Cheap JAP » Search Results » karma http://cheapjap.com shop cheap. look loaded. Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:38:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 So I’m Writing a Book… http://cheapjap.com/opinions/writing-book http://cheapjap.com/opinions/writing-book#comments Sun, 06 Mar 2011 19:34:58 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10568 I was funny! I was talented! I managed to make a relatively unfamiliar subject matter entertaining!
An overwhelmingly positive response meant the odds of

...keep reading So I’m Writing a Book…

]]>
I was funny! I was talented! I managed to make a relatively unfamiliar subject matter entertaining!

An overwhelmingly positive response meant the odds of my book selling were reasonably good, right?

Wrong. So effing wrong. After pitching the proposal at their respective publishing house meetings, my cheerleaders mutated into cynics. They liked it, but… well… a first time author writing on unfamiliar subject matter was a tough sell. It wasn’t a judgement on my writing – even in their rejection letters, they lauded my voice and my potential. I just turned out to be a risk that a destabilized industry wasn’t willing to take.

I wasn’t just crushed – I was royally fucked. In arrogantly assuming that a book’s fate hinged on quality writing and good content, I’d failed to consider my next move. My funds were running out; my parents’ patience was understandably wearing thin; the dream of a career as resale’s biggest foghorn was fading; reality was rearing its fugly fucking head. I’d turned down editorial positions fashion sites on the grounds that it’d kill my street cred, and for what? To be just another starving non-artist?

I was sick of being told I had great ideas, only to later be told it wasn’t the right time to bring them to fruition. Resale was a growing multi-billion dollar industry; people were shopping it, but that didn’t necessarily mean they’d buy a book about it. From a mass media standpoint, I’d arrived at the party too early.

I still believed in what I was doing, but you can’t fucking feed yourself on faith.

I tend to split hairs on the whole fate/destiny thing. Part of me thinks it’s a matter of choice and willpower; part of me thinks it’s ultimately out of my hands. I don’t know if I believe in God or whatevs. I do know that I believe there’s something out there – something greater than ourselves, something beyond our conception or comprehension. Something that observes how badly we want it and how far we’ll go to get it; something that watches us try and fail and try and fail again, and keep going anyway. Something that witnesses us as we trudge on, at the expense of our pride and against our better judgment. Something that waits in the wings until we’ve exhausted every option and finally hit the lowest of lows.

Last October, I sat on my floor in my apartment with my head in my hands. The experience of pitching a book had castrated me: I’d lost my balls, and the will to keep going along with them. If I was going to continue on my current path, I needed some concrete proof that it wasn’t all for naught.

I then proceeded to do something nucking futs. Something I’ve never done before. Something that at any other time, would have seemed like a crock of voo-doo bullshit.

I asked for a sign.

Ten seconds later, my phone rang. Ten minutes later, I had an offer to co-own a secondhand store.

I got a crash course in running a resale business in the months that followed. I eventually realized my book hadn’t sold for good reason. You can’t claim expertise over anything until you know every facet of the subject on which you’re writing. In my case, that meant I couldn’t write a book on resale until I’d been on both sides of the counter. I’m finally ready to write the goddamn thing.

After my proposal was deemed dead in the water, I was told to view the praise that didn’t pan out as an opportunity. These editors wanted to see more of my work, after all – humorous essays, a funny fashion and style book, a cheeky memoir, perhaps. Maybe I had to get established first before I could write about what I knew best and loved most.

I mulled over the possibility of doing the dog and pony show; of churning out a cutesy coffee table book that’d net me an advance and a promotional budget to boot. It’s tempting. But it’s not me.

I don’t want my first book to be generic and marginally entertaining.
I want it to kick some ass.

Self-publishing takes serious balls. I’m grateful to have mine back.

If this blog consisted of little more than pretty pictures of me wearing cute little outfits a la most popular style bloggers as of late, I could probably keep it going while I write the book. Unfortunately, it’s heavy on content, and content takes time and energy, and I don’t have enough of either to post consistently and get this book done in the next few months.

And so I must bid you farewell and go dark for the time being. I’ll check in via twitter and post periodic updates on how it’s all going. I’ll be thinking of you every time I sit down to write.

Good shopping karma and a big fat MWAH to you all.

VIVA LA THRIFT.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/opinions/writing-book/feed 15 The Do’s and Don’ts of Selling Clothes for Cash http://cheapjap.com/resale/dos-donts-selling-clothes-cash http://cheapjap.com/resale/dos-donts-selling-clothes-cash#comments Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:59:51 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10217 ...keep reading The Do’s and Don’ts of Selling Clothes for Cash

]]>
DO: Clean Your Closet Thoroughly Take a good hard look at your wardrobe, and be brutally honest with yourself about what you do and don’t wear. Items that have gone unworn for six months or more should be removed from your closet immediately. What happens when you hang onto stuff that’s too small on the off-chance it’ll fit again some day? You try it on periodically, and it makes you feel like crap about yourself. Get it out, and don’t look back.

Note: 80% of your outfits come from 20% of your clothes. That means you could get rid of over half your wardrobe, and your style wouldn’t change a lick. I’m just saying.

DON’T: Be Delusional Think someone’s going to pay you for dated work apparel or nineties-era Paris Blues? Think again. Retail might be struggling, but resale is recession-proof: Secondhand boutiques are pickier than ever about what they buy. A Buffalo Exchange staffer summed it up best: “If it’s not something your best friend or sister would want, chances are a resale shopper won’t want it either.” If it’s seasonally and stylistically relevant, it’s a potential seller. If not, into the donation pile it goes.

DO: Divide and Conquer Split your potential sellers into two piles: resale and consignment. A resale store buys your clothes on the spot in exchange for cash or store credit; a consignment store compensates you as your items sell. What goes in what pile? So glad you asked.
Imagine the gently worn world as a highbrow department store. The Premium Designer floor is consignment. The Contemporary Women’s Apparel floor is resale. Helpful analogy, yes?

Read the rest on Huffington Post Style. Tweet for good shopping karma :P .
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/dos-donts-selling-clothes-cash/feed 1 Vintage on the Uber Cheap:Green Village Junk Shop http://cheapjap.com/vintage/cheap-vintage-green-village http://cheapjap.com/vintage/cheap-vintage-green-village#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:40:05 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10152 ...keep reading Vintage on the Uber Cheap:
Green Village Junk Shop

]]> Goodwill Outlet Center has afforded me my fair share of cheap thrills in the past, the act of tackling it in earnest is exhaustifying. Also occasionally nauseating. The responsibility of stocking a vintage/thrift boutique means I’ve recently found myself in dire need of GOC alternatives.

