thrifting

Reader Request: Thrifted Staples

by Sal on May 8, 2012 · 28 comments

Lisa requested a post on my most-worn thrifted items and examples of how they’ve been remixed. How could I say no to THAT one? I scoured the archives looking for my most-worn, bought-used garments, and here are the winners:

MVP: Olive military blazer!

This little jacket has been through several years with me and gets year-round wear. It has a tendency to look a bit rumpled and sometimes I have to fight to keep those pocket flaps down, but the nipped-in waist and versatile vibe have made it a longtime favorite. I believe I paid about $5 for this jacket.

Runner up: Striped boat neck!

This sucker has gotten far more than these six wears since its purchase, believe me. I’m fascinated to see, though, that for blog purposes I have paired it with full skirts three times and maxis twice. Huh. This shirt cost me about $4.

Honorable mention: Chambray shirt!

This shirt has certainly been worn and styled in a wide variety of ways. Something about its Western roots make me want to pair it with boots, it seems. I paid about $2 for this shirt.

Honorable mention: Cropped denim jacket!

Hmmm, come to think of it, this was an eBay purchase. It was used when I bought it and only set me back $9.99, but I suppose it wasn’t technically “thrifted.” Is that cheating? Do you consider bought-used eBay items to be “thrifted”?

The dark horse: Pink tulle skirt!

OK, this skirt isn’t a staple. No way, no how. Every other garment featured here gets fairly regular wear both on and off the blog. But I was dumbfounded to discover that this skirt had been photographed five times in the past year and a half since its purchase. I can honestly say that I expected it to get trotted out less than once per year. I paid $18 for it. Pricey for thrift, but well worth it.

A few other items that deserve a tip of the hat include the black boat neck tee that I wore until it had several holes in it that could no longer be mended (it’s since been replaced by two bought-new black boat necks), the maroon scoopneck sweater that I thrifted this fall and must’ve worn far more times than I photographed, and the pleated khaki skirt that I bought on a whim and still adore three years later. Aside from the pink skirt, all of these thrifted wardrobe staples are pretty basic: Lots of denim,  simple shapes, classic cuts, versatile colors. Makes sense as most frequently worn garments become favorites due to versatility.

Are any of YOUR wardrobe staples thrifted? What are they?

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Thrifting for Trends: Spring/Summer 2012 Edition

by Sal on April 6, 2012 · 6 comments

It’s time, once again, to examine the hot “new” trends for the season, and remind ourselves that fashion recycles EVERYTHING! Here are just a few of the garments, colors, and styles that are trending for spring and summer that you can easily track down at your local thrift and consignment shops:

20s glam

OK, this is likely the most challenging of the group. With the upcoming release of Leo DiCaprio’s version of “The Great Gatsby,” designers were all over fringed flapper dresses and embellished gowns. Thriftable pieces that will capture this trend include drop waist dresses, mid-calf skirts, skullcap style hats (especially with flowers and embellishments), white/tennis-reminiscent items, and silky blouses.

Pastels

As always, color-centric trends are the easiest to thrift. Do take a peek at a few contemporary photos before heading out to shop, as this particular batch of pastels is a bit more deep/saturated than some. But you’ll find all the shades from a bag of Jordan almonds at virtually every used clothing store in the land.

Graphic florals

Ditsy florals are classic, but this trend calls for a more abstract iteration. Or if not abstract, bold, big, and eye-catching. And believe me, such prints abound at thrift stores. Keep your eyes peeled for bright and primary colors, large prints, and anything that looks a bit graphic-designy.

Printed pants

This one comes with a warning: I prowled my local thrift haunts in search of printed pants for more than a year, and eventually bought these instead. But floral, paisley, and other fun printed pants abounded … they just weren’t available in styles I loved. If you find a pair that works but they’re not quite right, consider altering them or having them tailored. In this iteration of the trend, printed pants should either feature exaggerated wide legs or very slim ones. (See last night’s sale picks for non-thrift options.)

Orange

What could be easier! Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to run out and purchase the perfect tangerine frock. Orange is orange, and even neon versions are hot right now. Cruise the aisles looking for cuts and fabrics that suit your taste, and nab yourself some bold, orange items.

Will you thrift for trends this season? Which ones are you excited to try?

Images via style.com

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Yet More Reasons to Thrift

by Sal on February 22, 2012 · 30 comments

So. You already know that when you thrift, you’re saving money, doing something great for the environment, and supporting your favorite charities. But here are some less obvious reasons why thrifting ROCKS:

Unique takes on trends

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it … well, three or four times. At least. Nothing is truly new, and the best place to get trendy garments and accessories is your local thrift emporium. But what makes this trend-tracking technique even more appealing is that it can grant you access to sartorial uniqueness. Sixty bajillion people will have that same striped boatneck from Target. But the one you thrifted with the button details at the collar and sleeves? It’ll set you apart while keeping you current.

