Wednesday, September 30, 2009

It's a couch, a carpet bag...it's a coat!

The other day, I was at lunch with an aunt of mine. After we chatted over some paninis and ravioli we wandered up the street to see what there was to see. We walked into an import shop and admired the jewelry, the gypsy skirts with bells and whistles on them and Mayan masks. But then. Ah, but then...we went into a vintage store.

Vintage stores have historically been my weakness. However, I have managed to repress that aspect of myself for several years simply by not walking by one. But on that day, there was no escaping it—we were going to go in. And in we went to be greeted by retro music and all that old clothing. I dug through all the reams of fake fur coats (circa 1964), 70’s bridesmaid dresses, 50’s sweaters with pearls, hippie jewelry and old plaid shirts.

Then I spotted the most hideous coat I’d ever seen. I just knew I had to have it. I took it off the hanger and tried it on—it fit me good, my wise aunt even said so. I looked in the mirror and decided I resembled an old couch; I liked what I saw. The flowers on the coat were totally retro, it was lined and even had a genuine old-fashioned-looking tag on it. I tartly bought the coat and we scuttled away with me feeling confident about my new purchase. I don’t think anyone else will be wearing the same coat as me this Fall.

And that, my friend, is the benefit of shopping at vintage stores. You can find coats that make you look like a couch and no one else will be dressed like you.

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