Finding fabulous vintage and modern pieces for less
As a speech language pathologist, I love a good idiom-don’t you? “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” rings true for my kind of shopping. As anyone who has ever thrifted, yard-saled, or flea-marketed knows, treasure hunting is not for the faint of heart!
While spending time on Long Island’s East End, I make sure to hit a few of my favorite thrift and second-hand stores at least once. This past week, my mom and I went on a thrifting adventure which included a few of my favorite stores – Savers #1, Savers #2, and Island Thrift. In the past, I have also gone to the other location of Island Thrift, but I found it to be bit more crowded and picked over. We did three stores in one day and boy was I tired!
My mom and I love to do this together – Some girls go get their nails done with their moms, but we shop! Now, before you go thinking that we’re those crazy folks that wake up at the crack of dawn and haggle someone down to a less than $1 price, let me explain. We only woke up at 8 to get there when Savers opened at 9. Getting there when, or shortly after, a thrift store opens is vital! This not only helps you to find the best items before anyone snags them first, but it is also super entertaining. You see, this is when the hard-core thrifters arrive, those who do this every day/week. Speaking of these hard-core bargain hunters….
Just this past week, after arriving at Savers shortly after 9 am, we watched a couple move around the store with such skill and precision, that they were only in there maybe 45 minutes max before they had a full cart (clothing, housewares, you name it) and were off to (presumably) another thrift store. These thrifters are buying for their online store or small boutique vintage store, of which there are now many on Long Island, so these folks know what to grab! I began trying to beat them to an aisle just to see what would happen – would they give up, or try to look past me to find the deal I overlooked?! I came to find that we weren’t looking for the same kinds of clothing so I was safe this time.
When looking for clothing at thrift stores, It helps to have no expectations. Forget what you’ve seen on TV where someone finds exactly what she is looking for for $2. That’s unrealistic. Instead, know your own personal style and shop within those lines. Know what you will and won’t wear. Are you a person who loves the 90s t-shirt and over-size jeans look? An 80s gal like Eleven from Stranger Things who loves brightly colored shirts with shoulder pads and scrunchies? Knowing your own personal style helps you buy only what you’ll wear!
Let me repeat, know what you will wear and what you won’t. It’s easy to get carried away in a thrift store – everything is much cheaper than retail and why not? You’ll wear that oversized, black leather jacket from the 80s for $8, right? <said jacket was recently re-donated after this 1940s-1960s vintage shopper realized it just wasn’t the aesthetic she was after> So, that said, shop within your own style guidelines.
Also, remember sizing and fit. Don’t think you should buy a fantastic dress that is a size too small because it is $4, and you’ll lose those 10 pounds eventually. Or the dress that is 2 sizes too big because your mom is handy with a sew machine… Always remember that what fits and flatters for $5 is the same as what looks good for $100 – it looks good on YOU. You wear the clothing, it doesn’t wear you. Interesting aside about sizing though, many vintage sizes aren’t the same as modern sizes (no surprise here) so I use this handy post by Chronically Vintage to help me figure out what will fit and what won’t to save time in the fitting room. At these thrift stores, I have started looking in the larger sizes for vintage, as vintage size 14 is closer to my modern size 4-6!
Next, look over items carefully. Many people donate clothing because it has some sort of damage or staining. Many times, the lighting may not be good in the fitting rooms, so make sure you look things over where there is sufficient lighting. I have found that many stains come out, but sometimes, if a piece of clothing looks old and there is brown staining – chances are, that stain has been there for 40 years and isn’t going to come out. But who am I to say; if the price is cheap enough, try it!
This brings me to my next point. Beware of dry clean only. I love a good vintage rayon dress or wool sweater. However, these are very often “dry clean only” pieces which makes wearing them costly. I may only pay $10 for a dress, but if I have to pay another $10 to clean it, that’s not as much of a deal. When shopping in thrift stores, I go in with the mindset, “I will try to wash/hand wash/soak this and see what happens. If I shrink/damage/destroy it, oh well.” I rarely dry clean things I buy at thrift stores – its just too expensive and not sustainable. Sustainable fashion is what thrifting and vintage shopping is all about.
Last, know what to look for in earlier vintage. I look for Union Label tags and metal zippers. For more information, I have found this post by Sammy Davis Vintage super helpful.
Below are some snaps of my recent thrifted finds! Happy hunting friends, and I’d love to read your comments about your favorite thrifted finds or shopping tips! ~kk
Kristin's Keep 