2007-06-28
shopping glory
|I was so excited with my ingenuity yesterday.
I've needed to add another pair of shorts to the rotation, but I didn't want to spend any money on them. I know, therein lies the problem. So I swung through Walmart to see if they had anything for $2 or $3 and, surprise, they didn't. But then I remembered we have the Salvation Army store just a mile from my house. So the baby and I trucked on downtown and within five minutes I found the shorts I was looking for.
It gets better.
When I was in the changing room I noticed the price was $4.99. I was bummed out, but knew this was probably the best deal I was going to find and the fit was fabulous, if I do say so myself. So I resigned myself to pulling out a fiver when I noticed a sign that said "Green Tag Sale All Green Tags 50% Off." I checked my tag. It was green, baby!
Yes, that's right. Two dollars and 64 cents (including tax) later I was sporting a new look!
Now I realize most of you fine folks already know about the thrift store as a funky alternative to current fashion. I'm in it for the money savings. Maven Haven was the one who first introduced me to the concept via her blog and it is like a whole new world to me. I'm not so fashion savvy that I could put together an outfit for a wedding from the thrift store, but I'm not going that route. I'm just looking for my stay-at-home-mom uniform: shorts and T-shirt in summer, jeans and T-shirt for every other season.
This calls for a sidenote. (I'm a big fan of the sidenote, if you haven't noticed. To me the sidenote is like a scenic overlook on the highway. We're all headed to the same place. But sometimes it's nice to stop along the way to stretch your legs and enjoy the view. That's what I'm doing when I add a sidenote. It's like getting out of the car, stretching your arms and legs and enjoying nature. Feel free to stretch your neck while you enjoy the written landscape I'm creating.)
The piece de resistance of my outfit is always my Converse low tops. They are my constant. When this world fails me with its instability, I know my Chuck Taylors will be there for me. Each pair is a piece of art, to me. I have amassed a small collection with a few colors to choose from. My mood is reflected by the color of shoe I am wearing. Red is fun and fancy-free. Light blue is hopeful. Dark purple is somber. Navy is all business. Olive green means proceed with caution, rage possible.
Once our associate priest asked me when I planned on giving up my low tops. We must have been at the Fall Festival because I don't attend Mass wearing tennis shoes (much as I would like to I don't think they are appropriate footwear for a religious ceremony, however, I do believe Jesus would enjoy the comfort of a low top should he make a trip down here. I see Him in a classic white low top). The priest elaborated to ask, "Will you wear those shoes when you are 60?"
To which I replied, "Yes. I plan on wearing these shoes to my grave."
2007-06-28 at 6:46 a.m.
