Thrifting Tips

[SpitfireXIV]

don't overlook local garage sales either. that's how i met one woman in her late sixties who was selling her late mother's wardrobe; shoes, handbags, dresses, you name it. the beauty is, she had the same size feet i do!

and occasionally, a local resale shop will have a vintage section worth browsing. found a women's WWII summer marine uniform once that was on the "Hallowe'en costume" rack. :eusa_doh:

 

[Emmababy]

a question for the English

let me get this straight

thrift stores = charity shops, yes?

 

[goldwyn girl]

let me get this straight

thrift stores = charity shops, yes?

Yes

I find if I measure the waist of the garment around my neck, and it goes around it will fit. I also check fro metal zips and tags, but as the other girls have said you get so that you can spot a vintage item. Thery're just different and stand out. I also check all size ranges, mens and womens.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

I find if I measure the waist of the garment around my neck, and it goes around it will fit.

the neck test used to work for me when i was thinner, but when i gained weight my neck didn't keep up with my waist (THANK GAWD!) and so it doesn't work for me anymore it was so handy when it did!

 

[Elaina]

Okay, I carry around a tape measure because I need it for a number of reasons. (Ha, it's a Hello Kitty one).

I rarely find anything I like in thrift stores. One thing, get on good terms with one worker, and they can tell you if a colored tag item will go on sale when. My local teen (who thinks I'm insane, but finds me pretty anyway) just told me the patterns will be clearanced next week for a nickle each instead of the 29 cents (it's all junky 70's and 80's stuff) and I can probably get all 100+ for 5 bucks if I ask him nicely, and he calls me when he sees they have anything 50's style so I can come in (I don't get first dibs. I get "Mrs. Flessas, I have some old patterns I just put out about half an ho-" "I'll be RIGHT in" click"). And their fabric will also be on a half off. Also, I carry around a note card with patterns I want fabric for (not so much now) and how much yardage I need, so if I find some good material, I know if it'll work for what I want, or if I have to come up with something else. If I need to match something I've made, I also keep a swatch on a notecard with a small picture of the pattern pic I've made, so I have an idea of what I've done and need to do. Sort of like a thrift store sewing shopping list.

Not much of tips, but it's my only ones. I'm looking for dotted swiss in white with red polka dots to match the opposite I have for a dress from the 50's (I have plenty of what I do have. 12 yards of the stuff). So far, no luck, but that desire is on the card.

 

[Miss Sis]

Oh Elaina, I do that with the material too sometimes!

I find you just have to look everywhere, all the time. Then things turn up. In England I find the shops that support local hospices seem better than bigger organisations. Some of them only have quite new things (boring!) but the shops that put out alsorts and everything are much more interesting. Personally, I like rummaging about.

The BF's Mum got me three pairs of unworn cotton lisle stockings in my size the other week - so I have everyone looking for me!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

Oh Elaina, I do that with the material too sometimes!

I find you just have to look everywhere, all the time. Then things turn up. In England I find the shops that support local hospices seem better than bigger organisations. Some of them only have quite new things (boring!) but the shops that put out alsorts and everything are much more interesting. Personally, I like rummaging about.

The BF's Mum got me three pairs of unworn cotton lisle stockings in my size the other week - so I have everyone looking for me!

A very large number of charity shops won't sell anything they consider to be "too old" or "unfashionable", not to mention if it smells musty or isn't clean. It gives me actual pain to think of the vintage that must be disposed of daily. Not that I know what they do with it, but I imagine it is probably binned/sent to recycling.

 

[Kimberly]

A very large number of charity shops won't sell anything they consider to be "too old" or "unfashionable", not to mention if it smells musty or isn't clean. It gives me actual pain to think of the vintage that must be disposed of daily. Not that I know what they do with it, but I imagine it is probably binned/sent to recycling.

I am the same exact way. I find that the larger thrift stores will sell the older clothes but the chruch and charity run ones won't. They claim they have limited inventory so they only put out the best which consists of Talbots, Jones on New York, etc. Yeah, those are high quality clothes all right.

I am now at the point where I only hit those once a month if even. It's just not worth my time usually.

 

[Miss Sis]

A very large number of charity shops won't sell anything they consider to be "too old" or "unfashionable", not to mention if it smells musty or isn't clean. It gives me actual pain to think of the vintage that must be disposed of daily. Not that I know what they do with it, but I imagine it is probably binned/sent to recycling.

Most of the charity shops know that older stuff is worth more by selling it on to dealers or sending to specialist auctions. They keep it back and the local shop never sees it. It's a policy of many of them, apparently.

I bought a late 30s suit on English Ebay recently that one of the voluteers for the RSPCA in York was selling on the shop's behalf. In some ways I see why - it gets a bigger audience and they get more money for it. I live in London so it's not like I'd have ever seen it otherwise and I think I got it for a very reasonable price, considering. On the other hand, it means we see less in our local shops.

