The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

[MyOtherLife]



I ran into this corduroy jacket today with a non-English (seems German) label, size 50, can someone identify this maker? Thanks. Pardon my green shorts...

I don't know the maker but that is one beautiful jacket with character. The collar and cuffs make it. Congratulations!

 

[Everett464]

I thought all Florsheim shells were color8 or black. This looks shell though in front, lacks the puffy holes. What is the line eg Imperial or Royal Imperial, and the number?

They are "the Florsheim Shoe" line - not imperial.

Number is: 10 C 425405 18 30679 GI

I am more and more certain that the creasing is shell, but I didn't know that Florsheim made cordovan in "the Shoe" line, or in this color. I might have to email the company on this one before I can sell these with a good conscious as "Shell Cordovan."

 

[Nataku]

Found my first Aldens today. I wish they were an 11 D, but beggars can't be choosers. They're a 9 a/c if anyone is interested. They are available.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Digmenow]



I just realized that I thrifted basically everything I'm wearing to work today. -Calvin Klein suit (yeah, yeah I know...but it's in a color that I desperately needed (light grey), fits great, has peaked lapels and was $15....so shutup) -Turnbull & Asser tie (blue/orange) -Brooks Brothers white dress shirt -Bostonian Impressions -- like a burgandy or "oxblood", not sure. basically everything but socks, boxers, undershirt, belt, and wallet...I thumb through the belt section at Goodwill but I never know what to look for. Any tips?

Ain't it cool, the first day that you realize you're wearing an outfit of completely thrifted clothing and you're wearing the best clothes you've ever worn in your life? It's taken me about a year but I have that same experience now, every day!

+1. I think that there are a lot of people on this thread who dress head to toe in second-hands (including myself). I picked up all of my dress and casual belts at the thrift stores and charity shops. I keep my eye out for vintage "MADE IN USA" ("MADE IN ENGLAND" is also good, but "MADE IN ITALY" can be all over the place) Brooks Brothers, Coach, and J. Press belts. I think the main thing is to make sure the belts are genuine leather, supple and not dry or cracked, not thin or plastic-y feeling either, and the buckle is done in solid brass. A little bit of leather conditioner and a light coating of shoe polish to even out the color really goes a long way, too. Good luck! -M-

Pretty much my M.O., exactly when thrifting belts.

...Digmenow's aviators. Dude, I just paid over a hundred bucks for a pair of vintage RayBan clubmasters so 70 is not a bad deal. Although I think I overpaid and will try to offload. Buyer's remorse. Probably someone from around here was bidding against me...

I may have to go back and offer them fitty bux! They were some big a$$ed lenses, though.

I've yet to find a "super mega excellent" brand in a thrift store, let alone an entire suit, and I'm shopping in a nice area. I could clothe a small army with the amount of Southwick and Tom James suits I've found, though. Still, I've only been doing it for < 2 months. I was hired at a big company in Atlanta with a suit-and-tie dress code, and all I had was a charcoal Jos A Bank suit for interviews. Slowly my wardrobe is coming together.

Avoid the urge to "fill in" unless there's a real need. You WILL find everything you need in better stuff and then you'll look back on these early buys and kick yourself for spending money on stuff you'll end up donating. OTOH, if you got it, wear the hell out of it!

In Atlanta (well, actually I mostly thrift in Roswell), I seem to have more luck with high-end shoes than suits or blazers. Yesterday's HF Boardroom from Saks was the first "good" suit that actually fit. And when I find something good, it's usually one piece at a time. I have no idea how these guys pull trunkloads of high-end clothes. I've been thrifting since about November.

Same here. I'm in awe of the big hauls posted here. The best day I ever had was 3 recent Brooks Brothers suits from the same store. That said, take your time and it will come. I now have 5 Brooks Brothers suits and 2 H. Freeman and Sons. Basically, a suit for every day of the week! Sure, it took me a year and some of that time was spent learning what fit and what didn't but I now have a wardrobe that is deep into the thousands of dollars at original retail but I still look for the Canli's Corneliani's, Brioni's and Kitons. Someday.

Yes, I've had ok luck w/ shoes. My local goodwill practically keeps Bostonian and Florsheim oxfords in stock. Haven't run across anything special yet, but they'll do in a pinch. On how to score truckloads of high-end clothes, it's probably just volume and time management. I only hit one store a day, because I live too far away to spend a lot of time thrifting after work. I'm moving to Virginia Highlands next week, so I'll be able to add more stores to my rotation.

Once again, as I said above, unless it's something very nice or unusual or an emergency, try to hold out! I'm an Allen Edmonds brand whore and have at least (I'm ashamed to say I've lost count) 10 pairs of them. I will pick up a pair of J&M or Clubroom if they are suede or something special but I'm glad I've left most of them behind. They're out there. Believe me.

...First I want to show you a couple recent sweaters I picked up. Alpaca (I have discovered, since I started SF and the thrifting thing, that I have an alpaca fetish -- keep your mind out of the gutter, Digmenow, hahahah -- it's like cashmere to me) ...

Hey, man...I NEVER question another man's fetish.

just bought my first thrift store purchase - a really nice DB overcoat in midnight blue. I was amazed that it fit perfectly, really amazed. 65 bucks. perfect condition.

Better late than never! Congrats on what sounds like a great find!

Picked these Old Red Wing Boots up on Friday too. Their warm glow just wouldn't let me leave them on the shelf.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Those! BTW...based on your recommendation, we had lunch here the Sunday before last. The place was P A C K E D! The food was good, as well and reasonably priced.

