Saving the Planet Looks Good on You

Saving the Planet Looks Good on You: 

Tailoring Thrifted Clothing

By Carly Brynelson

Let’s talk about threads, bay-bee.  You know, the ones covering your body right now, that were on you yesterday, and the ones you’ll be wearing tomorrow.  Your clothes, as with everything you use/eat/smear on your skin/face/hair/naughty bits have an impact on you, the earth, and the other billions of people living on it.   

  

Buying clothing second hand from a thrift store or a consignment store helps prevent new toxins from being dumped into the environment around you and in you. For instance, new cotton clothes are produced from new cotton crop. That means pesticide use, and lots of it. 

Consider this shocking fact from a great article on the subject:  Though cotton uses only 2.4% of the world's agricultural acreage, its cultivation involves 25% of the world's pesticide use, more than any other crop. Most of these are insecticides, but fungicide is another fraction of the total. Also, consider that it takes about one-third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers to grow enough conventional cotton for just one T-shirt.

 

According to the same article, there are a host of other standard chemicals used on new fabrics, including flame retardant, which helps prevent the fibers from catching on fire during transport and is  also linked to cancer in humans.  For more, see:  http://www.naturalnews.com/022803.html

Buying used clothes out of the ‘waste stream’ (see: treasure trove of vintage and thrift stores) throws a wrench in this chemical blowout, saving you and the rest of the human species another drop in the yuck-bucket we call the chemical or toxic load.  

Another AWESOME thing about the choice to buy used clothing is that you will look much cooler than the average schmoe that shops the malls.  Your wardrobe will become a unique mosaic, almost like a stylistic thumbprint.  One of a kind.  

Now then, as with any great thing, there is a dark side to scavenged style.  No, I’m not talking cooties--an afternoon skip to the laundromat will take care of those hygiene concerns. The dark side I speak of is that your awesome thrifted Pendleton flannel or outrageous eighties frock is only truly useful if it looks good on you and you want to wear it, which involves making it fit you. Fit is, of course, a subjective term and experience.  Hell, some people like their pants belted at the knees, for instance.  

I, for one, like my clothes to fit my body and show off my curves.  I’m chesty with a smallish waist and muscular biker legs.  And no, you can’t have my number.  I’m saying, fellow Pinchers, that NOTHING fits me right off the rack. Good thing there are magical creatures called TAILORS who can take care of fit problems on the cheap, no matter your size, shape, wiggle, jiggle, boo-tay, monkey arms, whatevs. There are, like, five body types for which the fashion industry makes clothing.  And there are countless phenotypes in the human genome.  Run that through your Singer.

You, friends, can (and should) take a class and learn to tailor your fine finds, bringing the magic home.  Once you learn a few basic techniques, you will sweep through your closet, wanting everything to fit you for real, having learned how righteous a truly fitted garment feels. You will probably still buy some new clothes in spite of my environmental admonishments, and even those puppies will need tinkering. 

I teach a basic tailoring class  at the Craft Center at the University of Oregon in Eugene.  There may be similar classes in your area code, though it would be hard to find one as cool as mine.  If you aren’t into DIY, I would suggest you look for a good tailor. These wondrous creatures are to be found in better dry cleaning businesses around your locale.  

In Eugene, you can get your pants hemmed or darts put into a blouse, button-down, or dress for around $12. I’m not sure how that compares to other locales, but a quick Google search should be revealing. So if the thrifted dress cost you $15 and the darts to help it hug your curves cost $12, total price tag for a unique, tailored-to-fit-your-body look is only $27. 

If you’re a guy who likes a European fit rather than shirts that make you look like you’re sporting a circus tent, you’re looking at ten dollars for a thrifted oxford at Goodwill and maybe $14 for expert tailoring. Total price for a really sharp shirt: $24.  Thrift stores like Goodwill also give money to charitable causes and/or employ community members that might not otherwise find meaningful work.  

All in all, you’ll probably still want to buy some new clothes from time to time.  I’m thinking underwear, for example.  There are lots of nice organic options out there.  But in the mean time, thrifted clothing (tailored to you if needed) represents a conscious decision to make your consumption of clothing more cost-effective, environmentally sound, and community-minded.  And THAT, Penny Pinchers, looks good on you. 

Above:  A babe-tastic summer party dress I made out of a colorful bedsheet.  I paid fifty cents for the sheet, maybe a buck for thread, and another two for a thrifted zipper.  Total cost:  $2.50. Hot dress, custom fitted, that also helped the planet AND the Humane Society?!  Priceless.   Top of article:  A horrid and boxy thrifted linen dress gets a sexy makeover.  I believe I paid seven dollars for this one.

