The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

[Nataku]

Originally Posted by TheWGP

O_O sickeningly ridiculous!

I've seen a nice thing or two from Bloomie's - I think maybe they USED to carry higher-end stuff? That's the only explanation I can come up with.

My run today would have been epic... if the guy hadn't been a huge fan of Astor & Black / Tom James. Literally dozens of suits/sc's by those two brands, most of which fit me, all of the A&B's with surgeon's cuffs, etc, etc... dress shirts, too. He had a few BB shirts but all of them had initials on them so no chance. Did snag a Zegna sweater for myself, a Barbour "shirt jacket" and some Faconnable by Incotex pants - the first Incos I've seen in the wild at all, destined for a trade.

Of course, I have yet to see a single stitch of Kiton or dress Brioni, but maybe that's how long-distance luck rubs off!

Yeah, that's what I thought too but these T&A shirts are very recent. They have the new style labels, the first I've seen of this. They also came with very cool T&A collar stays with a black printed paisley pattern on the back. I'm thinking maybe these came from their flagship NYC store.

 

[TheWGP]

Oh, wow, I didn't even notice those labels - had to zoom in on your photo to see the difference. I've never seen one of those labels, anywhere at all - I've only seen 3 T&A shirts in the wild, one of which was destroyed, and all the T&A I've seen in person (including 2 I traded for) had the old style label. When did they change labels?

BTW if any of you really lucky people are passing TM Lewin/Tyrwhitt/Pink shirts in 17.5/18 by 35.5/36, pick them up and I'll take them off your hands - I'm trying to cycle some of the lower-quality dress shirts out of my closet, and those are at least a small upgrade without commanding the price premium of the usual pickups.

 

[EBTX66]

Originally Posted by TheWGP

...My run today would have been epic... if the guy hadn't been a huge fan of Astor & Black / Tom James...

I know Tom James isn't a great label but I thought Astor&Black was a good one. Isn't their stuff all custom-made, full-canvass? (I've never seen it except online).

 

[Mr. Lee]

Polo wool glen plaid blazer, ticket-pocketed, double vented, two button, fit me like a custom job and clean as a whistle: $7.95.

 

[pdxpm]

After reading this forum for awhile I decided to join up and I am now addicted to thrifting.

After a few weeks of not finding anything nice in my size in the style wasteland of the Portland suburbs I picked up a dark charcoal Hickey Freeman for Nordstrom sport coat/orphaned suit jacket. It needs a couple minor repairs where the stiching has come loose on the lining and on the tag but otherwise fits well and is in good shape. For $14.99 and maybe $10-15 of repairs at the tailor I think it is a pretty decent find. I probably won't wear it for work but I think it will look nice with jeans and a sweater for weekend wear. I'm assuming the HF line for Nordstrom is their lower end and is fused? I'm not an expert on the pinch test yet.



I passed on a Oleg Cassini 46L DB trench coat that appear vintage. It fit great, complete with zip out liner, belt, cuff adjusters. However it has something on the front, looks like coffee that no one ever tried to wash out. Are older Oleg Cassini products decent? For $25 I might have to give it a try.

 

[Ace_Face]

Originally Posted by pdxpm

I passed on a Oleg Cassini 46L DB trench coat that appear vintage. It fit great, complete with zip out liner, belt, cuff adjusters. However it has something on the front, looks like coffee that no one ever tried to wash out. Are older Oleg Cassini products decent? For $25 I might have to give it a try.

Don't do it. A stained Oleg Cassini isn't worth it for free, much less $25. You could do much better in the B&S forum or eBay for that price or a few bucks more.

 

[mack11211]

Just a couple of interesting things lately.

1) An Alan Flusser striped flannel coat, probably from the 80s. This is when he was trying to be the American Anderson & Sheppard -- soft shoulder, high armhole, bit of drape. Gray stripe on blue flannel ground means it's a fine odd jacket now, though it wasn't back in the WALL STREET era when it was made.

1 A vest and pants in charcoal gray wool tweed plaid, custom made by some Roman tailor in the 70s. Pants have hunting pockets, ass-hugging rear, button fly and a slight flare below the knee. The five-button vest is more conservative. Must have been part of a suit, but the coat might have had styling issues to disqualify it anyway.

