desperately needs an accelerant.

Too skimpy of a market? In some places, sure. Use your voice, urging people in your community to purge their homes (and lives) of stuff they no longer need nor use, and donate. The reality is the inventory is already in or near your town, it’s just sitting in private homes, not the shelves of your local thrift store. Urge those around you preparing estate sales to donate goods to the thrift cause. Instead of waiting for winter to pass to have a yard sale, donate items now. Thrift stores are like year-round yard sales! Proceeds from the sale will not be cash in hand but will come at the end of the year in a very refreshing tax write off. The deduction is a lot more than most people think.

Re-use is common sense. It hasn’t been that long ago in 20th century American history that trafficking in used goods was considered o-so-gauche. “Use only new” is merely a marketed tactic for Wall Street to raise profits. By comparison, do even a minor amount of online research and find out how used goods are viewed in other developed countries, like France.

I don’t have a problem with corporate profits, per se. I really don’t. We’ll always have new goods. But, when crap is being pushed on shaky grounds, shaky credit, with cooked books and on a planet that needs to find more ways to address environmental sustainable practices, I think we need to rethink our priorities.

Comments from this post sprouted three more posts: "Myth-stakes", "Am I just a bottom feeder of conspicuous consumption?" and "Am I a blog snob?".

All is (Not) Quiet on New Year's Day

The lot at our neighborhood Goodwill is a bottleneck of cars queued up to donate holiday gift castoffs, some still in boxes with “To/From” tags still affixed; coffee machines, mixers, and televisions replaced by gifted upgrades; and other purged during the last minutes of 2010 to snag the documentation for a tax write off come April, 2011. (Mr. Golightly does the taxes and gives the skinny on tending to those in his post "Thrifty tax time".)

Straggler donations will continue to filter in through January when "organizing stores" urge Americans to dig through their closets and purge by offering annual sales on closet shelving and storage bins. Which begs the question - do we need more bins or less stuff?

This makes January an exceptional month in thrift stores. One can score a two-year old TV for a tiny fraction of the original price. Wary that it might not work? Find an outlet in the store and plug it in. Also, Goodwill (and the other giants of thrift) have return policies, so just ask. It amazes me how Americans are so quick to rush out and purchase the newest generation of an electronic product that rapidly depreciates in value - and the next generation of this very same products is being produced in factories and will be available as soon at it can be shipped across the Pacific, clear customs and get trucked off to the discount retailer.

It is also the start of men’s suit season when gentlemen clean out their closets to forgo what no longer fits. Some gentlemen finally come clean and admit they're never going to have that size 32 waist ever again. I believe there was a Seinfeld dedicated to Jerry marking his Levis the size he used to be.

Today I scouted in my routine ten minute surgical strike:

New toys and games still in the plastic wrap. One that caught my eye was a plastic case ten plush animals for baby all neatly arranged with the FAO Schwarz tags dangling from the handle. A gift tag on the bottom read "For Ben" from an undecipherable signature. Why Ben’s parents didn’t want these animals, I know not. Perhaps Ben’s nursery is already full. Goodwill priced it at $5.99. Too bad I don’t have any infants in my life. There were Barbies and tea sets and no doubt more is to arrive.

An unopened hefty plastic casing container displaying a SiPix Stylecam Blink II Digital Camera for $5.99. Amazon has this camera discounted from $139.99 to $118.20, I don’t believe that includes shipping. For an original sale price of $140, I must say that the original packaging looks like hell anyway. Despite it being new, I’ll repackage it to make it look more enchanting.

A darling set of spring green new childrens wooden lawn furniture: a love seat; an Adirondack chair; and a picnic table for $34.99.

In addition, new kitchen electronics like a tea steeper - it looks like a coffee maker for tea. But, I love my vintage British Simplex whistling copper pot found for $6. It’s a classic design, Simplex still makes it today. Click here to see it, it’s the first model. I never knew of Simplex tea kettles until I started thrift shopping. Shopping thrift has provided me a very in depth product education. Probably one that most retailers don't want me to have.