You’re probs thinking “Hang the eff on. You mean you stock stuff you buy by the pound, and sell it individually for a higher price?” You bet your ass I do, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. When you’re stocking a vintage/thrift boutique, and you want to keep your price points reasonable – cheap, even – you’ve gotta go off the grid to find the goods. Our stock costs are lower than most because a shit ton of time and energy goes into finding what we eventually sell. This enables us to tack on a small convenience charge for our efforts in lieu of the offensive mark-ups often seen at other vintage/thrift stores – a fair trade off, methinks.

Revealing where I get some of my stock could, perhaps, result in a loss of business, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. My feeling is, if you’ve got the cojones to go where I go and shop how I shop, I’m not about to deprive you of the opportunity to do so; inclusion begets positive shopping karma. On that note, let’s talk about Green Village Junk Shop.

There’s two apparel options at Green Village: Priced per piece and priced per pound ($2.00 per lb). The per-pound option has one small catch: You gotta buy ten pounds or more to get the deal. Ten pounds of clothing might sound like a lot, but believe you me, it adds up fast. The back bins at Green Village aren’t just a more manageable, pared-down version of those at Goodwill Outlet Center. They’re a vintage fiend’s dream: Retro fabulosity lurks beneath the donated muck. Dig hard, hunt enthusiastically, and here’s a preview of what you might find:




The thriftastic awesomeness above obvs didn’t magically reveal itself to me at the get-go; two to three hours of aerobic foraging is the standard for a haul of this caliber.

My shopping stamina mirrors that of a European tourist at Century 21 these days: I had enough energy at the end of my apparel browse to dig for accessories, which proved equally enthralling.


There was, of course, the issue of travel; first to the laundromat to sanitize, then home to my apartment. Hauling thirty pounds of stock around on foot isn’t fun by a long shot, but trying everything on when it’s still warm from the dryer sure as hell is. A warm and fuzzy end to a job well done.

Green Village, I love you. Viva la thrift.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/vintage/cheap-vintage-green-village/feed 4 Resale Reflections http://cheapjap.com/opinions/resale-reflections http://cheapjap.com/opinions/resale-reflections#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:19:57 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=8579 ...keep reading Resale Reflections

]]>
First-time Author + Questionable Subject Matter + Declining Book Sales + Recession

= Pass on Book.

The questionable subject matter is, of course, Resale.

Sidebar: Whilst preparing the marketing/outreach section of the aforementioned proposal I discovered Resale is a blanket term used to imply all forms of sustainable shopping – thrift, vintage and consignment in addition to itself.

To avoid confusion from here on out, Resale-capital-R means all-things-secondhand; resale-lowercase-r means resale specifically.

Glad we got that out of the way.

The general objection to publishing a book about Resale has been of the we’re-not-sure-about-the-industry ilk. To see if said objection holds any water, let’s take a look at some Resale industry stats and trends:

  • Resale is one of the fastest growing segments of retail.


  • There are currently 25,000 resale stores operating in the United States.


  • Resale shopping attracts consumers from all economic levels.


  • About 16 – 18% of Americans will shop at a thrift store during a given year. For consignment/resale shops, it’s about 12 – 15%. During the same time frame; 11.4% of Americans shop in factory outlet malls, 19.6% in apparel stores and 21.3% in major department stores.


  • The industry has experienced a growth in number of stores of approximately 5% per year for the past three years.


  • The progression from a disposable society to a recycling society (i.e. the green factor) has enormous market potential for the resale industry as a whole. Resale is the ultimate in recycling.


  • Goodwill Industries alone generated $1.9 billion in retail sales from their 2,246 Not For Profit thrift stores across America in 2007.


  • Buffalo Exchange has grown to a 36 store chain in thirteen states. The store employes over 500 people, and generated revenues of $56.3 million in 2008. Revenues will hit $70 million within the next two years.


  • Crossroads Trading Co. rang up $20 million in sales last year at its 22 stores.


  • Resale is a multi-billion dollar a year industry.


All the above stems from a National Association of Resale and Thrift Stores report, and all the above was included in the marketing section of the book proposal. You’re not sure if there’s an audience for a shopping guide to a multi-billion dollar a year industry? Beotch please. I know there is, you know there is, but none of that matters.

What matters is that Resale – in spite of proving itself as recession-proof – is still largely uncharted territory from a media standpoint.

Resale is like porn – or more accurately, like porn used to be. Everyone’s doing it, and no one’s talking about it.

This realization left me with one of two choices. I could leave Resale behind, do the dog-and-pony show, use my newfound editorial connections to write an asinine book about fashion and style a la Nina Garcia, develop a reputation as an author, and then write about what I really wanted to write about. OR…

I could change the fact that no one’s talking about it. I could give the most fiscally, socially and environmentally responsible form shopping there is the one thing it’s currently lacking.

An online community.

The scope of Resale extends beyond this little blog, chickadees. It’s not enough for me to talk about it. I know what you’re thinking: Oh, but I don’t WANT to share the wealth with those who haven’t yet discovered the world of the gently worn. Why should I have to share my tips with newbies? If Resale gets popular, it’ll get more expensive! Can’t we just keep it our little secret?

Not if we don’t want to eff up our shopping karma. Yes, dishing about our fave stores, our latest finds and our best shopping strategies might lessen the odds of a material score, but those odds have always been unpredictable at best. That’s part of the game. An online Resale community won’t just inspire secondhand newbies to take the plunge: It’ll serve as a resource for Resale stores everywhere.

Scenario: You’re psyched to check out a new vintage/thrift store in your neighborhood, but your first visit proves disappointing. The organization’s shit, the quality’s so-so, and everything costs $10-$20 more than it should. You hit the Cheap JAP forums to kvetch about it, and post a topic on overpriced vintage of questionable quality or whatevs. A few weeks later, the store and source of your frustration can’t figure out why its sales are lacking. It googles its way to the forums, sees your post and reads up on a bunch of other Resale shopper likes and dislikes. It decides to test out some of the strategies endorsed and see if business improves, so it gives itself an organizational makeover, and overall price-point reduction of 20 percent. It then slaps up an announcement on the Forums; you see it, and decide to give it a second chance, and OMFG! It used to be a subpar vintage/thrift, and now it’s a kickass store! And it has YOU to thank for its improved business, because YOU’RE the one who started the conversation.

