Tag: Charity shop

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INSANE THRIFT HAUL: $400 worth of clothes for $18.

Crystal Fleming

Thrifting has irreparably corrupted me.  When you get used to paying 1% of the price for designer clothes, anything over $2 or $3 seems “expensive.”  Yes, I take great pride in regularly wearing entire outfits that cost less than a can of Spam.  Case and point…

Ahhhmazing thrift haul today, but no energy or time to post pics. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

I got, in no particular order:

  • A brand new (tags still on) Lord and Taylor skirt, original price was $69.99. I paid $1.
  • A camel colored suede jacket AND matching skirt by Bernardo (Nordstrom’s): I paid $2.
  • A Jones New York beige wool suit.  I liked the jacket but the pants were petite so I “donated them back” to the store. Anyway, I paid: $2 (but in my head the jacket was only a dollar since it was originally a set).
  • Four items that, surprisingly, come from Sears (who knew they made cute clothes?) – An Apostrophe gray sleeveless dress with a matching dress jacket and a Ronni Nicole grey textured sleeveless dress with a matching long-sleeve sweater top with lovely silver buttons that have gorgeous detailing. The two dresses and tops cost a total of $4.  Insane.
  • A pair of Gap dress slacks: $2
  • A pair of brown Lands End corduroys: $2
  • An Escapade beige suede jacket with sweater back/sleeves and collar: $2
  • 2 pair of Calvin Klein tights, brand new, still in their sealed packages: $1.25 each

Oh, and I saw a pair of Stuart Weitzman slingbacks – brand new – for $15. And a sharp yellow/black Kasper suit (skirt & blazer) for $2. Got neither as they weren’t my size, but it still gave me a buzz.

Retail, for my items, would have been at least $400.  I paid $18.  I am over the moon.  Several of the items are gifts that I’ll be sending off tomorrow!

Poppin' Tags

$275 worth of clothes for $9.50 (THRIFT HAUL)

Crystal Fleming

It’s been a while since I ventured into my thrift shop.  What, with being temporarily broke, traveling to two conferences and dealing with the devastation of the hurricane.  With the nor’easter that just dumped snow and ice on us, I must accept the harsh reality that winter has arrived.  That means I need step my up my cold-weather game: comfy sweaters, hoodies, cardigans, corduroy pants, smart scarf/coat ensembles.  Thankfully the shop opened up again today so I stopped by for a quickie on my way to the post office.

And so without further ado, I present today’s haul:

4 sweaters, 1 blazer and 1 vintage robe for less than $10.

  • Vintage Christian Dior robe – worth: $50, I paid: $4.50
  • Gap cable-knit sweater, angora/rabbit hair blend – worth: $30, I paid: $1
  • Kate Hill (Lord & Taylor) oversized, super comfy, long black sweater – worth: $40, I paid: $1
  • Croft & Barrow sweater (fabulous fall & Christmas-sy colors!) – worth: $30, I paid: $1
  • St. John’s Bay (JC Penny’s) cable-knit zip-up hoody sweater – worth: $25, I paid: $1
  • Absolutely gorgeous Kate Hill wool/silk blend blazer – worth: $100, I paid: $1

Total estimated value: $275

Bliss level: priceless

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Life Musings

MONSTER THRIFT HAUL: $700 worth of clothes for $33 DOLLARS

Crystal Fleming

There is a truism in life:

Men may come and go,
Work may delight or confound,
Seasons may change,

BUT THRIFTING NEVER FAILS!

I don’t even know where to begin.

Let me just first explain that I got two pairs of leather, Italian crafted Cole Haan boots . . . for $8.

Eight dollars.

Four dollars each.

Perfect condition.

I mean, does anything else I say even matter? Do you understand the gravity of what I’m conveying right now?

Take a moment. Breathe with me. Inhale. Exhale.

$500 worth of boots for $8.

$8.

I also got a pair of burgundy Etienne Aigner suede loafers. Retail? $70. I paid? $4.

That’s $570 worth of shoes for $12.

