Psst- We’re bouncing around the West Coast this weekend with a talk and signing in Portland on Saturday at Rejuvenation at noon (for more info call 503-238-1900). Then on Sunday we’ll be in Palo Alto at 11am at the West Elm on 180 University Avenue (RSVP here). Parking isn’t enforced on Sundays so you can park anywhere, or you can purchase a visitors pass at Palo Alto Civic Center and park in any of their lots all day.
There are two irrefutable facts about me. 1) I tend to fall in love with rappers and 2) I’m a fool for a good thrift shop. So when those two passions collided in the form of this Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song called Thrift Shop, the Internet at large was quick to clue me into its awesomeness, which started around the fall of last year and continues well into 2013. So to anyone who commented/tweeted me the link, thank you for giving me my official jam of 2012 and 2013. The clip below is the clean radio edit of the song (if you’re on a smart phone click here to watch it) but here’s a link to the official non-clean video (warning: it’s a bit, um, saltier).
And now that the song is starting to get some radio play (seriously, they’ve started playing it here in Richmond!) it gave us an idea. As J-Boom and I pulled into a thrift store while it played, I was like “Ooh look at this, it’s so meta, a song about thrifting is playing while we’re going thrifting.” And then John turned to me and said “We should do a Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge.” And boom. Just like that I fell more in love with my husband.
Here’s the deal. This “Challenge” is basically an excuse to all (virtually) go thrift shopping together and share our spoils, plus there’s a scavenger-hunt-ish element tossed in for good measure. So it’s meant to be a nice low pressure Friday fun-fest. And just like our little Pinterest Challenges, if you’d like to partake and blog about it, we’ll do a little linky thing next Friday so everyone can share their favorite finds. There are just THREE things you gotta do to play along (well, four if you count blogging about it later, although of course you can play along even if you don’t have a blog).
Step #1. Go to a thrift shop with – just as the chorus of the song says – “$20 in your pocket” and take a picture.
Step #2. Spend that $20 any way you’d like and photograph your spoils. They can be home related, fashion oriented, kid focused, anything. And you don’t necessarily need to make them over or repurpose them at all (although that’s totally allowed too!). It’s just an adventure in seeing what people all across the country (the world?) can score with a twenty at a thrift shop. And if you don’t find enough items to spend the whole twenty, there’s no pressure to buy weird things to meet that number, so it’s more of a cap than a you-must-hit-this-exact-number thing. This isn’t The Price Is Right.
Oh yeah, and we’ll reveal our spoils with everyone else next week…
Step #3. Find one item (or more) referenced in the song and snap a pic. Here’s the scaveger-hunt-ish element that we tossed in because we’re weirdos. And you get bonus points for doing something ridiculous with the item in the photo. After all, Macklemore has some pretty great confidence when he’s rocking those footy pajamas.
If you’re like John and have a terrible time deciphering rap lyrics, we’ve listed some of the items you could hunt for here: clothing with fringe, an all pink outfit, moccasins, a velour jumpsuit, house slippers, a brown leather jacket, a keyboard, a kneeboard, shoes with velcro, luggage, a plaid button up shirt, flannel zebra jammies, PJs with built-in socks, a telescope, and of course… a big a$$ coat.
Feel free to interpret the scavenger hunt items as literally or as loosely as you’d like. The point is just to have some good clean thrift shop fun. Happy hunting! We’ll be back next Friday with a rundown of what we found, and we can’t wait to see what you guys score as well.
Viva la thrift shop!
You guys are awesome. Now I must start looking for the best thrift stores because everything in our area is ridiculously overpriced the 2nd hand places I go.
Okay, that is F*¢qing awesome!
My sons and I have challenged ourselves to learn all the lyrics to that song, so we get super excited when it comes on the radio.
Car trips just got a whole lot better.
Katy
Ah! Two favorite blogs coming together under one roof…er…url…
And Thrift stores! I might pass out from excitement. Or just get my A$$ to the sto’
I’m in!
Thrift shop… this can mean Salvation Army, Goodwill and Volunteers of America stores too, right? I don’t know of any indie thrift shops here, nothing awesome like yours!
I LOVE this challenge and will prolly go out into the freezing temps to complete it here in KY! Stay tuned… ;)
Oh, it’s on like Donkey Kong. Dallas thrift stores, get ready: J-Bizzle is on her way. #didIjustgivemyselfarappername
You were right, Sherry. I did like today’s post. :)
Yessssss!
xo
s
This. Is. Awesome.
I cannot wait to go to the thrift store this weekend!!!
I love the big a$$ coat!!!!
I hereby accept this challenge. I haven’t been thrifting in forever. Also, that coat. Hahahahaha. That COOAATTTTT is swallowing you.
This is so awesome. Count me in! LOVE this song. You guys rock!
My boyfriend was the one to clue me in to Thrift Shop and we both love it. I’m definitely going to convince him to do this with me!!
Will you share an email address with me? I want to forward some “OLD” ideas that I just received in an email – clever ideas for OLD things you your YOUNG HOUSE LOVE….
Fran
No way! Our email address is [email protected]. Thanks Fran!
xo
s
OMG I’m dying right now! This song is my jam.
My day is MADE!
This is the best thing I have ever heard! The hubs and I love this song (at first we were like “what is this?!” and now we crank it up. Hopefully I can find a thrift store this weekend so I can participate :)
Love this! Will have to watch this when I get home (how did I miss this soon to be all time greatest hit?). I’ll probably hit up Love of Jesus as well. Shall the creepy dolls be mine?! j/k no. I did grab an awesome H&M coat there once for $5.
