Part One
I've tried different ways of writing this post, including using the curmudgeonly rabbit alter ego, but everything has felt like too much overthinking. Here's a final attempt, and I'll try to keep it as simple as possible.
I don't know what the economy is like where you live, or whether you have been seeing the same price hikes we have, even at thrift stores. Some people are refusing even to shop in thrift stores, because they think resellers are taking the "good stuff," or that the thrifting trend has caused prices to rise. Now, I admit, I have seen my share of nutty, worn-out, overpriced stuff. However, that's not all there is, even at the big chains! Sometimes you have to look, and look again. There is no exact system, no checklist, no magic store--it just comes down to looking at things with an open mind, and avoiding as much pricing nonsense as possible (especially the proliferation of "boutique" racks at stores that aren't up to the challenge). But it does help to start with a plan, which is where the Vivienne Files website comes in.
The Vivienne Files has been doing a monthly series based on paintings, and one of them is "The Glen" by Canadian-born artist Elizabeth Magill. I started off using the V-F series as a pattern for this fall's clothes. I realized, however, that, while I enjoyed the challenge of paring down to navy-blue-white (and I found some good navy things that I might not have looked for otherwise), I have clothes in other colours that I want to wear as well, and that's just common sense. So this is going to be an "inspired by" rather than a close copying.
That brings us back to questions like, what do you like to wear? What do you have? What will you be doing? How many clothes do you need? Do you want to be creative with outfits, or make them no-brainers because you're busy with other stuff? What's your weather like? September where I live can sometimes be hotter than August (especially in the afternoons), but there's usually a week towards the end of the month when you wake up and know that yep, summer's done.
Part Two: Start with a Scarf, or Two
A midsummer thrift stop netted me two new scarves, for two dollars apiece. Here they are with a cashmere-blend pullover (just saying that feels luxurious), and a vintage silk blouse (ditto).
