Book Nook: Second-Hand Shopping 101

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Inge is senior editor and a regular contributor at YLF.

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Book Nook: Second-Hand Shopping 101

— by Inge

on November 11, 2011

Sometimes I daydream about strolling into a vintage clothing boutique and stumbling upon an entire row of perfectly fitting long-sleeved designer midi dresses. No going through endless racks first. They’re just there, waiting to come home with me. I daren’t even imagine what the sight of an authentic Chanel jacket in mint condition — very reasonably priced, of course — would do to me. Oh la la! I’d probably faint on the spot!.

In reality my second-hand shopping track record is nothing to write home about. Not for lack of trying, but I usually leave empty-handed. That’s why it always impresses me no end how the many savvy thrift and vintage shoppers on the YLF forum manage to snap up the most gorgeous pieces. I’ve often wondered how to go about it. Do you need a system? A good dose of luck? Or just tons and tons of patience? Do tell ladies, what is your number-one tip?

For all of us hoping to improve the chances of finding our very own treasure, I’ve added two shopping guides to the bookstore’s new Shopping Category. First we can brush up on our vintage clothing knowledge with Melody Fortier’s The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping. Many thanks to forum member Rosee, an accomplished “vintage fashion hound”, for pointing me in the direction of this charming little volume. Then we could hit the stores armed with The Fashionista’s Shopping Guide to the Galaxy of Discount New York Fashion, written by Sharyne Wolfe.

I’m also curious to hear what you like to do after a successful day of shopping, once you’ve modelled and put away your new goodies. Put up those tired feet and watch a movie perhaps? Well, with The Runaways, this week’s biopic about the 1970’s all-girl rock band formed around Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, you can linger in the past just a while longer.

Books

24 comments · Add a comment

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I’m daydreaming and fainting with you, Inge :).

I have no luck thrifting for what I think are legitimate reasons. When I *very* occasionally stumble across a gem, it costs the earth and I think to myself – I’d rather buy something new and be the first owner of the item. There is no way that I’m spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars in a consignment or thrift store. I guess I’m weird. But with a proper vintage guide in hand, I’m hoping that my luck will change!

After a shopping trip, I unpack my beautiful gems and hang them up so that I can admire them for a while. Then I model them for hubby and doggies.

I’m looking forward to watching the Runaways, Inge!

November 11, 2011 at 5:21 pm

Jjsloane

Veteran

I have similar longings for the perfect vintage find, but sadly the reality has yet to match my dreams. I have a smallish collection of vintage 50/60s beaded cardigans, a couple of dresses and some rhinestone jewelry. All accumulated via ebay back in the days when you could get really good deals. (10-15 years ago) I appreciate the styling, but can’t afford the real classic items that should be appreciated for the craftsmanship.

November 11, 2011 at 5:51 pm

Meredith

Active Member

While I don’t have a ton of experience with thrift clothing, I have gained a bit of experience for thrift stores for other things like home decor, etc.

I think the biggest tip I can give you is that your luck will all depend on the store. Some store owners are just brilliant at finding the coolest stuff…others, not so much!

hugs,
m!

November 11, 2011 at 6:12 pm

krishnidoux

Veteran

Angie, yes, for me it is often a question of luck AND patience. However you can push your luck and make it be on your side.

I choose my thrift stores. I have learned that as a rule of thumb, the ones in retirees’ neighbourhoods are generally better supplied.

I also will go there with no special purpose on my mind, just for fun, to “look”. It’s time out for myself. If I find something it’s a bonus, but I don’t make it the goal of my trip. So I couldn’t entirely rely on thrift stores for my clothing needs. However I always seem to get great pieces that way, pieces that have lasted through seasons in my closet!

When I consider purchasing an item at the thrift store, I always think about the first owner, and wonder why was this an orphan in their closet. Or was it? There is something a bit sad and a bit hopeful in these once discarded apparels aligned in rows. Some (most) say loud and clear, “No, I’m not for you”. Others seem to say, “Look here! look here!” . And once in a while you get one that whispers, “Weren’t you looking for me recently? Well what do you know… here I am!”

When I come home, I shamefully admit, my first concern is to hide my loot. From my husband. Because I don’t have a regular job now and I feel guilty spending on me, even if it’s within budget. It has happened that I had to scrunch the bag behind something quick, all the while cringing about possibly damaging the clothes. But that was extreme. Generally it has to stay in the bag in a secret place for a while before I can unwrap it. Meanwhile I think about it, it’s like a big candy awaiting for me. When I can finally have some time to myself, I unfold my prize(s) and take a look at its colour under different lightings, then hold it next to different other items in my closet.