There’s More Than One Way to Pinch a Penn(e)y…

My name is (wait for it…. wait for it…) that’s right! Penney! There’s that sneaky extra ‘E’ in there and all, but it’s still pretty appropriate that I’m here, don’t you think? Of course, the reason I’m here has nothing whatsoever to do with my name. I’m here to add my own thoughts and ramblings to this theme of affordable and sustainable living – a crucial topic for this day and age if there ever was one!

My take on all of this will be a bit different, which is the whole point of having a myriad of writers contributing – so that you, the reader, can find the tips and tricks that will resonate and truly vibe with your own life. My perspective, as you will undoubtedly come to know over time, is going to be a bit more on the radical end of the spectrum and based in a lot of DIY activities and recipes. I’m an aspiring homesteader and farmer who is currently trapped in a small urban apartment while I work myself through school for clinical herbalism and nutrition. I’m also a foodie through and through.

I believe that the most unfortunate thing about modern day society and capitalism is that it has caused us to doubt our own innate ability to take care of ourselves and, thus to forget very basic skills. Everything is so accessible nowadays in stores or on the internet, to the point that we no longer do or make for ourselves things that we always would have before (in some form or another). I find the fact that most of us cannot walk into nature and know what is safe to eat very frightening and extremely sad – and I am not exempt from this in the least. Oh I’ve taken some botany and wildcrafting classes (harvesting wild foods and medicines), and I know a little bit, but I’ve got a long way to go. And it’s an uphill battle when basic skills like this are no longer passed down through the generations. If we grew up in communities where each person showed each child every edible plant that their own friend/parent/lover had shown them, well, then it would be second nature to all of us by now.

So I’m beginning this journey with you by posing some questions. What little aspects of life (skills, products, food items) do you take for granted because they are automatically supplied by someone or something else? Can you see a way to cut out some of the “middle men” in this process and either do without or make yourself? What new skill could you learn that would boost your self-worth and remind you how powerful and capable you are? Can you differentiate clearly between want and actual need?

These are big questions with even bigger answers, and the journey to self sufficiency is long and paved with a lot of trial and error. But, if you’re anything like me (and it’s totally fine if you’re not!), then each little baby step that you make toward reclaiming power over your life is a thrill that motivates you along to the next step, and the next, and the next….

I promise I won’t be so heavy every time I post here. Mostly I think I’ll be sharing recipes, craft ideas, DIY projects, etc., but I felt I needed to preface it all with a glimpse into how my own mind works and how I view the world.

I’m so happy to be here, and thanks for reading!

A beautiful book, a moral dilemma

I was in one of my favorite shops this weekend (Presents of Mind) when I came across this book: Savvy Chic: The Art of More for Less by Anna Johnson.
After I got over the minor depression of possibly having found that the book I one day aspired to write had already been written, I picked it up to admire the hip cover art, glossy pages and satisfying weight of it in my hands. Sigh. This truly is a beautiful book.

The table of contents and a snippet of a chapter read in the store confirmed that this book would be of interest both to myself and to the readers of this blog. Then began the debate with myself over whether to buy it. Could I justify spending money I don't really have on a book that might save me money in the long run? It would be a long-term investment, see. And surely reviewing it on the blog would be like a public service. So a good karma investment as well. Surely that must be taken into consideration.

Then I looked at the price sticker. $18.99? Really? Does anyone else see the irony in this? Almost twenty bucks for a book about how to live the good life without breaking the bank. Do you know your audience at all?

Later in the day Mom was telling me about the challenges the owners of her local bookshop face: people will come in, browse the books, decide on the ones they want and then go online to buy them for cheaper. She feels sad and disappointed that these people benefit from the physical bookstore but don't reciprocate by buying there. If we don't buy from the physical stores, she points out, they won't be there anymore.

When I looked for Savvy Chic online and saw that I could buy it for almost ten dollars cheaper than the list price, I thought back to the conversation with Mom about supporting the local shops. And now I am faced with a moral dilemma. On the one hand, yes, I love to browse Presents of Mind. I love that it's there to be perused and that their buyers have such fabulous taste. I acknowledge that without this store I might never have come across this book. On the other hand, it's so darn expensive!

These are the kinds of moral dilemmas I face every day: a seeming choice between living within my means and being socially conscientious. How do I reconcile the two?

Do I buy the book cheaper online but shop at Presents of Mind next time I have some extra cash? (Pfft. Yeah. Like there's such a thing as "extra" cash.) Do I go a few more dollars into debt to support the local shop? Do I avoid choosing between the two and forgo the book altogether? Or do I borrow it from my local library, which saves me the most money and also supports a public service in which I believe?

