Blog I eat fashion and throw it up later

True Love Shoes & Accessories, Denver True Love Shoes & Accessories
by Tuyet Nguyen April 3, 2009

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Like most girls, I have a lot of clothes. And I’m always buying more, even when I can’t afford it—like when I’m late on my phone bill and I have so many parking tickets that the city is threatening to boot me. If there’s a cute black dress that fits that looks slightly different than the several other black dresses I already own—I will buy it. It’s sick, I know. It’s so very Carrie Bradshaw that I could just fucking puke. I could hurl pink cosmopolitans for days until my stomach lining is raw, and that still would not even begin to epitomize how truly gross my love is for fashion.
But here’s the thing: Fashion, as shallow as it may seem, is worth the investment. It’s a creative industry just like music or film or whatever it is that those Jonas Brothers do—and, in these dark economic times, arts-based businesses suffer just as much as—and in some cases more than—everyone else. Except maybe the Jonas boys; those little wide-eyed virgins are doing just fine, and have reportedly sold more than 800,000 tickets out the gate for their upcoming world tour. And you think fashion is a waste of money?
I won’t soapbox on the global recession and whose shoddy merchandise is more at stake—Nick Jonas’ or the faux Chanel purses from the guy on the street corner—but I will spew this: When it comes to fashion and money, both are better kept local. But, you already know this, right? It's an investment in your community when you buy locally; small businesses generally have less of a negative impact on the environment than their conglomerate counterparts, and on and on. Good, here’s a gold star and a plaster of Paris of your carbon footprint.
Now, there’s only one thing that I like more than clothes, and that’s making lists. Here are some tips on how to invest in local fashion without breaking the bank.

1. Work for it. [Full disclosure: I work at The Fabric Lab, a clothing boutique, on the weekends.] This is not the easiest one to follow as it entails taking up a low-paying, and sometimes shitty, retail job—which isn't that bad. You can get killer discounts, and a lot of small shops even focus on local stock, which means lots of limited-run clothes and accessories from Colorado-based designers. Some of my favorite hometown brands? Adam Sikorski (hand-screened men’s and women’s clothes), DVLP Clothing (skate- and snow-inspired wear), and, lastly, Incroyables and Let 'Em Have It. (Both labels specialize in super-flirty women’s dresses.)

2. Go used or free. This one’s a no-brainer. Vintage and used-specialty shops are goldmines for cheap ware. Thankfully, locally run spots like Buffalo Exchange and All American Vogue are manned by picky buyers who ensure that whatever is on the floor is worth your time and money. And if cheap is out of your price range, then the Free Boutique—which promises everything in its name—should be really easy on your wallet. The shop, according to its manifesto, aims to provide “high-end, fashion-forward, expensive-looking free clothes to the general public.” Donations, of course, are gladly accepted. 

3. Just say no to corporate chains. Corporate heads do not care about you, but you know who does? Small business owners. Boutiques like Fancy Tiger, Common Era, True Love Shoes & Accessories, and Pandora Jewelry are the best places to delve into national brands and new designers without selling out and going to the mall. I do have a secret, and slightly trashy, fashion indulgence though: Fashion Mia on South Federal Boulevard. The store is representative of the minority-populated neighborhood; it’s Asian-owned, there’s usually a teenaged Latina working the register, and most of the selection—a mix of clubland wear and school-girl sweaters—seem to be no-name knock-offs. The clothes are definitely tawdry, but I absolutely love it—so much so that the last time I was there, I puked pink cosmos.

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