More, you say? Many new clothes with tags still dangling and a few vintage coats that I adored. But, I already have more gorgeous vintage coats and capes than I can wear in a week. It’s a weakness of mine. Fortunately the cost I paid for my entire cashmere blend collection doesn’t even come close to the cost of something similar from a department store. And, I must come clean, I love the compliments. The mean part of me loves telling people it’s a one of a kind vintage I found for $15. Sorry, it’s fun to accept a compliment on something that other people can’t rush out and buy at the local mall. In a wicked sort of way it makes it MINE!

Here’s where this gets really interesting, tomorrow when my neighborhood Goodwill opens it’s doors at 8AM, most everything in that store will be 50% off. Same goes for all the Goodwill stores in the Denver metro area.

I am not a person who gets up at 3AM to stand in line to go shopping, but tomorrow is another day. 8AM? That’s not so bad considering it only takes me five minutes to get to the store and I can slap my black beret over my bed head. Or, maybe I’ll wait until the early evening when the crowd has died down and the stock room continues to roll out the dress racks and the gray bins because the New Year's Day re-stocking process never ends at the thrift store. They're getting swamped with donations and want to keep the mill moving.

If you have young children, you might enjoy taking up the tradition of A Letter From Baby New Year, a post from our sister blog Mommy Golightly.

2011 Holidays on a $1 a day! Start now!

I’ve finally hobbled down the stairs this morning. I realized I'm packaged in my favorite vintage $3 mohair wrap from Neiman’s, handmade sheep-skin lined and hand painted mukluks from Black Dog Rise (bought new for $10 retailing $350), along with several vintage hankies in hand - all from Goodwill. Down with the flu for three days, I’ve been scheming. Time to lay down the gauntlet. Ready?

I challenge readers to spend NO MORE than $365 on the holidays in 2011. Celebrate the holidays for a dollar a day. Consider this a new holiday diet, a consumer diet.

For some this challenge might be an insult because it’s so easy. But I’ll bet for majority of Americans, taking on Everest blindfolded in thigh-high platform stiletto boots seems more likely.

It seems to me no one really knows how much the average American spends on the holidays. Many of us would rather stick our heads in the sand than face the hard sting of holiday expenses. Ever get hit with a snowball in the ear or face? Yikes. A cold, seasonally appropriate dope slap.

I've read figures from $600 to as high as $900, most of which is is slapped on mounting credit card debt. But, I suspect it's more than we think, especially when people are giving pricey electronic gadgets. $900 barely covers the cost of a state of the art television or laptop. Are we to assume the average American gives one gift?

Most of us have good intentions of starting out with a small budget. But the "unexpected" and last minute guilt of not giving enough gifts inevitably invites the credit card danger zone. Toss in the sleight-of-hand retail tricks retailers conjure with “buy three get the fourth 50% off” or purchases made because the shopper is just plain sick of shopping and will buy anything to end the suffering of listening to “The Twelve Days of Christmas” played to a beat that might be more appropriate at a rave. (I think that song that has the most annoying renditions. Well, that and the “Little Drummer Boy”.)

Do such figures include decorating, additional grocery expenses, packaging, and mailing fees aside from the standard gift cost? They certainly count, and it all adds up. Does the average American factor in the purchase of a holiday tree? Some trees easily sell for over $100. How about the cookie press we had to buy to make those classroom cookies? Oops! Did we bust up another mixer trying to slog through 10 pounds of cookie dough? A cookie or two on the sheet happens.

Weigh in the full cost of the holidays, and it’s no nickel and dime affair.

The sad thing about American holidays is that it’s so closely tied to the economy. Shopping figures become nightly news. Retailers plan out their year on a gland slam in the ninth. C’mon! Is that really smart? Put all your bets into just a month or two of the year?

Wouldn’t we all be better off if we invested a little more time in slowly stocking up? Wouldn’t that help build more anticipation? Would having more time to shop make for wiser purchases and result in fewer returns? Wouldn't purchases, spread throughout the year be more sustainable, both to merchants and buyers?

It’s disturbing how returning items has become accepted holiday ritual. Isn't this like re-gifting a retail item back to a store because it's nothing we want or need, especially if so little thought was put into the giving anyway?

We are, en masse, accepting the notion of paid waste during the holidays. What? Why someone would buy a “gift” knowing that it will most likely be returned makes no sense to me. But, it’s a common retail practice and many gift recipients take no offense if they receive a gift that is so unlike them it’s going back to the retailer the next day. This is a waste of time for both giver and recipient, and often a complete waste of money and the resources both natural and unnatural to make the unwanted product.

