Second hand clothing stores-any other fans?

[Gathina]

A few recent great deals I got: Silk Talbots pant suit,$7 at Goodwill. Ann Taylor Shorts, $3 at Good will and several Chico's shirts, $2 at Goodwill. Spring wool Talbots sheath dress and matching bolero jacket, $8 at Goodwill. Escada red wool skirt/jacket, brand new-and I kid you not: the original tag on it was still there $1120, the shop (on the island of Palm Beach) was selling it for $150.. ..then I found an Escada pant suit-same situation as the red suit.. but beautiful plaid..because they couldn't sell the suits (which they were trying to sell for $150 each),they sold them both to me for $80~being a regular customer helped. The shop benefited one of the big name local charities here, so we both came out winners.

 

I would NEVER be able to afford Escada in my life-but the material, stitching, is so luxurious, can't wait to wear them when cooler weather hits here soon.

 

I haven't bought any clothes at a "retail" store in maybe 3 or more years an

[CowPrincess]

Heck YEAH :D Those are GREAT scores, CONGRATS!

 

I mentioned in another thread a reversible Malo cashmere sweater that I got for $8 :) MaxMara (NOT Weekend) suit for $8. Hermes scarf $2. Another Hermes scarf $1. St. John Evening suit for $15ish. Loewe vintage travel case $4. Celine makeup bag $1.50. Gucci sunglasses $2. I don't pay more than $10 for cashmere sweaters, ever. Aquascutum cashmere scarf $2. Other cashmere scarves between $2 and $5. Talbots silk suit (took me about 4 weeks to get both pieces) $6. Armani suit $5. Brooks Brothers shirt $4..... yup, I love thrifting :D

 

 

.... and my alltime BEST score, pretty much, a vintage I Magnin vicuna coat with sable trim...... I overpaid for it, but was fearful that it was going to get shipped off to be made into rags for a car wash.....

[Anita Latte]

Thrift and consignment. I just discovered a consignment store in my area that only offers nicer brands. Their pricing policy is three tier based on how long the garment has been in the store...the longer it stays, the more the price drops.

 

I'm currently looking to increase my cool weather clothes which I didn't really need before moving to north Georgia. In Houston, I really didn't need much for cold weather...but I found myself feeling very cold last cold season and decided that I should own more than one pair of jeans and 3 long sleeve shirts.:eek:

 

One thing I love about the consignment/thrift stores is that you really have the opportunity to evaluate individual clothes...you have to be more aware of what you are shopping for in the first place because it can really be a hunt in the store. There is less opportunity for an impulse buy that may or may not be as wonderful. I do enjoy the hunt too.

[royalcruz]

The Prissy Hen is a great consignment shop a few blocks away from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale. It is small but a great boutique!

[Scrapnana]

I love looking in thrift shops/consignment shops/Goodwill but seldom find anything except for the grandkids. I always stop in at the Goodwill store when I drop off stuff.

[aashleyjc]

I don't shop second hand in my area, the area I live in just doesn't support the labels I like. I love shopping second hand online. My favorite site is Twice clothing. I bought a pair of J. Crew wool work pants with the tags still on them for $15. The quality is great. Name-brand and designer brands for a fraction of their original price, plus they have free returns if you buy something and don't like it when you get it. (the link is a referral link, but if you sign up through it you will receive $10 in store credit. Hopefully, that is ok. If it is a problem, I will be happy to delete the link. :o )

[emandjennsmom]

My area isn't an area where one would find high end designers, but I still head over to three local thrift stores about once a month. Our 16 year old loves to go to the thrift stores and has always liked a bargain.

 

Before this school year began she asked me to take her around to some local thrift and consignment shops. She purchased 21 pieces for under $60. She was thrilled. We had already spent more on one pair of jeans than those 21 items! I heard about a fabulous shop about 30 minutes away that I'd love to go to soon.

[Hoyaheel]

Yep, I've been thrifting since I was in high school. I currently don't have high end clothing available nearby, but there are a couple stores where I can at least stock up on Talbots pants for work or Chicos jeans for the weekend. I love to go to thrift or consignment stores when I travel because there is so much regional variation in clothing.

