Yes, I'm guilty

Yes. I love to shop at thift shops. Yes, I resell some of the items that I buy. The mantra, "reduce, reuse, recycle," means more to me than just jumping up and down on the kitty litter boxes in order to take them to the 'convenience center' with a clear conscious. My philosophy is this: for every item that I resell, that's an item that's being reused and replaces an item that would be bought new off the shelf. I scour the racks looking for American-made goods and feel that for every American-made item that finds a new life, that's one less cheap Chinese item to clog the national closet. For those who know me, they know that I have my own personal boycott against Chinese-made goods. I've passed up some wonderful items because of its place of origin. My conscience is clear and I give myself a mental pat on the back when I do so. Do most people feel this way? I don't know; I can only speak for myself, but my love of country contributes to this feeling and this action.


Ours is also a label-obsessed nation....and brand names sell. I know...I have my own favorites and I can't pass up a pair of Enzo Angiolini 'Liberty' flats...even those that don't fit me! Guess what? I resell them :). Would you like to know how many pairs I personally have? That I've found at Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.? Let's see: there's the lime green pair; two pink pairs; the navy pair with red plaid vamp; the brown pair with brass studs; the black patent pair; the two ivory pairs; the other blue pair, and that's just off the top of my head. Liberty flats, for those who know fashion, are kind of stuffy and nontrendy. I've been buying the same style of shoe for ohhhhhhhhh, at least 15 years. I like them. They're kind of dorky, and scream "Matron!", but I love'm and you just wouldn't believe how many pairs I find! But I digress.


What I want to address is the troubling observation I recently made. Labels that have been cut out of clothes. Why would one do this? If one makes a donation to a charity shop or thrift shop, why would one care to cut labels from garments? Is it a hateful little idea that to do that means that it can't be resold? Or do they think that the peasantry who will shop for these items won't care that the label is removed? Even more annoying than the brand label being cut out, is the size, material content, and care label being removed too. All I want to know is why? I want that woman who did that to tell me why she did it. The only reason I can think of is contempt. Contempt for those who will ultimately buy those garments.

Vera With the Ladybug

It started with that tv show about hoarders. You know the one. It makes you take a long look at yourself and you snort and feel all superior and you declare......"No! I couldn't possibly be tha-a-a-a-t. I'm a collector. Big diff." Ummmm yeah. Sure.

One thing led to another; another led me to the garage. Cliff Notes version of the story: 6 boxes of books went to a favorite thrift store. Six shopping bags of clothing went to Salvation Army. I'm reeeeeally feeling superior now! It always helps to make room for the stuff that will inevitably be dragged home.

When I dropped the books off, I felt guilty about dropping and running, so I felt I should be polite and browse. Which I did. In the bottom basket at the end of the men's pants row are the scarves. And there was my latest Vera scarf. It's polyester, but the condition is terrific and the pattern's groovy. I love the color combination of pink and olive. The paisley pattern is classic and can never go out of style. It feels so rich and has a beautifil drape. I haven't taken the time to date it, but I wanted to share!

Emilo Pucci Formfit Rogers Gown and Robe

I was strolling down the lingerie aisle at a favorite charity store and this fabric leaped out at me. It was a splash of color in a morass of tired flannel and saggy teddies. It was immediately special. I'm a fabric toucher and a label reader, so when I saw the two words "Emilio Pucci," I knew I had a winner. It was a very good day.

In 1959, Emilio Pucci decided to create a lingerie line. His atelier in Rome advised him to develop the line abroad, avoiding the difficulties of a decade earlier in matching available fabrics to the patterns of his first swimwear line. As a result, Pucci came to Chicago giving the lingerie contract to Formfit-Rogers mills. The venture proved to be successful, and Pucci was made vice president in charge of design and merchandising for the company a year later.

This peignoir set is vintage 60s or 70s. It features Pucci's signature bright colors of hot pink, rusty orange, light pink, and pale chartreuse with his initials being a design element. Known for his bold kaleidoscopic prints, this pattern is almost dainty in comparison with rows of loose bows on a lacey border. Pucci designed in Italy and his garments were American made. The borders are pieced on the gown and robe with tiny darts forming the circular border around the neck of the robe. The nylon fabric is thin and fine. The set is a lovely example of quality American made lingerie.