The Thrill of the Thrift
I remember growing up, thinking that wearing hand-me-down clothes or shopping Goodwill was beyond taboo. Or, a step below that, wearing clothes that you stitched up yourself.
But oh, how you yearned to don fancier frocks. If you are from this era and the Noblesville area, you may remember the two most posh places a girl could shop on the square – Mister Ed’s and Nancy Lee’s Smart Shop. When it came to the annual homecoming festivities, the race was on to head downtown in pursuit of the single, most stunning outfit for the big Friday football fete. It was a ritual not unlike picking out the perfect prom dress. Not only were you charged with finding the most apt apparel for the Big Game festivities, you also kept your fingers crossed that someone else didn’t discover the same delectable duds as you. “Twinning” at this gala affair was every gal’s greatest fear.
Fast forward 20 years and I’m the mom of a teen and a “tween.” GIRLS, oh boy! A lot has changed since I traveled this fine road of fashion-finding. And as a social-working single mom on a barely-there budget, clothing these crazy kids was no easy feat. But much to my amazement, my oldest, Erin, made shabby-chic a trend to contend with. She actually didn’t seem to mind shopping the sales and treasure-hunting at Goodwill. If fact, she EMBRACED it. She seemed to get a kick out of claiming that her look was a bottom-dollar deal. Before long, she was rallying her girlfriends to meander the masses of merchandise in stores all over Lafayette. Thrifting was no longer passé, but posh! Long live my legacy!
OK, so here I am, now a Nana, and the goal is still hunting down the holy grail of half off or more. Thrift stores, consignment shops and garage sales are still my favorite places to wander on the weekend. Every summer’s Saturday, I “let” my hubby sleep in, while, at the break of dawn, I make my trek around town, following my meticulously mapped-out itinerary. My friends and family are well aware that I’m in mission mode, and they’ll need track shoes to keep up with my shopping shenanigans. They often opt to pass on joining me on this weekly ritual of mine.
Yes, there was a time, many moons ago, when pinching pennies and paying a paltry price for our daily attire was fairly forbidden. But these days, I thrive on cashing in on a bargain every chance I get. It’s a game to me, a challenge where I’m always trying to beat my personal best at calculative consumerism. Oh, these jeans? I got them for a dollar! And this top? A fine find for only 50 cents at Grace Thrift Store, where Leslie and Sue know me by name and wonder if there’s something awry if I don’t stop in on my weekly visit to Noblesville!
So go ahead – call me Betty Bargain Hunter or Penny-Pinching Patty … I don’t care! I wear it as a badge of honor in finding fine fashions at a fraction of the cost.
Who else out there delights in dare-to-compare deals? You? Welcome to my world … YOU are my tribe!
Branna (McCarty) Shores believes that “HOME is where your story begins.” A Noblesville native and proud graduate of NHS and Purdue University, she is a professional speaker, advocate for mental health and work / family balance and retired social worker. Branna is the mother of two grown daughters, six precious grandchildren and wife of one brave husband! Her passions include singing, writing and sharing the lighter side of life through lessons learned, both personally and professionally. She can be contacted at [email protected]