Resale is an industry in which you – the shoppers – have the power. The Cheap JAP forums are a place for you to wield it. They’re also a place for you to exchange style tips, post outfit queries, share DIY creations, debate controversial retail a la American Apparel, and treat Fashion like the bitch she is :P . I’ve posted some topics to get you started, but editorial authority falls to you from here on out. Go. Register. Respond to my topics, or start your own. Converse. Write as you are. (Sorry, had a soooo deep moment there ;) ).

Sidebar 2: I’ve learned an epic amount of internet skillz these past few months but I’m still a newbie in the software world, so kindly email me if you happen upon any kinks in the system.

I’m not giving up on the book, FYI. I’ll write it someday, and self-publish it if I have to. But my voice alone can’t popularize an entire industry. My voice alone can’t inspire the stores in that industry to constantly work at improving the shopper’s experience. My voice alone can’t get those sucked in by discount outlets and sample sales to realize Resale always wins the day.

I have a fucking VISION, goddammit. And you’re all a part of it.

We’re all in this together. Kumbaya, beotches. ;P
]]> http://cheapjap.com/opinions/resale-reflections/feed 0 When Tool Is Cool http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/tool-bags http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/tool-bags#comments Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:07:23 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=5770 ...keep reading When Tool Is Cool

]]>
-Please explain that amazingness on your arm immediately. -Isn’t it fab? I got it at the hardware store! Klein Canvas Tool Bag, $80.00

Lucy’s keen observatory skills make her an excellent source for outside-the-box style and home decor tips – the above bag was initially spotted on the arm of a fellow 4/5 rider. Did Lucy glare at the girl’s find in silent envy? Hellls no. She complimented her enthusiastically instead, and was rewarded with info re: where the bag was purchased. Ace Hardware. Effing brilliant.

Tangent Alert: Yelp reviews are riddled with lines like “I didn’t want to write about X store because I don’t want you guys to swoop in and snag the good stuff, but I guess now that the secret’s out, I’ll reveal how cutting-edge I am for having discovered it first” or whatevs.

Selfish horseshit of this ilk puts you on the fast track to bad shopping karma. It’s lucky for us that Lucy and the anonymous bag source understand that sharing your tips means being rewarded in kind. So, in the spirit of maintaining my already-stellar shopping karma, I’m providing you with five more tool-carrier-turned-handbag options, all of which are well under 200 buckaroos. You’re welcome. :P

Brown Bag Co Alpine Messenger Bag, $150.00, Home Depot; Arsenal Canvas Medium PVC Bottom Bag, $71.95, amazon.com Occidental Machanist Carry Case, $59.95, Ace Tool Online; Occidental Leather Adventure Series Canvas Brief Bag, $165.00, Ace Tool Online Klein Camouflage Toolbag, $59.52, Ace Tool Online
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/tool-bags/feed 4 Leggings, Pumps, Three Dots and a Cell Phone http://cheapjap.com/style/leggings-pumps http://cheapjap.com/style/leggings-pumps#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:37:32 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=5459 ...keep reading Leggings, Pumps, Three Dots and a Cell Phone

]]>
BFF: What are you doing?

Me: Trying to figure out if my Members Only leggings give me camel toe.

BFF: Just wear them with a long top.

Me: I AM, but it’s see-through.

BFF: So wear them with a DIFFERENT long top.

Me: But I have to snap an outfit with THIS top, and I don’t feel like changing. Meh.

BFF: Fuck it, man. Toe happens.

Me: So true.

BFF: Okay, so anyway, about this douchebag…

Me: Yeah, I almost Fbooked him so I could deliver a verbal bitchslap of the nastiest caliber on your behalf.

BFF: That’s very kind, but could you please not?

Me: Fine, but this is the first time I’ve had violent feelings toward a guy I don’t even know for being a jackhole to my friend.

BFF: What are you going to do, beat him up?

Me: Can I pleeeeease?

BFF: NO! But I appreciate the sentiment.

Me: Fine. Karma will get him in the end.

BFF: No shit. Anyway, I was calling because your post on the Golden Globes was a stellar pick-me-up on an otherwise shitty day.

Me: You read it? Yaay!

BFF: ‘I speak Diva.’ Amazing.

Me: You are the ONLY ONE who got that joke.

BFF: How could people not get that joke?

Me: I don’t know. Probs because it wasn’t as good as ‘Toe happens.’

Three Dots Sheer Sculpted Jersey Tee ($26.00 @ Buffalo Exchange); Members Only Leggings ($13.50 @ Buffalo Exchange); Leather Cuff ($15 @ Rags A GoGo); DIY necklace ($5 for materials); Celine Peep-Toe Pumps (price upon request, meaning don’t ask – they’re from my pre-Cheap JAP days).
]]> http://cheapjap.com/style/leggings-pumps/feed 0 Blazers for Basics at Buffalo Exchange http://cheapjap.com/resale/blazers-basics-exchange http://cheapjap.com/resale/blazers-basics-exchange#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:24:06 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3617 ...keep reading Blazers for Basics at Buffalo Exchange

]]>
The Nanette was too big, and I didn’t love it enough to pay for tailoring – I’d rather cash in on it and shop, thankyouverymuch. I liked the uber eighties bolero style of the Nicole Miller, but anything in black satin can only be worn sporadically, if at all (I only know what that word means because of Clueless, FYI). The pale pink MJ was a gift from Mom a few years back; in spite of how much I tried to like it, I never felt comfortable in it. I have boobs, and we all know MJ doesn’t know shit about crafting clothing to accommodate them.

I sold my gently-worn brandtastic blazers to Buffalo Exchange, and snagged the below with my $37.50 store credit. (Note: This means the store value of my merch sold was $75. This might seem subpar, based on the high-endness of the brands. But bear in mind that the average price of an item at Buff Ex is $17; that’s why we can ALL afford to shop there. If selling my fab castoffs for less than what they’re worth means someone gets to experience the thrill of re-sale via my unworns, I’m all for it. What’s the alternative, hoarding them in my closet on the off-chance I’ll wear them again someday? Puh-lease. A move like that is bound to eff with one’s shopping karma. But I digress.)

