The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

[Asath]

Today I found a really nice Zegna shirt (39/15.5) and Zegna pants (46) Pictures of both will be posted shortly Also was wondering if anyone knew the answer to this question:

Originally Posted by Asath

Hey guys, I just had my first "find" at a thrift store. It's an 100% Cashmere blazer/sportscoat from Graham & Gunn. It doesn't really fit me and I was wondering if this item was flip-able?
Thanks!

 

[crider8883]

What size is it?

 

[Nataku]

Definitely not anything special. Looks like it's from the early to mid 80's. I pass these up all the time at $5-$8 a piece. Can't really tell, but the styling doesn't appear too dated. You could probably get $10-$15, maybe $20 on B/S.

 

[Asath]

If "it" is the jacket, I'm not really sure what size it is. There is no size posted anywhere on the jacket. Is there some way I can take measurements that would allow me to figure out the size?

Edit: Thanks Nataku, much appreciated. I also just looked in the SF archives and someone actually sold something exactly like that blazer for $45.

 

[canuckstyle]

Originally Posted by Asath

Today I found a really nice Zegna shirt (39/15.5) and Zegna pants (46) Pictures of both will be posted shortly

Also was wondering if anyone knew the answer to this question:



Thanks!


looks like a nice jacket.
that said. i would only have bought it to wear, not to flip

 

[Mercuryman76]

Originally Posted by Hages

New inventory and stocking is done everyday at GW. In SF (the city), it all gets processed thru the flagship store then distributed to the other stores in the city.

Hey, recently our GWs have reorganized the clothing at their stores. At the flagship store, I think they made it more difficult to browse thru the suits and jackets.

The Fillmore store has finally let the men's section stretch out and browsing thru the shirts is much better!

Yeah, man...what they did down at the flagship store on Van Ness is horrible. You either have to squat down to go through the lower rack of men's suits or crane your neck to go through the upper. Not to mention the lighting in that tiny little nook of suits is terrible so you can barely even see what you're looking at.

 

[dahl5yankees]

A lot of talk about Kiton. This wasn't thrifting, but I bought an almost new Kiton Shirt 17/43
a couple weeks ago on-line for $38. I think it is one of the finest shirts around!

 

[potemkin_city_limits]

Originally Posted by polarcreamsoda

i probably wont garner very many answers to this question but where are good thrifting spots on boston? =)
No matter how innocent the intentions of this question no one will answer it for you. I asked a similar question a while back and got **** for it. At the time I didnt understand but now that I have been thrifting for a while I get it. You gotta find your own spots. At the time I was told a story about a guy who asked another member to suggest some places to get a nice high end suit for cheap because he needed something fast for a family function. The guy told him some of the spots he checked regularly. That person then spent the next 2 years picking all of those stores dry to flip all the good stuff he found on ebay. The only reason he ended up stopping was because he ended up moving to a new city. Really its mostly about finding some spots that work for you and going often. I have been to a few different thrift stores and found nothing but was in the neighborhood the next day so I stopped in again and found tons of stuff that was just put out that morning. Even if someone did suggest some places to check out you may go to them on an off day/week/month and find nothing. Start with the obvious places. Also, dont get so caught up in the brand names. Everyone here talks a lot about Kiton and Brioni and thats all well and good but there is a good chance you wont come across that kind of stuff that often. Your better off just looking for stuff that fits well and looks good rather than focusing on the brand names.

 

[k4lnamja]

Originally Posted by polarcreamsoda

i probably wont garner very many answers to this question but where are good thrifting spots on boston? =)

Then why ask??

Do a search and just go out there.

Btw, try cambridge Why? MIT and Harvard is in that are and I'm sure there are some nice places. Thought of Back BaY???

 

[andrew96]

Originally Posted by Orgetorix

You know this is the thrifting thread, right?

I know what quality looks and feels like, and believe me I wouldn't miss a bespoke piece that was better than Kiton or Brioni, whether or not it had a label. Problem is, in five years of thrifting I've found one such piece, a bespoke suit from Savile Row. All the rest of the bespoke/MTM is fused junk from third-rate local tailors or the Far East.