So think about the challenge. Compare it to your usual modus operandi. If you like, please refer to one of our first posts, “The 2009 Thrifting Gift Guide, A Resolution Revolution”. Perhaps then scan through “Wow! This is so… You! What’s happened to the art of giving?”

Of course it should go without saying my challenge might involve multiple treasure expeditions to thrift stores. If you need advice on converting from conventional retail to the re-use market please refer to a series of post on How to Thrift in the left column. Invest three months in a new thrifting routine, and you'll earn a pair of Snake Eyes discover your personal Flinch Point and happily say sayonara to the long lines at The Monolith Mall.

You don't need buckets of money to make the holidays enchanting. All you really need is a little shift in the way you view time, and some forethought. If you start planning for 2011 now, chances are you will spend less money and enjoy the holidays much more. If you're done before the infamous Black Friday, you'll know you've arrived, and will be much less susceptible to impulse and guilt-induced spending.

Just try think about a dollar a day holidays for now. Should you choose this economic holiday diet, you just might find it's life changing.

We'll talk logistics later.

p.s.
I'll be coming up my Top Five Thrift Finds of 2010 soon.

Thank you

Many people are not aware most bloggers pull little income, if any. Those ads, they don't amount to much, it's more being a part of a blogging publishing community that counts.

This blog is the journal I always wanted to keep but guess I didn't just want to write to myself.

Especially after reading some of the comments in the former post, I am compelled to note that I am often humbled by the words of readers.

In the last post, Amber wrote of a meager holiday thanks to economic circumstances. But she concluded that by not subscribing to the consumer culture she wrote,"

" I still have money in my pocket and dignity in my heart."

Please read Amber's comment in the December 23rd post "Gifting Anxiety".

My wish to you all this holiday is to have what you need and keep "dignity in your heart".

Thank you to all who have written me directly. My email box is always open.

May we all grow, maintain, or restore our dignity in 2011.

Gifting anxiety

I’m no fan of staying up late on Christmas Eve to wrap gifts only to have my daughters wake me up pre-dawn. I’m nearly finished, just a few more to wrap.

One would think completion of such a large task as wrapping would usher in a feeling of relief or satisfaction.

It never does.

After everything is neatly wrapped with personal tags dangling, I step back and look at the whole of my year-round efforts of thoughtfully hunting treasure for my family. Instead of thinking,” Wow! It’s beautiful!” I think, “Wow! It’s such a small pile.” It’s especially small this year.

We’re trained to think that our children will feel completely dejected if there's still standing room in our living room on Christmas morning. We believe our home should look something like the home of Herr and Frau Silberhaus in the Nutcracker mixed with an FAO Schwarz two-story display of toys; beyond enchanting.

It really gets under my skin. I fall for the illusion every year. I begin to feel like I’m a bad mommy because I didn’t scout out enough gifts. I didn’t give enough.

This tempts me to race out at the last minute and fill that void with more gifts.

The reality? I really don’t have enough time to think about what else could be truly meaningful. I’ve spent the entire year searching and thrown a lot of thought into the gifts that sit before me. To think I’m going to find the great and profound missing pieces in the last hour is a bit foolish.

If I did race out to buy more, it’ll likely be gift filler, meaningless stuff thrown in to aid in the illusion that quantity trumps thoughtfulness.

Why this feeling always overtakes me every year is a real stumper. It is far out of line from my standard shopping mentality.

Perhaps I need some sort of therapy for this. Or perhaps, we’ve been conditioned to think we will never give enough presents to our children. The latter is a horrible thought. It would be cruel if I had succumbed to this as a deliberate marketing tactic.

I need a distraction. I think hot cocoa with whipped cream and sprinkles, a fire in the hearth and a family game of dominoes under the tree might do the trick.

I think that’d make more sense than racing out now to buy stuff that’s going to be massively discounted in three days (both in the stores and by the recipient?). Beware of the hypnosis of a big sale. Are you buying it because it’s on sale? Or because you need it?