A close up of these Members Only Jeggings and this American Apparel See-Thru Tank yields the following info: Both items are NWT. Instead of paying a ludicrous $88 for leggings and an irritating $29 for a tank, I paid $13.50 and $15.00, respectively.

buffalo exchange members only leggingsbuffalo exchange american apparel tank

members only pricetagamerican apparel pricetag

New never-been-worn clothes at secondhand price points. LOVES IT!

I also snagged a Lowrys Farm Sweater and some Hudson Jean Shorts (to be worn with thick tights and flat boots in winter, obvs).



Average retail price Hudson Jean Shorts: $160.

Average retail price Lowrys Farm Sweater: No effing idea – it’s a line of Japanese basics priced in yen or some shit, but the stuff is fab.

What’d I pay?



$18 for the shorts; $20 for the sweater. Word.

My subtotal for these four items came to $66.50 – not bad by a long shot. Also not what I paid out of pocket: Remember, I had $37.50 in store credit to play with.

My total out of pocket cost for ALL the above? TWENTY NINE BUCKS.

You can clap now. :P
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/blazers-basics-exchange/feed 6 Cure Thrift, Stellar Sale http://cheapjap.com/thrift/cure-thrift-sale http://cheapjap.com/thrift/cure-thrift-sale#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:33:13 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3503 A reader recently tipped me off to a secondhand shop with which I was previously unfamiliar: I received an email from Betty about Cure Thrift on the day of their 75% OFF PRE-FALL SALE. The tip makes her this week’s karma all-star, obvs .
I found this Lily Pulitzer cashmere

...keep reading Cure Thrift, Stellar Sale

]]> A reader recently tipped me off to a secondhand shop with which I was previously unfamiliar: I received an email from Betty about Cure Thrift on the day of their 75% OFF PRE-FALL SALE. The tip makes her this week’s karma all-star, obvs :) .

I found this Lily Pulitzer cashmere tank among the 75% off stock.  It proved a bit too preppy for my taste, but I’m including it here for the following reasons:

It was NWT (that’s NEW WITH TAGS); it retailed for around $195; it was initially $30 at Cure; it was 75% off of $30 the day I was there.

Riddle me this: Have you ever found a tags-on new, $195 cashmere tank reduced to $7.50 at a sample sale or on a clearance rack?

I thought not. This is why we thrift.

I ended up snagging a Vertigo button-down shirt and a sheer DKNY silk tank at Cure that day.

The tops were initially priced in the $20-$35 range which, at 75% off, translates to the $5-$8 range. NICE.

Oh, and DKNY Silk Tops retail for an average of $150. I’m just saying.

Lucky Mag’s how-to (styling): turtlenecks and button-down shirts inspired outfit pictured: I paired my find with a Club Monaco turtletank (Monk thrift, tags-on new, $20) and tucked both into high-waisted jeans.

Think you can’t thrift your way to glossy-caliber style? Think again.

I mean, not that glossy-caliber style is ultimately what we’re after here. That thrifted merch can easily re-create current looks is just one more reason to get on board the secondhand train. Take it or leave it.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/cure-thrift-sale/feed 3 Resale Tips From Buffalo Exchange Buyer http://cheapjap.com/resale/resale-tips-buffalo-exchange http://cheapjap.com/resale/resale-tips-buffalo-exchange#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:12:28 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2830 ...keep reading Resale Tips From Buffalo Exchange Buyer

]]>
Bullet points, numbers, bolds and italics my additions, FYI. Am totally incapable of not adding my two cents.
1. Most important is the LOOK or cut. Is the piece cute, current, desirable, in good condition? This has nothing to do with brand or era, simply: will someone today, August 3, 2009, look at this and want it as is? (An excellent question, methinks.)

2. The next factor of consideration is the brand and approximate year, which can skew the price up or down based mostly on the quality.

*If you have a 2008 GAP t-shirt, Buffalo really can’t price that for any higher than it went on sale for (probably $3.99 if you’ve ever experienced a GAP clearance rack). GAP (and brands like it) turn their inventory quickly so a basic piece from a mass retailer gets stale quickly. (Another reason not to buy corporate mass produced junk – you can’t re-sell it for anything substantial.)

**Alternatively, a t-shirt from a higher end label, say Helmut Lang, will usually be made with more interesting design details, higher quality materials, and better finishing processes (check out the seams on a cheap t-shirt and a higher end t-shirt or the hem finish on skirts of various brands). (Oooh! I WILL!)
Let’s apply what we’ve learned so far to two examples. New (ish) L.A.M.B. pumps are priced at $60 because L.A.M.B. is a current, on-trend brand. Also the holy grail of heels.

Older, more vintage-esque Bottega Veneta pumps are priced at $36, even though BV’s retail prices are even more obscene than L.A.M.B.’s. Regardless, both pairs are pretty kickass, IMHO.

A mere half size stood between me and both pairs of these glorious shoes. Can I get a TRAGIC.

Mmkay, back to our Buff Ex Staffer.
3. So after cut, condition, and label are concerned, the buyer checks out the fabric. Poly-blend is going to go for lower, 100% combed cotton is going to go for higher, you can imagine why. (Even at resale, Green is like-so-hot-right now.)

4. Additionally the current season (as in weather) will come into play. (Yes, it’s true – re-sale actually doesn’t give a shit about what’s In for Spring 2010 if it’s September 2009. Practical fashion – who knew?)

*A fabulous MJ parka (Marc Jacobs – HELLO!) WILL be bought in August, but for a much lower price than if the seller brought it in in October. (Ah HA.)

**A good condition North Face jacket will probably not be purchased in August because it will certainly come in again in colder weather, meaning some other person will be trying to sell that style later and it’s not necessary to pick it up in the dead of summer. This is because Buffalo can only afford to hold onto stuff for so long before it goes on sale.

Addendum: Items purchased for the store in August will be put on sale for 50% off in October. At the end of October, they are donated. Having undesirable or out of season stuff in the store takes up space where cute, current pieces could be hanging. (Word. To. That.)

Final Thought: Basically, if you wouldn’t give the stuff you’re selling to your sister/cousin/friend/mom to wear right now, some random girl shopping at Buffalo Exchange isn’t going to want it either. (Truer words were never spoken.)
A big shout out to our Buff Ex Staffer for disclosing what amounts to the best Sharesies EVER.

