Young House Love

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Our (Completely Unofficial) Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge

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.

Macklemore Challenge

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.

Macklemore Twenty

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…

Macklemore Dolls

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.

Macklemore Keyboad

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.

Macklemore 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!

Comments

  1. Leigh Anne says

    I just recently saw a young guy in front of my husband’s office wearing a David Puddy-style man-fur…perhaps he’s been rocking out to some “Thrift Store!”

    Reply

  4. Sayward says

    p.s. Once I read somewhere that you should try to make sure that whenever people interact with you they walk away feeling better about themselves. I think you guys do a great job of that! You’re always SO gracious when a million people thoughtfully “tip you off” to something you already know about, like this video. My pretentious hipster side would be so tempted to be like, “Oh really? I was pinning worms made from jello and straws to actual bulletin boards before the Internet was even invented.” You guys always remind me to be more kind and gracious to people instead of getting exasperated. It’s a YHL reading bonus!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Sayward, you’re so sweet! We are just so grateful to get to do what we do, and we couldn’t do it without our amazing readers. You guys make our day every day :)

      xo
      s

  5. Rachel says

    Ohhhh… Guys, this is fan-freakin’-tastic. I am SO SO excited to start this. LOVE the way you guys include your readers!

    Reply

  8. Bailey N says

    Did the time of the Portland signing change?!?
    Also I’m trying to RSVP but their server is down, boo! Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      It’s at noon in Portland (at Rejuvenation) tomorrow (Sat). Even if the site is down just show up (they’re letting everyone in and the line is first come first served). Wahoo!

      xo
      s

    • Bailey N says

      Thanks! Can’t wait to meet you! I’m from Seattle but wanted to make the trip down to Portland for a more personal signing. Also if you need dinner in Portland the Screen Door restaurant comes highly recommended!!

  9. Mali says

    And posts like these are why I love you guys!! I was listening to this song this morning and laughing and now this!
    You guys are the shiznit ;)

    Reply

  12. Heather H says

    OMG, Mackelmore is from Seattle–ironic that this post coincides with your visit here today! My girlfriend was touring with them doing vocals — totally forwarding this on, she’ll freakin love it!

    Reply

  13. Cecilia says

    I follow the blog from Brazil and love everything you guys post! My husband is a collector, so it won’t be hard to convince him.. we will just have to find a “thrift shop” equivalent.. and spend the money in Real (Brazilian currency).. can we bend the rules like that? Plus, the song is not playing in our stations yet, and despite the fact following rap is hard enough in your own language, let alone in a different one, my husband doesn’t even speak English.. so I will have to do some translation!! lol

    Reply

  17. Lacy says

    This challenge is AH.MAZE.BALLS! I made my husband listen to that song a while back and now everytime we hear it he runs in the opposite direction because the song gets me in the mood to go thrifting! :)
    ps…it’s not a good idea to be drinking water while looking at those pictures. Too funny!

    Reply

  18. Jamie says

    This song is totally my jam! So pumped that you guys are doing this challenge!

    I think I’ll go hunting, looking for a come up this weekend :)

    Reply

  19. Maureen says

    I have never heard this song before or these guys at all (I live in a sheltered world of hard rock and heavy metal). This challenge is awesome and I will totally be doing this!

    Reply

  22. Amber V. says

    As someone who has been jamming to this album for months it brings me joy to think of the new demographic that was just introduced to Macklemore (and also to imagine the faces of a few who clicked on the original version unintentionally).

    Reply

  26. Alison Finkel says

    Seriously??? No wonder 5 million people wish they were your best friends! This is so fricking hilarious and fun. I want to ditch work early, throw my two kids in the car and head straight for Ragstock! Can’t wait to see what everyone posts next week!

    You guys are a joy.

    Reply

  28. Tara W says

    Woohoo! My hood’s thrift shop was in that video. Love Macklemore! If you haven’t, you must check out his Same Love video. What a leader!

    Reply

  29. S'Mo says

    LOL

    This song is SO making it into my “Dance Party Friday” rotation!

    (If my students get through our lesson plans for the week without any shenanigans, I have take song requests during the last 10 minutes of class on Friday and play them–the only stipulation is that the students have to get up and dance!)

    Reply

  30. Stefanie says

    I’m gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket
    I’m, I’m, I’m hunting, looking for a come up, this is f*cking awesome!

    Reply

  32. Amy says

    My mom had that exact same big a$$ coat when I was a kid! Ahahaha! This challenge is awesome! We’ve got some pretty kick a$$ thrift stores here in Portland, hope you get time to check some out while you’re here!

    Reply

  35. Lisa R says

    This is F#%$ing awesome! I’ve been needing some extra motivation to make it to the thrift store and this is the push I needed. It’s tax season (I’m an accountant) so the energy is low right now but jammin’ to this song helps and I can’t wait to see what goodies I find!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think if you get there about 30-60 mins early it can’t hurt, but if people come right on time they get to meet us too (just might be a longer wait time in the line but we wait to meet everyone).

      xo
      s

  37. Jessica says

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! How have I not heard this song before? (Probably because I never listen to radio) This $*** is ******* awesome! Challenge accepted!

    Reply

  39. Stacy says

    I’m so jelly that you’re gonna be in 2 of my favorite cities this weekend. Portland is amazing, and Palo Alto is where my husbands company is and is just gorgeous. Have a great time. As far as your challenge – I’m totally trying to figure out when I can work it in. I love that song!

    Reply

  42. Meg says

    Your thrift store (s?) are HUGE. The twin cities have a ton of smaller stores but not really one big one. It would be much easier to thrift warehouse style with kids than to load them up and take them to a dozen different stores! Love this idea. Can’t wait to see what people come up with!

    Reply

  43. Traci says

    I love this song! It makes me smile every time! And I love that you are posting about it! I just might go “Pop Some Tags” tonight!
    Hey – if it all works out maybe I’ll be able to bring and show you my thrift shop find at the signing on Saturday! (I’m hoping to make it up to Portland, depending on the health of my kiddos who are all getting over a bug, bleh!)
    While in Portland you should try to make it over to VooDoo Doughnuts if you didn’t last time, they are “*@#*&^% awesome” too! Happy Friday!

    Reply

  48. Mrs. LIAYF says

    Macklemore is from Seattle and is too funny! When I showed this video to my 5 1/2 year old, he announced he already knew some of the lyrics (PG of course) and started dancing and singing “I’m going wear your grandad’s clothes, I’m going to look incredible.” Seems that one of his teachers sings it at school. Hilarious – my son is cooler than me!

    Plus, we are TOTAL Goodwill shoppers. I think I even recognize where the video was filmed! :)

    Reply

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