I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded the “Queen’s Crown” by a gay friend, for excessive purchases of clothing at bargain prices. 🙂 A few days ago, a friend took me shopping at Thrift Town in San Francisco, where I bought:
12 tops:
–5 silk blouses (cream, magenta, fuschia, teal, and olive)
–4 linen shirts (white, white, burgundy, chocolate)
–1 short-sleeved men’s shirt, terra cotta
–2 white cotton men’s shirts
2 vests:
–1 light gray, classic waistcoat
–1 blues and mauves, patterned, heavy tapestry weave (reminded me of upholstery fabric)
7 pairs of pants:
–3 pairs of wool pants (charcoal, burgundy, green-gray herringbone tweed)
–4 pairs of khakis-style pants (tan, black, dark blue, brown)
–2 shirt-style blazers (green linen, black microfiber)
–1 orangey-brown wool coat, ankle-length, hand-tailored(!)
–1 black trenchcoat
–3 belts
a total of 28 items for a mere $112.50 (!) Two giant bags (like trash bags) full of clothes.
Better yet, all the items were new or nearly new, Macy’s quality or above. Stuff I would have paid $80-300 for at retail. At an average of $3-4 an item, including both coats. Beat that. 🙂
I can’t claim full credit for it, though, as my friend took me to Thrift Town and gave me all kinds of fashion advice. I asked her how on earth she knew all that, since I never see her in anything formal, and she looked shocked and said, “I was a criminal! I needed to know how each class would look, dress, and act!”
Ask a silly question…
(Actually, given this particular friend, I have no doubt she was telling the truth. She makes my checkered past look downright boring. I stand in awe, and consider her my inspiration. (Well, minus the criminal part, that is. Although I do hope to get arrested someday…))
At any rate, she was really helpful in teaching me useful things like “you have to wear a belt if you wear something with belt loops”, and “your socks match your pants, not your shoes”. Basic fashion knowledge, but I’m a geek…I tend to think of clothing in functional terms, and have always regarded fashion as a Divine Mystery.
I’m still not a strong believer in fashion generally (jeans, T-shirts and Birkenstocks here), but I feel much better now that someone has given me the basics on how to dress. There’s something to be said for choosing to flaunt dress standards; but I don’t like erring through ignorance. If I’m breaking the rules, I like to know exactly what I’m doing and why.
So now I know that a black belt is never worn with khakis (ditto black shoes) unless you are wearing a black top; otherwise you wear brown, which is acceptable for all occasions that don’t involve black. Similarly, brown shoes can be worn with any pants except black, and that you really don’t need anything besides black and brown. And I have an entire new work wardrobe for less than a single pair of pants would cost at Macy’s. (Heck, I got a pair of Ann Taylor wool pants for $5 that I know would retail for $300 at Macy’s.)
But best of all, I have the “Queen’s Crown” for excessive shopping and bargain hunting. I plan to wear it with pride. 🙂
(When you manage to impress a gay man with your shopping wizardry, dang, honey, you’re doing good. 🙂 )
Now I just have to get a drag queen to teach me about makeup, and I’ll be totally set. 🙂
Tien, proudly puttering around the house in her nice new crown
