Goodwill buys

[laotou]

IF you don't mind the creepy wellfare folks waddling around, its a good store.

$400 worth of pants for $13.
They can waddle around naked for all I care.

 

[Tommy]

Lamplight, don't let yourself slip and not do the 'try-on', I learned a while ago to try on any items before purchasing. Lots of clothes which indicate my size are often sized differently, probably a big reason for them being at the store, especially with trousers. I also find other stated sizes outside my sizing (both smaller and larger) to be real close in fit and worthy of purchase knowing a slight alteration will bring it into my spec.

 

[carldelo]

...try on any items before purchasing...

I recommend bringing a tailor's-style fabric tape measure when shopping. Measure up and memorize your dimensions and that way you can be sure when trying on clothes isn't possible. In fact, I bring the tape when shopping for new clothes for my wife, as there is so much variation in women's sizing. I measured her clothes that fit best as a model.

 

[John in Covina]

I measured clothes that fit best as a model.

Some wheres in the suits section there were directions on how / where to measure the clothing so you can measure your best fitting items, write down the specifics and then measure any vintage stuff.

I have seen it used on Ebay where a seller gives not only the sizes but specific point to point measurements of a garment like a suit jacket that allows for a better match up.

 

[Widebrim]

Military, law enforcement, CCC, ---, ??

Just picked this up at a Goodwill a few minutes ago. There were two, but another collector picked up the other one. No labels.

 

[Nigel]

Managed to pick up my first vintage suit yesterday. Luck must have been on my size as the suit seems to be bespoke, no label whatsoever to be found upon it and the fit is perfect no adjustment needed. It is a 3 piece, 3 button jacket, working cuffs 2 inside pockets 3 outside. Waistcoat 6 button 4 pocket and the trousers are single pleat high waisted with internal suspender/brace buttons and a strange money/watch pocket on the front. It is in a dark brown with a kind of red/rusty coloured fleck in it in heavyweight wool. Usually I am more into workwear clothing but it was too good to leave at the shop for £20 and I need a good suit anyhow, also it looks barely worn the only downside is a slight musty smell probably form storage but a good dry cleaner should be able to sort that out. It's currently hung outside getting some fresh air. Pics below but I will try and add better pics later. I just realised I don't have pics of the trousers. Any ideas of era?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It's British, yes? If so, early 60s. it looks almost identical in cut to my father's first suit, bought at John Collier in 1963.

bk

 

[cookie]

Went into a thrift which has a lot of poor stuff but where remarkably I always find some gems. Last time it was a beautiful 3 piece Cerutti suit in P of Wales. This time I got a nice Corneliani silk and wool jacket. We have had torrential rain in Sydney and just as I was about to leave I knew it was not smart - so I just started to look in the pants rack to kill time. I noticed a pair of fine wool pants in a khaki/taupe shade and when I examined them I discovered that the they were the co-ordinated pants to the jacket and also by Corneliani. This was further proved when both items had tags indicating they had been bought at the flashest mens store in Sydney - J Cutler. A friend of mine will be very happy.

 

[Machine Ager]

I have so many great finds at thrift shops... Jos A. Banks, HSM suits that fit like a glove and cost $12!

Also just the other day I had a great hat find at a 2nd hand shop.... It is a mink colored 8x Beaver Brand... 2 1/4" Fedora paid $43 sure it cost about $200 or more new in 2006 when made.... very high quality felt.

Like Treasure hunting!

MA

 

[Talbot]

$400 worth of pants for $13.
They can waddle around naked for all I care.

Same here.

However, always good to wash the hands (and anything else) thoroughly after a visit to the goodwill. I have inadvertantly come in contact with some pretty manky gear in my hunts.

T

 

[resortes805]

IF you don't mind the creepy wellfare folks waddling around, its a good store.

Classy. Reaallll classy.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yeah, I wondered what exactly was creepy about poor people. shakeshead

Goodwill is, to my mind, a fantastic organisation. IIRC may of the jobs they give out are to local mentally challenged people, homeless people or ex-cons trying to get their lives on track, recovering addicts etc. etc. etc. It's really a great example of humanity.

bk

 

[Derek WC]

IF you don't mind the creepy wellfare folks waddling around, its a good store.

Good gracious, I was never aware of how creepily I waddle around.

Baron Kurtz, you've got it right in my book.

 

[John in Covina]

PC Strikes Back!

 

[Widebrim]

I posted this elsewhere, but for those who haven't seen it, here is a late-'30s/early-'40s DB jacket that I picked up at a Goodwill for $5.

And what appears to be a WWII USMC winter service shirt (neck size 17) that I got for the same price. The other person (a fellow Lounger) who bought this shirt's twin maintains that it is probably USN, though.

 

[Tommy]

This is an After Six Blue Shawl Collar Tux, I think it's circa 1960's. It's an outfit where the jacket fits just right, and the pants were big. Now, the trousers were designed big, but I had them adjusted (taken in, and the length taken up). And the trouser stripe color is faded a bit, but not bothersome to me.

When I get duded up with the shirt and tie and cummerbund, I'll post a photo. But I must say, just the short while I was test fitting the alterations, the outfit feels roomy and right in terms of old style 1940's fit.

$20 for the tux, $30 alterations, $11 dry cleaning.

 

[jeep44]

We have two stores in my immediate area-a Goodwill, and a Salvation Army. It's become a weekly habit for me to prowl them looking for interesting clothes. Since our area is a fairly affluent one, the clothes offerings are often of the highest quality. I've picked up a number of wool shirts, like Pendletons, and a selection of top coats,too. I usually scan the suits and sport coats, and recently pulled a Harris Tweed coat out of the rack. Whatever I find is invariably wool, and I drop it at the dry cleaners on the way home, as I do not want to bring home any unnoticed moths.

 

[pineconer]

what a fantastic dinner suit! i've never seen a red stripe, and it ought to be wrong, but it looks great!

 

[TimeIsAPerception]

It's a weekly ritual of mine to hit up the local thrift shops and try to come across some awesome treasure. Most of the weeks I walk out empty-handed, since mens donations are down in the area. This week though, I got lucky. (Couldn't link the photos into the thread; they're a tad bit large for the page, and I don't know if it auto-scales)

"Churchill Whip-Moc" loafers. I can't find anything on the company though.
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff135/fallout81/DSC00356.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff135/fallout81/DSC00359.jpg

And an orphaned Hart Schnaffner Marx suit jacket, which I plan on using as a sports coat. I'd say it's late 80's/early 90's, and the lapels actually sit fairly high up on me (they hang odd on the hanger though)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff135/fallout81/DSC00360.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff135/fallout81/DSC00362.jpg

 

[LocktownDog]

Just a reminder, if you don't already know, Goodwill has an online store ala ebay. Some very good buys. I've made some killer deals on the site.

ShopGoodwill