Law Grad Spots Stylish Attire in Trash

Personal Lives

Posted Aug 6, 2007, 03:47 pm CST

By Martha Neil

When she moved to Chicago from New York after graduating from law school last year, Lauri Apple, who is still looking for the job of her dreams, knew of at least one good way to save money.

If she needs something to wear, she takes a look in the local trash. A practice she started as a starving college student a decade ago has now evolved into something of an avocation, reports the Chicago Tribune. In fact, her frugal approach has become something of a modern-day trend—like Apple, who documents her discoveries on her FoundClothing blog, other well-dressed young women also proudly proclaim that they save money and help the environment by reusing others' discarded attire.

Although Apple, 31, says New York City is mecca for dumpster-divers like herself, she has nonetheless scored significant sartorial finds in Chicago, including a brown corduroy Gap jacket and an attractive black dress. She is pictured in the Tribune article wearing a mint-green zip-front Armani sweater she found in New York. "I see something every day," she tells the Trib. "And a lot of the stuff, it miraculously fits."

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Posted by Lauri Apple, J.D. - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 15 hours, 51 minutes ago

Thank you so much for the coverage, Ms. Neil! I will post a link to this article on my site.
Posted by Stephanie Smith - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 21 hours, 41 minutes ago

hey-

I was dumpster diving in the late 80’s in California looking for materials to assist my former boyfriend in building really cool furniture. Glad the practice is still around and expanded to include other clothing. BTW, I’m a practicing attorney for the last 7 years and have not dumpster-dived since the 80’s.
Posted by A bum - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 19 hours, 37 minutes ago

I get stuff from the trash too!

Signed,
a. bum
Posted by Bum Wine Conisseur - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 16 hours, 29 minutes ago

Do you ever come across some good half empty bottles of wine in the dumpsters? http://www.bumwine.com/
Posted by southernlawgal - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 16 hours, 9 minutes ago

I am an attorney living in a college town. I love move-out days on campus, because you can find some great things. You just have to get there early in order to get the best stuff. Like a lot of young professionals, I started this practice while in college and still enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Of course, currently, I can afford to do the up-scale version of dumpster diving and go salvage shopping. Does not have quite the same benefit of being free, but the selection is usually better and I can get my “fix” more often.
Posted by Loyola 2L - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 13 hours, 3 minutes ago

Where did she graduate law school?
Posted by Loyola 2L - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 44 minutes ago

I just learned, surprise surprise, that Ms. Apple graduated from a tier 2 law school (Cardozo.)
———————————-
Ms. Apple,
You’ve been described as “still looking for the job of her dreams.” I totally sympathize with your shitty job prospects, poverty, little hope existence. I too am about to graduate from a tier 2 law school and I know it’s hard out there. I hope to avoid looking for clothes in trash, but who knows how low I will wind up going. I used to have hope for my life, but then I made the terrible decision to attend Loyola Law School. Now I’m in debt, have terrible job prospects and have no idea how I will manage my finances once I graduate. So, Ms. Apple, I feel your pain.
Loyola 2L
Posted by tim carson - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 19 hours, 45 minutes ago

isnt dumpster diving illegal? i thought it was made illegal because of the dangers associated with it, such as not being able to get out, or being crushed in the compaction dumpsters (though people should be smart enough not to play in those, but hey, people still manage to get hit by trains) , and more specifically, that peoples trash is protected constitutionally under one of the amendments as property or something of the sorts.
Posted by fifth tier grad - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 19 hours, 14 minutes ago

Loyola 2L

Quit whining and get to work making your future instead of waiting for someone to give it to you.
Posted by Susan Rozelle - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 12 hours ago

There may very well be local laws against it for the safety reasons you’ve mentioned, but the US Constitution has no problem with dumpster diving. According to the Supreme Court, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in your trash—at least not once you’ve put it out for collection. California v. Greenwood, 486 U.S. 35 (1988).
Posted by Heheh - 1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks, 10 hours, 9 minutes ago

“that peoples trash is protected constitutionally under one of the amendments as property or something of the sorts.“

Guess you don’t watch CSI do you ;) Trash set out for collection is far game for dumpster diving or collecting evidence without a warrant as well.

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