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Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping

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StarlitHolly Posts : 47 Registered: 2/23/10
Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 5:44 AM

In another thread, a few people have been talking about shopping at consignment stores and thrift stores.
BWFrancie said:
"Good for you girl! I live near an affluent area so there are many consignment shops that only deal in high end labels. For example, I got a Ralph Lauren 100% cashmere sweater never worn for 10 bucks. I love Goodwill too!"
cyndi33 said:
"I almost ALWAYS get my clothes at consignment, for that reason. I won't pay the tag price, I won't pay the over price they charge, and often, you can find the never worn, for that."
When I was younger, I used to get alot of my clothes as hand-me-downs from family friends, and much of the rest from thrift stores. They were not always stylish, but the price was right!
Now that I'm older, and married, starting a family, etc - I want to get into thrift store shopping again. My dH is also interested in doing this - he wants to find second-hand toys like Lego and others.
The difference between the old-me-thrifter and the new me? I still want to keep my style!
I've been reading a great style/fashion blog called academichic (http://www.academichic.com/). One of the women who writes the blog (E.) is originally from Oahu, so that's pretty cool.
I was inspired to start checking out the local thrift stores...
Today, I found these great shoes and awesome skirt.
DSCN1982-1.jpg picture by green-robot
The skirt is mid-calf length and I love it!
Anyone else care to share recently aquired previously-loved (or not loved) items?

HollyElise

21. Canadian. Stay-At-Home Wife. Living in Hawaii.

december_2009 , second-hand , canada , consignment , thrift
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BWFrancie Posts : 70 Registered: 11/11/09
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:11 AM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

That is so cool Holly! I grew up relatively poor, and my two sisters and I shared clothes. During my first marriage, I could pretty much spend whatever I wanted on clothes and had a closet full! Well, I lost pretty much everything in the divorce and now I am trying to rebuild. I have discovered consignment and I absolutely love getting bargains. I LOVE the skirt you got! There is a local consignment shoppe here called "FiFi's" and they only accept designer labels, but the prices are great. I have found some real treasures there! Even at Goodwill, I have found Dooney & Burke purses, Gap, Ralph Lauren, etc. I think "treasure hunting" is so much fun. Congrats on your find!

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north_carolina , december_2009 , second-hand , canada , consignment , thrift
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juicygirl16 Posts : 49 Registered: 8/30/08
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:39 AM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

Your post made me really happy!

I've always sort of been in a position where I had a lot of great clothes that I loved, but as my own style changed I found I had a lot of stuff in great condition to give away. No matter how full my closet will get, I always cherish my clothes so much-and I actually really hate giving them away and not knowing where they go!! So it makes me happy to hear that stuff gets good homes and that other people can get enjoyment out of things that get given away!

december_2009 , canada , july_2011 , consignment , thrift , northern_california , second-hand
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AmyJustin2010 Posts : 201 Registered: 1/18/10
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 12:19 PM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

I also shop at consignment and thrift stores. I love it, I really do! I buy t-shirts there for exercise and lounging-you can never have enough t-shirts. Half the time the clothes still even have tags on them. I got a NCAA official licensed t-shirt with tags for a dollar at Salvation Army. I also got a NY & Company wool pea coat at Goodwill for 20 bucks. I spent 10 dollars on dry cleaning, and now I have an expensive coat for 30 dollars!

I plan on shopping for our children at secondhand stores in the future. There really is no shame.

Honestly, I find shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army more fun than shopping at the mall. I think it's because it seems like it's more of a challenge or something.

AmyJustin2010.Weebly.Com

 

Amy & Justin--Buffalo Sabres Fanatics :) 

june_2010 , canada , december_2009 , second-hand , upstate_hudson_valley , consignment , thrift
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StarlitHolly Posts : 47 Registered: 2/23/10
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 5:47 PM Go to message in response to: AmyJustin2010

"Honestly, I find shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army more fun than
shopping at the mall. I think it's because it seems like it's more of a
challenge or something."
it's a treasure hunt!!

dH and i are planning to check out garage sales and the local swap meet too! and we will definately be continuing this when we have children - kids have worn hand-me-downs for hundreds of years.
also, when babies are little they out-grow onesies and sleepers quickly - why pay full price for something Baby will only wear for 2 weeks??

one of the skirts I tried on yesterday was a brand-new, perfect condition Old Navy skirt - it was completely the wrong shape for me but proof that many of (especially women's) the clothes at thrift stores is new or barely worn.