Okay, so, the rest of the haul, which, really, is just disgustingly indulgent at this point, was as follows:

  • Prana Satori pants – super elegant and sexy – (black): Retail: $80. I paid: $2.
  • Lands End corduroy slacks (orange): Retail: $40. I paid: $2.
  • Style & Co. dress slacks (black): Retail: $30. I paid: $1.
  • Lees comfort waist slacks (black): Retail: $30. I paid: $1.
  • Harriton Fleece (blue) – matches my awesome blue gelish manicure! : Retail: $20. I paid: $5.
  • Floral scarf (unknown brand): Retail: ??. I paid: $3
  • Plaid scarf (unknown brand): Retail: ??. I paid: $3
  • DKNY tights: Retail: $12. I paid: $1.25.
  • Calvin Klein tights: Retail: $12. I paid: $1.25.

Everything in the store was 50% off, as usual. And it all goes to charity.

Just another look at those boots. Sexy autumn, here I come . . .

Poppin' Tags

$17 at the Thrift Store

Crystal Fleming

For the price of a Starbucks latte and a 10 minute massage at my nail salon, I thrifted approximately $380 worth of clothes to buff up my end-of-summer-dawn-of-fall wardrobe.   9 items.  Everything from suit ensembles to sportswear and designer shoes.  Average price: $1.89.

Excuse me, I just said one dollar and eighty nine cents.

Let us slowly and soberly examine the contents of the haul:

1. Draper and Damon’s linen suit: $1 

I love the beautiful, colorful embroidery on this.  And I love that the piece had been freshly dry cleaned.  And even more than all this, I love that the top and the bottom each cost 50 cents.  Lord, have mercy my soul, Hallelujah.

2. Calvin Klein jacket: $1

Perfect for my fall professorial ensembles.  And a dollar.  Perfect condition. Can’t beat it – and it matches the linen Draper and Damon pants!

3.  Schrader Sport vintage blazer: $1

This incredible one-button blazer is fitted right under the bosom and absolutely perfect for autumn!  Also matches the linen pants.  That’s already three outfits (and all the possible concatenations with paired with other items in my closet) for $3.

4. Grace Elements striped skirt: $2

A little end-of-summer-sexy.

5. Requirements paisley skirt: $2.

Makes you look like a human china set, but, still, quite pretty.

6. Koss athletic capris: $2

These match some Jones NY sportswear I got from the shop last week.

7. Etienne Aigner pumps: $2

Love these – I needed some beige heels and voila!

8. Connie black heels: $5

Another wardrobe hole filled: my trusty black Tahari pumps finally gave up the ghost last week.  I thought I’d have to break down and go to a retail store to get some new shoes – but no, my beloved Thrift Store did not let me down.  These Connie pumps are super cute and fit perfectly.

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$2 at the Thrift Store

Crystal Fleming

I love filling holes in my wardrobe.  One of the nice things about thrifting early and often is keeping an eye out for particular items you know you need.  Preferably, you can use some prescience and foresight to shop for things you don’t need immediately.  This gives you the flexibility to wait until you find exactly what you want at a price you’re willing to pay.
I’d been on the lookout for a good, utilitarian raincoat for quite a while.  At my shop, almost everything eventually goes on sale for $2 if you’re willing to wait long enough and if the item isn’t nabbed by another enterprising client.  Finally – after months of checking out the coat rack, I found a perfect London Fog raincoat (retails value: about $150) for . . . $2.  This means I paid about 1 percent of the original price.

Excuse me while I do my happy dance in the rain . .

Poppin' Tags

$10 “Splurge” at the Thrift Store

Crystal Fleming

When you get used to spending $1-$2 for dresses, blouses, skirts and entire designer suits, “splurging” means dishing out anything over $5.  I generally don’t consider spending more than a few bucks on an item unless it’s really quite extraordinary: something unique and gorgeous that makes my heart go a-flutter.