She will now obvs have good shopping karma for life.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/resale-tips-buffalo-exchange/feed 4 Epic Bag Sale Haul http://cheapjap.com/thrift/epic-bag-sale-haul http://cheapjap.com/thrift/epic-bag-sale-haul#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:17:52 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2493 Hi Cheap JAP,
Just wanted to tell you about my finds at my 2nd trip to the Housing

...keep reading Epic Bag Sale Haul

]]> Rebecca emailed a post-game analysis of her experience at the latest Housing Works’ Warehouse Sale. Read on to see me get totally SCHOOLED in the art of thrift.

Hi Cheap JAP,

Just wanted to tell you about my finds at my 2nd trip to the Housing Works Warehouse Sale in L.I.C. I got there at 10 and there was a line about 50 people deep. Once in, it was beautiful chaos from the moment I walked in. Items were strewn everywhere, on the floor, on the bins. I found so many great items that I filled 2 bags and therefore spent $40 on all these items, plus some I forgot:

-Suede Armani Collezioni blazer for my father
-Black silk Armani Collezioni tank
-Dana Buchman hooded tweed vest with shearling interior
-Calypso white terrycloth beach cover-up
-Rock and Republic dark skinny jeans -Helmut Lang jeans- some sort of project will ensue
-Armani Collezioni tweed pants
-Express Black pants
-Velvet long-sleeve tee with pleated collar
-Theory Turtleneck
-2 GAP polos for Dad
-Theory sweater coat w/ original belt still attached
- J & Company studded thermal henley
Those are only some of the amazing finds I found! I was there for over 2 hours and had the best time! Was looking around to spot you but I guess you didn’t make it. All in all a very successful day!

Holy SHITBALLS, Rebecca. This haul doesn’t just prove that your shopping prowess rivals even my own. It makes you a thrifting legend – it’s effing EPIC! Finding stuff for your Dad as well as for yourself was uber-thoughtful too; that’s the kind of move that ensures solid shopping karma for liiiife.

I’m pissed I didn’t make it to Queens that day, and not just because I missed out on what was obvs one hell of a hunt. What I really regret is not being able to see you in action – it appears I’ve got a thing or two to learn about All-You-Can-Stuff Bag Sales.

Well. Done. You. :)
MWAH!
Cheap JAP
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/epic-bag-sale-haul/feed 4 Goodwill Identity Crisis http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/goodwill-identity-crisis http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/goodwill-identity-crisis#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:08:21 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2410 ...keep reading Goodwill Identity Crisis

]]> Jen emailed:

I was inspired by what you wrote about karma, especially when it means possible stellar shopping in the future and helping out a friend. :D I don’t know if you’ll be interested in this, but I sure was, and if not maybe you could post the tip so someone can score it.

I saw a seriously GORGEOUS black leather satchel in the window (at Goodwill Upper West). I went to look and found out it was Coach (yum) and looked to be in great condition. Unfortunately the sales lady snapped at me before I could do a full inspection…when I asked if I could buy it she told me that window display items don’t go on sale until Friday (what’s the freak?). Well, today is Friday, and I thought MAYBE I could make it back to NYC to get it, but alas, the shopping gods were not with me on this one. So I’m hoping that you Cheap JAP, or another Cheap JAP in training, can have it…I mean we all have to stick together with these kinds of deals.

 The lady told me it was $35…which is slightly pricey but in my opinion the item was wahayy worth it. It looks quite similar to this:

…I thought a fellow lover of all things handbag and leather would want to know. Hope your wallet and shopping bag stay full!

Firstly, a note to Goodwill: Being written up in the Times doesn’t mean you get to act like a high-end boutique. We don’t shop you because you’re attractive; we shop you because you’re cheap. You want to keep doing well in this recession? Stop farting around with window displays, start working on those people skills, and don’t forget that who keeps you in business isn’t a trophy wife slummin’ it for kicks – it’s those of us who can’t afford to shop where she usually shops.

If one of your regular customers wants the handbag in the window, and the handbag in the window isn’t technically available until Friday, you do not deny her request. This isn’t fucking Bergdorf Goodman. You swap out the item for something else, thank her for her business and send her on her merry way, because the customer is always right.

If Jen’s story were written in children’s book form, it’d look something like this:

Girl finds handbag.
Girl loves handbag.
Girl can actually afford handbag.
Girl not allowed to purchase handbag.
Girl tells other girls about handbag so they can have what she can’t.

The conclusion of this story is one of the warmer, fuzzier things I’ve ever read…so why didn’t I post the tip, as per Jen’s request? The way I see it, any girl who selflessly shares info of this kind – who tips off her fellow shoppers in lieu of competing with them – truly deserves the bag she wasn’t allowed to buy. So, upon receiving this email last Friday afternoon, I hit the Upper West Side Goodwill in an attempt to remedy this situation: I figured I’d buy the bag for Jen on the off-chance it was still there, and have her reimburse me for it on her next shopping trip into the city (this is Cheap JAP, after all ;) )

Me: Hi! I’m looking for a black Coach bag a friend of mine saw in your window display earlier this week.
Goodwill: Oh noooo. We sold that early this morning.
Me: Are you sure it was the same bag? Did it look like this one? (showing pic sent by Jen of similar-looking bag in red)
Goodwill: Was it this one here? (showing disgusting-looking, no-name maroon messenger bag)
Me: No. It looked like this picture, but it’s Coach.
Goodwill: Red or black?
Me: BLACK.
Goodwill: I TOLD you, we SOLD it already. Someone else got here first.
Me: Well, technically, my friend got here first, but was told she couldn’t buy it until Friday.
Goodwill: Well, nothing in the window goes on sale until Friday.
Me: That’s a shame, don’t you think?
Goodwill: (Icy glare).

I’m fairly sure Jen and I encountered the same saleswoman, based on the above interaction. Thankfully, what goes around comes around, which means a better bag from a less asshole-ish Goodwill branch is certainly in the cards for her.

A big fat kudos to Jen for her good deed. I hope your wallet and shopping bag stay full too, dollface. :)
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/goodwill-identity-crisis/feed 9 Let Go the Label Lust http://cheapjap.com/resale/label-lust http://cheapjap.com/resale/label-lust#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:21:09 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2326 ...keep reading Let Go the Label Lust

]]>
In theory, I’m against buying brands for brands’ sake. The only barometer for whether or not something’s worth buying is whether or not you look and feel fabulous wearing it – at least, that’s what I preach. It’s not necessarily what I practice. Case(s)-in-point: These two designer dresses.