Hahahaha! This is awesome! Love it!
Sherry,
As a girl from Texas, the picture of you in the big a$$ coat is what I think someone from Jersey looks like… A mob wife for sure. I hope you bought that coat and added some gold sparkles!
Haha, the funny thing is that as soon as I put it on I saw myself in the mirror and I was like “wait, I look like my aunt. I think she actually has this coat.”
xo
s
I think that actually is the same coat my mom had– in the eighties, in the Midwest. Jersey may actually have been optional in this case. ;)
Hah!
xo
s
This is such a cute idea!!! I love it!
Hahaha! I love this! My cousin introduced me to the song a month or so ago, and I’ve just started hearing it on the radio the last two weeks here in the Twin Cities. And my favorite line of the song is the keyboard one, so the pic of John makes me super happy!
That coat looks good on you $herdog! And bonus points… it looks a little granny-ish so it totally works with the song (“Is that your grandma’s coat?”)
This is so awesome! I made my husband watch the video last week and he’s been playing it ever since! I just emailed him a screen shot to tell him my favorite bloggers are doing a thrift shop song challenge and my life is complete.
Oh my god. I love you guys! This is my favorite song right now!:) And the challenge! Awesome idea!!!
Oh snap. I have a new favorite song – and something to do this weekend. As Barney would say…Challenge….Accepted!
I’ll be the book signing in NYC next week – so excited!!!
Wahoo! So excited for that!
xo
s
This is hilarious!! I am up for the challenge!
We love that song. Even though my 3 year old now says piss! I guess our radio version didn’t block that word out. Oops!
This is pure genius.
I’m so in!
Lol!!! Thrifting with you guys would be a blast!!! Love the big a$$ coat.
Oh and hell yeah I’m in
My husband is OBSESSED with this song! I can’t wait to show him this post.
In the words of the late Whitney Houston, “hell to the yeah!” No, she wasn’t a rapper, but still a music icon! If you were an exhibitionist/flasher, that big @$$ coat could qualify for an all pink outfit. :)
Challenge accepted!
I made the mistake of sharing “Thrift Shop” with my co-workers this week and unknowingly played the “salty” version, so very, very awkward. O_o
Haha! Oh no.
xo
s
So… I’ve never heard this song before and now it’s going to be in my head the rest of the day. Which probably has something to do with the fact that I watched it 2 times in a row, okay, maybe 3 but it’s catchy.
Macklemore is from Seattle (my town) so crank him up while you’re here for the book signing! :)
Woot woot!
xo
s
I have the big ass Nanook of the North coat in black! Comes in handy in Buffalo winters.
is it strange that thrift shop came on the radio halfway thru reading this post. I feel forced to accept the challenge!!
Haha, it’s fate!
xo
s
HAHAHAHAHAHA OH MAN. I LOVE this blog post. Maybe the most ever. This song always gets me pumped.
I now have weekend plans – totally doing this!
h triple is in! fun!!
http://www.myrapname.com/
ps—why no super cute bangs?? did you change your mind?
They come out for special occasions but get pinned back if I’m running around town doing errands in the rain (humidity = bang enemy).
xo
s
Sher Dog–
Those bangs will be DOG GONE at the rate your lovely locks grow–soooo, more pictures please!!! Just sayin’ :)
xo
Haha, the bangs will come down when I have time to do them and it’s not all crazy and humid or raining. Otherwise I’m a girl with a brillo pad on her head :)
xo
s
Ha, this is beyond amazing!! I am obsessed with Mackelmore, the entire album is so good. So bummed I can’t see you guys at the Tacoma Dome today, but I did have my high school graduation there….awesome! Have fun!
L.O.V.E It! You two are hilarious and I loved the video. Thanks for starting off my Friday with a laugh :-)
Omg I’m dying. Challenge accepted.
Is that Ving Rhames?
LOVE IT!
I will totally be doing this.
This song is my husband and I’s jam right now! Also, I am totally chair dancing with my earbuds in at the library…yes, I am THAT cool.
My first thought was to slap a “thrift store” sign on my house and start shopping. I’m pretty sure we already own the entire list of things(and more)from the song. Jo @ Let’s Face the Music
Viva la thrift shop indeed! I’m roping my husband into this and he WILL enjoy it. I need a cameraman, right? (He is going to be so embarrassed. And rightly so.) I can’t contain myself.
Haha. Get it, girl!
xo
s
Love this! Will you make this a regular (say quarterly) challenge?
My hub is a big fan of thrift shops. Some days he’ll randomly ask, “do you want to go to thrift hunting today?”
He has his sections and I have mine. We pass the baby off in between and compare!
Yes, if everyone seems to enjoy this we’d love to have to pop up every once in a while.
xo
s
2nd blogger (of the 4 that I read) in two days to include this video in a post! You and Sarah at the UggDuck! :)
Haha, no way! Macklemore is blowin up.
xo
s
So funny, I read Sarah’s post last night and she bought 3 things. then I saw this and thought it was so ironic! :)
Scored the most gorgeous ikat throw pillows last night (ok, not at a thrift store) but they were only $15 each and I’m still soaring high from this “Sherry moment”!
Amazing!
xo
s
I haven’t heard it yet but I love it now! I’m on it!!!
Oh my gosh! This is hilarious!
BEST. POST. EVER. (No offense to the other great posts, though. I think I have to accept this challenge. And tell everyone I know about this song. :)
Hazards of having teenage sons as well as a toddler – our 3-year-old kept asking “Is that your grandma’s coat?” every time I had my jacket on. I was a little offended until I heard the Thrift Store song. :)
Hahahahaha!
xo
s