This Is What It Sounds Like When Doves Cry.
Item: Blouse Color/Fabric: Red, Cotton/nylon/spandex Designer: Max Studio Where Purchased: Value City Years Owned: 8
Ah, what a week! I am quite literally buried in a massive mountain of costumes for Bye Bye Birdie. Many of which you will have read about already. So come see the show and watch my closet dance on stage! Seriously, it’s going to be a wonderful show, and it opens on Friday, and everyone should go.
This blouse, you won’t be seeing on stage. I’m not sure anyone will be seeing this anywhere. I can’t even remember the last time I wore this, but I do remember purchasing it.
I stalked it. For whatever reason, I became obsessed with this blouse the very moment I laid eyes on it in that treasure trove of fashion, the Value City. I’m not sure why. Maybe I wanted to be a pirate. Maybe I was thinking of a really horrible vintage prom tuxedo. Maybe I was thinking about Prince in Purple Rain. Maybe I was just thinking about Prince.
Anyway, obsessed was I. Value City, for those who never got to experience the giddy highs and nauseous lows of it, was a store like none other. You could find a genuine high end designer right next to something dirty and obviously worn, like they might have just found a shirt in the parking lot and stuck a price tag on it. One of the great unsolved mysteries of my life was that every 5 to 10 minutes there would be an announcement for security to go to the shoe department. Why? Are there really that many shoe shoplifters out there? Was it a secret code of some sort, like maybe to go check out someone wearing or trying on a horrible outfit? Was there some sort of illicit shoe-related drug scheme? And if the problem was so severe, shouldn’t they have had a security person posted in the shoe section at all times, patrolling endlessly?
I never got to the bottom of it. But I have secretly always suspected that the shoe shenanigans contributed to the demise of the Value City franchise.
Well, that, and their penchant for marking things down to $0.70.
I didn’t wait for this blouse to get down to $0.70, but I most likely waited until it was less than $7. Sometimes $10 seems like too much of a commitment. But $7? Much easier. And with the $3 I saved I could more than likely buy a pair of Value City’s shoes. Used? Perhaps. Awesome? For sure!
And I did enjoy wearing this on many an occasion. Probably for something holiday-y. But I have not broken it out in years. There’s still a glimmer of my former love there. I have pulled this from the rack during a closet extermination more than once. I have considered it, and then put it back on the rack. I just haven’t been able to part with it. Should I?
**It’s time to say goodbye. I think someone needs to have it, though!
- Posted in: Fashion ♦ Toss!
- Tagged: Bye Bye Birdie, Max Studio, Prince, Puffy Shirt, Value City
I Am What I Wore 
I’m BACK! Just so you know, while I was delayed at the airport I spent the time giggling out loud and leaving lengthy witty responses to your blog and none of them went through!! Not sure why? For the record I voted to keep everything! As for this blouse….I think you need to keep it. I had once purchased a similar blouse and named mine “The Michael Jackson” because it reminded me of the Jackson 5 (very colorful with big bold stripes and bell sleeves), ANYWAY…I tossed it and regretted it ever since. Yours actually looks wearable, but mine would have been perfect for a costume…you never know!
Hoorah! I’m so glad that you’re back1 I really missed you and your approval of all of my fashion. And can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
no. toss.
now that is how we should playing this came and get rid of things we haven’t worn in YEARS.
Oh Value City!! I’m actually laughing reading this. “Security to shoes… Security to shoes…”. And the dusty, rumpled clothes bit was strange. But oh the finds! The one in Lansing was awful, for the record. I miss Maumee though. I’d take a trip there with you right now if I could. I miss you both!