The polka-dot mini number is Gianfranco Ferre; a brand whose dresses retail for approximately $1000. This one – at around $500 – was a very generous gift from my mother, given to me only because I was too blinded by the brand to see the dress for what it was: Way. Too. Short. I donned it for a sorority formal in 2003, felt more slutty than sexy in it, and it’s been sitting in my closet ever since.

The Diane von Furstenberg number was purchased a year ago at full retail price ($380) and also the result of parental charity. In my defense, I repeatedly told my mother not to buy it on the grounds of it being about as comfortable as a sausage casing. She insisted, assuring me I’d wear it someday; in the year since, I’ve certainly tried. It’s just that every time I’d put on the dress, things like breathing and walking became challenging. I’d waddle around in it, wheezing all the way and after ten minutes or so, unzip my way to freedom in disgust.

And so yesterday, I took a stand against holding onto brands for brands’ sake. I sold these two uber high-end dresses to Buffalo Exchange. They didn’t price them at anywhere near their original worth ($26 for the Ferre, $32 for the DVF), and I was more than okay with that; their tendency to lowball means I can actually afford their merch. Particularly when I have store credit to burn.

Ridding my closet of these dresses was more than an exercise of practicing what I preach. This act of rebellion against my inner Label Whore was a necessary contribution to the glorious world of resale, one that gives my fellow shoppers the chance to enjoy what I couldn’t. Karma, baby. Karma.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/label-lust/feed 7 Activism: So Hot Right Now http://cheapjap.com/opinions/go-green http://cheapjap.com/opinions/go-green#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:52:00 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2201 ...keep reading Activism: So Hot Right Now

]]>
I didn’t start thrifting because it’s good for the planet, so I try not to harp on the low environmental impact of choosing gently-worn over new – it’s not what motivated me and I don’t expect it to motivate you. That buying secondhand (i.e. reusing other people’s castoffs) is a form of recycling seems obvious enough anyway. Alas, it appears some of you need the obvious spelled out.
Damn. I like your blog, but you sure find a way to complain about EVERYTHING. Even a fashion mag issue where every item is under $100. Lighten up. :)
Love the site, but I agree. if you style yourself as the populist stacy london, you can’t really knock the options of the average american shopper (which, like it or not, run more towards ae and kmart then the funky fabulous NY thrift stores with their fancy brands). This is what Lucky was trying to do, I think-show that you can get the look at the big box stores. I’d love to see an all thrift edition of the mag, but I’m not holding my breath.
Well said on both counts, and thank you for writing. My criticism of Lucky’s Under $100 Issue wasn’t intended to knock the options of the average American shopper; it was meant to illuminate secondhand shopping as smarter and savvier than paying full retail price for corporate mass produced crap. Why forgo the latter, easier option, the one that gives you a multitude of sizes, colors and styles from which to choose? Because it’s really, really bad for the planet. And you sure as shit aren’t going to have good shopping karma if you buy your clothes with little to no regard for where they come from and for what their very existence does to my world and yours.

Here’s a brief snapshot of an article from Environmental Health Perspectives, aptly titled Waste Couture:
For example, polyester, the most widely used manufactured fiber, is made from petroleum. With the the rise in production in the fashion industry, demand for man-made fibers, especially polyester, has nearly doubled in the last 15 years, according to figures from the Technical Textile Markets. The manufacture of polyester and other synthetic fabrics is an energy-intensive process requiring large amounts of crude oil and releasing emissions including volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and acid gases such as hydrogen chloride, all of which can cause or aggravate respiratory disease. The EPA, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, considers many textile manufacturing facilities to be hazardous waste generators.
Okay fine, synthetic fabrics are bad. But cotton’s okay, right?
This crop accounts for a quarter of all the pesticides used in the United States, the largest exporter of cotton in the world, according to the USDA.
Oy Vey.
Much of the cotton produced in the United States is exported to China and other countries with low labor costs….China has emerged as the largest exporter of fast fashion, accounting for 30% of world apparel exports….some Chinese workers make as little as 12–18 cents per hour working in poor conditions.
Oy VEY. If all this shit goes down before we even buy the clothes, what happens after we’ve purchased the merch?
An estimated 21% of annual clothing purchases stay in the home… a potentially large quantity of latent waste that will eventually enter the solid waste stream. According to the EPA Office of Solid Waste, Americans throw away more than 68 pounds of clothing and textiles per person per year, and clothing and other textiles represent about 4% of the municipal solid waste. But this figure is rapidly growing.
I know hearing about this stuff is tres drag. Ignorance used to be bliss for me too. I only started caring after a solid year of thrifting, and even then, what prompted me to consider the environmental impact of what we wear was entirely accidental. It happened last summer at Old Navy, when I looked around at the eerie abundance of clothing, wondered at its fate and realized the bulk of it was going straight to the dumpster.

This doesn’t mean I’ll never shop Old Navy again, nor does it mean I don’t still buy things at Target with tags that read Made In China (no Saint precedes Cheap JAP). It just means my awareness of what those words mean gives me one more reason to shop secondhand. Spending less on gently-worn wares is synonymous with lessening the impact those wares have on the world.

I’m well aware of the fact that the average American shopper doesn’t have access to “funky fabulous NY stores with their fancy brands,” but the notion of location as what determines one’s access to thrift is total crap. Goodwill, Salvation Army AND Buffalo Exchange are national chains, Beacon’s Closet has an online store, and some of the most fab secondhand shops are small-town based.

I also don’t hold any delusions of grandeur about NYC thrift (hence the reason I call out those funky fabulous stores who use terms like vintage as an excuse to overcharge); if I had my pick of cities to thrift in, it wouldn’t be this one. It’d be Portland, Oregon, no contest. I’ve only been there once, but OMFG – best, cheapest, most brandtastic thrift stores EVER.

Ultimately, I’m not here to tell you what to wear. I’m here to show you how to shop for it in a fiscally, socially and environmentally conscious way. I didn’t bash Lucky yesterday for featuring reasonably priced merch. I bashed it because everything featured fuels the fast fashion factories fucking up our already fucked-up earth.

That is all.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/opinions/go-green/feed 5 American Apparel, on Sale at Amazon http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/american-apparel-sale-2 http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/american-apparel-sale-2#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:44:30 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2079 ...keep reading American Apparel, on Sale at Amazon

]]>
A good Cheap JAP knows there is always a way. A GREAT Cheap JAP shares her discoveries so we too can know the way.

