AND GOD MADE THE THRIFT SHOP AND SAID THAT IT WAS GOOD

[babylonmall]

I think Thrifts can vary wildly. Our local Salvation Army is extremely pricey and you have to check everything THOROUGHLY because they put out stuff in awful condition. The St. Vincent de Paul in our area is good, at least they will put an 'as is' sticker on damaged items, and their prices are a lot better.

Deb

 

[Wild Root]

Salvation Army.

Yeah, they have become crooks as of late. And some of their quote on quote vintage or antique clothes is just 60's and 70's duds any way. Their suit rack is a joke! $25. bucks for an early 1980's suit??? What ever! Some of the earlier stuff isn't priced to high since they don't really know much about it. But, what happened to something being cheap because it was being sold to people who haven't much money?? I heard a radio promo for their Thrift Shops and I just about died laughing! It said that Salvation Army is an ideal place for antique clothing and such! Antique??? I'm sorry, but Grand Dad's old brown 1970's polyester pants aren't considered Antique!!!

You know, I have had luck at the smaller places that have no idea of what they have! Also Good Will is still priced right!

Keep you eyes open for what ever comes up!

Root.

 

[AlanC]

The Salvation Army locally is the place to go. Goodwill rarely has anything nor do the other "independent" thrift shops. I'm not after "vintage" per se, but I picked up a vintage Southwick gray sack suit in Memphis for $12 ($700 suit?). At the local Salvation Army was a gray herringbone Hickey Freeman (~$7 for a $1000 suit) that just needed a dry cleaning to get a couple of trouser spots out. I was told by the alterations tailor that the local store on the label closed about 20 years ago. The suit is a classic cut, though. My best find is my "new" Oxxford suit from a consignment store going out of business: $20 for a $2000 suit.

Ties, ties and more ties. I generally only buy them in 'as new' condition.

Thrift shopping is where it's at.

Oh, and get a steamer. You'll be glad you did.

 

[Victor]

Hospice thrift stores are frequently a good source of vintage items. They receive many estate donations and the money goes to a very good cause (helping terminal patients). I worked at Hospice Of Marin for a year and woudl encourage anyone to help them in any way. I regret not making one purchase recently. A beautiful deep chocolate fedore that I saw at a hospice thrift store enar Sacramento. It was too small for me and I pondered and pondered before walking away. The proce was good and now realize that I could have found a good home for it around here.

 

[Wild Root]

I have found some good stuff in thrift shops. Most times, not so lucky. As for me, I only look for 100% original items from the 30's and 40's like radios, lamps, picture frames, clothes and 78rpm records. I'm an antique collector and wont waste time and money with used underwear, socks and black velvet crying Elvis paintings.

Root.

 

[AlanC]

Thrift shopping requires persistent looking, knowing how to evaluate what's there and a fair amount of luck. I've been well rewarded in my searches, however. You've got to set your standards pretty high, too, or else you'll end up with a bunch of unusable junk.

 

[Lauren]

The Salvation Army thrift stores around here in San Diego have "bag sale day" where you can fill up a platic shopping bag with clothing for $12. Not too shabby... Of course, the vintage pickings are usually slim, but the fabrics of many jackets and skirts can be used to make "new vintage" from vintage patterns. Heavy wools are just so hard to find! We get some very deco looking furniture from time to time as well. If I could learn the art of restoration (which I plan to in the future) you could get some pretty good steals! I have my eye on a "highboy" dresser from the 30's with some great deco copper knobs... hopefully it will be added to my furniture soon!

Lauren

 

[Brad Bowers]

My thrifty suit

There's only one thrift store here in the valley (Deseret Industries), and I check them on a regular basis, but never really find anything. Today I found this double-breasted suit in my size for $5.00! It's not terribly old, maybe '70s or '80s, but it's 100% wool and it fits. I'm going to have my tailor shorten the sleeves, replace the missing button, and try to sew closed the double vents on the back. I call it a "Butt Flap." Makes me think it's a '70s coat! I prefer unvented double-breasted coats, and the ones I've actually noticed on old movies seem to be unvented. So, it's a project, but an inexpensive one. The pants need braces button and cuffs, too.

Brad

Here's a picture of the coat, and a closer view of the fabric:
Double-Breasted Coat Photo

Fabric

 

[jamespowers]

Brad, I am sure you did very well with that one. Sort of a windowpane fabric. The tailor will probably make that suit look like a new one by the time he is done with it. Good buy.

