The official THRIFT STORE tips and best practices thread

Another tip... if you find a top class jacket, look thru the pants as they are occasionally separated and still in the store

look for working buttonholes on suit jackets, it may be a sign of quality (but not always)

p.s. I've thrifted for years and have lots of tips, but here's just one for now to get this thread going

Originally Posted by MiniW

Click to expand...

look for working buttonholes on suit jackets, it may be a sign of quality (but not always)

p.s. I've thrifted for years and have lots of tips, but here's just one for now to get this thread going
Working buttonholes isn't something I usually look for, though they very well might be a sign of quality. In a thrifted jacket, I'd almost rather not have them as there is a decent chance that I'm going to have to alter the arm length. I think a good thing to remember when looking for quality is to check for canvasing vs. fusing.

Originally Posted by Marcus Brody

Click to expand...

Working buttonholes isn't something I usually look for, though they very well might be a sign of quality. In a thrifted jacket, I'd almost rather not have them as there is a decent chance that I'm going to have to alter the arm length. I think a good thing to remember when looking for quality is to check for canvasing vs. fusing.
Agree with the check for canvassing.

The way I check is to separate the front bottom corner of the jacket and see if there are 3 parts, if there are, its canvassed.

I dont know how to tell if its full or partial canvassing, if anyone knows fill me in.

Originally Posted by Tarmac

Click to expand...

this thread blows.

+1

Check the women's shirts/jackets/blazer section. A lot of men's stuff is misplaced there. The ripping tag thing, although it goes against a lot of morals, works great. I've done it a bunch of times and it works. I used to work at the Salvation Army and I've seen customers do this quite a bit too. Couldn't blame them either, as the manager's pricing was insane. Most recent place I've done this was at the Goodwill. Had a nice recent Zegna mainline sportcoat. They wanted $100. Way too much for a thrift. I had them reprice it and it came back out at $6.99 - the same price as all the other jackets.

Here is my next piece of advice: be humble

• Dress like **** when you thrift

• Respect the less fortunate: there are alot of people that thrift thru necessity. When I have just tried on a nice jacket, for example a hickey freeman or something that didnt fit, and I see a poor person shopping for a jacket, I tell them 'hey, try this one, its a very good jacket'. I think its very important to help these folks since they generally have no clue what is good and what isn't. Not to sound a snob, but I encounter clothes all the time that are not to the level I seek but would make someone next to me very happy, I give it to them. You would be amazed how happy it makes them and many times a conversation is struck up on how to spot quality, they really appreciate it.

Most of us here are lucky, so help people who are poor look like they are not.

Originally Posted by idfnl

Click to expand...

Here is my next piece of advice: be humble

• Dress like **** when you thrift

• Respect the less fortunate: there are alot of people that thrift thru necessity. When I have just tried on a nice jacket, for example a hickey freeman or something that didnt fit, and I see a poor person shopping for a jacket, I tell them 'hey, try this one, its a very good jacket'. I think its very important to help these folks since they generally have no clue what is good and what isn't. Not to sound a snob, but I encounter clothes all the time that are not to the level I seek but would make someone next to me very happy, I give it to them. You would be amazed how happy it makes them and many times a conversation is struck up on how to spot quality, they really appreciate it.

Most of us here are lucky, so help people who are poor look like they are not.
What a nice bit of Christmas spirit in this post. I commend thee idfnl! The "Be Humble" works like a charm as well. Just dress down in some old jeans and a sweater or t-shirt.

Re: Thrift stores' firm prices...

When you see a garment that you like, but you are balking somewhat at the price, inspect the garment for flaws. We're talking thrift stores here, so there is often a flaw (small moth hole here or there, rip in the lining, slight seam damage, etc.), and if it isn't marked "as is" or something, you should point it out to them. It's something that you should be checking anyway, for your own good, of course.

Often, costing less than the amount which you are able to talk a thrift store down, your tailor can fix it for you. For example, I was able to talk a store down $15 or $20 on a J. Press tweed suit for a 3/32" moth hole right on the shoulder, and my tailor made it disappear for $10. So, I'm up $5 or $10 and I have a (seemingly) flawless shoulder!

Make nice with the staff.
Policies are often flexible for a friendly regular.

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

Click to expand...

What a nice bit of Christmas spirit in this post. I commend thee idfnl!

The "Be Humble" works like a charm as well. Just dress down in some old jeans and a sweater or t-shirt.

Someone is going to be handing you humble guys some claiborne suits when they see you are dressed down

Originally Posted by distinctive

Click to expand...

Someone is going to be handing you humble guys some claiborne suits when they see you are dressed down

I LOVE me some Claiborne suits. I hope and pray they're of the polyester variety.

Originally Posted by distinctive

Click to expand...

Someone is going to be handing you humble guys some claiborne suits when they see you are dressed down
Ha ha, or a Van Heusen shirt, dam, if I could add up the milliseconds that I have spent sifting thru Van Heusen shirts I could have had enough time to write War and Peace.

Originally Posted by idfnl

Click to expand...

And... many thrift stores are getting too big for their britches, overpricing is becoming more and more common... my experience is they wont negotiate the price.... so if they wont, my way of fighting this is to rip the price off and disappear it, most thrift stores wont sell it without a price so its a way of letting them know they are not pricing something fairly. Call it mean, but its a way to protect on of the last vestages of my youth.

There's a place near my house that refers to overpriced items as being from their "couture collection."

Try to buy out of season items.

For example, right now, the sweaters and jackets are heavily scoured, while short sleeve shirts are barely touched. It is the opposite in the summer. No one much looks at the sweaters and jackets.

Work this to your advantage. You will be surprised all the nice winterwear you find the summer and linen/seersucker and short sleeve shirts in the winter.