01|08|2010
learning to be thrifty & DIY-y, in spite of my wants.
Before I started this blog, I was an avid thrift store shopper. 90% of the clothes in my closet were either pre-owned or hand-me-downs, & I was very proud of that. Having people compliment me on an outfit that cost under $10 — including accessories — was such a thrilling feeling. What’s even more thrilling is telling people where I got the item they’re gushing after, & then watching their eyes bulge a bit at the idea of it being “used.”
& then I started working, which produced such a prideful feeling within myself that I felt that I was too deserving of new things, rather than sticking with my old habit of buying used. It’s taken three years, & the process was a slow one, but my entire closet is now only comprised of a few used items. Everything else has been bought brand new; some have only been worn several times.
I am not proud of this. I want to change.
So, I’m combining my 2010 rule #13 of shopping mostly at thrift stores, as well as my never ceasing feeling of “OH MY GOD, WANT!!!”, so that I’ll come to a rather happy & less painful medium.
Allow me to reason with & convince myself of this…
(all images from polyvore.com)
WANTED: lightweight, droopy, baggy sweaters & cardigans.
These could be easily found in the men’s section of a thrift store. Specifically in the men’s section because it’ll give a loose-fitting affect, & the length will be sufficient enough to wear as a dress if I’m feeling brave.
The brand new cost: $20 – $70
The thrift store cost: $3 – $5
WANTED: a tan, satchel-like, man-made purse.
Something I want to do this year is downsize my purses. I feel like I carry a duffel bag on my shoulder, never actually needing or using all of the space. Which in turn makes my shoulders tense & aching. Rather than get grumpy about the pain in my shoulders (all for the sake of a cute bag), I think getting a smaller purse would be a good idea. Some of the best purses I’ve ever found have been at thrift stores.
The brand new cost: $32 – $70
The thrift store cost: $5 – $7
WANTED: worn, shredded pairs of denim shorts.
I haven’t ever found a pair of ready to wear, perfectly fitting shorts at the thrift store. But, what I HAVE found are perfectly worn, fits-you-like-a-glove pairs of jeans, which could be easily cut into shorts. Cutting used jeans into shorts also gives you a reason to leave the ends unhemmed, so that they will fray on their own.
The brand new cost: $40 – $60
The thrift store cost: $3 – $7
WANTED: a black romper with a 90’s charm.
I remember wearing rompers (or onesies) in the 90’s. &, naturally, thrift stores are filled with endless rows of pre-owned, pre-loved 90’s apparel. It’s true that the rompers in thrift stores are a little more dated; some might have ruffles or pleats in not so “in style” places. But I’d rather spend a few dollars & learn to love the 90’s-esque ruffles, than spend a fortune on something that wasn’t even produced in the during the era.
The brand new cost: $58 – $100
The thrift store cost: $3 – $5
WANTED: lightweight, droopy t-shirts & tank tops in neutral colors.
It won’t be as easy to find these things in a thrift store. It will require patience while going through rows & rows, & waiting weeks & weeks for restocking, to find precisely what I’m looking for. But I will do it, because I want it bad enough & because I just know I can find it.
The brand new cost: $30 – $65
The thrift store cost: $1 – $5
WANTED: a sheer, unpadded, unwired bra.
I don’t prefer buying underthings like panties, bras, socks, & hoisery at thrift stores. But bras & panties especially. There are some things that work better when they are worn in, but this isn’t always the case with underthings. & even if it is, it doesn’t take away the fact that this intimate garment was once on some stranger’s naked body, whose bodily excretions were no doubt caught by the fabric. Still, I will look… & if I see something that catches my eye — & it has happened, much to my dismay — I will boil it in hot water for a few minutes & then wash it directly after.
The brand new cost: $10 – $75
The thrift store cost: $3 – $5
— — — —
I realize that even in spite of my perseverance, there will be times where I simply cannot find what I’m looking for, no matter how hard I’ve looked or how long I’ve waited. & to ensure that I won’t be at all tempted to blow my money on over priced things, I have a Plan B: I’ll go to places like Ross, Marshalls, & TJ Maxx. The items there won’t be as cheap as if they were at a thrift store, but they will be marked down to oblivion, allowing my mind to rest at ease knowing that I’m getting a bargain.
Realizing this & dwelling on it is needed for a girl like me, because I just know I’ll be tempted.
