Shop Doc...I'm back!

A funny thing happened to me about a year ago. I was at one of my favorite malls looking at the new fall merchandise, something that I've always looked forward to doing since I was twelve. Instead of being inspired I found myself confused and frustrated. Not too many of the new clothes spoke to me, in fact I had the feeling that I'd seen many of them before. For the first time in years I found many items overpriced, a major concern for many in the economic environment. As I looked at several garments I wasn't impressed with the workmanship or fabrics. Where were the design details that had been an important part of some better lines of mass produced clothing?

Bored I returned home. I 'd always joked that shopping was my favorite activity and something in that I'd always excelled . If I was getting frustrated shopping, I had the feeling that many other women were as well. I decided that I was going to rethink my shopping habits and expand my options. You see I wanted to maintain my current style (that I've always described as modern American Classic), and reduce my clothing budget. I was going to make sure that I shopped my closet on a regular basis, and no longer looked to the major retailers as my only source for fashion. I've started to revisit stores from my past, which has provided for some very nice surprises. I've now added vintage boutiques and yes, even thrift stores to my regular shopping rounds. The added bonus here is that recycling is good for the environment.

The result of my past year of rethinking fashion, shopping, and my own personal style has been a revelation. I'm dressing much better for less and enjoying the process more than I have in years. I guess that shaking things up from time to time can be a very good thing.

This fall in Shop Doc I'll be exploring some of the things I've learned over the past several months. Keep an open mind, and please use what you can.

Thrifting: The One I Never, Ever Thought I'd Write.

Shopping at thrift and charity stores is a good...no, great way to supplement your wardrobe. There. I said it, and I'm still in partial disbelief, but I'm standing by that statement, even while many pros in the fashion industry would bitterly disagree with me.

I know that many of you have been enjoying the joys of thrifting for years while I personally never saw the appeal. For me, thrifting is a brand new wonderful thing. Part of me wants to yell, "Why didn't anybody tell me about this?" Today I'll proudly admit that thrift and charity stores have become a regular part of my shopping routine.

Thrifting is fun, especially if you enjoy the thrill of the hunt. You never know what treasures you'll find. In addition, in this economy, just that fact that your dollars will go so much further in these stores makes the entire thrifting concept especially appealing.

So why am I only now jumping onto the thrifting bandwagon? I'd tried it a few times, years ago, and never had any luck. In high school, my sister would make frequent trips to an area thrift store and come out with vintage cashmere sweaters and great costume jewelry. Totally jealous I'd go in hopeful and come out sneezing from the dusty store with nothing to show for it. I found that the stores I visited were cluttered, disorganized, musty, and frankly depressing. I adopted the school of thinking that these stores were for people who couldn't afford anything better and saw no need to visit these stores myself.

Recently two friends urged me to try thrifting again. I refused them initially but finally agreed that I had nothing to lose and promised that I'd keep an open mind. At the least, we'd have a good lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. A week before this thrifting trip, NBC's Today Show aired a piece on thrifting's new popularity and ended the piece with a fashion show of items found in thrift stores. I remember that one model was wearing a pair of 7 For All Mankind Jeans. Was the media spinning thrifting to make their story more positive? I was still skeptical. Fine, I'd go but honestly, I never expected to find anything wearable.

Thrift and charity stores have changed for the better. I had expected to see piles of disorganized clothing. Instead, found a pleasant well-lit shopping environment. Items were hung on racks and organized by type and color. Most of these stores have dressing rooms and play upbeat music like any mall store. The stores I frequent are anything but depressing.

The merchandise itself runs the gamut from well worn to new and unused. (Surprise!) Every once in awhile you'll find a great vintage piece. I've learned that many organizations will sort out the good vintage pieces to sell to vintage dealers, but every once in awhile something slips through. Most stores have a glass case in the front where you'll find smaller and sometimes pricier items (I saw a pair of beautiful Valentino sling backs on a recent trip).

Is it possible to find bargains that might only be described as ridiculous and or amazing while thrifting? Yes! A year ago, I wouldn't have believed this myself, but I've found some great pieces. I've found some beautiful blazers and coats on some of my recent thrifting trips. I couldn't believe my luck when I found a brand new black leather messenger's bag from Bloomingdale's at a Goodwill for $7.99. I found a pair of long black Italian kid gloves at a charity shop for $3.00. The possibilities are endless. I've had some fantastic luck, and am no longer disappointed when I leave a store empty handed. There's always next time.

A new feature to the Shop Doc Blog will be my Thrifter's Diary where I'll highlight great finds, simply to prove that it is possible to find real bargains and sometimes unexpected treasures. Bragging rights are a benefit of thrifting should you chose to exercise them.

For those of you who are new to thrifting, here are a few things to keep in mind.

To thrift effectively give yourself plenty of time. Be patient and go through everything carefully.