This is why Alina, who passed on the following tip, rocks the hizzy.

I would be a terrible Cheap JAP in training if i did not send a fellow AA lover this: American Apparel at amazon.com.

Tri-Blend Deep V-Neck Tees for $8.99, among other things. All legit AA, All ON SALE. All hail amazon.com, and Alina too. Girlfriend – you just shared your way to stellar shopping karma for liiiiife!
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/american-apparel-sale-2/feed 7 Discount DVF Exists (just not at the semi-annual sale) http://cheapjap.com/resale/discount-dvf http://cheapjap.com/resale/discount-dvf#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:16:02 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2100 ...keep reading Discount DVF Exists (just not at the semi-annual sale)

]]> Semi-Annual Diane von Furstenberg Sale, and here’s why I’m not going.

The Average Retail Price of a DVF Dress is $395. Barf. Dresses at the semi-annual sale go for $150, max, which isn’t entirely absurd in the grand scheme of things. Unless you’re the maharajah of thrift a-la-ME, in which case, you know you can do better.

Once upon a time, secondhand DVF was limited to high-end consignment; a barely-worn piece could be had for around $100. Still a deal, fo sho, but I can’t buy $100 dresses on a regular basis. When the recession hit, something magical happened: DVF started showing up in thrift stores. The first documented sighting of the phenomenon occurred six months ago at Buffalo Exchange in the form of a navy blue shirtdress that proved ill-fitting. I did not lose hope. I knew if I stayed the course, I’d eventually find another. A few weeks ago at Beacon’s Closet, the stars finally aligned and BAM! There she was.

As you can see, this effing gorgeous satin and chiffon number is almost entirely transparent. What I layered underneath to keep it from looking like lingerie requires another post altogether, as it too was an epic score. For now, let’s focus up on what really matters: The price differential between DVF retail, DVF semi-annual sale, and DVF secondhand. (And for the record, my secondhand DVF was in remarkably good condition – no loose threads, stains, tears, nada. If chiffon had a superlative, it would be Most Likely to Get Caught in Side Zipper, so this is particularly impressive. Point being, I don’t want to hear any crap about how I sacrificed quality for cost or whatever. Moving on.)

New DVF Dress at Full Retail Price: $395.00
New DVF Dress at Semi-Annual Sale: $150.00
Gently-Worn DVF Dress at Beacon’s Closet: $22.95
Oh right, you probably want proof. Okay.

Paying $127 LESS than everyone at the semi-annual sale and snagging a dress of the same brand, sanity in tact? Fucking priceless.

Word to the thrift.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/discount-dvf/feed 5 The Real Cost of Shopping at Target http://cheapjap.com/opinions/shopping-target http://cheapjap.com/opinions/shopping-target#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:32:13 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=1729 ...keep reading The Real Cost of Shopping at Target

]]> Karma, and Six Dollar Tri-Blend zhozhi wrote:
you know, i ALWAYS admire your thrift, cheap jap, and i definitely don’t admire AA’s prices (nor dov charney’s), but i do appreciate american apparel’s fair labor standards, which undoubtedly are not shared by target. just something to put out there, though i know from experience that even expert thrifters can’t always avoid retail (especially for the basics).

 Firstly, many thanks to zhozhi and to all those who echoed her concerns regarding Target’s ghastly labor (and, as it turns out, environmental) standards. When something like six dollar tri-blend tanks come along, it’s all-too-convenient to forget WHY they’re so effing cheap. Ignorance is bliss, so if you’d like to continue shopping at Target guilt-free, stop reading this post NOW.

I’m of the mind that a smart shopper understands that ‘cost’ applies to more than a pricetag: If you’re on board with that, take a look at Target’s Responsible Shopper Profile and allow yourself a big fat fucking OY VEY.
Target is the subject of repeated allegations of sweatshop sourcing worldwide. Target was fined by the EPA for failing to disclose the percentage of pesticides in its products. The NAACP gave Target an “F” for its lack of commitment to African Americans and other people of color.
So what’s your six bucks really paying for? Dire factory conditions, pesticide-related fines, and racist hiring practices.  As is often the case with chains of this ilk, small pricetags have big environmental and ethical implications. And while it’s tough to avoid corporate clothing entirely – particularly in a recession – it’s still important to acknowledge that you’re paying for more than a cheap shirt. Not many can afford to always opt for American Apparel over Target, but those who can undoubtedly should.

I no longer feel fab about patronizing Target, but the lure of the Cheap is too powerful for me to say I’ll never do so again; I like to think that shopping American Apparel (and subsequently contributing to their more human and earth-friendly practices) evens things out. (For a study in balance, see this outfit – the skirt’s AA, the top’s Tar-jay, and the belt is a pair of old tights cut into strips and knotted end-to-end.)

Now obviously, the most responsible thing would be to stop shopping Target altogether because it’s bad for the world, and stop shopping American Apparel altogether because it’s bad for my checking account. Except for the Stop Shopping Altogether part. I’m a realist and a materialist, people. Saint Cheap JAP just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/opinions/shopping-target/feed 6 Six Dollar Tri-Blend http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/target-triblend-tanks http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/target-triblend-tanks#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:45:57 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=1720 ...keep reading Six Dollar Tri-Blend

]]> Mossimo Supply Boyfriend Tees I recently acquired, something was abundantly clear: You gals ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THEM. And you DIDN’T TELL ME. What the EFF is up with that?!

I’m kidding, kind of. I don’t feel deliberately left out of the loop, and I know your lack of Sharesies wasn’t intentional. But I’m going to piggyback off of it anyway, because it illustrates something icky we can’t help but feel in relation to Fashion – something that happens rarely on this blog (and it better not start), but something I see all too often in other mediums: Competition.

