Living Green, Shopping Green

I used to buy clothes from second-hand stores all the time in high school. It was all the rage. I was big into grunge, and wouldn't be caught dead in store-bought clothes. But somewhere after that I got away from that. I started earning money of my own, and could afford new stuff, so why not buy it? I have never been a clothes horse, nor do I have any amount that could be considered excessive. I have used up just about all the shirts I have for work and now they all have stains, so I have to go out and buy more. My first thought was, "Now I have to go to the mall." But my second thought was, why not buy used, instead of new? Reusing things is one of the most important tenets of Green living. I realized that I had become a part of the cycle of producing too much "stuff", and needed to get out of it. To do this, meant going back to thrift stores. The only problem? Trying stuff on at those places is sort of creepy. The solution? I did it anyway. And took a shower when I got home. The new Value Village up where I live is really nice, brightly lit, and the dressing rooms are not at all creepy. I had a lot of luck there. I came away with two bags stuffed full of clothes for work and around the house, plus a book, for $54 and change. It was enough that I didn't need to go to the mall after all. I feel very proud of myself, and had a lot of fun in the process. This is a change I will be able to maintain.