Click
here to follow
Katie Delahaye Paine on Twitter.
True confession time. I've gotten so many compliments on my outfits of late, I decided it was time to come clean with my source.
Yes, all these pictures were taken at various speeches I've given in the last few years, but there's one other element they all share. They all came from my favorite boutique, which should be called
"La bonne volonté" but is, in fact, my local Goodwill store. Now, in the interest of transparency, Goodwill is a client of ours. But I was a big fan of Goodwill long before they became a client. I just realized that as I'm trying desperately trying to reduce my carbon footprint, one way I could do that was not to buy yet another piece of clothing that was manufactured in China or Honduras and traveled god knows how to my local Macy's. I think of it as recycling chic.
If you know your labels, and as the daughter of an edit
or-in-chief of Harpers Bazaar I better --- you can score some amazing deals. Nothing makes your day like finding a $500 suit for $19 and then finding the shoes to match for $5. Most of these outfits cost less than $50 and the most expensive element is probably the earrings.
Goodwill is yet another in a long line of non-profits that is effectively using social media to change and upgrade its image. And, as it happens, one of our recommendations to Goodwill was that they needed to use visuals more in their social media efforts. I decided I better practice what I was preaching.
Awe. Some. I always knew I liked you.
Posted by: Brooke Eddington | November 24, 2009 at 04:13 PM
Katie, you always look fab, so Goodwill wins in my book! Someone just shared with me that they scored an Hermes scarf for $3. How come I am never that lucky?! ;-)
How cool is it that your mom worked for Harper's Bazaar?? It's one of my all time favorites!
Posted by: Beth Harte | November 17, 2009 at 07:10 PM
Ah, it's good to know I'm not the only one out there. My strategy: 1. Find the GWs in the 'snooty' neighborhoods, where looking good matters the most, 2. Go every week to take advantage of the 50% off deals - usually a different color tag every week. Did you know stores like Target will donate loads of clothes that don't sell in stores? Brand new! I could write a dissertation, though, on why Goodwill is the awesomest.
Posted by: Jillian | November 16, 2009 at 04:04 PM
Visit www.goodwill.org for a Goodwill retail location near you!
Posted by: Kris Pachunka | November 16, 2009 at 02:49 PM
Great stuff Katie! We get compliments all the time on how cute our kids are dressed and when they ask where we get their clothes....Goodwill!
Another great thing is to donate as much as possible so others can enjoy as we do:)
Posted by: Dyle | November 16, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Katie, Love finding those coats, vests, and hardly worn blazers at GW. I discovered a "bus tour" at the Dover GW last month.
Posted by: Jane Kavanaugh | November 15, 2009 at 08:44 PM
Good idea Robin! There are three that I shop regularly
2454 Lafayette Rd # 2, Portsmouth, NH - (603) 430-2040
47 Chestnut St # 1, Dover, NH - (603) 742-4299
204 Loudon Rd, Concord, NH - (603) 226-4448
Posted by: KDPaine | November 15, 2009 at 03:19 PM
Bravo! I, too, have become a big fan of consignment and re-use, both for economical and ecological reasons. My shoes and boots these days are repaired instead of replaced; when I need something nice my first stop is consignment -- not Nordstrom. I have a few go-tos that always come through here in Minneapolis. (But I'm not tellin'.)
Posted by: Emily M | November 15, 2009 at 02:54 PM
I love this Katie! Do you have an address to share?
Posted by: Robin Anderson | November 15, 2009 at 02:02 PM