samstag slumber party

its that time of year again.

not for the samstag slumber party. (that can happen any time of year.)

but for the 26th annual GOODWILL GLITTER SALE! , which we are planning on arriving at in style (read: leotard style) prior to 8am. hence, the sleepover.

some people arent down with the glitter sale. mayhem, they say. glitter does not mean vintage, they say. lines and lines of crazies, they snap.

naysayers, have at it, but last year, i only waited for an hour and my dude and i came home with:

• 1 L'Aiglon original bright red jackie o jacket & dress combo
• 1 turquoise velvet fitted sheath cocktail dress, with matching velvet bow belt
• 1 super-70s gold patterned raw silk dress with bell sleeves and an asymmetrical hem, which was most likely handmade (new years eve outfit, anyone?)
• 1 wraparound LBD*, mostly spandex (what? but i wear it all the time)
• 1 cashmere bedazzled v-neck sweater (i had to get something glittery)
  
• 1 white tuxedo shirt, mint condition
  
• 1 giant framed photo of elvis
  

...all for under $60!!

and there was a lot i had to leave behind/be torn away from.

the sale is traditionally split into two rooms--the vintage room and the glitter room, which both live up to their names. last year the glitter room was admittedly a complete madhouse. it is much larger than the vintage room, and also houses the jewelry counter, a large U-shaped setup which necessitates taking a number, waiting to hear ones name over a loudspeaker some poor goodwill associate yells into, and fighting ones way through scantily clad women and men to view/purchase.

most people come to the sale wearing some combination of swimsuits or spandex clothing to make trying on glitter sale items in the aisles more efficient, as there are no fitting rooms. it is an intimacy that is hard to describe.

make no mistake, there is no shortage of glitter or sassiness here.

it is amazing.

plus, all the money goes towards goodwill job training & education programs. so theres a method to the madness, of course.

the glitter sale insider blog has a list of tips and sneak peeks at treasures--check it out!

also, i seriously recommend carbing up and bringing a large bottle of water if not a full purse of energizing snacks. the glitter sale is not designed for the physically weak. last year an elderly** lady was taken out of the vintage room in a wheelchair. but, the glitter sale also brings people together. as the burly ambulance men wheeled her out, those of us around her grabbed the nearest straw derby hats or brocade clutch purses and fanned her, clasping her hands and well-wishing her right out of there. then i almost lost my shit when this adorable skinny boy in leggings and a neon windbreaker brought me the turquoise cocktail dress and told me i just had to buy it, and that, nope, he wasnt taking no for an answer. this boy was not a goodwill employee, and i swear he disappeared into the throngs of crazy-eyed shoppers like a pleasant hot-orange-colored mist on an early summer morning.

as is goodwills charm, you never know what you might find. furthermore, the mob mentality really intensifies my love for vintage. some brilliant ideas hit you when you are surrounded by 80s prom dresses as far as the eye can see. so, give it a try! us samstag gals with be there with our girl katie (whose goal is to find and don a glitter sale purchase for a formal event she must be ready for by 3pm tomorrow) and some other glitter believers---documenting this years wonderful chaos and whatever it is we might find on VIDEO!

so come back soon for the samstag coverage of the 2009 glitter sale, where nutty sartorial-obsessed seattleites have been spreading vintage good will*** since 1983.

a guaranteed wild ride. rainier & dearborn. 9am-6pm saturday & sunday.


in short, the goodwill glitter sale is a wonderful holiday tradition. ultimately, it is four years older than we are, and you know we are girls who respect our elders.



love,
A

* little black dress, of course.
** gross understatement.
*** ha!