If you’re feeling an urge to spend holiday cash, wait a few days and then head to the thrift. There you will find rejected gifts still in their boxes. The original recipient might not have wanted/needed the item, but one person’s trash is sometimes another's treasure. And you’ll spend about 75-80% less than the original purchase price.

Does anyone else ever have this feeling? What's your manner of coping?

My wish came true! The First Lady wears vintage!

When President Obama took office, I had sights on Michelle. Why? I truly felt she could make a difference in the world of thrift. Maybe it was her personal background. Or maybe I sensed she was not afraid to make a statement.

I made various attempts to contact her to endorse thrift shopping and join us in petitioning to honor a commemorative, American Thrift Store Month. We have a Frozen Food Month - that'd be March - so I thought it not asking too much. I've loads of schemes: grassroots designers recycling thrift sweaters and men's shirts, thrift fashion week, a parade of homes outfitted in thrift, daily tips on thrift...

But I can only imagine there are thousands of people attempting to have the First Lady endorse their cause.

Imagine my delight when the news hit the celebrity circuit that Michelle Obama wore a vintage dress to a holiday event! Some are claiming she is the first of her line to wear vintage. I'm not really certain if that could be true for it hasn't been that long ago that wearing old or reused items was considered tacky by culture at large. Think about how Coco Channel got her start.

Here is Michelle Obama is in a beautiful design circa 1950's. Bought at New York Vintage in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, co-owner Jon Schneck noted, "Other dresses from our archive have been scheduled for use by the first lady later this year". What! More vintage is to follow?

This dress is classic, posh, elegant, feminine, and full of grace and a delicious dignity! Yes! Dignity and style do not need to be enemies when it comes to womens fashion! Tears of joy are forming in my eyes! Look at her! A timeless beauty!

Thank you Mrs. Obama. I certainly am eager to see your next vintage ensemble and have no doubt you will pull it off in spectacular style.

Take away the packaging!

If you have children or if you care about how a gift if presented, take away the product packaging before giving the gift. Please.

I loathe most all manufactured packaging.

Are Santa’s elves going to craft and present a doll strapped down by 20 wire cuffs in some plastic den of hell that says “Made in China”?

Think like a kid for a moment. Santa’s elves lovingly created that doll with a specific child in mind. Then they paint a smile on it’s face only to force it into a chamber of torture where this doll will surely suffocate before the child can resuscitate it on Christmas day? If this is how you’re going to present gifts from Santa, why go to all the trouble of developing his story?

Again, think like a kid. You’ve wanted this gift for months, maybe a year. So you finally unwrap it and Daddy must whip out chainsaw or hunting knife to break through the plastic and Mommy must pull out the tweezers to undo all the knots. Then all the pointless tiny pink plastic filler is immediately lost in the new carpet of wrapping paper and everyone tries to ignore the possibility that the toddler might find the tiny plastic shoe first and possibly choke on it.

It might take an hour to liberate that doll, so your parents tell you to open more gifts as a distraction while they're all off in the corner cursing and arguing how the hell to spring the it from its plastic prison. Wow. That sounds enchanting, and so relaxing.

I wonder how many families spend Christmas day in the ER getting stitches from using a tree saw to get to those heavy duty poultry cutters cocooned in industrial plastic, the very same material used to make car bumpers.

Well, I’m not getting stitches for Christmas and neither is Mr. Golightly. If I must incur hospital stitches, I want a good story to go with them. Like I saved my family from a mother grizzly about to ruin my outdoor vacation. Or I broke through the glass of a second story window to bust up a mugging of a mother and her infant triplets (all in a row in their custom designed Italian pram). Some event that might be embellished such as to require a mask and utility belt in it's retelling. When I go to the ER or check into the hospital, I want a legend.

Let’s get one thing straight. Santa’s elves do NOT work at Mattel. I've no doubt that any true elf would ever work under these conditions. I'm also certain Santa’s elves don't manufacture petroleum-based plastic products. No doubt they are fighting oil companies this very moment from attempting to build deep-water oil rigs near the North Pole. Imagine a farm of blowout preventers, right behind Santa’s castle! Could it come to pass that we're cleaning off oil from elves?

