Thrifty Thursdays: Buying Lingerie Secondhand

Let's talk about lingerie. Thrifted lingerie (also swimsuits).

You're probably freaking-out right now; you're probably having a panic attack. Well take a deep breath and half a Xanex, because this post is HAPPENING.

I'll admit it: I buy lingerie at thrift stores. Definitely more than I buy it from Victoria's Secret. I don't really go in for the padded bras you find at, say, Frederick's of Hollywood. I much prefer unlined pieces - I think they're more flattering to my figure. But good luck finding totally unlined bras in the wild - they're pretty rare these days.

But that's not the the elephant in the room - that would be you, tearing your hair and screaming, "BUT THE GEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRMMMMSSSSSSS!!"

This is what you look like.

http://theanimals.pics/elephant-baby-pictures/22/picture-mother-baby-elephant-5-mother-and-baby-elephants/
Ahhh, see, you're afraid of catching an STD. Good news - when bacteria is exposed to the air for longer then 24 hours, it dies. Just like you can't get chlamydia from a toilet seat, you also can't get it from a night gown. And consider this: if you've ever tried-on a bra or teddy at Victoria's Secret, you can be nearly guaranteed that someone else has tried it on, too - making it "used." Also remember that you can always remove the little liner inside any bottoms - particularly in swimsuits. But if you're still really, really worried about other-people's-germs, Oxy Clean or vinegar will do the trick. Add a cup of either to your laundry and when your clothes are done spinning, they will be clean and happy.

Plus, guys, you should wash everything you get from a thrift store as soon as you bring it home. ALWAYS. Don't you dare buy something secondhand and then wear it without washing it - I don't care where on the body it belongs. Not because you'll get the AIDS, but because you might get a cold. Cold viruses can live on hard surfaces and fabrics for up to a week. Wash your clothes. Wash everything. MOSTLY YOUR HANDS.

Okay, let's go back to the lacy bits.

If you feel like you can't afford cute lingerie, I'm here to tell you that you're probably wrong. Even if you have a five-dollar lingerie budget, you can buy something like this.

After a little Google searching, I dated this nightgown to 1974. And I think it's just as lovely and romantic today as it was when it was first created. I adore the diamond waistband, and the delicate embroidered flowers along the neckline. It's pretty, simple, and it cost four dollars.

During my Day Camp weeks this summer, I needed a bunch of swimsuit options, and I found two at Goodwill for three dollars each. They fit well, flatter my body, and didn't cost eighty buck like the (admittedly amazing) ones from ModCloth.


And I get it - most of you are still probably squicked-out by used neglige. That's okay - we all have our limits. But I hope, if nothing else, that you're not afraid that you can catch an STD from a used teddy. Misinformation leads to stigmatization, and no one who has (or once had) an STD needs to be looked down-on. Don't be afraid of the things you needn't fear - be afraid of the truly dangerous stuff.

Like this psycho killer