I went to a couple of thrift stores today to look for shirts. I struck out, but as always, I was amazed at how grimy my hands get after pushing through a few racks of clothes, and I was also entertained by how ugly clothes can be.
This is an approximation of a shirt I saw at the Salvation Army store. I wish I'd taken a picture:
You might think that looks kind of cool, in a kitschy sort of way, but I assure you it wasn't. The blouse was blocky and shapeless and made of a fake silky rayon material; the huge, elaborate cowboy-and-Indian scene was machine-embroidered with cheap, shiny thread. It was atrocious, and I wondered whose idea it was to mass produce these things.
Maybe the designers thought they were ahead of the curve on this one, that any moment the poorly cut cowboy-and-Indian-themed rayon shirt trend would blow wide open, and they would be there at the forefront, ready to start raking in the dough once women everywhere started clamoring for them.
Well, it's true I don't know much about fashion, but I think it's safe to say they probably lost that gamble. I mean, I guess at least one person bought one, but, to her credit, she's obviously changed her mind about it since.