A glance at the Save the Dates on my refrigerator reminds me that I have six weddings, eight bridal/baby showers, and three graduations to attend this spring/summer. Many of these events are with the same circle of people, and I don’t want to recycle the same looks again and again and again. That certainly makes for boring photos and memory books.  I also don’t want to blow my clothing budget on formal and semi-formal dresses I may only wear once or twice. Until recently, it never would have occurred to me to try consignment shopping for these events. I think on some level, I couldn’t separate the concept from trips to Goodwill my friend, Molly, dragged me on in high school. Molly relished the thrill of the hunt, where as I balked at arduous task of sorting through the sheer bulk of unorganized textile flotsam and jetsam. When Amanda and I first learned of the local consignment shop, Village Style in Freeport, ME, earlier this year, visions of matronly mumus danced through my head along with smelly tweed and stretched out denim. I may have given Amanda the, “do we have to?” face.

But, I was so wrong! I’ve come to realize those images and memories are inaccurate and absolutely not the case, especially at Village Style. Village Style is more boutique than anything else, with thoughtfully arranged sections that are easy to browse. Shelly, the owner of the shop, is highly selective with her inventory, and it shows. Many items are new with tags, all are in pristine condition, and there’s a sizeable selection of designer brands to boot.  Shopping consignment for my many events wouldn’t have crossed my mind at the beginning of this year, but Amanda, who has always enjoyed a good consignment shop, and Shelly have won me over.