“In my family, bargain shopping was important,” she says. “We were not affluent by any means. My mother is from Guatemala, and I love Guatemalan textiles with rich colors and complex designs. They frequently influence my taste in clothes. I also love vibrant silks from India and enjoyed wearing these on a recent trip to India for the India Rheumatology Association meeting.”
She also learned many shopping tips from an unlikely source—her husband, Blake, who was a chemist and worked with textiles. He taught her to stick to natural fabrics, such as cotton, silk or wool, because they wash and wear well, and avoid clothes made out of rayon, because they don’t.
Click here to listen to Dr. Von Feldt’s interview.
“Anytime I don’t inspect the clothing, I regret it,” Dr. Von Feldt says. “We all do impulse shopping. But when I do that and am not careful about the fabric itself, I sometimes make mistakes.”
Likewise, don’t make assumptions about any shop. She says even your local Goodwill store may have terrific clothes and accessories at bargain prices.