Why I Stopped Thrifting

[Robert]

I agree that thrifting is rewarding when you hit the jackpot. Does take time and effort though. I figure for about every 20 times I look in a thrift shop, I'll run into 1 great thing. Among my finds over the years, a London Fog rain/trench (5 bucks at goodwill), a great herringbone overcoat, and most recently an RL hunters jacket.

 

[lithium180]

If you're ever in the suburbs of Philadelphia on the Main Line, it's like a thrift shoppers paradise. There are about 10 shops in a 7 mile stretch, all of which get a lot of donations from the wealth in the region. If you have the energy, you can hit them all in one Saturday. I never fail to find at least 5 things of quality, although generally only 1 or 2 are in my size or to my tastes. I can't even imagine what it must be like for women on this circuit, since each store has about 3x as many women's clothes as men's.

 

[Robert]

Just picked up a $10 1990s RL chambray shirt today! Perfect condition. Noticed RL sizing is way big, though. I have to go to Mediums in shirts.

 

[The Deacon]

I used to thrift three separate locations almost daily after work for two years straight. I probably have purchased over a thousand pairs of shoes and sold 99.9% of them.

Lately I've felt that there is much less clothing of quality to be found in thrift shops
Perhaps the economy has caused folks to keep their stuff.

Just when I think I should give up I find a NOS pair of Nettleton wingtips, near new Cashmere overcoats or nice pair of Alden shell cordovan LHS. In the last week two new suits that fit me perfectly. Now, I wonder at what point I'll stop thrifting.

My advice is to don't ever stop, slow down maybe, just don't stop.

 

[Nataku]

In my 10 years of thrifting, 90% of the stuff that I bought has been tailored clothing (Isaia, Brioni, Oxxford...etc). A mere 10% has been streetwear, and not even really nice stuff (Medium shoes, Levis Capitol E (non-selvage jeans), some Topman and Uniqlo stuff). If you think thrifing for nice tailored clothing has become tough, try thrifting for streetwear stuff - it's near impossible.

 

[thenanyu]

Originally Posted by Nataku

In my 10 years of thrifting, 90% of the stuff that I bought has been tailored clothing (Isaia, Brioni, Oxxford...etc). A mere 10% has been streetwear, and not even really nice stuff (Medium shoes, Levis Capitol E (non-selvage jeans), some Topman and Uniqlo stuff). If you think thrifing for nice tailored clothing has become tough, try thrifting for streetwear stuff - it's near impossible.

I think quality streetwear (at least the stuff that Sf tends to like) is hard to find thrifting because you can wear it into rags and it doesn't lose any of its appeal, even gains some. A pair of well worn Redwings looks better than a pair of new ones. People just have no reason to donate their quality streetwear - they can probably sell it.

 

[DocHolliday]

If you're looking for stuff that seems "new" or for a specific item, I can see why it would be a frustrating waste of time. But I do it for the unusual finds, usually old-school vintage. I happen to be wearing a sweater I picked up the other day for $3. I'd be hard pressed to find anything like it in a store.

 

[hkima]

If you are still in Seoul, why don't you try one of the Salvation Army thrift stores?

For locations, please visit www.nanumistore.org

 

[Gravitas]

Originally Posted by lithium180

If you're ever in the suburbs of Philadelphia on the Main Line, it's like a thrift shoppers paradise. There are about 10 shops in a 7 mile stretch, all of which get a lot of donations from the wealth in the region. If you have the energy, you can hit them all in one Saturday. I never fail to find at least 5 things of quality, although generally only 1 or 2 are in my size or to my tastes. I can't even imagine what it must be like for women on this circuit, since each store has about 3x as many women's clothes as men's.

Funny, I was going to post asking how the Main Line was in the bragging thread a few days back.

 

[poly800rock]

Originally Posted by lithium180

If you're ever in the suburbs of Philadelphia on the Main Line, it's like a thrift shoppers paradise. There are about 10 shops in a 7 mile stretch, all of which get a lot of donations from the wealth in the region. If you have the energy, you can hit them all in one Saturday. I never fail to find at least 5 things of quality, although generally only 1 or 2 are in my size or to my tastes. I can't even imagine what it must be like for women on this circuit, since each store has about 3x as many women's clothes as men's.

i just gave away a ton of older selvedge and non selvedge denim to plato's closet and salvation army in west chester pa. cleaning out my folk's house. funny, i kind of want to donate all my closet to salvation army when i die, be some steezy looking poor folk.

 

[pfurey]

I'm not a fan of thrifting.

The stores usually smell like ****, and touching some of the old-ass-flannel blazers makes me feel increasingly uncomfortable. When the sales associate inevitably comes up to me in his sock-less burgundy penny loafers to presumptuously ask me if I need help, his holier-than-thou presumption shines through those ******* penny loafers as if he's just styled on me. I tell him I'm just looking, turn around, and steez out of there wearing sneakers that cost more than what he's made in the past month.

******* hate thrift stores.

 

[MiniW]

it's been forever since I've found anything worth buying in a thrift store. (being in NYC the last few years doesn't help either). The last time I got excited about anything in a thrift shop was actually in Paris, this random place had 6-7 pairs of GATs, unfortunately none were in my size but it was something you don't see here in the U.S. (aside from some Brooklyn flea places that charge close to $100 for a pair of beat up ones).

 

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by pfurey

I'm not a fan of thrifting.

The stores usually smell like ****, and touching some of the old-ass-flannel blazers makes me feel increasingly uncomfortable. When the sales associate inevitably comes up to me in his sock-less burgundy penny loafers to presumptuously ask me if I need help, his holier-than-thou presumption shines through those ******* penny loafers as if he's just styled on me. I tell him I'm just looking, turn around, and steez out of there wearing sneakers that cost more than what he's made in the past month.

******* hate thrift stores.

Am I superior to you if my shoes are worth more than what you made last month? What if its worth more than what I made last month? What if all I made last month was $20 I borrowed from some acquaintance and never gave back?

 

[steviecakes]

I've been surprisingly lucky whilst thrifting. I usually walk out with something whenever I go. I've found made in USA vans and converses, several shoes from clarks, bally, allen edmonds, a kids harris tweed sportcoat that fits me almost perfectly, etc. And my sizes are pretty hard to come by as well (34 chest, 7.5 shoes). On any given day I'll be wearing a thrifted item (usually shoes).

Not a fan of "vintage" stores that select a few pieces and sell them for much more than a traditional thrift store though. Takes then fun out of thrifting for me. And the employees are usually hipster pricks with prescriptionless shurons or ray bans.

 

[pfurey]

Originally Posted by Fuuma

Am I superior to you if my shoes are worth more than what you made last month? What if its worth more than what I made last month? What if all I made last month was $20 I borrowed from some acquaintance and never gave back?

Internet joke, brah. Just painting the scene of how terrible the atmosphere is in most thrift places around here...