PEORIA MAGAZINE October 2022

M O M & P O P : C O M M E N T A R Y

STYLISH AND SUSTAINABLE The secondhand lifestyle isn’t just for grandma, anymore

BY ROXY BAKER

Jesi Linn, owner of Moxie's

S ustainability is defined as “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance.” Recycling household waste, utilizing multi-use products insteadof disposable, and carpooling are all sensiblemethods of sustainable living, but what about small business economy and style? Can those be a part of a sustainable life? Not only can they, they should be. In my cheeky opinion, a sustainable lifestyle can best be tackled in a stylish and fashion-forward outfit with a touch of vintage flair! Growing up with a frugal mother who was raised by a child of the Great Depression, I learned a thing or two — or a thousand — on how to attain nice things on a budget. If heading to the

clearance rack were an Olympic sport, my family would sweep all the medals. While I do love a good sale, the sport of thrifting secondhand goods is what gets my blood pumping. Recycling and beautifying the world in one fell swoop … Talk about sustainability! As we are emerging from a global pandemic while courting an economic recession, I was reminded recently of my aforementioned grandmother, who’s 10th birthdaywas Dec. 10, 1941, just a few days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She recalled not being able to get new shoes due to the rationing of rubber. Not the end of the world, but to a pre-teen, that’s a hardship in any generation! Lessons in frugality from a young age play into my love of the “frugal fashion find.” Those lessons also led

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