I Got It At Value Village

I’m sure you’ve heard it before. A friend of yours is wearing an article of clothing which you haven’t seen before. You comment on how nice it is, and the reply: “I got it at Value Village.” What is it that compels your friend to tell you the location of his/her apparel purchase? Do you normally care where your friends buy their clothes?

The IGIAVV response went forth from my lips the other day. I was told I was wearing nice shirt. I promptly replied “I got it at Value Village.” Two things: first off, I don’t usually get comments regarding my clothes, which probably means one of two things - my clothes are either ugly or bland. I prefer to think the later is more accurate, since I trust my wife to let me know if I’m leaving the house wearing something which would look much better on the inside of an incinerator. Three cheers for mediocrity. Secondly, and back to the topic at hand, when I do get comments regarding my clothes, my response doesn’t usually include the location of my purchase. My thinking is that since I’m rarely interested in where other people got their clothes, they’re probably not interested in where I got mine. So why would I decide to share it in this instance? What is it about a purchase at Value Village that compels one to share that bit of knowledge with others?

Thus far, I’ve thought of at least two possible reasons for this phenomenon. The first is that purchasers are enthused that they have bought products they like at bargain prices. But why not just state the price you paid, rather than name the store? If you had bought the item on sale at a store in the mall, a likely response would be “Thanks, I got it for only $15.” or “Thanks, I got it for half price.” The name of the store would only come upon further inquiry. In the case of a Value Village purchase (or any second hand purchase for that matter), the name of the store, or the fact that you got it second hand, almost always comes up. Why the difference? Is the location (Value Village) simply a substitute for saying you got a good deal on the item, or is there something else?

In some cases I think there’s motivation other than sharing the excitement of a bargain. I hereby propose that in some circles, buying second hand is a status thing. I think this is especially prevalent in the more lefty type circles. The underlying assumptions which provide the perceived status boost likely vary with social group. The anti-capitalist types attain the higher status by purchasing their clothes at Value Village instead of Walmart (ie: by stickin’ it to the Man). The enviro types climb the social ladder (which is made from recycled materials) because they’re re-using, instead of purchasing new (ie: by stickin’ it to Gap). As one who has some sympathy for both groups, I can say with some confidence that I’ve seen such things in operation. In all likelihood, I’ve used IGIAVV in hopes that some status might come my way. I need all the help I can get since the look of my clothes won’t do it for me.