Blooming Lotus

I’ve always been into mixing Vintage pieces with modern looks, but recently I’ve been trying even harder to be more conscious of my wardrobe, so I’ve been diving more into shopping second hand. I recently partnered with Goodwill San Antonio for their Influencer campaign, and in my research I’ve been appalled while learning the how harmful fashion can be for the planet. Although, I don’t live under a rock and am aware of the impact of Fast Fashion, but honestly it was alarming to see the statistics. I do go in depth with the concepts in the Goodwill SA Blog, so today I want to talk to you about one of the suggested ways to minimize your impact as a consumer. Second-hand shopping is a way to reduce over-consumerism and the answer to this Throw Away culture. One of the effects of Fast-Fashion is in the name itself. It’s fast, so the amount of fast produced, mass produced clothing is met with the demand of a fast changing trend market. So, what does that leave us with? A whole bunch of clothes, that get thrown away and sent to landfills. Did you know that 11 million tons of clothing is thrown away each year, in the United States alone?! I didn’t, not until I researched it; and it seriously freaked me out. So, I made the conscious decision, right then and there, to dramatically reduce my fast fashion shopping and give second hand shopping a second chance!

Shopping at Vintage/Antique shops, Consignment shops, non-profit entities like Goodwill, swap meets, rack sales, and now online second hand sites like Poshmark, ThredUp and DePop are great sustainable shopping options. I know that shopping at stores like Goodwill can seem intimidating at first and you can get lost in a sea of clothing, shoes, accessories, handbags and even home goods, but there is definitely a trick to finding treasures. The first time I went in after I started my partnership, I went to the Goodwill close to my house, and was seriously overwhelmed, not noticing that the racks are divided by size and style. So, I kinda walked aimlessly for about 20 minutes not finding anything I liked. I was about to give up, until I decided to go around and start at the very front of the store again. What I was looking for specifically was a black sweater. Once I discovered where the sweaters were, (upfront, since winter was just starting) I found this fabulous Eileen Fisher v-neck sweater and the perfect black turtle neck for like $6.49 each! I was shook and so happy! The prices are shocking! After that awesome find, I went to the blazers and jackets sections, only to discover incredible vintage pieces. This velvet shawl cardigan immediately called my name, and there was also an uber fabulous puff sleeved gold damask bolero style jacket, that put stars in my eyes! For my second trip, I visited a Goodwill close to the big North Star Mall in San Antonio. This store looked more like a Department Store. It was gorgeous! Every section was perfectly styled and there were some seriously gorgeous finds right up front on display. I found this black silk skirt, an African print bomber jacket and the most gorgeous tulle full length skirt, fit for a Red Carpet! There were so many great home goods, too. Wine & Margarita glasses, holiday serving platters and cute coffee mugs.

Every Goodwill has it’s great finds! I hear the best store for home goods is Downtown and for designer clothes, the store at 281 & Bitters. The newest store on 1604 & Potranco Rd. just opened so I am so excited to check it out, as well. There are also donation stations all over town, friends, so instead of throwing away your stuff, consider donating to Goodwill! Right before the holidays, I donated 2 large bags of lightly worn clothing, shoes and even handbags. I must say, it felt good. I know it’ll all find a good home and it’s for a great cause. Goodwill’s proceeds help people in need of career assistance. The Goodwill Good Careers Academy offers quality certification programs in high-demand fields such as Pharmacy Technician, Medical Assistant, Nurse’s Aide and Commercial Truck Driver. Each year, at least 85% of the Good Career Academy graduates find meaningful employment. For more information on the wonderful things Goodwill contributes to our community, visit GoodwillSa.org.