I mean, do people even want my clothes?
I never really like selling clothes. My preference is to archive my clothes; I have begun to trust my taste, especially after how apparent it is that I return to things (as opposed to buying new). I’m also just straight up too lazy to measure, pack, and ship. Perhaps that’s why I try to only buy things that I know I’m going to wear for a long time; it’s hard to determine the metric for a committed purchase, but most things have had great staying power in my wardrobe (especially since I wear a fit everyday). That being said, there are a few things that don’t make the archive and are better off at new homes.
In most cases, its a fit issue. I’ve outgrown a few things (mainly jackets) that I can’t save by simply letting them out. Silhouette in general can also be a factor: I gave up all my tapered trousers once I fully committed to the wide legged trouser and even had some custom made. I had no need for the pants J. Crew, Banana Republic, or the ones I tapered because I was too ashamed to wear wide legs in my contemporary attire, especially when I had the ones that already fit my POV.
The concept of replacement is a big thing for me. When you collect vintage (or secondhand) you tend to pounce on things as soon as you see them (since you’ll probably never find it again). It’s not impossible to find a similar garment down the line that better fits your aesthetic. A good example is the navy sportcoat. My first one (a 1940s in a summer wool) came from a vintage dealer, but it was later replaced by Spier & Mackay; then a few years later, a friend picked up a Drake’s one for me (at a sample sale), which had a much roomier and slouchier fit. It wasn’t intentional, but that’s just how it happened. My Drake’s one is pretty good and probably the best one I’ve owned so it probably won’t get replaced any time soon (unless I get a custom one).
Of course, there are a few garments that I truly evolve past. It’s not that they are trendy or represent an experiment in my style– there are simply clothes that I don’t gravitate to anymore. You could maybe blame them on the vintage head mindset of “buying what you see because you’ll never see it again”, but it might be because I recognize that others may give the clothes more purpose than I can currently give them. Most of the time, its the casual pieces like chore coats and short jackets I let go, since I’m almost always in full tailoring. It’s a good exercise to let go of the garments that make it into this category but if I’m being honest, most go back in to the archive.
The pieces that I truly have to let go, whether its sizing, replacement, or evolution, end up in the hands of friends similar to my size. That’s why you’ve probably something familiar being worn by MJ, Jay, Nguyen, or even Chris. They’ve even joked that they seldom need to buy anything new: they’re just banking on my gym efforts making me too big for my jackets or that I get to a high enough income level to get custom made LA appropriate clothes, so I don’t have to just wear my old thrifted things; it’s mainly the former though (which makes me regret my gym routine a little bit).
However, this past weekend came to MJ and Jay’s detriment. Instead of simply selling (or giving away) my clothes to my friends, I was challenged to pack up whatever I had and attempt to sell them at an impromptu flea market at Marco’s house. He’s a guy who sells a few things every so often on IG and instead of doing that, he decided to get me and a few friends together (Silvia, Spencer, and Annie) and make it into an in-person event. After all, most people commit to buying when Tangibly handling clothes, unless you really are that confident in trusting online measurements.
I was a little intrigued because I recently was approached by two influencer friends to go in on a booth at the Silverlake Flea and sell. That idea fell through (they had too much stuff and didn’t need me lol), but it did inspire me to keep a box of things I’ve debated on getting rid of. So when Marco asked us to do the impromptu flea, I already had a small stock of things to get rid of. I even challenged myself to look into my closet and pick out garments I wasn’t completely happy with (evolution), stuff that didn’t fit, or things that were redundant.
As you might have expected, none of it was tailoring. But among the items I was getting rid of were: ecru 501s that I ebay-ed but were on the slim side (I should have sized up), a chunky cardigan I don’t wear (I’ll just wear my sportcoats or my kimonos), a black-red leather varsity jacket (it was one of my first ever leather jackets and I don’t wear it), my Alden tanker boots (I just don’t wear rugged boots), a few slim pants that I’ve just held on to, and a handful of other stuff. I packed it all up, blasted the flea across all my social media profiles, and went to Marcos. Spencer, with his plethora of tailoring (mainly 1930s suits, odd waistcoats, and J. Crew shirts) made up the classic menswear side of things. Silvia, Annie, and Marco brought their designer stuff.
Unfortunately I didn’t sell anything other than my Alden boots and a cheeky merch cap that I thrifted in college and had no idea I still owned it. Spencer got rid of a few shirts, but that was it. Obviously LA isn’t the best place to sell vintage tailoring; most of the stores and flea vendors here focus on casual things like sportswear, milsurp, and workwear. I’m also (or I used to be) a slightly smaller size, so some of my casual stuff did not fit those who attended. I guess it just means more stuff for MJ and Jay! They can enjoy my navy gurkha shorts (I wear my RL pleated chino ones too much) and my camo chore coat (might as well stick with my camo jungle jacket).
That being said, it was a fun exercise to think about what I actually prioritize in my wardrobe. And as I stated many times, it’s tailoring: I remember exactly the last time I wore each button up shirt, blazer, trouser, and suit– I can’t say the same for my casual garments. That being said, it’s finally getting colder which means that it’s time for me to wear some rugged looks which aren’t always tailoring focused; I guess whatever I don’t wear this fall/winter season will be next on the chopping blog.
The sale itself was pretty fun! We all put the word out and quite a few people showed up. Almost all of them bought clothing (mainly designer garments from my compatriots), but it was still a great time to hang out in person. I even was able to meet a few people from MFA! I guess this is what happens when there aren’t really any store events go to.
Anyway, enjoy a few photos as a recap of the event. This even might happen again, but I’ll have even less stuff. Because pretty soon, all thats left is going to be the clothes I wear on a daily basis! And I ain’t going to give them up.
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a little bit of rest 
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