I Like Old Clothes

By Mary Ann Hoberman

Illustrations by Patrice Barton

First published in 1976.  This copy published 2012 with new illustrations.

I think this book was written about me!

I like old clothes,

Hand-me-down clothes,

Worn outgrown clothes,

Not-my-own clothes.

My love of old things extends beyond books.  Part of the reason is that I can be hopelessly frugal.  Why anyone would pay full price for designer clothes baffles me.  But $100 shoes found at Savers for $6.99?  That I’ll take!  Another part of the reason is provenance.  An item is that much more special when there is a story behind it.  Those shoes I had until they wore out last year?  They were the ones I bought for my daughter when she was in grade school.  She grew out of them and then they were mine!

Clothes with a history,

Clothes with a mystery,

Sweaters and shirts

That are brother-and-sistery.

Fortunately, I always felt this way about used clothes.  I can remember going into the laundry room every so often and searching through the cabinet of old “brother-an-sistery” clothes, hoping that I could find something else I’d fit into.  It was a good day when I could bring another pile of “new” clothes up to my room.

And each time I wear them

I try to imagine

The places they’ve been

And the faces they’ve seen

And whose clothes they’ll be

When they’ve finished with me.

These days, a trip to the local thrift store with my daughters ends with a show-and-tell on the living room floor.  We brag to each other about our great deals.

 “Two dollars for that skirt?  Good job!”

“That jacket was four dollars?  Why didn’t I see that?”

“What pile of books?  I don’t see any books.  Why would I get more books?”