& if all else fails & I can’t find my wants at the thrift store or marked down shops, I will [try to] be patient, & wait for this item to go on sale. If not that, I will ask myself the bleeding question: Do you really need it? (The answer is almost always No.)
Q: what are some of your favorite thrift store finds? & will you recommend me some awesome thrift stores in the LA area?
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 12:15 pm:
Back when I was a fledgling thrifter (in fifth grade) I found a wool pleated Armani skirt that I wore every day with a hefty belt since it was huge on 10 year old me. When I outgrew it my mom sewed it into a pillow for me :)
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 12:35 pm:
My most awesome thrift store find has to be my black Vera Wang cocktail dress for $7 that I wore for my 21st birthday. While I’ve found some pretty fun things, that pretty much tops the list.
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 1:17 pm:
I’ve always had great luck finding vintage dresses at the goodwill in my hometown.
I’m petite but fairly curvy, so sometimes 50’s era clothes work better than anything current I could pick up. My thrift store finds also tend to be the pieces from my wardrobe that draw the most comments and compliments.
This is one of my favourite finds: http://sarah-bration.blogspot.com/2009/08/bonne-fete-moi.html
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 2:11 pm:
I really enjoyed this post! I’m an avid thrift store shopper. I got to Value Village all the time and I’ve found most of my favorite pieces there! 90% of the clothes I own are thrifted. I enjoy thrift shopping because it’s so much cheaper than buying brand new things, the clothing you buy from thrift stores are unique and one of a kind, and thrift shopping is also VERY eco-friendly :) Just the other day I bought a pair of authentic vintage moccasins for only $4! The stuff I find at Value Village are little treasures
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 2:11 pm:
Over the years I have become a much bigger fan of thrift store finds then what is normally sold new. My closet right now is a mix of basic shirts, usually in neutral colors, with more interesting, unique, and more “me” feeling pants, skirts, etc to go with them. One of my absolute best finds recently was a gorgeous full length cotton skirt, dark blue with off white print all around it of Andean looking deer, people, and tree silhouettes. It had hand sewn sequins accenting them and this strange wrap around tie part at the top I’ve never seen before. I paid $15 for it and usually don’t buy clothes that are that much but it was completely unique and made me feel like some sort of south american princess so I bought it and love it so much.
Years ago when I was lamenting my lack of interesting clothes, I reminded myself that there were punks, art school kids, hipsters, etc all throughout this area and they had to get their cool clothes from somewhere. I redoubled my efforts to get back into thrift store shopping, found one here in Florida that had a great vintage section and have been building a better wardrobe ever since.
Great post and question. Have fun finding surprisingly perfect items at your local thrift stores. I seem to have better luck finding something that fits how I want to look at places like that then normal stores, and it works better for my budget too. =)
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 2:33 pm:
I have some beautiful vintage dresses found at the Rose Bowl flea market, for about $15 each. All time favorite thrift find: Black Blazer which fits me perfectly. $6. I was looking for a new blazer… couldn’t find that exact fit. Goodwill came to the rescue!
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 2:35 pm:
I’ve never found anything at a thrift shop. I don’t know where any good ones are and I can be so impatient! This year, my goal is to try to buy vintage clothes, like pretty 1950s and 60s housedresses and boho tunics and grandpa cardigans. Can you help me?
My secret to not buying WANTS is this: I shop online. I put ALL my wants into the shopping cart and then I’m always shocked to find how much money it totals up to. Then I edit what’s in there. I keep only the things I love most. Then I leave them in there and wait and do other internet things. Lots of websites will re-set the shopping cart and leave it empty. If I REALLY have to have the items, then I have to go find them again (and usually from the sale section and that’s usually not so easy.) If I’m too lazy to make the effort of finding it again… I must not have wanted it so badly in the first place.
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 3:01 pm:
You make such a good point about carrying giant bags, and I always want to downsize, but I use my bag as a book bag too, so I need to at least be able to carry my laptop in it. Maybe when I get out of school, I’ll be able to carry smaller bags, but that doesn’t mean I can’t lust after great brown satchels like the one in your list.
