Goodwill buys

[AntonAAK]

All the bigger ones are pretty clueless.

bk

Ah. I'm with you.

Ta
A

 

[tonyb]

Today, at Value Village, for 99 cents plus 8 cents sales tax (big sale today), this '40s (right?) orphaned (I think) suit jacket. And no, the pants were not to be found over on the pants rack. It's a bit snug on me, and the jacket is maybe just a tad short. And it could stand a pressing. But still, for a buck ...

No moth damage, no snags. Only obvious flaw is this missing sleeve button. I figure the top one could get moved down to take the place left vacant by the missing one, and then just remove the top one on the other sleeve. Anything wrong with that?

Good barter material, at the very least.

 

[davestlouis]

The price is right, no question there. Shame you couldn't locate the trousers...

 

[Lorrel Mae]

Great find!! Excellent!! :eusa_clap

 

[79CJ]

The price is right, no question there. Shame you couldn't locate the trousers...

I don't know about your local thrift stores, but the Goodwill nearest to me seperates all pants and jackets. It drives me up the wall. All suit jackets are the "sport coats" section, and suit pants go in the "pants" section. It is impossible to find anything worthwhile. I'm going to try to hit up the bigger one across town, hopefully they have a more managable suit section.

 

[davestlouis]

Most of the GW stores around here separate the pants too, but there's one that keeps them together,sort of. They will lump similar-looking suit coats and pants, but they frequently don't belong to the same suit...you have to watch them carefully.

I've had better luck with Value Village keeping suits together. Value Village charges sales tax, and GW doesn't, so I assume they are for-profit.

 

[HHISIII]

I despise the local goodwill, but I have found a number of Robert Stock shirts there. It's pretty neat to find those if you're up on current designers...

 

[VitaminG]

found a couple of things lately, of which I've been able to locate scant information online.

On the weekend, I picked up a pair of plain black leather shoes. Stitched soles, nailed heels, with a stamp inside denoting the manufacturer - Rampling & Hall. The only returns I've had searching online have been a Victorian Govt document from 1934 and an old b&w pic of staff on the Rampling & Hall shop floor in St Kilda. Anyway, picked up the shoes for $10 and after a good polish and swabbing out with tea tree oil am wearing them at the office today. The longer I wear them, the more comfortable they get.

Yesterday I found a suit for $18. In very good condition - mid-grey in colour, single-breasted, 3 button, 3 non-functional buttons on the cuffs. Pants are slightly snug around the waist but comfortable everywhere else. And while the jacket fits well around the shoulders, could stand some more taper. The jacket has no splits in back, which is unlike all my modern suits.

It has a "Made in Australia" tag on the collar and the brand on the label says "Aussie Male" which has made it virtually impossible to find any info online. Try googling "Aussie Male suit" and see how many returns you get

But for $18 (plus a couple of possible alterations) I think it was a good buy, at a fraction of the cost of my recent OTR Made in China suits.

 

[davestlouis]

Woo hoo, I did OK today, stumbled onto several thrift stores I had never visited before...
I came home with the following:
1. Lauren by Ralph Lauren suit, charcoal gray with a subdued copper colored windowpane, fits great with no alterations needed, $25
2. FootJoy kiltie loafers with braided ties/bows, mainly black with a little brown trim, good soles and heels, just need a good shine and some time on trees. $3
3. 5 wood suit hangers, 29 cents each

I was amused to find, at one of the stores, that they don't check suit coats for contraband, I found wedding announcements, packs of gum, handkerchiefs(spelling??) and church bulletins.

 

[Bowden]

I recently purchased a very fine olive double breasted sports coat at a local goodwill. I am somewhat ashamed to say that I broke the integrity of the coat by adding my own buttonhole. Before the coat was only 6 on 1; now the coat is 6 on 2 and much more form fitting. Pictures to come soon.

 

[cookie]

How about a DB Zegna blazer unfaded with all gold buttons for AUD5? Probably another AUD50 for alterations...

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

That's a whole lotta' brand name for five buck, cookie. Now quit laying about and cough up some pix!

 

[cookie]

That's a whole lotta' brand name for five buck, cookie. Now quit laying about and cough up some pix!

Even I with my AUD5 Zegna DB could not top a morning suit....

 

[jamespowers]

Woo hoo, I did OK today, stumbled onto several thrift stores I had never visited before...
I came home with the following:
1. Lauren by Ralph Lauren suit, charcoal gray with a subdued copper colored windowpane, fits great with no alterations needed, $25
2. FootJoy kiltie loafers with braided ties/bows, mainly black with a little brown trim, good soles and heels, just need a good shine and some time on trees. $3
3. 5 wood suit hangers, 29 cents each

I was amused to find, at one of the stores, that they don't check suit coats for contraband, I found wedding announcements, packs of gum, handkerchiefs(spelling??) and church bulletins.

I have found some interesting stuff in vintage clothes as well. Some not even in English. A 1936 German Opera pamphlet in a set of tails even.

 

[davestlouis]

jamespowers, one of the GW stores that I frequent reported that they found $1000 in the pocket of a sportcoat recently. Apparently the person who turned it in stashed money and forgot it was there.

 

[jamespowers]

jamespowers, one of the GW stores that I frequent reported that they found $1000 in the pocket of a sportcoat recently. Apparently the person who turned it in stashed money and forgot it was there.

Why couldn't it have been you or I that found that in the pocket of a jacket? Is there something that you haven't shared yet?

 

[davestlouis]

jamespowers, no such luck. I have to be content with old chewing gum and such.

 

[Rats Riley]

I've also been constantly P.O'd at our local thrifts...I finally had to ask why they always seemed to ruin the opportunity of finding a good suit by seperating the jacket from the pants. The answers I got leaned toward the pants or the jacket were damaged and they thought they could sell the serviceable piece.

However I did have someone say, "Some don't want the jacket and just the pants. Besides those old suits aren't in style anymore...."

Anyway, after I got outta jail for the disorderly conduct charge which resulted from his remark... Just kidding I actually tried to convince him that some of us are specifically looking for complete suits.

"Even the ones with the vests?" he says....

Eh yeah? replies I.

"Oh OK... " and off he went to completely forget what we talked about.

Oh well! I'm thinking that the only way to really get what you want is to find someone like Indy to make you exactly what you want. Otherwise it's the crapshoot...

 

[davestlouis]

I visited 3, count 'em, 3, Goodwill stores yesterday, and came home with one woven leather belt, that was it. I did see 4 pairs of brand new, never touched the floor, Wright Arch Preserver shoes, all in 10.5c or 10.5D, several were black pebblegrain gunboats, the others were cheesy 70s-style plain toe slip ons with little tiny metal bits on leather straps.

I would have bought them for resale to forum members, but I'm cash-poor this week.

 

[Nice Boots]

Will contribute pictures as soon as possible.