If There's One Thing I Hate...

...its overpriced second hand shops with a crappy selection.

On my last trip through Monterey, I kept driving south and came across this quaint little town by the name of Pacific Grove. It was a cool walking-downtown kind of area. Lots of shops and places to eat and as much window shopping as you can stand.

I found this thrift shop, the name of which escapes me. That is probably for the best seeing as how I am listing it as an example of what I loath in a thrift shop.

This place was full of what I imagined old women bought on tropical vacation and decided was a bad idea once they got back to reality.

I mean, really:

And the piece de resistance:

Managing to be both dowdy and trashy with a plunging front lace panel!?!?

The one saving grace, a super cute book nook:

Afterward, I found a lovely rocky beach to relax and take in the amazing view.

Further Adventures In Thrifting

I love solo road trips. There, I said it. Don't get me wrong...I love road tripping with good company, but there is nothing quite like flying down the highway, windows down, music blaring, singing at the top of your lungs. Going wherever you want without hesitation. If you haven't done this, I highly recommend you try it.

I particularly love long coastal drives and I am lucky in that I live so close to the coast, just 30 minutes from highway 1 which creates a way to speed along an invisible boundary between ocean and land. Along this route you will find town after town, mostly very small, full of interesting folks; hippy dippies, outsiders, and self-expressionists. This blend makes from some very interesting thrift stores and second-hand shops.

On this trip I took myself to Monterey and first stumbled upon Plato's Closet:

Right across the street there was a rad little vintage shop called the Cat's Meow:

It was such a beautiful day, I decided to just drive around and see what there was for me to find. I happened upon this little gem, Second Chance:

Empty Handed.

I know that I go on and on about how happy I am to be a fatty, and I am. I truly am. But there is this thing. This down side that I absolutely cannot ignore. As I scour the racks, the websites, the catalogs, and peruse the magazines I am tortured by the fact that 99.9% of these fun frocks are not manufactured past a certain size.
Even in my blessed thrift stores, where I have made some amazing finds after digging and digging and digging and digging and digging...(sorry, stuck on a loop ala Pee Wee Herman) I have days where I leave empty handed. It is only on days like these that I wish I was a smaller person.

Adventures in Thrifting

I live in one of the most diverse, eclectic areas in these great United States...and it only JUST occurred to me that there must be more than the 3 or 4 thrift stores I frequent within an hour's drive from my apartment. Lo and behold: there are TONS.

Now, a new goal: Venture out. Investigate. Broaden those thrifting horizons.

My first trip out and about: EcoThrift in Hayward, CA.

Let me preface this thrift adventure with a tale.

My best friend and I set off on the 35 minute drive to Hayward on a very rainy afternoon. 25 minutes in, we are startled and slowed by a small black dog darting in and out of traffic on the freeway. One car had pulled to the side and was trying to get the little guy(I'm assuming guy, but I have no idea), who wasn't having any part of it. He just ran and ran, darting toward cars. We ended up using our car to block traffic and keep him from getting hit. He would NOT come to anyone. In all there ended up being 2 semi trucks, a minivan, a VW, and my bestie and I hearding him like a tiny cow all the way to the next exit on the freeway. We then lost him. Thinking he had escaped through a hole in the fence into a motel parking lot, we went looking for the poor little soaked creature. We walked all over along the length of the freeway fence, the little guy was nowhere to be found. Soaked to the bones, freezing and frazzled, we finally threw in the towel and decided on drinks.

Soaked Clean Through

All Dry and Warm Again. Thank You Target!!!

After we ducked into Target for something clean and dry, grabbed a quick bite and a couple drinks, we arived at our destination. EcoThrift. A huge, warehouse sized thrift store with well organized (sorted by type of clothing as well as size) clothes and an awesome assortment of purses and tchotchkes.

I would love to go back and really shop the place. After all the craziness and excitement of the day, we ended up playing more than shopping. But tipsy thrift store play is still a worthy (not to mention photo worthy) use of one's afternoon.

Scars: A Learning Curve

Scars.

I was just sitting here thinking about them while looking at the scars on my leg. They have been keeping me from wearing short shorts and skirts to show off my shapely gams. I know that it is now the season for covering up, but here in Cali it has been intermittently in the 70s so I have yet to put away my warm weather wardrobe. (Actually, who am I kidding? I just use my summer cloths to layer, layer, layer away the cooler months.)

This feeling, it's reminiscent of the emotional scars that kept me from wearing skirts and dresses just a few short years ago. Those emotional scars kept me wondering, worried that people would judge based solely on my appearance.

And now there are these very real, very visible scars that represent the depth of the trauma and pain that I have experienced. And I'm afraid once again that someone will judge me harshly based upon their notion of what my scars may represent.

But still, I want to feel about my scars the same way I feel about my fat. I want to apply the same 'I don't give a fuck' attitude and just wear whatever the hell I want. And it dawns on me right this second, as I am writing this, that the only way I am going to get there is to just say 'fuck it!' I am cute as hell and wear what I goddamn well please.

The Thrill of the Hunt

I can only imagine that this is how men hunting wild game must feel.

I get this feeling, passing a thrift store that has something meant for me. I know this because I am an experienced thrift hunter. I get this feeling...I can't describe it, but I just know.

I walk in and head straight for the racks, as my adrenaline begins to climb. I know exactly where she is dangling, just waiting for me to pick her off. I sculk up softly, so as not to spook her. She and I know this dance all too well. I finger through the hangers...not to quickly, now.

As I grasp the hangers and pry them gently apart to expose the length and breadth of her, I know she's the one. I let'er lead me to the fitting rooms, even though I already know she's the one. Once she's in my sights, that's it. She'll be coming home so I can show her off, my trophy. My day's kill.

The high is like none other.

TFC: Halloween 2013

I went to visit my sister for Halloween this year and took a whole bunch of my new thrifty finds with me to do a photo shoot. I was using the '2 birds, 1 stone' philosophy. I should know by now that these types of plans don't really pan out. But, as luck would have it, I ended up with a treasure trove of Halloween pictures.

I also didn't expect to get to see our other sister and her miniature gang of thugs, aka my nieces and nephews.

My crazy sisters: the Giraffe and the Manly Man

Needless to say, a party was had....3 adult women and 8 children between the ages of 4 and 14 on a trick-or-treating adventure through the tough streets of Modesto, CA.

Let the candy swap begin!

And now the cuteness of me:

My new asos dress made a perfect doll dress for my costume