Namur Metro: a good deal of fun (Part II)

yes, i was being punny in the title, namur metro is truly the full of good deals. today we'll head left out of the metro stop, along Decarie blvd, away from jean-talon, past rue Paré to:

villages des valeurs! (value village sounds so much fancier translated into french!). for my dear non-canadian readership, value village is similar to goodwill, but most stores are 2-3x the size of the average goodwill. it can be pretty overwhelming for the amateur thrift shopper, so i thought i'd compile a list of 5 key tips for success at V. V.:

1. time: i like to give myself PLENTY of time, 2 hours is usually about right to cover most of the store. but i might recommend starting in smaller increments. say 45 minutes-1 hour and just pick one or two sections to do that day (skirts and tank tops for example...).

2. maintaining a state of wellness: don't go if you have a headache- the bright lights, colors, oldies music won't make it better. make sure you're well nourished, bring a bottle of water, and please oh please wash your hands extra well after you're done!

3. get a cart, and fill 'er up! because of the mix of brands, eras, styles you MUST try everything on, just looking at the size can be misleading. don't be afraid to try lots on- i usually reject about 80% of what you pick out. you can look for quality classics, current pieces, or you can go for the fugly (fabulously ugly that is) and vintage.

4. trying your selections on and deciding what to purchase: leave about 1/3 of the alloted time to try things on. when trying things on think of what you can pair the piece with- could you make it work with the right belt, by altering it (if you enjoy sewing), does the color work on your complexion. when buying fugly pieces ask yourself, "where and when am i honestly going to wear this?"

Just plain ugly!

FUGLY!

5. its always more fun with friends!