Embracing O.P.S

What, you might be wondering, is O.P.S? These three little letters have big meaning behind them:

OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF

Credit for the coinage of this descriptive acronym goes to the man-friend, A.H. Not to be confused, of course, with his other use of OPS, i.e. Other People's Smell - used in such contexts like moving into a new place, taking a whiff of foreign odours and exclaiming something like "We should light some candles to get rid of the OPS." (Yes, that happened.)

I've suggested to A.H. a few times that we should go and check out some second-hand and vintage men's wear for him. And every time, it comes down to OPS. He doesn't do OPS. Why? He's not keen on having pre-worn clothing touching his skin.

So many OPtionS

While writing this, I decided to get a better idea of why he's so against the very thing I'm trying to promote. He wasn't home, so I turned to technology. Our BBM-powered conversation went something like this:

Me: I'm writing a blog post on OPS - what is your #1 reason against it?

A.H: Which "S" are we talking about? Shoes, Stuff, Socks?
         Sangria glasses? Hahaha

Me: Stuff, silly

A.H: I'm mostly no shoes, and nothing that's against the skin
        So, no pants, no t-shirts
        I'd probably do a sweater though
        Oh, and definitely no hats
        Fuckin dirty sweaty hats

Me: Can I quote you on that?

Suffice to say, I didn't get much more insight, other than the fact that he's repulsed by sweat (including his own). But I wonder, how many more people out there feel the same? That the very idea of wearing second-hand clothes is something to be avoided, something abhorred, something...dirty?

Granted, we all sweat. And shed skin. All. Day. Long. But the chances of you contracting a contagious skin condition from wearing second-hand clothing is negligible; (considering, and I'm fairly certain of this, the vast majority of people who buy second-hand actually wash or dry clean their purchases before wearing them. Myself included). I'm more concerned about the chemicals sprayed all over new clothes that are manufactured in another country before shipping. God knows what horrible side effects enough exposure to that stuff could cause. I'll take ringworm any day.

Perhaps it's the smell? If you're anything like this person, (who seems to have a highly developed olfactory bulb), the smell of thrift stores and second hand clothing can be a major turn off. I'll admit, some stores are worse than others for smelling a bit...funky, but to be honest it's something I've never really taken much notice of. I'd much rather deal with the slightly musty smell of a vintage boutique than the overwhelming stench of cologne that smacks you in the face and violently invades your nostrils when you walk into Abercrombie & Fitch; (a mistake, let it be known, that I will never, ever, make again).

It calleth my name...

There are so many reasons why shopping second hand and vintage is a great idea. It's environmentally friendly (and living green is always in style!); it cuts down on excess and over-consumption; it's cost-effective; it supports small, local businesses; and it can give back to the community and charitable causes when you shop at places like Value Village and Goodwill.

And of course, it's fashionable and enjoyable! There are plenty of wonderful treasures to be uncovered, and searching for them is half the fun - and as a plus, vintage clothes are usually of much better quality than today's disposable fashions (both in fabric and handiwork), so you know it will last for more than a few trips through the wash cycle. (I mean, even Macklemore agrees!)

But don't just take my word for it - get out there and discover your own reasons to love buying second-hand and vintage!

So go on - embrace OPS, and feel good about doing something good for the earth and society (and, your wardrobe. Obvs.)

This IS f***ing awesome