consignment shopping.

I went to my local consignment store today. In order to appreciate this, you need to know how much I hate going clothes shopping:

• I hate the “going” part – I prefer to sit at my computer and take 5-10 minutes to research what I want and then have it magically appear at my doorstep within a few days.
• I hate the “shopping” part – I hate trying on clothes because I have a non-standard shape and can rarely find things that fit well, and I hate how much the kind of clothes that DO fit (and fit my tastes) cost.

I hate most kinds of shopping, but clothes shopping is the worst.  I would rather go to the dentist.  Truly.  Or get a flu shot.  Or have a house full of screaming girls.

So when I tell you I not only went to my local consignment store today, I actually emerged smiling, I want it to mean something!  Because that is exactly what happened.   Here is why.

First, I found some really nice clothes.  Quality brands that are meant to last a while, some never have been worn.  Okay, the jeans I got might be a little bit long, but I am used to that and can work with it.  Some really nice styles, too – I think people were cleaning out their closets for the holidays.  Thank you, people.

Second, I was not overwhelmed by the selection.  This happens to me if I go to a mall.  There is simply too much, and it feels like a waste of my very precious time to go from store to store to try things on, price things out, and then end up back at the first store.  I know some of y’all love shopping and that is fine. But I hate that process.   The exception is if I know exactly what I want, and can just go and get it.

Third, I felt like I was doing something for the environment.  You know: reduce, re-use, recycle.  These perfectly good clothes are not ending up in a landfill, the energy that was used to create them just went twice as far.

Finally, it was amazingly cheap.  I ended up with 3 pairs of pants, 4 sweaters, 1 shirt and 2 lightweight jackets for $67.  Which makes me feel okay if I end up not loving something as much as I thought I would.

I still don’t love shopping, but I sure appreciate it when it appeals to so many of my values.