If we're to embrace the enchantment, we must really put ourselves into the scene to get it right. Besides, it's fun scheming honest to goodness enchantment for your kids. When I'm asked if I think Santa is true, my answer is always, "Who doesn't want to believe in a person who rewards the children of this earth for good behavior for just one magical night during the dark of winter?"

My daughter asked for a bell from Santa’s sleigh a few years ago. Below is what she received; antique sleigh bells nestled in reindeer moss in a birch wood box.


Contrast this to Hallmark’s (keepsake) packaging of Santa’s Bell. Wow. I wasn't aware that Santa uses Hallmark's Trademarked sleigh bells. I figured he had elves that forged them with some magical metal unknown to the Periodic Table.


As a child, which would you believe to be the real deal from the North Pole? Uh, how many graphic designers work for Hallmark? This is what they thought kid's would believe? Or is this what they thought parent would buy?

The wasteful product packaging sitting on store shelves is not designed to be pleasing and delight the consumer. It’s designed to outshine the competition, or to not be an easy item to shoplift. So, DON’T wrap it, put it under the tree or in a stocking.

A side note on stockings: Santa does not have a contract with any candy company. His elves make the candy onsite - best to go with wax paper wrapped candy like salt water taffy. Though I do suspect that if he did go with a candy brand, it would be something that has an old world look to it like classic Mary Janes.

Ever gone to Crate and Barrel? It has a fantastic atmosphere. Why? The products on display are all removed from their packaging. A newcomer to the store is delighted by a display of pots. The customer excitedly picks just the right pot to place in their shopping basket. Stage left, enter the sales staff to kindly note that they'll pull the merchandise from the backroom. At the register, a box is presented with the manufacturer’s name plastered on nearly every surface. The pot that was so appealing is lost in a mess of cardboard, plastic and paper.

Funny story. I bought my first coffee maker at Crate and Barrel. When given the model I carefully selected now hidden in a Krups box, I was tempted to say, “Can I just have the one on the shelf?” The actual product had much more appeal without the packaging. That damn packaging took the fun out of my whole purchase experience!

Packaging often does this. It steals the fun out it all and serves as a reminder that the item was not made especially for us.

Ever buy something in a box only to bring it home and find half the contents missing? I once bought two boxes of barware only to get home and discover the items filthy from another person who bought them, used them and returned them. On that same shopping trip I scored a new, vintage-inspired jacket from Banana Republic, it’s $99.99 store tag directly contrasted to the Goodwill tag for $4.99.
So I went to the thrift store and bought new merchandise for a thrift price and went to the chain retailer and bought used merchandise for a new price.

A plus on thrift shopping, more often than not, is that I don’t need to manage excess packaging. I get to actually touch the product I buy with my very own fingers! With thrifted clothing, you are often witness to how the product washes and wears. Ever bought an expensive new sweater only to have it pill on the first wash? I have. Tell ya what, I really don't enjoy shaving my legs. How do you think I feel about shaving a $100 sweater?

So, as you wrap the gifts you have so carefully scouted out for those you love, don’t forget to take care in how the gift is presented. Take it out of the box. Get creative.

If you’re afraid to take it out of the box because you suspect the recipient might return the gift, perhaps you should return the gift yourself and think a little more about what might genuinely make those you love happy. If you’re having a hard time with ideas, read the post below. The perfect gift just might not require any shopping at all.

For those who've followed this blog, I will note that my youngest daughter, Little Pie, asked Santa for a record player, a quill pen and a plush horse. We have a family tradition to ask for three items. Anything more might appear greedy. Santa's gifts are usually not wrapped and prominently displayed for immediate use. Should you need to wrap a present from Santa, don't use regular wrapping paper. Remember, Santa is very old and resourceful. He doesn't shop for wrapping paper and pre-made bows. Use craft paper and twine or a tin. If your child asks why Santa didn't wrap his gift, tell your child, "That's only on TV".

If you're curious as to what Little Pie asked for last year, refer to the post, Santa's elves shop at thrift stores too!

When giving gets personal

Most Americans think it disgusting to give a gift from a thrift store or something used, unless it’s something huge like a car, a boat or a second home. I’ve given reused and re-purposed gifts for years and been met with gratitude, not a slap on the face. I have never been re-gifted a gift I gave - quite the tongue twister but, I’ll bet there are plenty of people who have experienced just that. Nor have I seen my gifts sitting on the thrift store shelves. Though I have put plenty there myself.