Fit variety

It’s true that thrift stores have a notoriously narrow range of sizes for sale. At least, most of them do. But they frequently offer fit variety that malls lack. Whenever trends come up around here, a few folks always mention that trends have an infuriating way of eclipsing the styles that preceded them. And it’s true. In the early 90s, it seemed like no mall store in America was selling anything but scandalously low-rise jeans. My impression is that mass retailers are attempting to offer variety more consistently, but they can’t keep everything in rotation at all times. Thrift stores, however, can. More variety is present because more eras of clothing production are represented. If you like a really high rise or low hemline, if you prefer longer blazers or boxy sweaters, they are ALL represented. Next time you are scouring a mall store for a fit they no longer sell, consider thrifting as an alternative.

Better quality than new

Plenty of brand new garments, shoes, and accessories are beautifully made and will last for decades. Plenty more are cheaply constructed and monstrously overpriced. All it takes is a spin through a thrift store handling older goods to see how manufacturing policies and practices have changed over time. Clothes from bygone eras are heavier, better designed, crafted from better materials, and built to last. When you buy a used garment from a thrift store, you may end up with a more durable, quality product than you would if you bought new. (Emphasis on “may,” especially if you’re buying recent goods … but still!)

Are you an avid thrifter? Why do you think thrifting is a fabulous way to stay fashionable?

Image via weheartit.

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Biases Against Thrifting

by Sal on January 23, 2012 · 138 comments

I’ve been thrifting since high school. Buying used clothing has never bothered me one whit, and I encourage all stylish women to consider hitting the thrift stores virtually any time they need new duds. But I know there are many longstanding biases against thrifting, and I’m curious if any of you are loathe to thrift for these reasons:

The stigma of buying used

I’ve never experienced this one directly, but I’ve heard from many people who have. I feel like used clothing doesn’t carry the stigma it did years ago, but that could vary from region to region. I also get the impression that young people who are only just learning about money, clothing, and associated statuses might disdain used clothing. But it could be more prevalent than I realize.

Germs and personal residues

Most seasoned thrifters avoid buying used items that are renowned for hanging onto germs: Lingerie, tights, towels. Some also avoid hats and shoes for germ-related reasons (as we discussed a bit yesterday). But many non-thrifters can’t get comfortable with the idea of wearing used garments because of germ potential, or even just the personal, energetic, or spiritual residues that may imbue a used item. Such concerns don’t seem to apply as often to used furniture, artworks, or cars, but since clothing is kept so close to the body, I can see how it might seem more residue- and germ-prone.

Hassle

Many fellow clotheshorses have said that they love the idea of thrifting, but in practice they just can’t take the hassle. Thrift stores are renowned for being crowded, badly organized, and difficult to navigate. Even smaller, more selective consignment stores can feel daunting. Shoppers who are easily overwhelmed would rather go to malls, boutiques, or shops that have fewer but clearer options.

Do you avoid thrifting for any of these reasons? Are there other biases against thrifting that I’m missing? Do you feel like some of these might be regional or generational?

Image via Voodoo Trend.

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How to Consign Your Clothes

by Sal on January 16, 2012 · 33 comments

Purging your closet can feel marvelous. Jettisoning items that have gone unworn for months (or years) alleviates anxiety and guilt, gives you room to really see what you own, and allows you to focus on items that you truly adore. But if you’ve spent big on something and never worn it, or know it’s a quality item that just doesn’t suit you, it can feel frustrating to simply admit sartorial defeat. Donating clothing to charity is always, ALWAYS a generous and admirable choice, as is handing over quality duds to organizations like Dress for Success who can use them to help women further their career goals. But sometimes you just want to recoup your losses. Or some of your losses.

Enter consignment stores. Many major metropolitan areas have them, and they’re a great resource for items that still have life and value but might not be worth selling on eBay. How do you decide what items will work well for consignment? Here are a few tips:

Is it a recognizable brand name?

Although this may not be the case universally, the consignment stores I frequent are very brand-focused, and I can understand why. If you’ve got a gorgeous sweater but it’s made by a brand that no longer exists – like Petite Sophisticate, a thrift fave of mine – or even a high-quality foreign brand that most shoppers in your area wouldn’t recognize, it’s simply less likely to sell. Mall/high street brands are always good bets, as are any designer items you’re prepared to part with.

