While her council colleagues are getting cruelly described in the Oregonian as “exceedingly stiff,” City Commissioner Amanda Fritz has embraced both snappy dressing, and the blogosphere since her previous council run, as a way to communicate with Portlanders, and I’d encourage you to add her personal blog to your RSS feed, if you haven’t already. Last night, Fritz posted about picking up a bunch of great clothes to wear in council for $62.50. Sarah Palin she ain’t. But what an eye for a bargain!

I rewarded myself for getting up early on a Saturday. Once I thawed out after returning home, I headed out to Value Village. I love those stores. I love getting designer clothes at pennies on the dollar, I love the friendly attitude of the employees, I love the way the stuff is laid out the same easy-to-find sections in each store. I love that I can donate and shop, and in both, help mentally-challenged people. And I especially love that I didn’t have to spend a fortune (cough, Sarah Palin), to buy clothes more suited to Portland City Hall than those I wear for planting trees. On Veterans’ Day (one of the four annual Value Village everything-half-price days), I purchased seven skirt suits, two jackets, one silk dress (Retail price: $350, Value Village: $3.50) and one winter coat, all designer brands, for $62.50. Even though it cost twice that much to get them all dry cleaned, a bargain. On another expedition, I bought the red Tahari suit I wore for my swearing-in ceremony, for $12.50. According to eBay, it retails for around $400. I wasn’t quite so fortunate today, but I did find a new-with-tags-saying-$88 skirt for $4.99. And across Pacific Highway, at the Salvation Army “Boutique Store”, a new-with-tags-saying-$288 suit, for $17.50. Plus perhaps the most important score, a sparkly jacket to wear to Mayor Adams’s Gala party at the end of the month (information, and buy tickets, here) . It’s hard to find glittery clothes, except at thrift stores. And call me old-fashioned if you will, but I think the return of the Mayor’s Ball calls for sequins.

Man, that beats Nordstrom rack out of the park. But don’t forget Portland’s boutiques, Amanda. It might be a little more expensive to pick something up that was made right here in Portland, but the whole “choose local” campaign gives us all an excuse to drop a few extra pennies on some truly top-class stuff without feeling guilty about it, from now on. Mercury fashion expert Marjorie Skinner has all the latest Portland fashion news at our Mercury On Design blog…

Don’t mention it.

Matt Davis was news editor of the Mercury from 2009 to May 2010.

3 replies on “Fritz Exec Wardrobe: $62.50”

  1. Hey jake, maybe it shows that she won’t be eager to flush the rapidly dwindling budget down some Tram/SoWa/Police black budget/Fireman’s pension fund black hole?

    I’m not adverse to spending money (either public or private) but it sure can’t hurt to be frugal about the spending process.

  2. I would second Number Six. While I love our city council, Mrs. Fritz is going to be the only one keeping a stringent eye on the budget, and if she can find more “pennies on the dollar” shortcuts, city government will be a lot more effective.

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