 

[ATLjon]

I picked these two pieces up because it's the first time I've seen them in the wild and they seemed to be reasonably useable trousers (though way, way too big for me). In my haste I may have overlooked a few details that made these a bad purchase. Comments please!







OK.... but what's up with this seam on the back?








These are about the same size as the Canali, if slightly bigger, but there are two issues, one potentially life threatening


This is a sorry representation of the stains on the front left leg near the cuff (one in the top right, two near the bottom of the pic). Can they be cleaned away, or is this, as I suspect, bleach and I'm SOL?



Here's an easier fix: loose stitching!





I can measure up either/both if anyone's interested. I got a fairly nice pair of Theory (yeah, yeah) trousers out of the deal, so I won't be heartbroken if these weren't worth picking up (I suspect they still were, yes?).

Oh, the Oxxfords have double pleats.

 

[capnwes]

Never ever leave Red Wings on the shelf, unless they have holes in them. They can be completely rebuilt for $95, shipping included. That's less than half the price of any of their mid-high range models. That said, what size are these?

These are 8 D

 

[LooknGr8]

So on my Moygashel Irish linen tie, I've found a couple of interesting details:

Rooster in the '70s made ties of Moygashel Irish linen.

The dude behind Rooster has done a lot with RL and Nautica and Burberry since.

And my tie isn't a Rooster. So I'm back a square one. But, there's gonna be some interesting back-story to it when I dig a little more, I'm sure.

 

[horse's_ass]

Horrible thing happened today - found a NWT Pringle lambswool sweater, riddled with holes.

 

[jkidd41011]



Horrible thing happened today - found a NWT Pringle lambswool sweater, riddled with holes.

Hate when that happens. Found a YSL Pour Homme shirt a couple months ago...only to notice the snag. At least you didn't buy it and notice the holes later.

 

[Klobber]



Hate when that happens. Found a YSL Pour Homme shirt a couple months ago...only to notice the snag. At least you didn't buy it and notice the holes later.

I had to pass on a Luciano Barbera the other day over condition issues. Dress shirt with frayed collar.
Oh yeah, that luxury Barbour sweater I will send you pics when I get time - you will like it

 

[AndroFan]

Interestingly, I found my first Pringle today. Unfortunately not NWT, thankfully without any moth holes

.

Horrible thing happened today - found a NWT Pringle lambswool sweater, riddled with holes.

 

[capnwes]

They are MY size! How much?!

They were already listed on the bay on Friday and have a bid or two. Good news for you is they are still pulling low numbers.

 

[Brianpore]

Found my first Aldens today. I wish they were an 11 D, but beggars can't be choosers. They're a 9 a/c if anyone is interested. They are available.

Nice find!!

 

[matty long legs]

I was swimming in Southwick today. Passed on a made in Ireland donegal tweed sport coat but did purchase a brooks brothers makers tweed. 42L. Black and brown herringbone. Fully canvassed. Fit a little big. Has a couple tiny moth holes but they are hardly noticeable in this pattern. Available so I'll post pics if anyone is interested.

 

[tben]

Quote:

Stopped by GW yesterday and saw that the GREEN tags were very recent and since I had been there a couple of times, just started looking at green. No ties to speak of so I went to the suits.

Came across an orphan SC custom made with owner name:

Made through Fit-Wel, in Hong Kong, for A.L. Merritt (couldn't find any owner info on the net)



Left the orphan and a few coats later, I find a full suit for the same guy, go back and get orphan, keep looking...SC #3 same owner, DB suit #4 same owner, orphan #5 same owner, SC #6 same owner, DB (made by Faconnable in Italy) orphan suit #7 same owner...........Heart rate is racing, rush over to pants, start scanning green tags, orphan #1 pants, orphan #5 pants. Then, could I be lucky, orphan number 7 pants, no just Stafford's! Few more looks, bingo, orphan #7 pants.

These are super nice, made between 2005-2008. Pick stitching, surgeon cuffs, amazing fabrics, Zegna Trofeo, Zegna Tropical, Vitale Barberis Cononico Super 110's, Dormeuil 15 point 8 BLUE, . Pants are pleated, with no cuffs but do have the **** on one side of each cuff and about 3" extra fabric.

They are all within a half inch or so in measurements, but there TOO BIG FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who needs a new wardrobe! Will take suggestions on best way to sell, move, trade, bay,,,,,,

Measurements: Suit coats: PTP 23.50", Shoulder 20", sleeve 24" +1, Length from bottom of collar 31".
Pants: 38 waist, 32 inseam (a lot of fabric inside, 3" see picture), 42.5 outseam, leg opening 9.25"

#1 3-button suit- E. Zegna cashmere-silk fabric, Blue with overcheck:





They sewed the content label upsidedown

Suit #2 Vitale Barberis Canonico super 110's in brownish/olive?





Sport Coat #3 a stunning, super soft, grey with purple stripe Dormeuil 15 point 8 BLUE fabric.

Non working cuffs.




DB suit #4, another Vitale Barberis super 110's in Olive





Suit #5 An E. Zegna Tropical Australian wool in navy blue with very nice contrasting buttons, again, surgeon cuffs. The pants match in fabric color, but the buttons seemed like they should have been solid color.






Sport Coat #6 another E. Zegna Trofeo Australian wool. Blue with raised overcheck.

Suit #7 DB Blue Faconnable Tailleur, designed by Albert Goldberg, made in Italy stunner.






Pant leg hem:

Those suits aren't Zegna.