My new spring wardrobe is complete. For under $50, I have stocked my closet with blue, yellow and green pastels from Banana Republic. One does not have to be wealthy to dress fashionable in New York City. The possibilities are endless at places like the Housing Works Thrift shop.
Keith Kyler and Charles King came up with the idea to open a high-end thrift shop where well-to-do New York homosexuals (and their admirers) could donate their “lightly worn” clothing for tax write- offs. Unlike places like the Salvation Army where clothing smells like stale mothballs, Housing Works thrift shops are gloriously decorated establishments with front windows that rival Macy’s. Clothing there is not musty, and most apparel appears to have been worn only to church. Money collected through the sale of donated clothing at Housing Works is used to provide housing to homeless individuals with HIV and AIDS.
There are several Housing Works thrift shops in New York City now. My favorite is on 17th Street. That’s where I found the Banana Republic shirts today. Hats off to the queen with a size 33 inseam.