Whenever I read the reviews in Yelp’s Thrift/Consignment Stores section, I almost always see something like this:
I wasn’t going to comment on this store because the deals are, like, sooo amazing and I don’t want you girls to take all the good shit! I found this FIRST goddammit, but according to Yelp, you all know about it anyway. So I’m going to brag about all the great stuff I found to discourage you from moving in on my territory, ’cause I’m clearly a better shopper than you.
I’m obvs paraphrasing, but you get my drift. Because the Recession’s like, so hot right now, budget shopping – secondhand and otherwise – has a lot of new converts; former fashionistas more comfortable with battling it out at the Barney’s Warehouse Sale than with sharing their coveted secrets. And that is So Not Okay. Part of why I’m a kickass shopper is practice, but another part of it is Karma. Good Shopping Karma comes from being good to your fellow shoppers, from acting in accordance with the notion that Sharing is Caring. I don’t need you to share your tips, trials, finds and frustrations with me: I just want you to share them with each other. (Yes, I sound like a Sesame Street character, no, I don’t care.) So use this blog to do it. And don’t even think about hoarding info on something we can ALL use like a Basic V-Neck Tee again. ;)

This brings us to our Karma All-Star of the day, Emma, who wrote:
Last time my mom and I were at Target, we saw some Tri-Blend Tanks on sale for $6, just like the ones from American Apparel. I was skeptical at first, but upon trying one one, found they fit like a dream. The Target copies are the exact same blend as the A.A. originals – 50% polyester, 25% cotton, 25% rayon – and, I am convinced, the exact same cut. I am still amazed. I am having to refrain from buying three in every color.
Approximately seven minutes after receiving Emma’s email, I hauled ass to Target to see what she was talking about. And, um, OMFG. Target’s Mossimo Supply Tri-Blend Tanks weren’t just the spitting image of American Apparel’s Tri-Blend Racerback Tank – they were cut a little longer, and heretofore made to be paired with leggings. Emma was right about the material too; the feel was identical. The only difference, obvs, was the price. I briefly wondered, Is This Legal?

The top two tanks are AA originals, the bottom two are Target. Can YOU tell the difference?

Thank you, Emma. Thank you, Target. And American Apparel: I hope those leggings get copied next, so I can stop getting ripped off buying yours.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/target-triblend-tanks/feed 9 It’s A Windy City, But The Resale Doesn’t Blow! http://cheapjap.com/resale/chicago-resale-shopping http://cheapjap.com/resale/chicago-resale-shopping#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:18:22 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=1676 ...keep reading It’s A Windy City, But The Resale Doesn’t Blow!

]]> Hello Miss Cheap Jap! I’ve been hooked on your blog ever since last fall. I come to your page for inspiration and for your witty sense of humor. I notice that you went to school in or near Chicago. Can you recommend any high end consignment shops in the city? I really wish we had a buffalo exchange :(

Hello Miss Rosie,
According to my Google search results, you have not one, but TWO Buffalo Exchanges in The Windy City – one at 2875 N. Broadway, (Lincoln Park) and one at 1478 N. Milwaukee Avenue (Wicker Park). You’re welcome.

That being said, Buffalo Exchange is kind of like a box of chocolates. Because the merch is entirely dependent on local castoffs, you never know what you’re gonna get. This is why selling your brandtastic NAYs to your closest Buff Ex is good shopping Karma; someone else is bound to see your trash as their treasure. On the off-chance that both Chi-town locations are seriously lacking, some other options of the buy/sell/trade ilk:

Disgraceland, 3338 N Clark St. Three floors of thriftastic-ness, three dressing rooms per floor, $15 jeans, $8 shirts, brands ranging from Banana Republic to Diesel and, oh, you can sell them your unwanted clothes for cash or store credit too. I’m already dying to go, and I’m currently kicking myself for being blind to the beauty of resale for the entirety of my college career.
Best Yelp Comment: “It’s a lot like getting sex out of a hot, bitchy girlfriend. You have a 50/50 shot at either satisfaction or a bloody lip.”

Knee Deep Vintage, 1425 W 18th St. The usual suspects (well-known brands on the cheap), plus legit vintage clothing at not-entirely-offensive prices; the store claims EVERYTHING ranges from $10 to $24, so that’s all kinds of awesome. Added bonus: Jewelry and other artsy-fartsy stuff from local artists. Also a BST (buy/sell/trade. Obvs).
Best Yelp Comment: “Hooray for this delicious gem of a store. I’ll be back in two weeks so long as my rent clears…”

As with Miss J and her future NYC excursion, I expect a full report on your Chi-town BST journey, complete with photo documentation. Consider it my finders fee. ;)

MWAH!
Cheap JAP
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/chicago-resale-shopping/feed 5 Musings From The Field: Dressing Room Decorum http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/forever-21-shopping http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/forever-21-shopping#comments Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:46:48 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=1588 ...keep reading Musings From The Field: Dressing Room Decorum

]]>
Now look, you want to shop with your besties, that’s fine. You want to try stuff on together and get each other’s opinion on the few things you’re thinking about buying, that’s cool too. You want to take up TWO dressing rooms during RUSH HOUR at F21 and discuss, at length, EVERY SINGLE GARMENT of the TEN you’ve selected, even the shit you’re not even thinking about buying, when you can clearly see 20-plus people waiting for you to finish up? SO NOT OKAY.

I’m all for approaching the act of shopping as a game of sorts. But dressing room show-and-tell is a spirited merriment reserved for off-hours only. I hate to rag on these girls, as they seemed like genuinely nice people and honest, funny shopping buddies; even in my pissed off state, I chuckled at their banter. And they certainly weren’t aware that their exchange resulted in an excruciatingly long wait for us Poor Unfortunate Souls behind them (um, yes, that’s a Disney song). But their lack of intention doesn’t change the fact that this kind of dressing room disregard is as criminal as putting on a full face of make-up in a Starbucks bathroom when, behind you, there’s a Mom waiting to change her baby’s poopie diaper or something. My F21 trip was a raging success (as per usual, obvs), but if I’d waited that long with zero pay-off… I don’t know. I’ve never been in a catfight, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone behind me who’d had a less fortunate overall experience started one today with those girls. Nor would I have blamed her.

The real guilty party here is, of course, Forever 21′s management staff, who really need to do something about the construction-related shortage of fitting rooms. But who are we kidding? The economy blows so hard that even successful chains are making cuts, so the odds of F21 spending time and money on temporary dressing rooms are basically nonexistent. And as long as that’s the case, it’s up to those two girls – and to all of us for that matter – to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Shopping is, at its core, supposed to be fun, and you should do everything in your power to make it so. But when said fun starts to inconvenience those around you, it’s time to take the conversation out of the dressing room and into the coffee shop.

The coffee shop where hopefully, in between latte sips, you won’t go to the bathroom to touch up your make-up when there’s a Mom behind you with a diaper to change. Karma, baby. Karma.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/forever-21-shopping/feed 1