It bears repeating: Kansas City is an awesome place for thrifting. You may have heard me say something of the sort here and there.
Understanding that sharing the numbers may border upon bragging, I would like to drop some recent examples, to explain explicitly exactly how much so…
Weekend finds:
- seemingly new brown leather briefcase, with nice broad shoulder strap, eight bucks, full retail: 350.
- four dress shirts, various labels, one french cuff, sixteen bucks total, full retail: 250.
- soft pink (long-sought-after) pique knit polo shirt from Jos A Bank, one buck, full retail: 80.
- two pairs Banana Republic trousers, one wool, one linen/cotton blend, fourteen bucks, full retail: 275.
- seven neckties (including one from a bespoke shop in Beverly Hills), twelve fifty total, retail price: over 500 with almost not including the bespoke tie.
Whew!
So, really, this whole clothing thing of mine… It has wrapped itself into most every corner of my life and being, but somewhere at its start is a drive to feel like a real, viable consumer in a capitalist world while working with a tiny budget.
I used to work to hold myself at twenty bucks a week, and I would get made at myself for spending so much. To break it down, that would only be a bit over a grand per year, a tiny budget for wardrobe and accessories and housewares… this list above had a budget of fifty-ish, but I have gotten to a place of not-every-week. Plus, I am spending more per item to fill in those missing perfect things.
I am not sure if it helps when I get frustrated at my spending to note that the above list would retail at half again more than a thousand bucks.
Most days, it’s almost enough to let me feel like I have a decent job that affords me an enjoyable living… ;P
*smooch*
gryphon's hole 