Later when I wear it generally nobody notices it’s “new” (because really, it isn’t).
Although recently I came home with a rather boisterous furry triangular shaped vest. There was no way to silently integrate it to my wardrobe, so when my husband noticed it hanging on the back of a chair (” What is that … THING? Is it alive?) I simply said the truth: “Got it second hand for a fraction of the price”. He didn’t say anything.

November 12, 2011 at 1:01 am

alice

(website)

I’ve never had any luck thrifting because 1) it’s hard enough to find something I like and then 2) even if I find it, it is guaranteed not to fit without lots of tailoring. It’s just too much effort overall and I don’t enjoy shopping enough to go through all of that. I’d much rather just spend the money and have it be what I want already (since I own few clothes, this ends up being perfectly reasonable cost-wise).

I also have a second reason for avoiding thrift stores – It’s funny, there used to be a time in my life when I loved chasing a deal and shopping sales, but that kind of situation ALWAYS led me to purchase unnecessary items simply to get the deal (which ends up not being a deal at all!). Most of my clothes purchased in this fashion ended up hanging in my closet unused, because I didn’t put enough thought into their purchase. My fear of becoming a hoarder like others in my family has really nipped this activity in the bud. Thrift stores to me therefore seem more dangerous than fun!

November 12, 2011 at 9:53 am

clearlyclaire

What a great post Inge! I am a confessed thrift store shopper. A few years ago, every single item in my closet was thrifted (and most of them for a dollar). I had almost no budget for clothing and spending time shopping each week with a few bucks in my pocket helped me to get a little retail therapy.

Fast forward to the present. Now I am able to set aside a little more money on clothes (for now, our son starts college next year) and I’m trying to build up a good wardrobe of basics for my MOTG lifestyle. I still go to thrift stores, but I don’t depend on them exclusively. I’m even thinking about seeking out some higher priced consignment stores in the ritzy part of town for a “statement piece” or two.

Thanks to YLF, I now have a bit of a shopping strategy when I go, and I dress appropriately for ease in trying on. For example, the other day was 50% off at Savers, so I knew the dressing rooms would be swamped. My plan was to look for woven blouses, so I wore a tank top under a jacket so I could try on without using a dressing room. I left with a terrific blouse, a shrunken blazer and a square silk scarf instead of the bags and bags of mediocre stuff I used to haul out just because it was a “great deal”. It was fun, it cost me about $7.00 and it’s a great way for me to try things that I’m still not sure about (the woven blouse idea is new for me).

When I get home, the hubster cries, “FashionShow!” and I model my new things for him and see if they go with the other items in my wardrobe. Thrifting is familiar to me, and doesn’t produce the anxiety and pressure of trying something expensive that “had better work out”. I can see how it would be frustrating for the person who knows exactly what they want. I’m hoping that I will learn enough to be that person someday, but for right now, second-hand stores still have a place in my life.

November 12, 2011 at 10:42 am

Elbe

Active Member

I love thrift shopping. It is a great way to take care of the shopping urge and if you do end up buying something, it doesn’t really cost that much. Same with garage sales. I am very selective in what I buy. Typically, I am looking for true vintage items, name brands (D&G, Ports International were recent finds) or just well made items that fit me and my wardrobe.

November 12, 2011 at 2:57 pm

Mellllls

Veteran

I’m not a vintage shopper either, I think it is a bit more time consuming and I just really don’t have the time. I also don’t know of many second hand stores local to me.

November 12, 2011 at 3:15 pm

Madonna Nero

(website)

Believe it or not, I am one of those people have scored a real Chanel jacket for $5.00 and also a pair of Manolo Blaniks for $5.00. They are probably a once in a lifetime find. Mind you I have been thrifty for 30 years. I also have a pretty good collection of Chanel purses, one a beige bucket bag I scored for $1.00. But some of the best Chanel purses I’ve scored have been found at estate sales. I try to never go in hoping to find anything. When you least expect it, that’s when you’ll find it.

November 12, 2011 at 3:30 pm

Inge

(website)

Moderator

I loved reading all your vintage – and coming home with your goodies – stories, thank you!

Angie, I hear you on the price point issue, not weird at all. Perhaps we can practice our vintage shopping skills together one day:-)

Jjsloane, your collection sounds lovely, and we are not giving up yet, right?-)

Meredith &Mellllls, so true! We don’t have all that many vintage stores around here to begin with, so that limits my chances. I also love the idea of finding a unique piece for your home in a vintage store.

krishnidoux, great take on the vintage shopping experience. If needing to find something isn’t an actual “must”, then it does take the pressure of. (I’m smiling about the vest story here:-)

alice, you make a very good point there. If an item just ends up in your closet, unworn, it was not a good deal.