Why the common American associates thrift with old socks is a head-scratcher. Why the common person associates a gift from Wal Mart as classy, a double head-scratcher. I’ll take that vintage Nieman Marcus plaid mohair wrap for $3 over a $99 mass-produced bicycle with a planned obsolescence of approximately two years any day. Better to darn a slight moth-eaten hole than to have new bicycle breaks fail in city traffic.


This year, I’m taking gift giving a step cheaper. This recession landed on my family like Dorothy’s house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, and we’re still pinned under it. I was not able to routinely visit the thrift store to find treasures throughout the year as I have in the past. Yup, even that $10 purchase scoring me six items was too much to spend.

Like many American families, mine is geographically scattered. I am no Cyber Monday shopper. Perhaps I’m old fashioned but I like to hold and examine the sweater before purchase because brands no longer guarantee quality, only a name. This phenomenon is something that probably really grates on the few brands that still take pride in their quality. I suspect those manufacturers still exist. I hope.

Quality has become to be something akin to fairies. Something we want desperately to believe in, but reality doesn’t offer much proof. Perhaps, if enough of us clapped our hands and pleaded, “I do believe in quality. I do!” We could revive it, like when the Darling children save Barrie’s Tinkerbell.

There’s so much stuff in the American market, I’m not certain the average American knows what quality is; they’re just thrilled to buy three t-shirts for $15. Never mind the fabric is cheap, the stitching poor it and the cut out of line or that it will likely fall apart in the third wash that is if the clothes washer can make it through the third wash.

This last week, my dinning room table disappeared under boxes and re-used bubble wrap as I pulled out and wrapped gifts for those living out of state. Shopping was sparse this year. Running both hands through my hair and releasing a sigh, I realized there was so little in the gift queue. Not only am I short on time but dollars as well. Another sigh.

That’s when I decided to shop my own home. I have various rare curios, vintage cookware, hard to find books; not massed marketed stuff. If I enjoy having them, wouldn’t some one else? Is it not a symbolic gesture to give something you love that you know will be accepted with gratitude? Isn’t it the thought, not the cost that matters? We say that, but how many of us practice that?

What am I giving? A copper double boiler and strainer that I do not use nearly as much as the person I’m giving it to will. My sterling baby cup given to me by the wife of the Colonel of my father’s unit; he was at war overseas when I was born. His unit is engraved on that cup. I’m giving a hefty rock of amethyst quartz crystals I found ten years ago on a hike in the Rockies to a person who I know values unexpected treasures and the thrill of finding them. I’m giving my daughter my recorder from childhood so she need not borrow one from her school.

It disturbs me how so many Americans are in extreme economic hardship but the media doesn’t really reflect this. The holiday commercials still run on an irritating loop.

For those of you hit by these hard economic times. Please fall out of the retail hypnosis of the season and give of yourself. Think about what others might enjoy that you have and let it go. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do with love?

No doubt, the market wants us to think giving used items is an insult and not considerate. A monetary transaction – one mostly on a credit card that is accruing debt – must transpire to legitimize a gift. Least, that’s what we’ve been led to believe.

The practice of giving handmade items, used or treasured has been done for hundreds of years, if not thousands. I think a new three foot tall chocolate fountain or S’more’s maker is more an insult than an old photo album or high school letter jacket; both treasures.

I’m not talking about giving stuff you have no use for. That’s no different than buying gifts people have no use for. Both are tacky, waste energy and end up in landfills or in third world countries in huts with no electricity. Who knows what these harebrained inventions are thought of there. No doubt it’s not good for foreign relations or how Americans are perceived.

I’m talking about the items your friends and family constantly note. I have an ancient Emile Henry baking dish that with crazing so intricate, it looks like it could be a map of Paris. I wrote of it in the post Haunted Cookware. I also have a friend that adores it. It cost me 99 cents. Luckily for me, she is one of the few people I was fortunate to score a gift. Lucky for her, her gift is old and French and will be welcomed, perhaps not as much as the ceramic baker would be. I’ll make a deal with myself, if 2011 is anything like 2010, 2009, and 2008, she will have it in 2011 and I will be happy to give it to her.