Also, I always tell myself that I’m going to start shopping at more thrift stores, but living in Greenwich, CT (pretty much the epitome of Stepford) there aren’t any good and inexpensive thrift stores. Every secondhand store is a consignment store that only resells high fashion brands. The prices are good for the products, but are far from $3 – $5 (ad a couple zeros). I think I’m just going to have to for sake the neighborhood convenience and go to some of the thrift stores in the larger cities around me where people actually understand what thrift means.
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 5:02 pm:
This is such a great goal. I have a difficult time finding clothing in thrift stores, but I think it’s because I simply lack patience. Have you tried shopping on Melrose Avenue? I know there (used to be) some cool shops there.
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 5:09 pm:
if you find some awesome thrift stores please let me know, i haven’t been to a thrift shop that i liked in forever and i feel like some of my best finds a couple years ago were all from thrift shops. and i love your reasoning of buying stuff used over new, putting the prices out there definitely help make the choice a bit more tolerable i bet. i need to learn to do that as well.
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 6:48 pm:
Dudeguy and I are going to the UCLA thrift store tomorrow. Feel free to come along! I hear it’s a great one.
on Friday, January 8th, 2010 at 11:47 pm:
i’m a thrift store junkie also!!! i always mix & match my vintage treasures w/ designer stuff for an aesthetic that surely no one else will have! i SO love it when people ask where i find my goods and i non-chalantly say “oh it’s vintage” like i have some amazing secret…haha!
i live in LA, so out here, i usually score pretty good at any of the goodwills in santa monica & fairfax district. but if you’re ever in OC – anaheim/santa ana they have a st. vincent something thrift store (it’s off the 5) and some days are 50% off!! a few months ago they even had “everything for $1″ & “everything for a quarter” days. let’s just say, i came home with TRASH BAGS full of stuff! men inspired trousers, blazers, designer bags, etc etc etc. my best finds that days were a $1 fur coat, $1 vintage chanel bucket bag, and $1 valentino leather backpack. unbelievable scores!
if you want to know the real deal holyfield…i have a secret vintage WAREHOUSE spot. it’s an entire warehouse of vintage finds that have already been filtered through – unlike thrift stores. it requires mucho digging or “cherry picking” as the owner likes to call it. you end up buying clothes by the pound and it usually comes out to like $2-3 per piece by the time you’re done. if you want to now more, email me and let me know!! i’m always down to dig!
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 4:29 am:
i love charity shops (what we call them in the UK) and started shopping in them when i was about 13. all of my friends thought i was crazy. when i was about 15 i went into one and found a tiny white Chanel bag with gold gilt chain strap, and next to it was a Gucci logo-ed clutch with the red and green stripe down the middle and a gold double G clasp (this one sounds gross but it’s really retro and 70/80s and worn in leather- it’s beautiful). I was already really into fashion by this point so died. then i looked at the price. both were under £5 (about $10). i got them both. when i showed them to my friends they screamed something like ‘EWWW GROSS! THEY LOOK LIKE BAGS MY GRANDMA WOULD WEAR!’ but i smiled to myself, completely over the moon with my bags. anyway, ten years later i still adore them, still get compliments on the unique shapes of the bags, and the friends who hated them are now insanely jealous. hands down the best charity shop experience, but i have many other gorgeous and unique things that i am very proud to say came from a charity shop!
some of my other favourite things to look for are old vinyl records- i am a HUGE fan of Michael Jackson and prince and over the last 10 years have collected nearly all of their albums and a lot of their singles on vinyl, most costing £1 ($2). And i love getting cute porcelain figures, plates, weirdly shaped wine glasses etc.
XXX
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 9:19 am:
My favorite finds had to probably be the loose open cardigans that I bought at ross for only 7 bucks and my other favorite find was a black trenchcoat for only….$15. Woot woot! hooray for thrift shopping!
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 1:02 pm:
Come back to thrift! I thrifted and shopped consignment when I was a single professional. Then when I married and became a mother and I forgot about thrift. About four years ago I took it back up. I actually went through a period of self-deprecation, beating myself up as to why I ever stopped thrift and grieved the thousands of dollars I wasted shopping new. Yes, thousands of dollars that could have been put to my daughters college savings but was wasted by a retail hypnosis mostly brought on with items needed when having a baby.