Besides, with somebody else's bespoke you're always running the risk it was made for Quasimodo (or Adonis) and will fit you far worse than a RTW garment.



Really? One local thrift store I go to usually has 2 to 4 high quality bespoke pieces on the rack any day of the week. I see them all the time, good ones.

 

[Nataku]

Originally Posted by Orgetorix

I know what quality looks and feels like, and believe me I wouldn't miss a bespoke piece that was better than Kiton or Brioni, whether or not it had a label. Problem is, in five years of thrifting I've found one such piece, a bespoke suit from Savile Row. All the rest of the bespoke/MTM is fused junk from third-rate local tailors or the Far East.
Same here. In 10 years of thrifting I've found 3 trashed Savile Row suits and 4 shirts, all from the same lot. Not from a well-know row maker like Poole, Huntsman, etc either. Never found any nice Italian bespoke. All the custom made stuff I see is either Adrian Jules from a local clothier (which I usually pick up to sell on here), Tom James or some Asian garbage.

 

[frenchy]

Originally Posted by dahl5yankees

A lot of talk about Kiton. This wasn't thrifting, but I bought an almost new Kiton Shirt 17/43
a couple weeks ago on-line for $38. I think it is one of the finest shirts around!

this,the only shirt i have ever found with real horn buttons (not MOP) was a Kiton Gingham i sold to Handcuffed a couple of weeks back.
the only other time i ever saw horn buttons on anything was a $4000 suit.

 

[polarcreamsoda]

ive been through backbay and there isnt much. im thinking of exploring the south end a bit. not really known for having mom and pop thrift shops but there are some nice vintage stores there.

will try cambridge soon enough.

 

[EBTX66]

Originally Posted by potemkin_city_limits

...At the time I was told a story about a guy who asked another member to suggest some places to get a nice high end suit for cheap because he needed something fast for a family function. The guy told him some of the spots he checked regularly. That person then spent the next 2 years picking all of those stores dry to flip all the good stuff he found on ebay. The only reason he ended up stopping was because he ended up moving to a new city....

That was me and that is a mistake I'll never make again. That doesn't mean I'm paranoid: I still take groups of students around every few months to my favorite spots to teach them how and what to look for but it's because I trust them and I know they need the clothes.

I wouldn't hesitate to show Nataku, or one of the other "old-timers" (he's younger than me

) around if they were in town but we've proxied things for each other and he's sold me stuff he could have easily flipped for more on eBay. That's what this community is about. Unfortunately, we've been burned a few times because of it.

I would venture to say that this is one of the most influencial threads on the site. I actually think one of the reasons things are harder to sell on the B&S nowadays is because more members are flipping and it has lowered the threshold at which they're willing to buy other's stuff.

My two cents on the Kiton/Brioni/bespoke debate: I have one Kiton suit I found at a consignment store for $250. It is hands down the best suit I own and I get a ton of compliments when I wear it - and that's saying a lot because (to quote GSgt Hartmann) I look like 225 lbs of chewed bubble gum. I have several Brionis and they are nice too, but so are my Zegna's, a Belvest, a St. Andrews, etc. I think construction-wise some bespoke stuff I have from William Yu in NYC and Spano are some of the best made stuff I own. As I continue to try and whittle down my collection to a manageable size I catch myself keeping the bespoke stuff and selling the name brands because they bring in better money on eBay.

 

[ruben]

Originally Posted by EBTX66

It varies as to the best days to go. Some stores have more volunteers on the weekends so more stuff gets put out, but you also have more shoppers. It all sort of equals out in the end because once you've hung around a while and figured out what brands to look for you'll realize you aren't "competing" with 98% of the people shopping in them anyway.

Goodwills always seem to have good odds and ends but most separate the pants and jacket of a suit and they end up in different stores. SA can have good stuff but around here at least they are expensive compared to others and every flipper in Dallas knows about them so I only ever find something if they've just put it out. Other peoples favorite places are closely guarded secrets. Just keep your eyes open: thrift stores are everywhere...

I always try and go a couple days before big sales or "sale days", but lately I've noticed that most of my purchases are made on weekdays, and most weekends I come up empty handed.

I think thursday might be the best day to thrift.