 

[AlanC]

^+1. You'll do better with a London Fog trench (those are everywhere). Buy excellent condition and cheap until you find the high quality one you really want.

 

[pdxpm]

Thanks for the replies on the trench. I'm heading downtown this weekend to see if I can find some more selection of higher quality items.

 

[Steve Smith]

Originally Posted by pdxpm

Thanks for the replies on the trench. I'm heading downtown this weekend to see if I can find some more selection of higher quality items.

Patience is the key, that and thrift frequently. The more experience you have with this, the less you will buy. After you have thrifted for a few years you will look back in amazement at some of the absolute garbage you bought in the beginning.

 

[odiv]

Weird timing. I just picked up a grey London Fog 42L trench at the Salvation Army for $10. The thing's pristine! I range between S and R, but the sleeves are an okay length for me.

Where is it supposed to come to on my legs?

 

[mack11211]

Originally Posted by odiv

Weird timing. I just picked up a grey London Fog 42L trench at the Salvation Army for $10. The thing's pristine! I range between S and R, but the sleeves are an okay length for me. Where is it supposed to come to on my legs?
Contemporary coats are above the knee. Classic coats fall to mid calf. Pix

 

[83glt]

Originally Posted by musicguy

..... you are my size. I want these!! Wow! Where did you find these? I'm in Philly...

Found these in NYC. Partito makes for high-paying (and earning) clientele from all over. But, given that he's in Philly, you never know if you'll stumble across something of his in a thrift there. Guess you just have to keep looking. Or go pay him a visit. Maybe he has some pieces hanging in the back that were never picked up!

Originally Posted by odiv

Thanks for quoting those coats again. I never get tired of looking at them.
I never get tired of wearing them!

Originally Posted by Nataku

Whaaat?! Geez! It's one thing to find a suit/jacket by Borrelli, but NWT?! That's just insane! Today was dress shirt day. NWT/NWOT shirts from Brioni, Turnbull & Asser, Kiton and Zegna Mainline.
A tip of the hat good sirs!

Originally Posted by frenchy

because it came from the same place that i got the Loro Piana from,same donor (a major retail chain here in canada) i got something else as well but i dont wanna brag too much ...and i JUST missed out on brand new PARADIGM speakers,literally a guy picked them up while i was walking towards them...

What retail store in Canada sells that stuff besides Harry Rosen? Was that it? Tough luck on the Paradigms. Our whole system is Paradigm - AWESOME speakers, and a Canadian company! I'm down in Miami now for 3 weeks for the holidays. This is where I missed the vintage Martin acoustic guitar by 10 seconds last time. It was for sale for $25 if I recall, and would easily fetch close to $1k. JUST missed it. I'm going to get in as much thrifting as I can while I'm down here, so hopefully my recent luck will continue ....

Originally Posted by TheWGP

I've seen a nice thing or two from Bloomie's - I think maybe they USED to carry higher-end stuff? That's the only explanation I can come up with.

Originally Posted by Nataku

Yeah, that's what I thought too but these T&A shirts are very recent. They have the new style labels, the first I've seen of this. They also came with very cool T&A collar stays with a black printed paisley pattern on the back. I'm thinking maybe these came from their flagship NYC store.
I know the Bloomingdales in Paramus NJ has high end stuff. At least the last time I was there they did. I don't recall seeing T&A but I'm pretty sure they had stuff like Canali/Brioni/Cantarelli, etc. It's been a while since I've been there though....

 

[jkidd41011]

Originally Posted by Nataku

I'm keeping the two T&A shirts, as they are my size (17/ Euro 43), but the Brionis are all 16.5 and are a bit too tight in the neck, so they will all be up for grabs.

I've found in the Italian lines I can go up to a 17.5/44, where the shirts I get from BB or Nordstrom I'll wear 17.

 

[catside]

Originally Posted by odiv

Weird timing. I just picked up a grey London Fog 42L trench at the Salvation Army for $10. The thing's pristine! I range between S and R, but the sleeves are an okay length for me.

Where is it supposed to come to on my legs?

This is how you wear a tench: