Probably one of the best ways we could save our budget and save the world would be to slowly adopt the notion of reusing or recycling clothes, or basically not always buying new clothes. In the fashion circles, it would be considered “vintage” or dressing retro. In my world it’s a way to save me from the mall.

For example, a couple of years ago, my daughters were all crazy for these Self-Esteem, Fang and Eyeshadow brand fashion t-shirts, which would set me back at least $20 every time I stepped into a department store. So I stopped stepping into department stores (but didn’t tell them) and started shopping for these shirts on eBay. In no time, I was buying lots of five and six “gently used” shirts for the same $20 that would have gotten me one new shirt only. As one daughter grew out of the shirts, I handed them down to the next daughter. Now that the youngest is growing out of them, I’m not quite done with them. If the shirts are still in perfect wearing condition, I sell them right back on eBay, along with jeans, sweatpants and any other articles of clothing that I’m confident people will bid on. What doesn’t sell, goes to charity. (Notice, none of this goes in the trash.)

This past Halloween, we went the recycle/reuse route for costumes, with one daughter dressing up as a lady at a masquerade ball, all with props we currently own. The other daughter wanted to be a hipster from the 70s, so I took her to a local thrift shop where we purchased an authentic 70s polyester blouse and white go-go boots. She used her own white tights, mini skirt and headwrap, and borrowed a pair of big-as-your-head sunglasses from a 70-year-0ld aunt, who wore those big-as-your-head sunglasses on her head in all seriousness in the 70s. Final cost for the costume? $17.50.

Lots of thrift shops are getting into the “vintage” game, such as a Washington, DC Goodwill location, which has actually hired a fashion consultant for the shop and who organizes fashion shows to drive business. The Washington Post recently wrote about the shop along with the local Salvation Army, which also held a recent fashion show to improve its image in the eyes of fashion-conscious Washingtonians.

Back to the 70s, though. If you’d rather not wear “vintage” 70s attire but are in the mood for a good laugh, you’ve got to check this out. It’s a trip down memory lane, circa 1977 (I was in elementary school), courtesy of a JC Penney catalog posted on a blog called 15 Minute Lunch. Fair warning, there is some foul language–on the blog, not the catalog pages that are shown. Other fair warning: do not eat or drink while reading this blog. You are sure to spew.