Is it in very good shape?

Consignment items needn’t be 100% flawless, but they definitely need to be free of substantial damage. Rips, shredding, stains, damaged hardware or zippers, or anything that renders an item unwearable means it should be repurposed or possibly just thrown away. (Thrift stores can’t resell truly damaged goods either, so don’t dump ‘em there.)

Is it contemporary?

Some of the more trendy, young, fashion-forward consignment shops will consider your vintage items, but many want modern clothes and accessories only. In fact, my main consignment source is looking for clothes made within the past three to five years. The newer the better, in many cases.

Now, if you’ve got an item that is extremely trendy, made by a covetable manufacturer, and in pristine condition, you might consider selling it yourself on eBay, Bonanzle, Etsy, or another more direct route. Designer items and higher-end brands with loyal followings – like John Fluevog, Desigual, Coach, and similar – are good bets for direct sale. Think about items, brands, and styles that YOU might search for online to determine what would fit this model. I’ve only ever sold on eBay myself, and can’t offer any magical tips for success, but can point you to the site’s seller tutorial, which covers important basics.

So! You’ve got some items that you want to consign. You’ve still got to convince the store to accept them. Here’s what I recommend:

Launder : They WILL give your items the sniff test. Take washed or dry-cleaned items only. Make sure accessories and shoes aren’t stinky, either.

Press: Wrinkles are a total turn-off. Hang up all clothing and steam or iron every piece. Including scarves. You want your stuff looking as new and fresh as possible.

Touch-up: Bust out the lint roller for any stubborn pet hairs or dry schmutz. Invest in a sweater shaver to deal with pilling. Trim or mend any stray threads, and make sure buttons and hardware are properly affixed.

Before you pack up the car and head to your local consignment outlet, you’ll want to explore your options. Some will take your items, sell them, and pay you out afterwards. Some will evaluate your goodies on the spot and hand over cash or credit immediately.  Percentages will vary by shop and geographic location. Don’t assume that larger or more well-known shops will give you better deals! Sometimes smaller outlets have a better sense of what is truly valuable and what will work for their specific clientele.

A few consignment shops that I both sell to and buy from, many of which are national chains:

  1. Turn Style 
  2. Buffalo Exchange
  3. Crossroads Trading Company
  4. June
  5. Plato’s Closet

Do you consign any items from your wardrobe? How do you decide what to donate and what to consign? What gets sold on eBay or given to friends/relatives instead? Any other tips for successful consignment experiences? What are the best consignment shops in YOUR area?

Image courtesy InspirationDC.

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Power Thrifting

by Sal on November 18, 2011 · 47 comments

Thrifting takes time. Even a seasoned thrifter is unlikely to pop into a thrift store for 20 minutes and emerge with a few great finds. Thrift stores are generally large and slightly disorganized, so shopping trips will be most successful when they’re relaxed and un-rushed.

But there are plenty of ways to make sure you stay focused and on-task when you do thrift, so you don’t waste time faffing about with stuff you don’t need or want. Here are some tips that will help you up your thrifting game:

Shop by color: If you know you need a turquoise sweater or maroon skirt, you may have better luck at the thrift store than the mall. Most thrift stores organize their wares by size, then by color. This comes in especially handy if you’re thrifting for a trend, and that trend happens to be the season’s hottest shade. Zero in on the appropriate portion of the color wheel, and start going through the racks.

Shop by pattern: Nearly all of my patterned pieces have been thrifted. Since patterns have a reputation for being trickier to style than solids, I think many patterned pieces are bought on whims, worn a few times, and then donated. Patterned garments are typically grouped with their dominant colors on the racks, but that actually makes them far easier to spot. Scan along until your eye lands on a pattern, decide if it’s of interest, and either pull the garment or move on.

Shop by fabric: I’m no sewist, but years of thrifting have taught me how to feel the difference between genuine silk and silky-feeling materials. I highly recommend running your hands over any piece that looks interesting before you bother to pull it out. You’ll be able to tell instantly if it’s too scratchy, staticky, or otherwise unpleasant to the touch. And if a garment passes the fondle test, yank it and check the fiber content. Anything that necessitates dry cleaning should give you pause, since cleaning bills can negate bargain prices. And, of course, you can check for your own fiber preferences and allergies.

Shop by type: Tackle the store department by department. Otherwise, you’ll get overwhelmed and give yourself a migraine! Start with pants, then move on to sweaters, then dresses, then outerwear … and if you just can’t do it all, that’s OK. Come back next week.

What other tips would you share to make thrift trips more efficient?

