Years ago I began hitting thrift stores out of necessity. I just couldn't afford to buy things new. I got all of my clothes and most of my kids' clothes from local thrift stores. At the time, it really wasn't chic or trendy. To be honest, I really envied women who could shop at regular stores and buy things new. I mean, new has a smell! A good smell! And I so wanted to smell like the mall, all fresh, new and never worn before.
Over the years, I was finally in a position to hit the mall and hit it I DID! Amazingly enough, I found that those brand new purchases were no more special or treasured than my thrift purchases. In fact sometimes, they had specials, "Free guilt with purchase" or "Buy one get Buyer's Remorse half off".
Another eye opener came when I started selling on Ebay. I became a power seller (average sales of at least $1,000 a month) digging through piles of clothes in South Texas (right on the Mexican border) in steeping hot warehouses called Ropas Usadas (Used Clothes). Ropas Usadas were HUGE warehouses that were packed full of clothes and all of them contained literally MOUNTAINS of clothes. I had to climb up into the pile and just start digging. I swear, I was the only white woman in those places and I would really have to psyche myself up to go. Getting out of the car, I'd began telling myself, "I have a right to be here. This is America". I was sooooooo nervous! But everyone was really nice to me in a "We don't speak the same language" kind of way.
The best thing about the Ropas Usadas is that you bought clothes by the pound - usually around 35cents a pound! These clothes came from all over the country. I found designer clothes, cashmere sweaters and my best find was a vintage Chanel suit. I bought it for less than a dollar and sold it on Ebay for $202!!!! That's when it occurred to me that people from all over the world were paying big bucks for stuff I dug out of a hot, sweaty pile in South Texas. They felt no shame....these were TREASURES! Ever since, I've been proud to call myself a Treasure Hunter. I still splurge on new things if I really love them, but I've found that what I find on my treasure hunts is just as good, if not better than what I've found at stores.
There is even more that I love about treasure hunting, but more on that later. Until then, I hope you enjoy seeing my finds and I'd love to see what others have found!
This is a great example of Ropas Usadas. It's hot, sweaty, filled with clothes and FABULOUS! I miss it......
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Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! ~Serene