HollyElise

21. Canadian. Stay-At-Home Wife. Living in Hawaii.



Edited by: HollyElise on Mar 21, 2010 5:47 PM

december_2009 , canada , consignment , june_2010 , second-hand , upstate_hudson_valley , thrift
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August28th Posts : 153 Registered: 1/28/09
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 6:55 PM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

Holly: Very cool, I really love consignment shops, pretty much because I cannot justify spending 50 bucks for jeans etc if I can get them for $5 at a thrift store. Luckily, my area has a lot of resale shops, I haven't even explored all of them yet! I buy more than clothes, I bought nearly all of my small kitchen appliances (coffee maker, George Foreman grill, mixer, fondue maker, etc) at a resale shop and they were great prices. I got my coffee maker for $5 and at Target they were $30! It's so crazy to spend that kindof money when you can get something that works just as well for much less!

I love hearing about other peoples' thrift store finds! When we have children we plan to buy most of their clothes and some baby "stuff" their too. It works, why pay more?!

True love is like a ghost which many talk about but few have ever seen.

canada , missouri , second-hand , thrift , june_2010 , upstate_hudson_valley , consignment , december_2009 , august_2009
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StarlitHolly Posts : 47 Registered: 2/23/10
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 9:09 PM Go to message in response to: August28th

We also got a shave-ice maker at the thrift store yesterday, for $6!
dH is completely excited about having homemade shave-ice.

HollyElise  

21. Canadian. Stay-At-Home Wife. Living in Hawaii.

june_2010 , december_2009 , missouri , second-hand , thrift , canada , august_2009 , upstate_hudson_valley , consignment
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AmyJustin2010 Posts : 201 Registered: 1/18/10
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:12 PM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

A fun thing to do for baby clothes is to go to eBay and search

"infant (boy or girl) clothes lot."

You will get a zillion trillion hits and all for super cheap. I know that I plan on hitting up eBay for clothes when we have our children.

AmyJustin2010.Weebly.Com

 

Amy & Justin--Buffalo Sabres Fanatics :) 

december_2009 , thrift , second-hand , canada , upstate_hudson_valley , consignment , june_2010 , missouri , august_2009
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jeaniebelle87 Posts : 137 Registered: 11/23/07
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 22, 2010 1:47 PM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

I love thrift stores! I remember starting college and all my friends thought that was super weird, but as time went on, they would ask where I got different pieces of clothing (like my favorite ferragamo ballet flats!) and I'd tell them such and such a thrift store! I have converted more than one friend over to thrifting. I think it's thrilling to scour the racks for treasures. My apartment is pretty much entirely decorated in thrift store finds (all the furniture included, except mattresses, I draw the line at mattresses!). I love the idea that the things I own come pre-loved. Couches and tables and skirts and shoes and dishes have all had other lives and been apart of memories, and I love the idea that I get to share in that history, even if I don't know where exactly they came from. I know that's cheesy, but I guess it's the history geek in me!
Oh, and you asked if anyone had found awesome stuff lately, and I'd like to share that the last time I was in NYC I got a really nice designer dress for $9 at a mark down sale. It's out of season, so I'm going to have to wait several months to wear it, but it's gorgeous and I can't wait for my first formal event of the fall (whatever that might be...)!!!

minnesota , second-hand , consignment , thrift , december_2009 , canada , may_2010
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Jream Posts : 157 Registered: 7/29/08
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 22, 2010 8:24 PM Go to message in response to: jeaniebelle87

I work at a thrift store. My house (and my wardrobe) is decked out.

The secret, unless you get a job there, is to go often. Things change all the time. I just bought a plasma flat screen for $150, and it's in stores for over $1,000 right now. It just needed a power cord, which I already had.

We also gets tons of clothes with tags still on them. If you don't already shop at thrift stores, you should!