Claire, thank you! And thank you for chiming in with such fab expert advice (great tip about the dressing room). Sounds like you found beautiful, “very you” pieces. Have fun experimenting with the new styles and do keep us posted about what you find in the new area stores?

Elbe, keeping an eye out for specific items/brands, and being very discerning is a smart strategy.

Madonna Nero, WOW! my heart just skipped a beat reading about your amazing finds!

November 13, 2011 at 4:38 am

Kari

Veteran

I really feel like I need an experienced thrifter to take me in hand – in person – and show me how to comb through a thrift or consignment shop to find gems. Right now I’m just not patient enough! I am okay shopping at a Nordstrom Rack because I’m familiar with the merchandise and brands that I like, and somewhat decent at some of the other markdown chains like Marshalls or TJ Maxx – though I rarely find anything worth taking home at the latter two. But consignment and particularly thrift shops (Salvation Army, Value Village) are tough. I can’t count on the size being accurate or even marked on the item, I am surrounded by items with flaws or smells that I don’t like, and the organization is usually nonexistent (mayyybe sorted by size if I’m lucky!) I just feel baffled about where to start, and the few times I’ve found something (recently) that I liked, it was much too small and I gave up.

I was thinking about this in relation to books because I DO like shopping used bookstores and am actually pretty decent at it. Used bookstores are typically organized pretty similarly to a non-used bookstore (sorted by genre and by author), and if the book is in less-than-stellar condition, it doesn’t diminish the quality of my reading experience.

November 13, 2011 at 6:49 am

Vildy

Veteran

I don’t like shopping anywhere but do like clothing. I use thrift stores to put together
approximations of looks that interest me. I don’t wear retro clothing. I’m in my 60’s and though often mistaken for much younger, I know how old I am. I don’t care a thing for the mutton as lamb supposed controversy but it’s my personal bias not to look like “she lives alone with her memories.”

I select a few thrifts that are convenient to me, low priced and tend to have some donations from women who have my same taste. (or, since they donated, maybe only thought they did) I think of *them* as my personal shoppers. This probably explains why I don’t usually shop at estate or holiday bazaar or yard sales.

I prefer shops that are very small in size, too. I don’t want too much visual confusion or incessant decision-making (not this, this, this, this… maybe that?) I avoid stores where damaged merchandise is a common thing.

One shop I frequent is almost like a kaffe klatsch and shoppers and volunteer workers will pull out “your” style or save it for you to look at. So, a whole store of personal shoppers.

Another thing for me is that I really dislike a look of Everything Brand Spanking New.
So I’m happy with finding things that look like they are already part of my wardrobe.
I don’t mean frayed or stained or sagging because my wardrobe doesn’t have that kind of thing in it.

November 13, 2011 at 7:38 am

HelenInCanada

Veteran

I’ve had GREAT luck thrift shopping! Luckily, the Salvation Army often has an incredible selection of nearly-new gems (thanks to generous donations from the many fashionistas in the vicinity who have high turnover in their closets!) and donations from wholesale or retail companies. I’ve scored $3 Marithe + Girbaud jeans, a long black puffer coat in mint condition for $12 (wear it constantly all winter), Roots pullovers, and a myriad of bags through the years (Esprit, Guess, Coach, all less than $7), vests, and tops (ON, Buffalo, Costa Blanca, Le Chateau, and designer names such as Alfred Sung and Ralph Lauren.) I agree you DO have to have patience, need to inspect things like seams, buttons, if zippers work, etc., and generally be ready to wash everything you buy as soon as you get home! It’s fun to shop there though!!! I’ve never seen an outrageously priced item in a thrift store. In fact, at SA I’ve never seen an item of clothing over $15.00.

I also like the fact that my money is going towards worthy projects to help people struggling There is NEVER a pressurizing sales person following me around, and the atmosphere is very relaxed and easygoing.

November 13, 2011 at 11:07 am

rosee

Veteran

Thanks for mentioning me, Inge, that was really sweet (and unexpected)! I don’t know how much of a vintage hound I am, but I do love to look for vintage (just check my ebay watch list) and have acquired some great pieces (that don’t fit at the moment).

I love the Fortier book and I do want to check out the Wolfe book too — and see the Runaways flick (70s girl power rock fun!).

My number 1 tip for thrift /consignment shopping is this: if you are scanning racks of thrift (some organized, some not) clothing, check out the material (fabric) first — if you don’t like the small view of the fabric that you have, it’s not worth checking out the entire item. If you like the fabric, then take a look at the item. You still may not like it but that’s ok, put it back. By scanning fabrics first, you save plenty of time by not looking at things you know you will not like or wear. Getting to know what quality fabrics are like helps you find good brands and pieces. I do speak from experience b/c about half of my current wardrobe is thrifted (with quality name brands and designers too).

