For some time now, I’ve been fighting the scourge of Thrift Envy. This disease is a side effect of reading too many fashion blogs. So many of my favorite bloggers are champion thrifters. They go into real thrift stores — the Goodwills, the Salvation Armies — and emerge with amazing items that can be effortlessly incorporated into their wardrobes.
True confession: I haven’t visited a “real” thrift store in over 20 years. I just don’t think they’re a good place for me. I’m easily overwhelmed by too much stuff. Even in a fairly well-organized department store, my strategic shopping plan flies out the window almost immediately upon entry. It’s like I’m blinded by the sea of racks, the weird lighting, the lack of oxygen. Everything becomes a blur, and I just pinball around the place. I can’t stay long.
Everybody says that, to be an effective thrifter, you must be focused and purposeful. Disciplined. Vigilant. Methodical and strategic as you tackle rack upon rack of not-exactly-organized items of varying quality. I shudder to think what would happen to me in a place like this.
However, I do love a good consignment store. Sure, the prices are a little higher, but you still get a unique selection at prices much lower than retail. Your conscience is soothed because you are reducing waste rather than just consuming more. The clothes are usually quite well-organized, the collection small enough so as not to overwhelm.
I also worry less about quality, simply because consignment stores have the reputation for being more particular about what they accept. In theory, somebody has already done the quality control for us. (In practice, though, I must admit that I’ve found damaged items in more than one consignment store. I’ve learned to conduct a thorough investigation before leaving the premises).
If any consignment stores existed along my route to and from work, I would visit them weekly. Unfortunately, the closest one is 25 minutes in the wrong direction. And my very favorite consignment stores are over an hour away, located in various college and tourist towns that I might visit on day trips. Now, I’m not generally one who enjoys shopping when there is sightseeing, recreation, or fine dining to enjoy. But for a bit of consignment shopping, I will make an exception.
Awhile back, in a lovely coastal town, I came across this top:
I like it because it’s springy and feminine, and because it has a bit of that free-spirited, floaty, hippie-chick thing going on.
It has no tags, so the origin of this top is completely unknown. (I wonder if any of my readers might recognize it?) The fabric is synthetic, but very soft and light and somewhat breathable.
It doesn’t seem to me like a super-expensive or high-end item, but it has a uniqueness that is pleasantly surprising to me. I don’t know if you can see how the pattern seems to almost “bleed” through from the reverse side (if that makes sense):
I’ve worn the top a few times now, and it plays nicely with both jeans and dressier slacks. It also looks good with my favorite brown, knee-length, ruffled skirt and boots.
For some reason, though, I really enjoyed what happened when I paired it with my classic, work-appropriate trousers and a jacket:
It struck me that this top is one that I might have chosen way back when, in my college days, when I actually did shop in “real” thrift stores. I was always drawn to peasant tops in floaty fabrics.
Now, my style has changed a lot since then. I love tailored shapes now; I would never walk around in body-engulfing tents of fabric like I did then. But isn’t it great how you can have both? Hippie chic can mix with tailored classics. And that’ s just one of the many things I love about fashion.
Happy Visible Monday, everybody. I encourage you to visit Not Dead Yet Style to see what all the other Visible Monday participants are wearing. There is no greater inspiration for women who, at middle age or later, are still just hitting their stride when it comes to personal style. I’m on my way there now!
Totally a good buy!
Looks good on you and is versatile!
It softens the tailoring of your work look bringing out a bit of girlie in you!
I bet some turquioise coloured jewelry would really bring out the blue in the shirt too.
Cheers,
Laura
Excellent top! I wouldn’t have tried it with tailored pieces but it works so wonderfully! As for thrift shops, I don’t have a shopping strategy and rely on the treasure-hunt approach; on the rare occasions I do plan, I usually walk away disappointed or seldom wear what I bought.
That is actually a very good point. I, too, have found that shopping is less successful if I am too specific about what I’m looking for. I try to browse casually and just be open to something that reaches out and “grabs” me! But I think that’s part of why I need smaller stores. Consignment shops do fit the bill, nicely, for this kind of shopping.
The top is lovely, it is a nod to a hippy tie-dye vibe yet works beautifully with your tailored look.
I love a rummage, thrift shops are a bit of an addiction with me! But I understand why they could feel overwhelming, and of course you may spend ages looking only to find – nothing! But that’s the joy of the hunt, for me! I know plenty of people who hate the idea of jumble sales or car boot sales, because they are too random and chaotic and messy. I think we all shop where and how we feel comfortable, and that is absolutely FINE! xxx
That top looks gorgeous in this combination. I would say that this is a pretty good buy! It’s usually the unexpected that looks the most creative and the best!
I like the top also! I’ve been stoping by the thrift shop closest to me about once a month this school year. I know what you mean about the size of these places. I wonder why they don’t do like consignment shops and mark down items after they have there a while or just pull them and get rid of them. My thrift store seems to hold on to stuff way too long.