I saw such an item today, after spending 45 minutes coming up empty handed at my charity shop.  My thrifting was also pleasantly interrupted by Greg, one of the regulars who’s been addicted to thrift for many years.  He was showing off some incredible pieces of Waterford Crystal he had just found for $2.50.  He would resell them easily for $75-$100 each.  And – for reasons unknown, Greg had decided that today would be the day he would finally ask me out, after chit chatting over blazers and collectibles for the past few months.

In any case, as the clock wound down to closing time, I politely excused myself from conversing with Greg and scurried over to the “boutique” section of the thrift store.  The “boutique” is the tiny corner where the staff stock high end labels, formal wear, evening gowns – even wedding dresses  After a few minutes of flipping through the hangers, I came upon an item that was covered in a dry-cleaning plastic bag.  I could tell it was a top.  There were interesting sequins involved (something I adore).  It was handmade, brand new and from a good designer, or so I was told by Greg and the ladies on the staff: Adrianna Papell Boutique.  The tags were still on: $95 retail.  The shop was selling it for $10 – an incredible deal but still an enormous sum by my thrifty standards.

I had five minutes to try it on.  Someone was in the changing room.  I glanced at the clock.   One of the women shopping nearby admired my find.  “Girl, I love this so much that if it fits, I’m going to cry.  And if it doesn’t fit, I’m going to cry anyway,” I told her.  With seconds to spare, it was finally my turn to try on the lovely sequined top.  “It fits!” I exclaimed to no one in particular.  A lady across the curtain shouted with glee on my behalf.

Greg wanted to know what I would wear it with.  I thought black skinny pants or leggings with black open-toed heels or silver sandals would do. Another lady suggested gray slacks.  What do you all think?  How would you rock this sequined top?

Poppin' Tags

What $14 Can Get You At the Thrift Store

Crystal Fleming

$14 at the Thrift Store got me 10 items (8 pieces of clothing and 2 accessories), for an average price of $1.40 per item.  Estimated value: $350.

The details:

 

  1. Blue Kasper pantsuit (100% silk) – Retail value: $100-$150.  I paid: $2
  2. White Liz Claiborne wrap top – Retail: $39.  I paid: $1
  3. Striped lavender/pink Eddie Bauer button-up blouse: Retail: $25.  I paid: $1
  4. New York & Company Argyle sweater vest: Retail: $35.  I paid: $1
  5. Jones New York (Sport) hoodie and matching drawstring pants: Retail: $30.  I paid: $1
  6. Gray J. Crew Silk Blouse: Retail: $30.  I paid: $1
  7. Steve Madden sunglasses with leather temple arms: Retail: $40. I paid: $2.50
  8. Lovely blue necklace to match my current multicolor manicure: Retail: $$10-$15, I paid: $4

 

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Poppin' Tags

What $25 Can Get You at the Thrift Store

Crystal Fleming

I remember those days, so far gone now, when I would spend $25 on a single item and think that I was getting a good deal. I cringe now recalling my years as a struggling graduate student when I would, near-empty-bank-account-notwithstanding, spend several hundred dollars a few times a year on clothes. Sometimes I would go to a store, spend $200 and only have a few items to show for it. I also recall, quite vividly, the tightness in my chest and general feeling of dread as I would watch the cash register ca-ching its way onward and upward. Shopping was a stressful affair and any feelings of euphoria I thought I felt were fleeting and certainly not worth the trouble.

Talk about night and day. Thrifting has put the joy, playfulness and sexy back into shopping for me. Whereas in times past, I would feel overwhelmed by the prices or the limited prospects of finding something flattering in my size, now I feel transported through the 7 heavens as I walk through the garden of abundance that is my thrift store knowing full well that I can and will find every thing my heart desires . . . and pay almost nothing for it.

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Brief intermission while I get on my knees to praise God for bringing me to THE store: Thank you, Jesus . . .

* * *

Alright. Now what can $25 get you at my store? 15 items. FIFTEEN. That’s an average of $1.67 per item.  Estimated value: $300+  Let us slowly and soberly examine the contents of a recent haul:

 

Perhaps the most unusual and interesting find was the red, vintage Gunn Trigère dress I snagged for a dollar.