Second Time Around

I have spring fever and I have it bad. The last three days have been in the 70s. Depending on where you are reading this from, 70 degree weather may not sound like a big deal, but after a week and a half straight of 30 to 40 degree rain and sleet, it is very welcome.

So two things happen to me when I have spring fever. The first thing is that I have to stop myself from taking out a second mortgage on my home to buy everything that catches my eye at the local plant nurseries. The second is that I have to stop myself from taking out a second mortgage so that I can buy a new wardrobe that somehow flatters my wintry white legs, and keeps me cool, while still being comfortable.

So since second mortgages are out (we finally just paid ours off, yay!) This year I'm turning to used clothing boutiques, and Savers. Second Time Around on Thayer street in Providence recently saved me from going to a black tie wedding in jeans and a tee shirt. With only 45 minutes to shop, I found a great black dress that I will definitely wear again. They carry lots of gently used designer clothes and boutique extras. (I stick to the used clothing) You can find anything from Prada shoes, to a Milly blouse, to a pair of used Miss Sixty jeans.

Another great resource for Rhode Islanders is Into The Wardrobe, which also boasts a beautiful collection of used designer clothing. There is a wide selection and price range. You may find a pair of Gucci pants and then on the next rack something from Banana Republic, or Marc by Marc Jacobs.

For those who would like to go online and get their used clothing glitz on, there is Rodeo Drive Resale. I've gotten a couple of pairs of used designer jeans there in the past, citizens of Humanity and 7 for All Mankind. They have a wide range of articles. Some pieces there are new overstock, so if you are trying to buy only used clothing pay attention as to if it says new or not. They are very clear about which items are new.

So until more of these designers wise up and go organic, I'll be buying used. I read that 7 is supposed to be coming out with an organic jean, so I'll keep you posted if I find it.

Skinny and skinny and skinny.

Over at Levis, there were a few new additions to their organic line that were nice looking. The best of them were in the skinny jean category, which I'm not always sure I can pull off. That said, there are a lot of skinny young things out there running around in them, so why not make them organic?

Levis did have another non-skinny eco-jean offering, which was the traditional shrink to fit 501s. These are in the red line and carry the heftiest price tag I've seen so far for organic jeans, $245. Damn. Not fully remembering how the shrink to fit era worked, I am intimidated by the fact that when you buy them, they don't fit at all, and you have to kind of guess what size they'll shrink down to. A gamble I might be willing to take at another price, but $245, ouch. Has anyone tried them? What were your results? The thing I like about them is that they are a classic cut, which would probably work better on me...but it's a lot of money to spend on jeans that I know already fit perfectly, let alone ones that may shrink too much or too little.

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of H&M's organic line, which is supposed to be arriving here in Providence next week. H&M's website says that the line will be available in all stores nation wide, so this seems like a great way to get some widely available and reasonably priced organic clothing.

As soon as I have a weekend free, I am planning on visiting my friend Leita from the Y, who also happens to be a seamstress who reinvents used clothing to give it a second life. I have been eager to turn a much loved pair of 7 jeans into a jean skirt. The samples I've seen of her work are great.

I have been really interested in places and people that rethink used clothing, because as of right now I don't have the skills to do it myself. As we move (hopefully) into a more sustainable future, people like Leita will and should be valuable resources. It is a worthwhile search to find someone in your area that can turn something that was once loved, but now needs a little tweaking, into something you can wear for another couple of years.

How used?

It seems as if buying used or vintage clothing is the most sustainable way to go if you want to have the least amount of environmental impact. This is a great interim solution for a lot of the problems that the apparel industry causes for the environment, but it relies on the assumption that lots of people are going to discard lots of items way before they are used up. I know many people who have been excited by a barely used purchase, found at a good price, myself included. I recently was pretty psyched about a wool sweater I scored at Savers for $4. It was as if it hadn't been worn at all. I remember seeing the same sweater new at Nordstroms within the last year. I should feel great about that, right? But what it really points to is a not very well thought out original purchase.

I am all for organic, used and reclaimed materials, but maybe the first step towards purchasing with greener intentions is to really consider the quality and life of the purchase and consider if you will want to wear it for years to come. I purchased a sundress in 1992, that was more than likely not very environmentally manufactured. That said, it could possibly be one of my most environmentally sound purchases because I have worn it many times every summer since then. It is starting to get a little shabby, and I wouldn't wear it to a nice dinner, but it is still perfect to hang out in all afternoon in the sweltering heat. I wouldn't want to purchase the same dress made by the same manufacturer today, because there are much better methods to make a dress, but I hope that I can try to use a little more foresight with my purchases to find things that I won't be sick of by the end of the year.

This said, I am a little torn about a consignment shop I love here in Providence. The owner is nice and does a great job editing her selection of clothing she. Unfortunately, she requires that clothes are from the last couple years, if you want to consign. This does mean that she carries a lot of current and trendy items, but it also means she is encouraging more rampant thoughtless consumerism. I am torn because it is better that the items be used then discarded, but the person consigning is being "rewarded" for buying new items often and then selling them off before they are anywhere near the end of their useful life.

Other vintage or consignment stores that don't promote the same 2 year old time limit can theoretically exercise better environmental practices while still allowing a little more flexibility. They have more of a grand clothing swap vibe. It is possible that you could buy a used item, take care of it and wear it for a few years and then donate or consign it for something else that is new to you.

I am a big fan of clothing swaps, you just need to make sure you start chatting up some friends about your size to invite. Unfortunately, I am a gigantor, so it doesn't happen that often.

Anyone that knows me, knows I'm guilty of pretty much everything I mentioned, but I am trying to reform. I am also trying to rethink things that I have always taken as positive, like used=good. Check out Rusty Zipper for all kinds of used and vintage finds.