Ha. Your description of your reaction to large thrift stores and department stores sounds like exactly what happens to me. This is why I shop online, and I have more, and more interesting, clothes now than I ever did when I had to laboriously pick through the racks.
Interesting comment, Cynthia. I’ve always avoided online shopping because of the whole issue of not being able to try on and, thus, having to make a lot of returns. But believe me, I have noticed how much wider (and better!) our options are when we include online retailers. I may be headed this way eventually….
I’m with you and Cynthia – i’m a target-specific shopper- Go in, get it, get out as fast as possible!! Even your description of the physical symptoms is perfect!
Online shopping is the only pleasurable way for me to shop, but it’s a lot of work. I read the reviews about fit, study the size chart and order the item in two sizes if I still can’t tell. I’ve also learned that I don’t enjoy (get stressed) if I’m with a group of ladies shopping -the “Look at this!” and all the distractions interfere with my target specific tendencies. So I don’t look for me anymore and just follow them around blindly – only trying something on if it jumps out and bites me! SHOPPING IS EXHAUSTING! How do women do it?
The top is very cute!!
I like it! I like the gathers at the bustline, narrowing the waist.
Thank you! I agree. It can be surprisingly difficult to find tops with a shape that is both flattering and comfortable.
Love the top and how you styled it with the trousers and jacket!
Me–I LOVE the hunt in the Goodwill, etc. Going to the mall gives me the willies!!
That top looks very good on you and I agree about how nice it looks with the jacket. I don’t shop in thrift stores alone – only with my family or friends. Otherwise I can make “Fashion Mistakes”!
I like this top under the jacket! What a great look! I cannot go to a real thrift shop unless I have a lot of time…if I try to shop too quickly, it is always a disaster…now that Goodwill has me on official assignments for them, I am shopping with particular care!
I really wish we had a Goodwill in this area. They have such a good reputation! Just like the consignment stores, though, the nearest one is quite a distance away.
I love the way you differentiate thrift and consignment stores, Anne – most consignment stores are so much more navigable! And many of them do very attractive displays that give me ideas. This top is terrific for work and non=work – so pretty and it flatters your frame wonderfully!
I used to get some great buys in thrift stores (what we call “charity shops”) but I think people must be hanging on to their better stuff because you rarely see good labels or quality now.
I really like the shape and cut of the top. It’s very flattering. I’ve seen that style in stores and love how they hang on the body. I just haven’t see the right color combination for my wardrobe yet. Nice find!
Thank you! Yes, it is a nice shape. So nice to find things that don’t either a) hang like a tent, or b) cling to the entire torso all the way down! Yikes!
Nice top – it’s trendy in a good way, and a very nice fit on you.
I love thrift stores, large and small, and I am surrounded by them here. There are the huge ones like Savers and Goodwill, and many tiny ones that support causes like homeless children, women, pets, veterans, there’s even one for homeless rabbits!!!
I have certain routes I travel to do errands so I can hit the maximum number of thrifts along the way. I used to go into a frenzy and buy everything I liked, until I realized that 87 tee shirts and 40 gypsy skirts were never going to get worn. Now I just do a quick run through the craft supplies and fabrics to see if there’s an outstanding deal, and move on.
Note on the size and selection question: If you’re looking for a specific item or trying to create a complete outfit, you’ll have much better luck at a large thrift shop. It’s rare to find a skirt, jacket, blouse and accessories that work together (and more importantly, all your size!) at a consignment shop. However, if you want one high quality or designer statement piece, the consignment shop is bound to have something you love!
Hee! I wish I lived where you did. I would like to do “the circuit.” And I definitely agree that consignment shops are best for “serendipitous” purchases. I love to just stroll through and look for something that calls out to me!
This top absolutely fits your style.There are no rules as to where we shop.I shop and find more of my thrifts in my local market next to fruit and vegetable stalls almost every Wednesday morning.
I agree with you about shopping. I have to be in the mood for thrifting or consignment shopping. I think this is why I tend to shop online more often than not. Helps me stay sane and focused.
However, I would like to add that sometimes I have gone to a thrift store NOT in the mood but as soon as I find a steal it feeds my drive to dive in and find another.
That’s what it’s called, “thrift envy”! I get so green with it when I see peeps rocking a whole outfit that cost less than $10! I love this top on you. It really brightens up a classic suit.
Ha! Your phrase “pinball around” makes for a good, and funny, visual.
Love this top. These colors always conjure ocean and sand for me and that’s a good thing.
Don’t let “them” fool you! Thrifting is another form of luxury shopping. The difference is that the luxury is time, not money. It takes time (and patience) to thrift effectively. That being said, another way to thrift effectively is to narrow down your parameters, i.e. one day just look at dresses or narrow your search to a particular color. It’s easier that way, and you can retain your sanity. You might find something and you might not. You’ll be hooked, though, when you finally find that perfect sweater/skirt/purse for under $5.