This time I'll go with the library, and if I like the book enough, I can always save up the money, a few dollars at a time, to buy it from the local shop later. But the essential dilemma--the choice one has to make from time to time between supporting local business or saving money--still remains. It lurks in dark corners, waiting for the next opportunity to strike.

Sharing the Loot

Does every homeowner need their own lawn mower? My five siblings and I were raised by my mom who didn’t think we needed our own lawn mower, neither did Carol and Don a few blocks away. My siblings and I took turns returning or picking up the shared mower on beautiful, muggy Minnesota afternoons. My mom, Carol, and Don saved on the initial purchase, our two families successfully cooperated and pitched in with maintenance and upkeep, and we became really close neighbors in the process. We were oddly connected by something as simple as a lawn mower.

There are so many items we're conditioned to believe we need to own and have all to ourselves, but, after taking a deeper look, owning may not be our best option (and it's certainly not our only option). How many families do you know who have a car for every licensed family member or more computers than family members? By the way, do you remember what it felt like to go to a computer lab? In all of this “need” to own, we've drained our savings and we've lost some of our community, which creates an insatiable loneliness. Sharing our loot might not be a cure-all, but it’s certainly worth examining.

That being said, what else can we share that will save us money, connect us to our neighbors, reduce waste, and strengthen communities?

Here are some ideas: Let’s start with internet access. I just moved into a beautiful little complex of bungalow apartments. According to my PC, I have “access” to five different wireless networks. Each of these network owners is paying $25 a month at minimum (likely much more) to have access to the internet. Why is everyone paying individually for something we can easily share? What about washers and dryers? In college I took a weekly trip to the laundromat. While I waited for my clothes, I’d smile and say hi to the regulars, get caught up on pop culture through magazines, study (ha!), or just sit outside to people watch and let the sun warm my face. I think we all grew up and swore to never again be inconvenienced by laundromats, hauling bags of dirty laundry, and being forced to hoard quarters. In some small but relevant way, we traded community and connection for that convenience. What about extending community sharing to cars? I realize there are plenty of community car share programs out there. But, what about doing it amongst neighbors, with one other family, or with a roommate? I’m certain there are a ton of logistical and legal obstacles. And, yes, everyone would have to sacrifice some convenience, but think of the savings of splitting the cost of insurance (I'm not exactly sure of the specifics here) and the initial investment? The environmental benefits go beyond having one fewer car on the road; it requires the creation of a mindset of intentional driving. It trains you to plan, coordinate, and decide what’s really worthy of a car trip.

I'm guessing the list of possible things to share and the associated benefits is only limited by ones' imagination. Sharing the loot and the cost of expensive items with trusted friends or neighbors is a great option when you're keeping an eye on your pocket book and/or are motivated to live more simply. At the very least, buyer's remorse can be shared amongst many.

The goal

Balance. What I really want is balance.

Because yes, I do want to live within my means, but I also want to have time and energy to do the things I love. I want to be able to make choices that are socially and environmentally conscientious, and I want to look good and feel healthy. I don’t want to have to choose between these things; I want to find ways to balance them all.So here I am: single, 32, with a house, a dog, and a job that (at least in theory) pays a living wage. And I am struggling to live within my means. I am lucky enough to have escaped student loans and car payments, and right there I am better off than a lot of people. And yet I still find it hard to balance the things that are most important to me.

I don’t think I live excessively. I don’t throw big parties or go clothes shopping more than once a year. I don’t buy expensive cuts of meat, or even buy meat every week. I don’t go out drinking every night or every weekend (anymore). I’ve cut out a lot of the luxuries: regular haircuts, buying wine, facial cleanser, cable TV.

After taxes and bills, my money goes to food, gasoline, auto maintenance, dog care, cigarettes, and the very occasional impulse buy of a book or movie. Really, that’s it. So as you see, when it comes to cutting things out of my budget, I haven’t got a lot to work with.I’ve been trying to put aside a couple hundred dollars into savings each month, but each month there seems to arise some unexpected expense (emergency trip to the vet, visit to the doctor's office that I hadn't planned for, travel for a conference, etc.) that not only prevents me from saving money but actually results in my having to take money out of savings. The situation, therefore, is this: not enough money coming in to cover my expenses, and a dwindling savings account.And yet I want to travel and take classes for fun. I want to put money into savings so I have an emergency fund in case my dog needs another $2,000 surgery or (god forbid) I lose my job. I want to wear pretty clothes, buy local & organic food, and use environmentally friendly cleaning products.The point of this blog is not to whine about all the things I want that I can’t afford. And I am well aware that, compared to many people in this world, I have it really good. No, the point of this blog is to find out if I can have more of what I want by using the resources I do have differently. The Penny Pincher gives me the incentive to start getting creative.