 

One of my best scores was an estate sale in my apartment building when I lived in DC - I got a TON of stuff for super cheap, including a cashmere coat for $2 - knee length, probably from the 1960s, but single breasted classic style....

 

When I was wearing size 16, thrifting wasn't fun because there isn't a lot in that size that I like in my area. As I lost weight over the past year - the thrift stores were more important than ever for me! Who wants to pay full price when you don't know how long you'll be able to wear an item?

 

Scores from last week's shopping: North Face button down short sleeve active dry shirt, Chicos Zen capris, Izod golf skort, Soma tencel wide left trousers.....

Edited September 29, 2013 by Hoyaheel

[Lois R]

Not recently, but over the years I have always loved Consignment stores:D....some carry very good stuff:) and the prices are even better!:)

[simplelife]

Thrift and consignment shopping is a favorite hobby - it's fun and satisfying to find a great item at a bargain price.I visit my local places regularly and when I an traveling I am always on the lookout for a new place. Most recently, some of my finds have been - a perfectly fitting pair of Like-new Bandolino jeans for $10 and a reversable knit top for $6, and two Nine West purses for $12 each at my favorite local consignment shop; several Rafaela and Talbots skirts for $3.50 each at my favorite "second hand boutique"; and two Ann Taylor tee shirts for $5 each from Goodwills near my daughter's house; and a white denim jacket for $3 from a local charity shop. While traveling this summer, I wore the jeans, t-shirts and jacket more than any other items in my wardrobe.

[Gathina]

Wow,what fun reading all of the finds. Nice to hear about the teens shopping too-what a great way to teach a young lady how to look good, shop well, and shop quality. We have a boutique consignment store just for teens here in WPB in the "antique row" area and it's the hottest spot in town for teens and she did the store up really cute. I'm headed back to London next month for business and I always plan an afternoon in the Nottinham gate (I think that's the name of it) for an afternoon of charity shops. Last May when I went I had to buy a coat and found a fabulous one from an Italy.

 

I would rather spend the money on something well made that's "used" then something new that's going to fall apart!

 

If you are ever in West Palm area, I highly recommend the whole "antique row" area which is Dixie Highway between Okeechobee Blvd. all the way down to 10th Avenue in Lake Worth-it's about 2 miles of all thrift, antique and consignment stores-many support local charities and it's a great way to pass a Saturday with a friend and also support some of the great local cafes there also.

[Sinppu]

Thrifting a lot here too.

 

I used to work in retail and and got a whopping -50% staff price on everything.

Left me with a lot of clothes I never used but gave to friends, sold at flea markets and donated to charities.

 

For a couple of years now I haven't bought just about anything new (excluding underwear, hosiery and swimwear).

 

The prices are great and recycling makes me happy.

 

Did you know that the average person in the developed countries buys over 4 times more clothes than they need?

Read that somewhere and was just wondering what is the definition of need?

Edited September 29, 2013 by Sinppu

[CowPrincess]

It is environmentally-friendly, frugal, and fun -- what's not to like? :D

 

(As an aside, I try to recommend thrift/2nd hand shopping to people who are heading out on Alaska cruises, esp if they are outfitting a couple of kids, and themselves, and will probably never need the clothing again.... I suspect a family of four could save enough $$$ on clothing to pay for a pretty nice Alaska shore excursion)

[Scrapnana]

Thrifting a lot here too.

 

I used to work in retail and and got a whopping -50% staff price on everything.

Left me with a lot of clothes I never used but gave to friends, sold at flea markets and donated to charities.

 

For a couple of years now I haven't bought just about anything new (excluding underwear, hosiery and swimwear).

 

The prices are great and recycling makes me happy.

 

Did you know that the average person in the developed countries buys over 4 times more clothes than they need?

Read that somewhere and was just wondering what is the definition of need?

 

I was watching America Now the other days and they did a segment on closet organization. The organizer said that most women wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time. She had some other good tips. Here is a link to the segment.

http://www.americanownews.com/story/23489055/closet-makeovers

[Gathina]

I have no doubt about buying "more than we need"..I had a revelation going through my closet 3 years ago when nothing "fit" then I decided to stop making excuses by buying bigger clothes-I lost the weight until everything fit, then I took all my former clothes that I had loved and went to the seamstress for repairs, mends, alterations,etc. Then I met my husband from Costa Rica and learned even more how wasteful I was-like, did I really NEED 9 black dresses? So I started thrifting for better quality items, and started buying only well-made shoes that would last, taking them for repairs, etc. Shoes is something I've had no luck on with thrifting, and of course buy only new undergarments and bathing suits.

