The blazer that wouldn't go away

This dark grey blazer did not get off to a good start.

I bought it last July, during a Cruise Night stop into the Salvation Army Thrift Store. (Translation: Mr. Fixit was looking at old cars, and I went along because there's an SA in the same plaza.) This was the occasion on which the cashier asked me if I wanted the 60-and-over discount. Thanks, that just made my day.

I liked the blazer, especially the detail of the big button at the top; but the weather was hot and I put it away for fall. When things cooled off and I started trying to wear it, I realized the sleeves were too long. So I kept not wearing it. Then I crossed it off the capsule wardrobe list. In January, I sent it to the MCC thrift store.

A month later, I saw it on the last-chance rack and bought it back for two dollars. But the sleeves were still too long.

So I did what I should have done in the first place: took it to the cleaner/tailor's to have the sleeves shortened. It's probably the most money I've ever paid for an alteration, but I understand why: lined blazer sleeves are hard to do. That's why I wasn't going to touch them myself.

So now I've not only redeemed this blazer twice from the afterlife of unsold clothes, I've also funded its life-saving surgery. Like owning a cat who's run up a huge vet bill by swallowing a ball of yarn (happened to friends of ours), or a car that's required a new transmission, I get the message that I had derned well better appreciate it and wear it.

So I plan to.