Question: Daddy, tell us the story of how you got started with vintage clothing.
*snicker* "Daddy…" LOL
Answer: I feel compelled to point out that most of it is not vintage, second-hand yes, but not vintage. I am too tall for most vintage clothing, but I do assemble things and alter them in ways that encourage that look. Just to clarify.
That said, over the course of three years (2005-2008) I went from my massive post-chemo weight of 275 down to my current 215 (which fluctuates +/- 5 pounds). Nothing I owned fit me. In fact when dressing to go out, I would swim in clothes that used to hug my body, leaving me often with the lingering impression of being the newest AIDS poster-boy for wasting. Even though I lost the weight through healthy means.
During that same time frame, I had rather successfully managed to shrink the cost of my life. I finally managed to live within my means. New clothing is costly, even the cheaply made stuff (and most all of it is cheaply made these days!). I have this crazy artist friend; she always dresses in that great hip crazy artist manner and she would always tout the virtues of this place she called the DAV. Her favorite reply about her wardrobe? "Thanks, DAV; only a quarter!"
LOL I find myself doing the same thing; we are both working to cut back on the usage… LOL
There are numerous locations in the KCMO metropolitan area. Some in KCK as well, but only the Missouri locations have the twenty-five cent sales on Sunday. The store has five colored hang tags, which are rotated on incoming stuff. Every Sunday, one color is twenty-five cents, or five for a buck, and one color is half-off. This rotated weekly, before a color is returned to the rotation for new stuff.
I usually shop at two location; one religiously and one sporadically. The first one has the largest stock and selection of the KCMO locations. It seems to me this location has a great hook-up with professional cleaners about unclaimed articles. The second has a great habit of bunching things like scarves and sewing trims and such into grab bags for next to nothing. And it has a better selection of hats, when I can actually find one to fit my big fat head…
When I first started visiting the DAV, it coincided with an internal struggle about identity and choice. I felt I had been just getting by with my appearance, just following habit and not choosing any of it. I was looking for a conscious reinvention. I had survived chemo and lost all that weight and wanted to create a language out of how I presented myself.
The stores have blue jeans for an insanely cheap price; like everything else, but that are new era blue jeans, all the trips and flashy trims and finishes they do these days. Too hipster for me. And there was always a crowd. Then I started finding all these ties for five for a buck. And beautiful sport-coats for a quarter. The slacks in my size move faster, so I don’t wait for the big deal if I find a pair I want. half off is good enough. Shit! For the most part, full price is five bucks.
This all started some time last fall, maybe late summer. In late October, I started my Sunday Style posts as a means to document the transformation. Lately, I have been moving further into what I would call costuming, even though I hold the idea that any clothing makes a costume… Honestly, when a person hangs out with artists and burlesque dancers, the occasions for costumes begin to pile upon you! I have made occasions for ties and sport-coats. I am happy to do so.
Clearly, the question hit a sweet spot for me, but I will end it here; I have rambled enough.
March is question month: ask your questions here.
gryphon's hole 