My best finds? There are so many, it’s hard to recall. Here’s a sampling: a hand-tailored gorgeous Givenchy classic tuxedo for Mr. Golighlty for $9; countless designer clothing from Jaeger to Yoana Baraschi, items with such quality, they are timeless all for $9;
clothing from more trendy stores like Anthropologie and Banana Republic, sometimes with the original price tags still dangling; a like new if not new butter crème, classic design Pottery Barn sleeper sofa for $250; tons of copper cookware, all under $15 a piece; French enameled cookware from vintage Granitware to Emile Henry to Le Crueset; a Tiffany’s key for $4, a very old Limoges covered dish in mint condition for $4; rare vintage treasures…
But as I reflect, I think a pair of Black Dog Rise hand-made mukluks I purchased for $10 is especially close to my heart. They were brand new, the leather lace holes not fully punched, awaiting the new owner to lace them up for the first time. I suffer from cold feet and these mukluks are a true comfort in my life, even in the summer. I didn’t really care about the make or brand but noticed that “Black Dog Rise” was handwritten in ballpoint pen. Curiosity caught me and I found my mukluks online for $350. Upon purchase, I had no idea what a find they were. I was just thinking, “Oh! Cozy toes!”
This is a Picasa Web Album of over 250 thrifted finds that are hard to believe but serve testimony of what can be found and how much can be saved. It’s on the left column of The Thrifty Chicks blog.
And, it’s not just about saving money. Thrift dollars go to charity and thrift shopping is about as green as it gets with shopping: reuse, repurpose and divert from landfills. Let’s face it, America needs to pump up it’s reuse economy. Everyone wins with thrift.
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 3:07 pm:
I enjoyed this post and what you said is very true all these worn in looks, that most of us like so much can be achieved at a thrift store for less than half the retail price. Unfortunately I have never gone thrift shopping so I have never experienced the thrill of finding what you want for an amazing price and on the other end every time I shop at retail I am excited for my purchase but then my heart sinks at how much the item cost.
On a next note I could not help but laugh at your very last want (the bra), for that I recommend Marshalls or TJ Maxx they very often have bras like that for 3-5 dollars, which is way better than paying TopShop, AA or H&M price of 20 or more.
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 4:14 pm:
I found the CUTEST little black dress in an Italian thrift store when I lived there and bought it for about three Euros. I still wear the dress sometimes, and it still fits wonderfully. And I definitely need to explore some of the thrift stores in my new town now.
I wish I knew some place in LA for you to go!
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 7:04 pm:
I lovee Marshalls. I just bought a pair of Cole Haan sunglasses there for $12, they were originally $92! Unfortunatley I have to drive down to Ohio to go, because I have yet to find one in Michigan. I think my favorite thing I ever thrifted was actually at a flea market here, it’s this sterling silver cuff bracelet with a great hand stamped flower and vine pattern on it, I got it for $5. I also frequently buy old silver spoons at flea markets to make spoon rings out of.
on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 11:43 pm:
So it’s a funny thing that you wrote about thrift stores today. I have always loved thrifting. It’s always fun to find that special “treasure” that you know is an ultimate find & know one else will have it. I’m very fortunate that I have always lived around quite amazing thrift stores. So I decided to go to my favorite thrift store this morning. As I was wandering around the store looking for the most lovely items, I thought, I should do this a lot more often. I wish I could take 2010 & do most of my shopping at thrift stores. So you have inspired me even more now & I’m taking this as a sign that you wrote about it today. I actually did a post about a coat I found at the same thrift store. So far best find. And don’t be ashamed that you have been able to buy brand named clothing. Now you can just miss match with all the thrify finds.
on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 12:04 pm:
You can always alter thrift store finds as well, take off some ruffles or add a seam or hem, then you have an added satisfaction of truly making things your own & knowing you don’t have things that are identical to hundreds of other people’s closets! ;)
I don’t know of any good LA thrift stores, but you can show me the ones you find when I come out there! ;)
on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 1:35 pm:
please do not tell me that your comments are going to be off on all posts from now on? i just found your blog a few days ago and i wanted to tell you how much i LOVE it! in a blogosphere of hypebeasts and sheep, you are a breath of fresh air. you are an amazing writer and i love your creativity. i love your openness and honesty about your life and your relationship with your husband. it is truly inspiring. makes me want to start blogging, but i’m not that interesting :. i hope you don’t let one ignorant person (that shall remain nameless) discourage you or make you think twice about the things that you post on your blog. it’s your blog and you have a right to moderate comments or whatever the fuck else you please.
:)
mimi