But please wash everything. Really, everything.


canada , consignment , thrift , minnesota , may_2010 , january_2010 , december_2009 , second-hand , florida
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Beeble Posts : 307 Registered: 11/19/09
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Mar 24, 2010 12:43 PM Go to message in response to: Jream

I totally LOVE thrift stores. I get lots of stuff there ranging from blue jeans to formal wear. I picked up my Christmas party dresses there the last 2 years in a row for under $30. They were both Alfred Angelo Bridesmaids dresses, work likely once and given to donation. The one I got last year is Claret red. I hung onto my christmas gown and my best friend can wear it when I get married since we are the same size (as long as she doesn't get her boob job before then lol) I also found a cute flower girl dress that matches in white and claret on Kijiji for $10! I bought it for my best friends daughter, it is a size or two big right now, but i couldn't pass it up! It will likely be a couple years till I get married anyways and if that doesn't happen it will make a really cute Christmas dress for her!

december_2009 , minnesota , second-hand , canada , florida , consignment , thrift , may_2010 , january_2010
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TheBriarPatch Posts : 15 Registered: 3/26/10
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Apr 5, 2010 2:12 PM Go to message in response to: Beeble

I adore consignment and thrift, and then re-styling a little bit. Etsy is a real inspiration on these type projects. We own a retail store, and I sometimes shudder when our very expensive girls' dresses are in the thrift stores a few months later. But, it does show that there are AMAZING finds out there. I have found discontintued styles for clients on ebay and even shopgoodwill.com for next to nothing. Not sure if that is profit minded retailing, but it is community minded...which is most important.

We are thinking of having some sort of blog, additional site, or something where we can post returned, damaged, sample, or discontinued styles for alternative thinking, crafty, creative, true designing brides to recreate for flower girl dresses. Then, we could share the great ideas and start a formal wear recycling movement. I wonder....

It is all great. Have fun thrift sifting!

Pat at www.shopbriarpatch.com

"Cherishing children is the mark of a civilized society" Joan Ganz Cooney

flower_girl_dress , restyle , consignment , flower_girl_dresses
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BrighterThanSun... Posts : 854 Registered: 10/17/08
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Apr 5, 2010 3:14 PM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

I love thrift store shopping.

Value Village is my best friend.

You know where I love to go (not for clothing though)? Auction houses.

Every piece of furniture in my bedroom which is all wood and has amazing carvings (not a set, but delightfuly quirky and complimentary) cost me $650. It was a steal when I was going into student housing and feared purchasing a bed for $400 from IKEA. I got queen size bed, a desk, a chair for my desk (wasn't a set with the desk) a dresser, a bed side table, a lamp and a long photoframe that fits 5 enlarged photographs.

I love how much character my room has. Nothing against IKEA but I don't want my room looking like an IKEA showroom which it did at my parents house.

december_2009 , second-hand , canada , consignment , thrift
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BrighterThanSun... Posts : 854 Registered: 10/17/08
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Apr 5, 2010 3:14 PM Go to message in response to: StarlitHolly

I love thrift store shopping.

Value Village is my best friend.

You know where I love to go (not for clothing though)? Auction houses.

Every piece of furniture in my bedroom which is all wood and has amazing carvings (not a set, but delightfuly quirky and complimentary) cost me $650. It was a steal when I was going into student housing and feared purchasing a bed for $400 from IKEA. I got queen size bed, a desk, a chair for my desk (wasn't a set with the desk) a dresser, a bed side table, a lamp and a long photoframe that fits 5 enlarged photographs.

I love how much character my room has. Nothing against IKEA but I don't want my room looking like an IKEA showroom which it did at my parents house.

Later on I found out that my house didn't have a dining room table or a coffee table for the living room so my fellow housemates and I hit up a local auction house and got a full dining room with 6 chairs and a coffee table for $480 ($360 for the dining room set and $120 for the coffee table.) Between the five of us paying for it--it was an amazing deal.

Edited by: BrighterThanSunshine on Apr 5, 2010 3:15 PM

canada , thrift , december_2009 , consignment , second-hand
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Beeble Posts : 307 Registered: 11/19/09
Re: Consignment & Thrift Store Shopping
Posted: Apr 6, 2010 10:54 AM Go to message in response to: BrighterThanSun...

ooh, i just got 3 new skirts at the thrift store, and I just found a new value village across the city, going there at lunch to see what I can find. I'll have to post some pics.

canada , consignment , thrift , december_2009 , second-hand
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