 

Need and Want is a thin line..if you "need" clothes for a cruise because you don't live in a tropical climate year round,and don't have appropriate clothing, then it makes sense-on the other hand, if you have all kinds of clothes that fit, would work for a cruise, I don't see the purpose in buying any-nobody is going to know your clothes are "new" except you, and nobody is going to care. Like why buy 8 pairs of cheap flip flops that'll bust out soon when you can buy 1 or 2 pairs of well made ones like Haviannas that last for years? That's my definition, anyway.

 

Thrifting a lot here too.

 

I used to work in retail and and got a whopping -50% staff price on everything.

Left me with a lot of clothes I never used but gave to friends, sold at flea markets and donated to charities.

 

For a couple of years now I haven't bought just about anything new (excluding underwear, hosiery and swimwear).

 

The prices are great and recycling makes me happy.

 

Did you know that the average person in the developed countries buys over 4 times more clothes than they need?

Read that somewhere and was just wondering what is the definition of need?

[sail7seas]

I have no doubt about buying "more than we need"..I had a revelation going through my closet 3 years ago when nothing "fit" then I decided to stop making excuses by buying bigger clothes-I lost the weight until everything fit, then I took all my former clothes that I had loved and went to the seamstress for repairs, mends, alterations,etc. Then I met my husband from Costa Rica and learned even more how wasteful I was-like, did I really NEED 9 black dresses? So I started thrifting for better quality items, and started buying only well-made shoes that would last, taking them for repairs, etc. Shoes is something I've had no luck on with thrifting, and of course buy only new undergarments and bathing suits.

 

Need and Want is a thin line..if you "need" clothes for a cruise because you don't live in a tropical climate year round,and don't have appropriate clothing, then it makes sense-on the other hand, if you have all kinds of clothes that fit, would work for a cruise, I don't see the purpose in buying any-nobody is going to know your clothes are "new" except you, and nobody is going to care. Like why buy 8 pairs of cheap flip flops that'll bust out soon when you can buy 1 or 2 pairs of well made ones like Haviannas that last for years? That's my definition, anyway.

 

 

Great post.

Thank you. :)

 

[kellane]

Fellow thrifter here. I love someone complimenting me on a dress and being able to say, "I got it for $7.50!" :D

[CowPrincess]

Shoes is something I've had no luck on with thrifting,

 

I seldom get shoes at a thrift shop, though one time I scored 5 pairs all new with tags. I think I wore out my luck ;)

 

Gathina, I agree -- better quality, fewer items. I'm someone who does need cruise clothes, because my daily wear is jeans and fleecy tops. I've been whittling down my cruise closet to only contain high-quality, well-fitting items that I like. I've also stopped buying "that'll do for now" things for day-to-day wear, unless I would otherwise be naked :D

[SadieN]

Don't shop for clothes but did get a bowling ball for a bug lawn art and a 24" Jordache brown tweed suitcase from the late 80's. The suitcase has been to Rome at least 8 times and still works great.

 

In Rome we have gotten some great kitchen stuff at the second-hand shop around the corner from DD. Friend of hers got a leather jacket for E3 there.

[Gathina]

One of my projects I hope to to before year end is to have a "come raid my closet" party and invite all my friends..everyone could bring 5 items no longer worn or accessory..and then everyone could maybe go home with something. Wine and cheese and free shopping.

 

To the poster who likes to brag about the "I only paid....for it" factor..proves the point that NOBODY notices or cares if you have "new" clothes on or not!

[trixiegal]

I don't shop second hand in my area, the area I live in just doesn't support the labels I like. I love shopping second hand online. My favorite site is Twice clothing. I bought a pair of J. Crew wool work pants with the tags still on them for $15. The quality is great. Name-brand and designer brands for a fraction of their original price, plus they have free returns if you buy something and don't like it when you get it. (the link is a referral link, but if you sign up through it you will receive $10 in store credit. Hopefully, that is ok. If it is a problem, I will be happy to delete the link. :o )

 

Thanks for the link! I found another thrift website last night-http://www.thredup.com/ that also had some good buys.

