Can't resist, so you buy for others?

[misterbowles]

Do any of the other avid thrift-store junkies here purchase (as I often do) great items, even though they don't fit ourselves, to give to friends, etc.? Lately I've been doing this a lot - I can't seem to let a great buy get away, even if it's not for me.

 

[j]

Yes. I buy things to flip, or if they are not quite good enough to buy for that purpose (not enough margin) I will evaluate based on several people with standing requests. My stepdad's wardrobe is growing quite well because of this.

I always worry that a really nice piece will go to waste or to a bad home if I don't get it. Must remember.. clothing is not alive.

 

[NewYorkBuck]

thrift-store junkies

Anyone know any good thrift stores in NYC?

 

[misterbowles]

J -

Sadly, I don't sell any of the stuff I pick up that doesn't fit me on eBay. I could make a killing - but it's just too much hassle...

Funny what you say about people with "standing requests." I find that group is getting larger as my friends get more clued in on the great stuff that I dig up.

So true about saving nice pieces from a "bad home." I picked up a 40R Burberry Prorsum DB Glenplaid suit with a nice short double vent today for $6. Beautiful, really. Gave it to a friend - lucky bastard. At least I'll know that he realizes he's got a great suit, and it's not on the back of some moron who picked it up to wear it ironically at some theme party...

 

[stache]

Anyone know any good thrift stores in NYC?

I like Housing Works. plus NY City Opera shop on 23rd St. -

 

[AlanC]

I do flip some things, ties for instance. I may start doing more of this. Usually I'm too greedy with ties and keep them for myself.

As far as getting things for friends, yes, I do. There's a high school senior at church who has shown some interest in clothes, and I try gently to push him in the right direction. He told me not long ago he wanted to get a blazer or suit, which I encouraged, of course. Not long after I ran across a Burberry's suit from Saks in great shape. I tried on the jacket, which was too tight for me (it was probably a 38R). I grabbed it for him, as he's still a rail thin teenager. It was half off day at the thrift shop so I got it for $3, I think it was. Fit was slightly loose on him, which is good for a 17 year old. Amazingly, a couple of weeks later at another Salvation Army in town I ran across another Burberry's from Saks, same fit. Had to be from the same donor as the first one. Grabbed it for the kid, too. Now he's got two Burberry's suits at 17 years old. I wish I'd had a wardrobe like that going into college.

 

[LA Guy]

I essentially dress one of my brothers, who is rail thin and can pull off stuff I can't. Let's see, in the past 2 years alone, he's gotten 2 really cool Marni shirts (basic, garment washed colors with subtle details) a great vintage red brown shirt jacket in jacket with orange stitching in very cool, very heavy suede (so wish it had fit me), a John varvatos belt, a coule of pairs of sneakers, a pair of really interesting blue/teal corduroy pants, and that iks off the top of my head.

 

[4Mica]

I've been know to call people from the thrift store to see if they want something I found in ther size. My brother-in-law finally has a decent pair of shoes (Allen Edmonds' Park Avenues) by this method. (He usually wears rubber soled shoes with his suits so it was a big step up.)

 

[Bradford]

I don't buy for others because I don't think most of my friends would appreciate it. They're not really into clothes - although a Favre or Elway jersey would likely be appreciated. However, if I'm at a Goodwill or another thrift shop and see something of good quality that's really cheap but not in my size, I will pick it up and take it to my favorite consignment shop. That way, I build up my credit there and can use it to buy things I really want. I've even done that with stuff I've purchased on EBay or from online merchants that didn't quite work out - a suit I got for $25 that just didn't look right and a couple of shirts from Claiborne.com that only cost $5 but weren't exactly the right color when I saw them in person. Bradford P.S. I know I could probably just resell the stuff on EBay, but then I have to pack and ship the stuff and unless you're moving a lot of merchandise it just seems like a big hassle Â