Image via weheartit.

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The Dark Side of Thrifting

by Sal on August 16, 2011 · 103 comments

I want you all to thrift shop. Do you hear me? I WANT THAT. Because thrift shopping teaches stylish people that value is relative, that clothing needn’t be expensive to be good, that trends can be procured for pennies, that style doesn’t have to come from a mall, that recycling doesn’t just mean putting your soda cans out for pickup every week, that the number on the size tag is totally arbitrary …

Thrifting is good. And I love it.

BUT. It will occasionally bite a gal in the ass. Especially if that gal becomes a serial thrifter. There are some dangers inherent to having access to a stream of ridiculously cheap clothing, and they include:

Amassing: I mean, hey. Thrifting is a great way to get new stuff in a relatively environmentally friendly way. So why NOT just buy gobs and gobs of new stuff every week? It’s so cheap. There’s no guilt. MORE THRIFTING PLEASE.

Unwearable “bargains”: That neon orange washed silk blouse is only $0.25? Holy samoleons, what a bargain! Obviously you should buy it, take it home, and squirrel it away. Even if you wouldn’t be caught dead in neon orange, can’t afford the associated dry cleaning bill, and have a wardrobe comprised entirely of khaki, gray, and denim.

Designer traps: OK, so that pristine Christian Dior suit is too big on you. And it’s a style from the 80s that means giant, unwieldy shoulder pads. And you have absolutely no use for a suit. But. But. Dior! $16! How could you pass that up?

Fellow thrifters, have you encountered these risks while shopping? What do you consider the other pitfalls of the thrifting life? How do you avoid them?

Image via weheartit.

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Thriftable Spring Trends

by Sal on April 22, 2011 · 44 comments

It’s that time again! Time for me to remind you (and myself) that nothing in the world of style is new, and that the season’s hottest trends are EMINENTLY thrift-able. Eminently, people. These trends are basically begging to be thrifted.

Maxi dresses and skirts

Surprise! Maxi skirts and dresses are going to be HUGE this season! I can see that you’re all reeling in surprise. Seriously, though, since these longer lengths have been hot for years, the thrift shops are lousy with ‘em. And, of course, maxis are generational so if you scour the racks you might find a funky vintage version or two.

Bold colors

The colors in question are mainly saturated brights like turquoise, tomato red, cobalt, citron yellow, and emerald green. The trendmasters are showing them color-blocked most frequently, but I’m gonna feel free to play around with more organic mixes. As for the thrifting component? As always, color trends are the easiest to thrift. Most thrift shops organize by color, so you can grab your tomato blouse from the reds, cobalt dress from the blues, and citron tee from the yellows. Easy, cheap, awesome.

Flatforms

Now, ya’ll know I adore platforms … but um … these are yet to catch my fancy. Still they are the hot shoe shape for the season, I’m told. And, turns out, they’ve been made for DECADES. The 90s saw a huge wave of chunky, flat platform shoes. And this style might have been popular in the 70s. Maybe. Just maybe. Before you plunk down for a new pair, check the racks at your local thrift wonderland. (If you fear wearing secondhand footwear, this forum has many suggestions for how to clean and disinfect them.)

Minimalist white

With warm weather comes bright whites. Once again, color trends = thrift cake. Whites can get a bit dingy with age, as we all know, but bleach, vinegar, Oxyclean, and other easy treatments can work wonders on a greying or yellowing item. I can totally see buying white tanks and tees new, but if you’re keen to try something a little more adventurous like white pants or a funky white dress, see what you can thrift.

70s influence

No two thrift stores are alike, and while some seem stuck in the 70s, others rarely sell anything made after 1997. Nevertheless, it seems odd to seek out reproduction 70s pieces when REAL LIVE 70s pieces are available at loads of secondhand shops. If your areas shops tend to carry more current items, try vintage specialty shops. (The caveat, of course, is sizing. Vintage sizing is generally smaller and can be unpredictable … so if the search for 70s-era pieces puts you into a Size Rage, forget it. Buy new.)

Wide leg and flare jeans

I never actually got RID of my flares, just stashed them in the basement. But if you donated all your pairs, there’s a good chance some of them are waiting to be bought back. Thrift stores generally have giant racks dedicated to denim, and you’ll find everything from skinnies to low-rise, trouser to cropped, and the suddenly sought-after wide legs and flares. Thrift on, friends. Thrift on.

Will you be partaking of these springy trends? Anyone else plan to thrift up a storm to make ‘em possible?

Top image via Head2Heels, Other runway shots Harper’s Bazaar, flatforms Glamour, jeans image from style.com

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