Upon entering the store grab a cart or a basket (when available). Once you find an item that interest you, put it in your cart. There is so much. You don't want to lose, or worse have somebody pick something up that may have been perfect for you.

Once you find an item that you like, examine it carefully. Look for flaws. While a button or a rip on a seam can be an easy fix, a tear across the front of the garment cannot. Look for stains, discolorations, insect holes, and don't forget to check for odors. Smoke, for example, lingers forever.

Wear things that are easy to slip on and off as you would for any shopping trip. If you plan to shop for shoes, bring footies.

Once you've purchased an item, have it cleaned immediately. This can mean dry cleaning, or hand and machine washing. While many places will clean their merchandise before it goes on the selling floor, you don't know how long it has been there or how many people have tried items on before you. You'll also want to do this to avoid any insect problems.

The world's best bargain is worthless if you're not going to use it. Know when to just say no.

Make that that an item fits. Really fits. Sorry. There is no way that your size 8 foot is going to fit into the size 6 Valentino sling backs. Leave them be.

See the possibilities. A trip to the tailor could make a so-so piece spectacular. Minor alterations like shoulder pad removal, hemming, moving buttons or nipping in at the waist can make all the difference in the world. However, don't let a huge tailoring job offset the bargain. In this case it's better to leave the item there.

Sometimes you'll leave empty handed. Accept this possibility.

Have Fun!

Am I suggesting doing all of your shopping at thrift stores? No. Nevertheless, don't be afraid to supplement your clothing and accessories wardrobes here. A good discriminating eye can reveal hidden treasures, and certainly stretch your wardrobe dollars. Good Luck!

Thrifter's Diary

Can you really find bargains, deals, and steals at a thrift store? Yes. Remember that patience, persistence and a good eye are necessary to sift through the large amount of merchandise. I've done well in the short time I've been doing this. Here are some of my recent finds.

7/23/09
Cashmere Overcoat
(Vintage 1960's/early1970's)
$14.99
Goodwill, Los Feliz CA
Condition: Excellent
It's evident that this coat's previous owner took excellent care of this beautiful coat. Every button is intact and the lining is immaculate.

This coat's classic A-Line styling and neutral camel color will insure years of wear to come. frankly I can't wait for winter.

8/29/09
Silk Batik Print Scarf
$3.00
Discovery Shop
(Benefits the American Cancer Society)
Toluca Lake, CA
Condition: Very Good

8/21/09
7 For All Mankind Boot Cut Jeans
$16.99
Out of the Closet Thrift Store
Hollywood , CA
Condition: Very Good

Sure I love the look and feel of premium denim, but I can't justify the premium price. So when I found this great pair of 7's, in my size, I had to try them on. They were a perfect fit though they seemed rather short. Upon closer inspection I saw that a four inch hem had been put into these jeans, something that I easily removed. The original manufacture’s hem was still in place. After a quick cold water wash and ironing, I wore them out that night with strappy sandals. (My husband loved the fit asking me if they were new. He actually noticed!) $16.99 + minimal effort=a great look and a great score!

Shop Doc: Coming soon...

Things I'm Really Liking Now, and the Thrifter's Diaries continue.

Red Shoes (They're not just for bad girls anymore!) CLICK PODCAST

My mother is one of the best-dressed women I know. Not only did she teach me the fundamentals of style (style is what you make it), she taught me to dress for my body type. Mom taught me how to shop smartly, not only looking for price, but also for quality in fabrics, details and tailoring. Mom always looked great (and still does), so what reasons did I have not to follow her advice to the letter?

When I was very young, five or six maybe, (fashion training began early for me), I remember mom telling me that she’d heard a fashion expert say that "a lady never needs a pair of red shoes." According to this expert, red shoes were unnecessary. A few years later I remembered this, but not the reason, so I asked. "Mom, why don't we need red shoes?" Mom gave me one of those looks. "Because red shoes are unladylike. They are worn only by small children, clowns and prostitutes." At age seven or eight I didn't want to be thought of as a small child, I was afraid of clowns, and while I didn't know what a prostitute was or why they were so scandalous, I was sure that I wasn't one of them either. Mom knew everything about fashion, so she had to be right. I never gave red shoes another thought, except when I saw a woman wearing them. When I was really young I just assumed that these women were prostitutes. As I got older I just thought that these red heeled women had no fashion sense.

Some things are just ingrained in us: traditions, values, morals, and in my case, the strong belief that a lady never wears red shoes. This shouldn't be surprising, as red shoes have gotten a bad rap for years.

