The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

You shouldn't ever have to pay $300 for Allen Edmonds... the most I've ever paid is $169. Try Nordstrom's Rack...

Yeah, it broke my heart to pony up $140 for shell. I try to keep it to $99 or under for new AEs.

 

[jett]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Yeah, it broke my heart to pony up $140 for shell. I try to keep it to $99 or under for new AEs.

Those look so nice but the color is always this brownish red that doesn't seem like it would work for the kind of outfit I'm trying to put together. I've never seen a belt that would go with them (not yet anyways).

 

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by jett

Those look so nice but the color is always this brownish red that doesn't seem like it would work for the kind of outfit I'm trying to put together. I've never seen a belt that would go with them (not yet anyways).

hmmmm.... perhaps horsehide?

 

[mohwld]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Yeah, it broke my heart to pony up $140 for shell. I try to keep it to $99 or under for new AEs.

EXACTLY - like the Bradleys I picked up last week for $89...

 

[james48]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

You shouldn't ever have to pay $300 for Allen Edmonds... the most I've ever paid is $169. Try Nordstrom's Rack...

not sure why everybody keeps saying this, i just paid $305 for park ave's after trying nordstrom, nordstrom rack, 2 dsw's, and century 21. Sure i could have kept going back until they eventually had park ave's, but even then are they going to have my exact size, or am i going to settle for a pair that fit "good enough". I probably wasted more then $100 in gas going back and forth, nowhere near worth the time to save $100 or even $200.

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by james48

not sure why everybody keeps saying this, i just paid $305 for park ave's after trying nordstrom, nordstrom rack, 2 dsw's, and century 21. Sure i could have kept going back until they eventually had park ave's, but even then are they going to have my exact size, or am i going to settle for a pair that fit "good enough". I probably wasted more then $100 in gas going back and forth, nowhere near worth the time to save $100 or even $200.

Well, Park Aves are the single most desired style in the history of AE. If you're set on those or shell, best to try eBay. But other styles are much more available.

 

[jett]

Is there anything comparable in quality in roughly the same price range? (I'm sure this gets asked by noobs all the time).

Also, to get back on topic: What kind of things should I be looking for in a shoe at a thrift store? Besides the really obvious ones (e.g. scratches, stinkiness, etc.).

 

[AlanC]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Well, Park Aves are the single most desired style in the history of AE. If you're set on those or shell, best to try eBay. But other styles are much more available.

Yes. I got a pair of PAs just a few days ago off ebay, very lightly used, complete with full trees, bags and box for $40 + shipping. I was very pleased.

 

[j]

Today:

J. Peterman black linen unstructured shirt-jacket. The fabric is so awesome looking on this. I am going to make a few alterations like slimming the sleeves and the chest a bit, but it's really cool looking and I think it will look great with jeans. It's 4 button front (roll 2, and I'll probably only use the 2nd button) with 2 flapped shirt type breast pockets and two patch hip pockets. I'll post pics later.

Armani silk crepe tie - light chocolate brown with pinkish dots. Extremely light weight. This will show up in B&S most likely.

Wembley silk skinny tie - wide light blue, medium blue, dark blue, and red stripes on ribbed silk. 1.5" tapering to 1.75"ish at the very bottom. The skinniest I have. I'd never seen a Wembley tie made of anything but the finest synthetic, so I had to get this.

Polo RL glen plaid soft cotton spread collar shirt, my size, smaller scale than the other glen plaid soft cotton shirt I just got.

Orange cotton buttondown collar shirt by some Italian company I didn't recognize. This was just a nice looking shirt that fit well. Will be great for next fall.

Lots of stuff I didn't get - I'm pickier, prices have been jacked up and a lot of stuff is showing up with serious damage. Oh well, the struggle continues.

 

[antirabbit]

Last night I picked up:
1 DB Brown Glen Plaid, Facconable (Made in Italy, full canvassed) suit $ 20.00
1 Pair of 3 eyed ankle boots that are brand new from Barney's $12.00
Some strange branded 7 fold tie from Italy (love it), $1.25
and a few Facconable shirts that were $2.00 each, oh and one Saks house brand shirt that was actually quite nice for $1.25 (NWT)
Also, there was a Zegna suit that looked quite nice, in a medium tan, but it was ventless and I will not wear a ventless suit. I thought about buying it to flip, but I dont care to go through the hassle.

 

[blueorigami]

i had the itch to rummage on Wednesday. so i took a long lunch and headed west on the L to, in my experience, the dirtiest and most poorly organized of my regular stops. The best i've ever pull from its racks was a pendleton jacket a few months ago and i've found little to nothing since. yet I keep going back because it's also the cheapest thrift store I've ever run across: no shirt, Stafford or not, is more than 2 dollars and i've never seen any clothing article, except jackets, cost more than 5. Decency required I only rummage for a few minutes so I went through looking for strong colors and nice patterns. This turned out to serve me well as I found a perfectly nice blue and green Zegna tie (50 cents) and a clean pair of yellow Barbera cotton trousers (3 dollars). The afternoon just flew by after that.

 

[VMan]

Originally Posted by antirabbit

Last night I picked up: 1 DB Brown Glen Plaid, Facconable (Made in Italy, full canvassed) suit $ 20.00 1 Pair of 3 eyed ankle boots that are brand new from Barney's $12.00 Some strange branded 7 fold tie from Italy (love it), $1.25 and a few Facconable shirts that were $2.00 each, oh and one Saks house brand shirt that was actually quite nice for $1.25 (NWT) Also, there was a Zegna suit that looked quite nice, in a medium tan, but it was ventless and I will not wear a ventless suit. I thought about buying it to flip, but I dont care to go through the hassle.
You bought those from Community Thrift in Gurnee, didn't you? When I was at the store, I saw the Faconnable and the two pairs of Barney's chukka boots, but passed. I did scoop up the tan Zegna suit, though. We must have been at the store at the same exact time.

 

[VMan]

Accidentally bought this tie:

lol

 

[Matt]

haha

 

[California Dreamer]

Some good stuff I didn't pick up due to colours or condition. Saw an Eremenegildo Zegna tie in a narrower width in very good nick for $2. It was a brick-red, cream and light blue broad stripe, and I couldn't seem myself wearing it. One lady had a nice Christian Dior Monsieur narrower tie, but she wanted $20 for it, which wasway too much IMO.

Found an op shop that was supposed to be closed while they were doing stocktake. I walked in while they'd left the door open,, so they let my browse. Found an Ermenegildo Zegna DB navy jacket with peak lapels for $15. Also found a Frederick Theak tie which he threw in.

Sadly the jacket turns out to have a small hole in the sleeve. Don't know if it's repairable.