Regards,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Nice Job buddy! Yes, it's not from the golden era, but it'll work. Nice color and a classic cut. To bad the lapels aren't wider. You're right about the vents. Or should I say but flap. I call it a trap door. They really didn't have those on suits back in the day unless it was a custom made suit. I have seen some photos of Fred Astaire with the vents in his coats before. But you should have those closed. It will look better any way.

Root.

 

[AlanC]

What labels are in the jacket interior? We might be able to tell something about it that way. Personally, I'd leave the side vents, but that's just me.

The fabric design is glenplaid.

 

[Canadave]

Won't it be obvious that the side vents are sewn closed?

David

 

[Wild Root]

Well, if it's done wrong yes. But, there are two seems there any way even if it were a ventless coat. So, if it's done right, it will look good and no one could tell.

Root.

 

[Brad Bowers]

It will take some skill to get the drape right, but I'm hoping the seams won't look like they were ever vented. Cross my fingers...

As for labels, nothing to identify make or model. There is one tag that says 100% Wool with the wool symbol, "Dry Clean Only," and "Made in Portugal." The other tag has the size and those little symbols that are indecipherable to me, but are supposed to tell you how to clean it.

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I know it's not vintage, but it'll do for now. My vintage Borsalino is starting to feel lonely, though.

Brad

 

[Canadave]

...there are two seems there any way even if it were a ventless coat...

Oh yeah...forgot about those!

David

 

[Evan Everhart]

I just found 2 suits yesterday; a raw silk-mohair HBT/checkerboard weave Tropical weight 2 piece sb with 2 buttons, notched/pseudo-lazy peak lapels, super high rise trousers (flat front), and all patch pockets in sand, with the blurbs, like shantung silk has, by Nino Cerruti, not overly done in the shoulders either, though they are structured. Number two; a GORGEOUSLY LUXE ultra-fine midnighty-charcoal flannel with inch and a half spaced super bold chalk-stripes in 2X6 DB and rib-cage hugging rise with double pleats, and cuffed hems, ventless jacket, and of course, it's Ralph, Ralph Lauren for make. I almost cried when I found it, and the nice guy at Goodwill gave me the wooden Nordstrom hangars for free! Yay! I've got to keep on truckin' and find a Bright Blue suit in my current size....Oh, for all of you nice folks on here; the Goodwill in Sherman Oaks off of Kester on Ventura Blvd., currently has BEYOND Tons of Very vintage (see still good quality) Land's End pure wool trad style 2 piecers (and a DB ivory white with blue pinstripe DB Summer Suit in tropical weight wool), and a Humongous amount of Polo Ralph Lauren and regular Ralph Lauren Suits vintage 80s, all in Excellent condition and pre-prepped with suspender buttons, in 44 R to L. Enjoy buddies. Also, they have TONS of RL shirts in sizes far too huge for me. Happy Hunting! I need a new blue suit! 38-39 R or S, 32 - 34 W. HELP!

 

[Evan Everhart]

A while back, I found a beyond lovely 2 piece 2 button SB, single vented Rust colored twill suit from the 70s, but with a strongly 1930s flavor to it. It's got cowboy pockets on the trousers and fancy pleated patch pockets on the hips and breast of the jacket. Beautiful, high rise, of course. I wear it with a teal shirt and a black tie, sometimes.

 

[Evan Everhart]

I think Thrifts can vary wildly. Our local Salvation Army is extremely pricey and you have to check everything THOROUGHLY because they put out stuff in awful condition. The St. Vincent de Paul in our area is good, at least they will put an 'as is' sticker on damaged items, and their prices are a lot better.

Deb

The Salvation Army shops by me are all, and uniformly Rubbish. I personally favor the Council Thrift Shops, as they have some very top shelf stuff up for grabs on the regular, ditto the Goodwill, though only certain Goodwill locations get the good stuff; strange, that. I've never seen a St. Vincent De Paul however. There are also the ubiquitous independent Thrift shops which abound, and which generally speaking have rather sorry offerings......

 

[Uhu]

Good items are always gonna be scarce. The thrill is the hunt and it only takes one or two good hits to make up for all the times you leave empty handed. I've learned its better to go home empty handed, than buy something below standards, to justify making the trip. Learned the hard way I admit.

 

[Silverstreak]

I've gotten a few great suits, sportcoats and ties, but by and large what I find is complete crap. I too went overboard initially, only to raise my standards and start leaving marginal items on the rack. 99% of what I see is 1980s low gorge sack suits from JCPenny and the like, and three button abominations from the 90s. For some reason my size 40R is rare.

I also can't seem to find any light grey suits at all. Everyone donates charcoal and black.