Good luck!! It’s a pleasure that can last without breaking the bank.
Oh Anne! I just love reading your posts! I need a lesson in how to write an interesting post!
I actually have a top similar to yours. I like the gathers in the front because it enhances where I’m lacking…you obviously don’t need help in that department.
Pinball! LOL!
You are very kind. But of course your posts are plenty interesting! Plus, you know, you have those kickass outfits and amazing photos and Tobi the absurdly cute dog, too!
nice top, the fabric design is very unique. Looks casual chic on its own and work appropriate with a jacket! I don’t fancy big thrift stores, they are quite pricey. I usually visit small or medium size ones. The one that I go to is quite messy and disorganized, you get pants and tops all hanging on the same rack…haha…but bingo, I always find great pieces. I guess people are usually overwhelmed by mess, so it gives me the opportunity to find good stuff amidst the mess.
mongs
Whoa, that top DID dress up very well and I agree that it is cool to find items that appeal to both our younger and more mature selves. It has taken me twenty years of thrifting to have built up the basic wardrobe of basics, so that I can now take risks on things. Consignment shopping is something I have yet to try! I may be in trouble when I finally walk through the doors of one.
Great top! I go to both thrift and consignment shops—sometimes. I love the fact that I can run through a rack of skirts and say, “great, I’ve done the store.” In department stores I get pulled from rack to rack of skirts and finally emerge frustrated and exhausted. That being said, the dollar-a- pound at The Garment District requires a willingness to wade in. I use it as a teaching moment for my daughters. Color, cloth, size, label are the categories. Look for the color you like, check out the cloth (and condition), note the size, look at the label. If you still like it, stick it in your bag. After bags are full–dump on the shoe table and weed out the garments that were chosen in error. Pay and rejoice that you have lots of fun new things for a few dollars.
Yes, The Garment District has been on my list for awhile now. But I’m afraid! I would definitely need a stiff drink afterwards. And maybe before, as well……
I love to shop at thrift stores, but it does take time and patience.
Your top is flattering – good find.
Don’t worry about the thirft stores. That kind of shopping isn’t for everybody. I don’t have a plan when I go into one. I like to think that the items find me and not the other way around.
Your blouse is great with the tailored pieces. It’s good to mix things up a bit!
Let the clothes find you — that’s a wonderful way to put it.
Anne, tops are such a tricky thing. I feel like I’m in a perpetual search for “a cute little top”! But you landed that elusive beast!! Yours is adorable and I’ve seen something similar in department stores….the fabric is amazingly soft. And you’re right, it adds a touch of bohemian to your professional look! Big hug my friend!!! ~Serene
That’s a cute top. I always admire those not-tie-dyed-but-printed tops when I see them on other people, but somehow I can’t envision myself in them so I never end up trying them on. I like how the pattern does across the front with the gathers. It is a good look with the solid seperates.
Anne, what a great top- and I, too, like it with the structured blazer and slacks. I love thrifting, so I laughed when you talked about thrifter’s envy. Here’s the deal: thrifting isn’t like shopping – it’s like gambling. The best scores are found when you’re not looking for anything- you’ve got to be open to the find, which could be a 1920 vintage shearling opera cape, a mint condition Burberry trench from the 1970′s or a modern day Coach handbag for $5. See? Can’t be looking for pants when you find the trench. It’s gamble pure and simple. If you go in looking for something in particular, I guarantee you’ll almost never find it.
You’ve got a good point about consignment- which is higher up on the food chain than thrift shops in retail. Curated (the word of the year, yeah?) and consigned, items deliberately picked for good condition and being on trend. A great place to go when you need a certain something and now. And you’re supporting not just the small business owners who run the joint, but the shoppers who have consigned their not used clothing and now have a chance to recoup some of their investment.
I need to join in these visible Monday days. Everyone looks marvelous and like they’re having loads of fun.
You should definitely participate, Bella! It’s a wonderful event. And I love your description of thrift gambling! I am definitely learning to let the clothes find me, as Sheila the Style Agent put it!
Well! you know i have the disease! but not everybody likes it, some hate the smell of thrift shops, you can stand the fact that someone wore it before, ect, –
Personnaly do you know what i like best? Garage sale with a bin full of clothes, i found great things for next to nothing, like a Betsey Johnson dress for $5 – I like your top – versatile and i like your idea of the mix – hippie and work appropriate –
Take care
Arianexxxx
Just found you — you are a hoot! A woman after my own soul! I’m toting the “after 50′ styles, but we are the same at heart. Come and take a peek at my take on things: humoringthegoddess.wordpress.com
Am glad to be a subscriber!