New and second-hand

"Beware any enterprise that requires new clothes," wrote Henry Thoreau. What a sad-sack sentiment! We come into the world naked and need new clothes almost immediately. So what are you going to do - distrust life?

Who knows whether Henry's definition would have included the "pre-loved" item. A new second-hand shop has opened in Kelburn and on my first visit there today I bought four things.

It helped that the premises are brand-new and nicely carpeted, that it didn't reek of old ladies' armpits and had spacious, well-lit changing rooms. What helped most though was the young woman owner - friendly, enthusiastic, and utterly unlike the women of a certain age who rule over a number of other Wellington second-hand clothing outlets. Grand dames with loud private-school voices and loud private-school opinions, who are inclined to scold you for leaving the shop without buying anything and treat you disdainfully if you do.

The young woman in Madison Rose doesn't behave as if she's doing customers a favour by allowing them to browse the racks, try things on and buy them, or not.

I came away with a classic little black Australian tango dress, a pair of brand new Django and Juliette shoes, a Doris de Pont skirt, and a short plain French red velvet skirt - for tango, again. The LBD can't be shown off to advantage without a female body inside it, so that one will have to wait.




The point of the de Pont skirt - as I hope you can see from the photo - isn't the shape, which is simple A-line, but the back and front panels of steel blue patterned in black.

As for the shoes, funky without being hippy-ish, I think. With heavy-duty rubber soles that will be great for walking in, and no use at all for tango.

Henry would heartily disapprove of my tango addiction. It's demanded a whole new wardrobe, and I have happily succumbed to its demands.