Posted by IsoM on December 17, 2002, at 12:57:28
In reply to Re: loungewear... » IsoM, posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 12:15:39
I can imagine shopping with you - it would be so much fun. I wish we could! I do think I'm the queen of 2nd hand stuff, but very, very little of it's tacky & if my heart was taken by it.
I've got a beautiful Japanese doll (baby-faced) dressed in a silk & metal Samurai costume in an enclosed glass case for one son. I've innumerable wind chimes of glass, pewter, shell, alabaster, crystals, etc. I love the tinkle of wind chimes. I have a tiny cinnabar intricately carved Chinese snuff bottle. I got a small (my wrists are tiny) bracelet that was thought to be a child's bracelet & not valuable. After cleaning it up & polishing it, I discovered small markings on the inside of the clasp. Checking on the internet, I found it's an 18K gold bracelet valued in the high hundreds. I've got a real silk Chinese jacket & a Suzy Wong type dress. A wonderful London Fog duffle coat for one son. Silverware - candelabra, vases, pitchers, etc. Tiny but lovely ruby earrings. Decorative clay plant pots. And then many mundane but good things I need too like undershirts, soft wool socks (new good wool socks are EXPENSIVE!), shoes, sweaters, jackets, cookware (an electric frying pan that I needed to buy a plug for - also 2nd hand. I found that it was a Salad Master pan that retails for a couple hundred!), small side tables, tea & bath towels. A huge collection of se shell from around the world ranging from smaller than my little fingernail to a couple that fits in both hands. The list goes on & on.
To be honest, I rarely buy anything new & only if necessary. My collections have taken years to build up but I take care of things & they last forever. Old stuff was often made much sturdier & long lasting anyway. The last new clothing I bought was over 5 years ago. (I know other people would gag, but I even buy bras & underwear 2nd hand. I just am sure to buy the clean, good unused stuff & wash everything in very hot water & bleach, if it can take it.)
Even though I was dirt poor until just recently (I've made it to lower middle class now), my son's friends thought I was well off as our place is elegantly & expensively furnished (except for the old sofa). I have good taste & can recognise at a glance that which is expensive & well made. A bit of elbow grease or repair, & it's better than new stuff available now. I take pride in thinking I do my share in recycling by not wasting & reusing. And I'm proud to be so humble about being cheap! *_^
poster:IsoM
thread:33444
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20021206/msgs/33478.html