We can go back to 1845 and the publication of the Hans Christan Andersen story, The Red Shoes. In this story a young girl, Karen, becomes obsessed with a pair of red shoes only to have them have a horrific effect on her life. Early in the story Andersen describes a princess as our heroine sees her. "She wore neither train nor a golden crown, but beautiful red morocco shoes. There is really nothing in the world that can be compared to red shoes!" (I guess Hans realized this fact.) Later young Karen acquires a pair of red shoes for herself. "Amongst the shoes stood a pair of red ones, like the princess had worn. How beautiful they were!" (Hmmm. Perhaps Mr. Andersen once longed for a pair of red shoes himself.) Karen makes the mistake of wearing her new red shoes to church the following Sunday and is reprimanded severely. The next Sunday however, "Karen looked first at the black shoes, then at the red ones; looked at the red ones again, and put them on." This act of defiance turns the entire village against her. When Karen danced in her red shoes it was as if they were possessed by the devil himself as the shoes had a mind of their own forcing poor Karen to dance uncontrollably. As she forcibly dances past the church she sees an angel with a sword guarding the entrance to the sanctuary. He condemns her "Dance you shall," said he, "dance in your red shoes till you are pale and cold, till your skin shrivels up and you are a skeleton! Dance you shall from door to door, and where proud and wicked children live. You shall knock, so that they may hear you and fear you! Dance you shall, dance!" (Scary and a bit heavy handed in my opinion. All of this gloom and doom over one little pair of red flats!) Exhausted she pleads to the village executioner to cut off her feet with the red shoes, since by now they have grown to her feet. As she confesses her sin (?), he obliges cutting off her feet. The shoes dance away with the little feet deep into the woods. I think the ballet has a happier ending as Karen keeps her feet but dances herself to death. All of this because poor Karen dared to make a strong fashion statement. And to think my mother missed reading me this charming uplifting story! Instead of trying to rationalize why a lady never wears red shoes, she just could have scared the hell out of me by reading me this piece of classic literature.

Dorothy in the 1939 MGM production of The Wizard of Oz had her own problems with a pair of red shoes. First off, these shoes were taken off the feet of a dead woman, a "Wicked Witch " no less. A second witch desperately wants them and is willing to kill Dorothy (and her little dog too) for them. A third supposedly good witch tells Dorothy not to take off the shoes, as they must be very powerful. Dorothy must have been too naive to comprehend their power, as she never learns what powers they truly possess. It's obvious, Dorothy Gale, an innocent farm girl from Kansas with little to no fashion sense falls in with a bad crowd and is corrupted, all over a pair of red pumps. No wonder this movie gave me nightmares as a child.

You don't have to go back as far as the 1800's or the 1930's. Remember the fairly recent Showtime series Red Shoe Diaries. The title alone suggest something steamy...something scandalous...something naughty, all because of a reference to red shoes.

Imagine my surprise recently when I started noticing women in red shoes and thinking that they were chic, stylish, and even powerful. Then women that I admired started turning up in red shoes. I saw style guru Stacy London (of TLC's What Not to Wear) on Oprah one day. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, then, a new silhouette that many American women were slow to accept, and a pair of killer red heels. She looked amazing. For the first time in my life I found myself wanting a pair of red shoes. I'd keep this desire hidden from my mother, as my desire for red shoes would have killed her. After that I began to see women from all walks of life wearing red shoes. I'd heard Stacy London say that a pair of red shoes could really "pop" an outfit.

But old habits die-hard as it took me a year to finally purchase a pair. I started off small with a pair of inexpensive suede sling backs...and I still considered buying them in black instead. I wore them that very night thinking "now is as good a time as any." Nobody talked behind my back, gave me dirty looks or propositioned me. I was at a casual event and liked the way that my little red heels gave an extra little punch to my jeans and long black cardigan. This touch of color made my outfit "current." I was surprised that I felt no guilt, shame, or tartness. Old perceptions die-hard.

This past summer I bought a pair of casual red flats that I ended up living in. They seemed to go with everything. I purchased the same pair in black, which while worn got less use. Feeling brave at the beginning of the fall season, I took the plunge and bought a pair of red patent leather peep toe pumps. A friend had purchased the same pair and she'd worn them to work with grays and black. This little pop of color made her outfits smart and modern. I figured I could do the same. The very next week I got a pair of deep red patent leather flats that I'm wearing several times a week. Not only are they fun, but they are some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn... and that was a bonus! I guess I'm over my phobia of red shoes, or should I say the negative perception of a woman in red shoes. Red shoes can be very ladylike. The look is what you make it. Own it.

I'm heading home for the holidays in December. Dare I bring a pair of red shoes with me? I've changed my thinking. Is it possible that mom can now see this one little fashion choice in a new light, or will she still be seeing red?

Check out the Shop Doc Podcast.In this show we'll explore one of my favorite ways to up your style quotient, Vintage clothing and accessories! By reaching back to past eras you'll instantly add unique touches to your current style and further express your personality. My special guest is actress and vintage aficionado, Beverly Mikins