 

[patrick1987]

If another guy or two can post here, so will I. It's a unisex tip.
DON'T go thrifting with someone who is your same size and shares your same taste! "I saw it first." "No, I did." "You already have two of those in your closet you never wear." "Then that's why I want this one, I like this one better than the ones I have."
Along the same lines, now that I'm thinking of it, is don't go with anyone who turns up their nose at thrifting. Yes, I can't believe I even know those people but I admit I do. I hate the whining and the "Hurry up, this place smells."

 

[Kimberly]

Patrick, I so agree with you on your tip. I luck out because no one in my inner circle likes to thrift so I don't have to worry about competition.

I would never take someone unaccustomed to thrifting to a thrift store. You are absolulutey right about how some people will react to the smell and the environment. I find thrift stores a sanctuary, but there are many people who would not be comfortable in that type of setting.

 

[Miss Sis]

I am really lucky - everyone I know likes thrifting as you call it. We call it Op-Shopping (opportunity shops is what we call 'em back in NZ)

My Mum and I go on a blitz when I go home to visit, stopping everywhere we pass, especially small towns. I got a beautiful 30s bone china teaset for about £10 a few years ago and she likes to collect hand embroidered tableclothes, tea cloths etc.

The BF and I love to go to boot sales, charity shops and the markets in London. His Mum and Dad also like a rummage. Obviously we're not competing for the same things! lol

All my chums also love vintage. Luckily we are all different sizes except one friend and I have the same size feet, so that is always an 'I saw them first!' moment. Somehow we manage! Actually it is good because we look out things for each other and things that we buy on Ebay (although not thrifting) that don't fit can be passed over to one who it does.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

Most of the charity shops know that older stuff is worth more by selling it on to dealers or sending to specialist auctions. They keep it back and the local shop never sees it. It's a policy of many of them, apparently.

Not sure what you mean by the local shop not seeing it, as whenever I've seen it, the bags of charity go straight into the local shop, with the people in the shop sorting through it all...I'm really just talking about my town here though, there are a HELL of a lot of very rich old people who probably die all the time and their stuff probably gets thrown away, I never see any vintage in the shops. But I suppose (hope!) that they could be selling it on, but the people who run the charity shops don't seem like they'd be clued up on vintage. [huh] Someone needs to start doing estate sales like the Americans, then I'd be laughing.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I should actually *ask* them what they do with any musty old vintage shouldn't I? Solve the mystery myself!

 

[Miss Sis]

Not sure what you mean by the local shop not seeing it, as whenever I've seen it, the bags of charity go straight into the local shop, with the people in the shop sorting through it all...I'm really just talking about my town here though, there are a HELL of a lot of very rich old people who probably die all the time and their stuff probably gets thrown away, I never see any vintage in the shops. But I suppose (hope!) that they could be selling it on, but the people who run the charity shops don't seem like they'd be clued up on vintage. [huh] Someone needs to start doing estate sales like the Americans, then I'd be laughing.

I've been told from those in the know that in many of the shops now out the back they have guidelines, if it's old, keep it back. Then someone who knows their stuff comes through and checks, sends stuff off to be auctioned or sold elsewhere. Maybe we need to keep an eye on the auction houses? Then you might be seeing lots of various things. They might keep a whole lot until it's worth putting it into an auction.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

hey girls, i had my second successful interview with Value Village (Savers to some of y'all) on friday... hopefully i will be able to impart many thrifting tips i discover very soon! (also i'll be getting a FAT discount, so watch for me in the "show us your purchases" thread )

 

[Elaina]

LOL, I keep trying to get a weekend job at my fave thrift store for the 75% discount. So far, I have a job, if I want to go into management, but I don't want the hours or responsibility, just the 15 or so hours on Sat and Sun.

 

[RetroModelSari]

To go to stores looking fo vintage usually depresses me a bit cause I don´t like to dig through the floods of strange 80s and 70s fashions and not finding something in the end... But I plan to do one hardcore-thrifting day when I´m on my vaction in Sweden. Can you imagine there is actually a whole district with Second Handshops in stockholm? I found about 15 ones that I badly wanna visit. My poor feet, my poor wallet, my poor boyfriend I´ll take over some of those tips for sure such as the one with the knots.

 

[Kimberly]

hey girls, i had my second successful interview with Value Village (Savers to some of y'all) on friday... hopefully i will be able to impart many thrifting tips i discover very soon! (also i'll be getting a FAT discount, so watch for me in the "show us your purchases" thread )

I'm crossing my fingers for you! Savers is my favorite thrift in my area. They are very well run compared to other thrifts! Tips would be great! :eusa_clap

 

[exquisitebones]

hey girls, i had my second successful interview with Value Village (Savers to some of y'all) on friday... hopefully i will be able to impart many thrifting tips i discover very soon! (also i'll be getting a FAT discount, so watch for me in the "show us your purchases" thread )

CONGRATS!
oh my friends daughter just got a job there.
also, shoo... i am gonna just tell you my sizes, and you know, if you find something, you could just pick it up... and i would pay you for it.
thats how its gonna go..
hhaa, yeah if i was not a mama, i would totally get a job like that.
but i am thinkin i might try for the urban eccentric here in vancouver, the owner lady isSOOO nice.