Call me tacky. Call me cheap. But, you can’t call me stupid for spending money I don’t have because the American retail system makes me feel obligated to buy gifts that my friends and family don’t need.

Here we go again! Faux is foe! How hard is that?

A quick visit at an import store nearly put a pie in my face. Kokeshi and Matryoshka dolls are the new black in holiday decor, stationary and cookware. What Japanese Kokeshi dolls have to do with the holidays is one big head scratch.

The sad thing is both dolls have origins in pride, originality and craftsmanship, celebrated for their unique quality. And both traditions have been around longer than anyone reading this post.

Seeing them massed produced and sold for ridiculous prices is heartbreaking. Once again a case where consumerism has made the cheap knock offs more expensive than the originals. I was about to expand on that thought but realized, I all ready have.

That original, hand-painted, bone china Wedgwood tea cup for $4 at the thrift store? It's 80 years old and has a chip! Toss it over your shoulder and buy a mass produced ceramic one instead.

Same with the Kokeshi and Matryoshka dolls. Nevermind they are a cultural tradition. There's a whole display of them at the mall - all made in China. Maybe shoppers can buy one get one free or super-size.

Faux is foe!
August 27, 2009

I encounter it all the time. Say it’s a dainty teacup with elaborate crazing and a blurred emblem with letters that look like they might be from a French restaurant long past. I think, “Why, that’s darling!” I am so enraptured by the prospect I fail to note the finish is a bit too shiny, the style too modern. I turn the teacup over to see that cursed Made in China sticker stuck to the object like a canker sore devaluing it and my confidence that I can sniff out a fake. I feel infected.

Why do we have an entire retail movement dedicated to presenting a vintage appearance to NEW products? Isn’t vintage earned? Fading and crazing often accompany use. Add a slight chip to represent honest use. Now that’s a real treasure, a piece of history. With age, don’t we chip and craze? Many cultures place a high value on scuffs and tears; signs of wisdom and experience.

I like to imagine that these items, products, have little souls. Take that fake vintage teacup I referred to and serve it at high tea. THAT teacup, with no experience, would shout, “Help! I’ve never done this before! Quick, I need Valium! Oh, I’m starting to shake and hyperventilate!” Who wants a shaking teacup? While, an old, experienced teacup would lovingly say, “How many lumps of sugar, dear? Milk? Lemon?” The aged, experienced teacup provides comfort.

The fact that manufacturers attempt to create vintage in factories in China is a complete head-scratcher. Add in that people actually buy this stuff and it gets troubling. Now, think about the prices people pay for these new, old-looking items! Is having something that looks old in pristine, new condition a sign of a refined style? I don’t think so. I've fallen prey to this before but those days are gone thanks to the thrift store.

In many ways, thrift stores are a mere reflection of the new product market but with a wonderful dash of estate goods. The fakes run out onto the field but at least there is competition from the originals. In thrift stores we have level playing field and the shopper is referee. I blew an “Out of bounds!” whistle at that fake teacup.

I’m not writing about furniture found in alleys and thrift stores brought back to life by painting and refinishing and sold in boutique home stores. That’s reuse or repurposing. It’s imaginative; art. I’m talking about massed produced furniture that is made to look like its distressed and 100 years old. Good gracious!

I guess it’s somewhat parallel to the American ideals of preserving physical youth. We can’t fight off age. So we suck in Botox and attempt to surround ourselves with objects that look old (like we are) but are new in origin (like we are not). Perhaps we are trying dictate what is agreeable and stylish when it comes to signs of age in both plastic surgery and product manufacturing. Perplexing, no?

If I could wave a magic wand on women and I'd convert crow's feet to peacock feathers. Frown lines would become endeared frauleins to keep your spirit young. Frolicking frauleins to accompany you wherever you go making you laugh and smile, getting richer with age.

How a woman ages is not based in plastic surgery, it is based on her ancestry (genetics), her choice of her lifestyle, the scars from mistakes…In the end shouldn’t our bodies be a part of the book of our lives? I agree that trauma deserves help, but everyday living should be celebrated.

Put an end to this madness! Celebrate age! Say, “No to faux! It's off to the thrift store I go!" Acquire originals and be an original.