$69

The holiday season is upon us and I have nothing to wear to all the festivities. I'm pretty much a tee-shirt and jeans kind of girl, so when it's time to dress-up, I'm at a loss. I decided that I just needed to go to a store I liked and not worry about the cost. How much can one or two outfits cost, anyway? I reserved an afternoon and started at Anthropologie. Now, when I typically go in that store I leave in disgust because I want one o f everything and it's all way too expensive. This time, I walked in the door giving myself permission to get a few outfits. Still, I started with the sale rack. I had an armful of party dresses and lacy shirts and skirts and things and was escorted into the simple and elegant dressing area where I would be catered to, if needed. First of all, I didn't wear a bra when I went shopping. Why? Well, the one I like was in the wash. So, you know, that kind of changes the dynamic of clothes shopping right there. I'd just unsuccessfully put on a wash-out color to my hair and it turned out "old Russian lady" pinkish-purple. So, I wore a knit cap. In the end, it all looked bad. How can those clothes that look so lovely in the catalogs and on the racks look so wretched on me? I headed to several other stores- Lucky, Oilily, Nordstrom Rack, a few trendy boutique type shops, etc.

Again, I remained empty-handed. Time was running out. I decided to hit the thrifts, but on my way out of downtown, like a beacon in the night, was a glimmering new TJ Maxx, right where a Staples used to be. They even had a free parking lot, and this was downtown. Yes! I was just
being too snooty before, TJ Maxx will surely have something. Let me tell you, it was hideous. First of all, the worst holiday music ever was playing. The fluorescent lights made me grumpy. The clothes all looked tacky. Okay, I'll switch tactics and just get some cool shoes, I thought. For some reason not one but two young men were working the size 6 aisle restocking or something. They were very busy in the size 6 aisle and I seemed to be in their way. Still, I was determined to not have my afternoon be a total waste. Unfortunately, the few shoes that I did like actually hurt before my foot was all the way in. This just wasn't working. I drove to my favorite thrift on the way home a nd for some reason there was a handwritten sign up saying it was closed that day. Dejected, I gave up and went to get my son from school. I did manage to get a new hair color to cover up the pink/purple, at least.

The holiday events were still looming, though, and I had nothing to wear. Back to the Community Thrift Store on Valencia Street. My luck had turned around. $69 later, I walked out of the store with this inventory: two dresses, one a traditional mandarin collar style in a gorgeous vintage poppy pattern in various shades of green, two pairs of boots, one pair of adorable chunky high-heeled black shoes, a pair of brown wool pants, two pairs of jeans, a slip, a vintage white tin bread box, and a vintage wooden puzzle. Some nice stockings and tights and a maybe some new jewelry and I'm so set for these parties. That is, assuming the dress fits.