 

In my area, there are tons of thrift and consignment stores but many of them are overpriced. If you are a savvy shopper, you will quickly realize you can get brand new clothing ON SALE via designer sample sale websites like ideeli.com or hautelook.com OR at outlet stores that are having a big weekend sale. There are several outlet malls nearby and I use coupons or go during a holiday sale and will get items 60-95% off the original price. I frequent Kenneth Cole, Banana Republic & Gap, BCBG, Off 5th Saks, White House Black Market and J Crew.

[trixiegal]

My daughter loves Plato's Closet. They have them all across the US. I've found some nice items for my teen son there, too. It's hit or miss what you may find in each store but they are bright and well laid-out, staffed with trendy college kids. They also have lots of bags, sunglasses and jewelry.

 

http://www.platoscloset.com/

[Gathina]

I've been to Plato's closet-I thought they were a little on the high end and saw things that were from Target, etc.

 

Sadly even on the designer stuff you can get ripped off on the quality if your not careful. One of the reasons why I do like the Thrift route is that I have found some very well made designer and high end stuff-but then I've seen some of the cheap "designer" threads (like Vera Wang from Kohl's-she should be ashamed of herself for that garbage)

 

Next week I am going to London for business and already have my afternoon planned for Nottinghill gate-all kinds of second hand shops there and I've had some fabulous finds. It's kinda cool to bring back some real classy things not seen in this country, pay little for it,and then say "oh, this thing? Nothing special, really, got it in London" :D

 

 

 

My daughter loves Plato's Closet. They have them all across the US. I've found some nice items for my teen son there, too. It's hit or miss what you may find in each store but they are bright and well laid-out, staffed with trendy college kids. They also have lots of bags, sunglasses and jewelry.

 

http://www.platoscloset.com/

[trixiegal]

I've been to Plato's closet-I thought they were a little on the high end and saw things that were from Target, etc.

 

Sadly even on the designer stuff you can get ripped off on the quality if your not careful. One of the reasons why I do like the Thrift route is that I have found some very well made designer and high end stuff-but then I've seen some of the cheap "designer" threads (like Vera Wang from Kohl's-she should be ashamed of herself for that garbage)

 

Next week I am going to London for business and already have my afternoon planned for Nottinghill gate-all kinds of second hand shops there and I've had some fabulous finds. It's kinda cool to bring back some real classy things not seen in this country, pay little for it,and then say "oh, this thing? Nothing special, really, got it in London" :D

 

Plato's Closet is definitely for the younger set, like teens and college-aged. I'd never buy anything there, except sandals if I just needed something cheap for the beach. And ITA about some so-called designer labels sold today. I can't believe the price point of some of that stuff in Kohl's. Even with 50% off, it's a total rip-off! The key to successful shopping, thrifting or otherwise, is knowing quality versus trends or labels. My point was in the DC area the "vintage" stores price many of their designer items from many seasons ago at almost the same price you could buy a new item at a good sale or online. You just have to know the line and not get ripped off.

 

I hope to get to Europe next year for DD's grad trip. I will definitely be hitting the stores for some cool buys. Have fun in London!

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

I'm not keen on the smell in some of these places, so don't generally go in. I have wandered in looking for antiques or vintage type of items though. The nearest to clothing was a gorgeous pink purse and pair of gloves from the 1920's, but I guess this was more of an antique store in San Fran..

 

However my aunt is mad about "charity shops" and jumble sales, a bit like a rough and tumble large yard or garage sale, normally held in the local church or scout hall back home. She used to buy all the family stuff and we were like, thank you and then it went straight back in the charity donation bag, shame as she was being so thoughtful when I look back.

 

I too like Notting Hill but it is getting more and more geared towards tourists so it is expensive and not so many bargains to be had. Vintage clothing prices are through the roof and not many bargains to be found same with the antiques but I still go every time I am in London. Just don't let them rip you off some of them see pound signs when they hear the American accent.

Edited October 10, 2013 by CELTICGIRLCRUISER