From the blog economicus ridulous comes this post called Blue and Broke, about the economic necessity of bartering instead of paying for certain extras, and the emotional toll it has taken.

My sister’s son is getting married this summer. The invitation is sitting atop my fridge. The family lives in Ontario. I want to attend, [...]

[caption id="attachment_5946" align="alignleft" width="101" caption="Imaginary job wardrobe"][/caption]Just cuz you’re out of work doesn’t mean you have to be out of style. That’s the concept behind The Great ReDression, subtitled “Life on the Recession Runway.”

The Great ReDression is written by the ReDressionista, who profiles herself this way:

My father grew up in the Great Depression. During the Seventies, my mother refused to let the economic crisis limit her designer intake. My mother passed down her thrifted Dior and shopping secrets to me: how to “fix” broken jewelry, how to upholster bar stools with mink coats, how to dress “one size fits all” and how like fine wine, clothes are better when marked “vintage.”

I learned the secrets of extreme shopping on an extreme budget.
After spending three years living in six cities and four countries, I know how to fill closet space with quality clothing on poverty wages. Quality clothing isn’t about brands. Like art, quality clothing is about craftsmanship; well-crafted goods can be found in the sale bin at Goodwill or on a sidewalk at the Vienna flea market.