I thought Chicago would be my last chance to consignment shop for awhile, but then a friend from church mentioned that there were two big consignment sales in State College and Bellefonte this weekend! Since Tommy’s 4T winter wardrobe consisted of 4 pairs of pants, three shirts, snowpants, and a suit, I decided to check out the local deals!
First of all, since Elizabeth started walking, we’ve been getting away with random footwear. I picked up some size 4 shoes at Walmart a few weeks ago, but I think she’s really a 4 1/2. Try finding that size at Walmart or Target! So I was on a mission to find her shoes and socks (she has hand-me-down clothes through 4T from friends, so I didn’t even let myself look at the girls’ clothes racks.)=) Since she has a well-documented shoe fetish, she was delighted when I returned with not one, but four pairs of shoes–4 1/2, 5, 5 snow boots, and 5 1/2 (she has hand-me-down 6 through 7 1/2). And a bag of socks with 16 complete sets and about 9 loners. Total cost? $8.25 (One of the $1.50 pairs of Stride Rites still had the $46 price tag inside. It made me happy.) (She’s already wearing one pair of shoes in the picture, and the hat was sent by Grandma Willett yesterday. Both have been on all morning.)
Tommy really needs some 10 1/2 shoes, snow boots, and new socks, but I quickly realized that boys wear out shoes and socks much worse than girls, so I’m just going to have to take a deep breath and buy them new. The first sale was disappointing–clothes priced $2-$8–and I refuse to pay over $1 for used clothing unless I’m desperate. I did pick up a white dress shirt with tags for $2 (because he needs one for his suit) and a $5 Land’s End winter coat. Red, of course, like a certain Pixar automobile. I’ll pay $5 for a winter coat, though I have paid as little as $1.50 in the past. A little depressed, I headed to the Bellefonte sale, which was in its second day where everything was half price. Surprisingly, there was still a good selection, and clothes were priced between $1-3 to begin with, so I did much better there. I ended up coming home with a linen suit coat and tie for Hannah’s wedding in case I can’t find a dark ringbearer suit this spring, the coat, a pullover, 6 shirts, 6 pairs of pants, and a pair of fuzzy footed pajamas (Tommy’s special request) for a total of $20.
Then I called my mom on the way home and heard that one of her friends was congratulating herself on only spending $400 for school clothes for her two kids. I felt smug. When I arrived home, Tommy was ecstatic to see his “new clothes”–he literally jumped up and down as I pulled each new piece out of the bag, especially the suitcoat for “helping Hannah get married next summer.” Yep, it was a pretty good start to the weekend in the Muller house!