November 13, 2011 at 6:02 pm

mamaKate

Veteran

Probably half my wardrobe is second-hand, with a handful of some amazing finds. It helps, like Helen, that I live in an area where there are a lot of shops and a good deal of turnover. But the other “tip” that I have is that I am an experienced sewer which means that 1) and I have a sense of which fabrications and construction techniques stand the test of time (similar to rosee’s point), and 2) I can alter / repurpose items for a perfect fit or an updated look. So my advice for ladies who aren’t lucky enough to have sewing experience is to take along a friend who does!

November 14, 2011 at 9:27 am

rachylou

Veteran

After a serious shopping trip, I eat and then have a lie down. LOL. I leave everything in their bags for a day or two, and then savor the treasure-find a second time. LOL.

I don’t buy much clothing in thrift or consignment stores. It might be because I used to work in a clothing consignment shop and that has had a long lasting bitter after taste. It might also be the result of A) everyone being in on the game in my area, making prices high and/or B) having to travel far to hit them all up.

I think one of the keys to thrifting is to browse often. You have to be on the scene when that something wonderful comes in, in your size.

November 14, 2011 at 9:37 am

Velma

Veteran

Visit often, scan for good-quality fabrics–and don’t forget to check the fitting room area! If you’re in a rush, focus on just a few parts of the store, favoring expensive items that don’t tend to get heavy use: check blazers, dresses, skirts, or accessories, for instance, while skipping t-shirts.

I’d say that half to two-thirds of my wardrobe is second-hand from thrift and consignment stores and e-bay. Some of my nicest items–designer and name-brand–were “new to me.” The deals are definitely out there, but shopping at these stores is a skill. I think it almost needs to become a hobby to yield good results.

November 14, 2011 at 10:27 am

Anya

Kari I shop used bookstores too. Almost exclusively. And as a book lover and a bibliophille I found some gems. On thrift clothes stores, not much luck. My mom though is much better. She even finds things for me. That fit. I haven’t seem to get that gene though.

November 14, 2011 at 11:08 am

Angela

I am not a huge thriftier but as more people find these amazing things, I am curious.

My couple of forays into it were mixed. I shopped at Value Village, a chain thrift store in Canada, brought home a couple things that I never wore.

Then I recently went to a tiny one that supports our local hospital and scored two very expensive things for $20. I think all the wealthy women in town, wih really good quality items, drop their things there. So I plan to hit that one again.

But the Value Village makes me want to shower and check for bed bugs….sorry but that’s how I feel

November 14, 2011 at 12:40 pm

Angela

Post script: I love, love a used book store

November 14, 2011 at 12:41 pm

rae

(website)

Veteran

I thrift pretty much every weekend… my suggestions:
– know your fave brands
– know your sizes and what your sizes *look* like
– be patient!!
– check back often, since there is quick turnover and probably lots of competition for the best goods.
– check and re-check for flaws!

November 14, 2011 at 2:28 pm

taylor

Veteran

I think that there is definitely a method to the thrifting madness…
I have never had any luck at all…I just don’t have what it takes to sift through old used/vintage clothing:(
My daughter and I even thought perhaps we could inspire each other into enjoying this process…at the end of the day she said “Mom, we just aren’t thrift store people” nuff said. We have never attempted this again.
I am always amazed at the fabulous buys and finds that ylf members come home with:)

November 14, 2011 at 4:22 pm

essiejo

I have had lots of luck thrifting, about 1/3 of my current wardrobe came from thrift stores. One tip I would give is that if you live in a military or college town, there will usually be very decent selection, as these areas have large turnover rates, also, I have found there are usually availability of higher end items in smaller sizes, as young military wives start having babies and lifestyles drastically change
(Not a dig…I am just now finding my way back to style from approx 8 years of childbearing and nursing, as my youngest of four is now 3. And unfortunately, while the weight might be back to what it used to be…the shape is certainly not!!!)

November 15, 2011 at 1:31 am

Inge

(website)

Moderator

So many savvy suggestions and great tactics. Thank you for sharing everyone! I think we all need to go shopping together, so I can get some practice under my belt and see the pros at work irl (Angie and Taylor, are you coming?-).

Anya, Angela and Kari: for me a used bookstore is a completely different animal too, I love browsing there. I think you’re spot on, Kari, that’s how I experience it as well.
Rosee: You’re welcome and thanks again!

November 16, 2011 at 9:00 am

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