The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

I soooooo didnt expect them to let me. I didnt try to pretend like I bought there and lost the receipt, or anything of the sort. They said if I could find the same jacket on the rack I could switch them!

Todays lone find. A Fray for Neiman Marcus shirt in my size (I would have bought the shirt regardless, but the right size helps!). I was getting depressed as I had wasted almost 1/4 tank of gas with nothing worth buying, then I see this as I'm about to head out. I think it was one of those "don't give up hope" finds. Almost wasn't worth it because I almost got into a car accident 3 times today. Two were asshats running red lights (honestly, I can understand trying to make it before the light turns red, but the lights for them had been red for a good while) and the third was an idiot kid who thought it'd be a good idea to do 35 mph in a crowded parking lot. Needless to say, I'm lucky to be here typing this unharmed. I'm gonna stay inside the rest of the night. Today isn't looking like a good day.

Been hard at it again the last couple days. Found a custom Isaia suit jacket for a "Mr. Johnson." It's NWOT as the pockets and lapel hole are still sewn, and the sleeves are unfinished (sleeve buttons were in an inside pocket. The jacket is massive at size 56 with a 4 drop. My guess is a professional football or basketball player? I've never seen a jacket this big. Unless anyone wants it it's going on ebay.

Also, I found two more Oxxford suit jackets in my size, but couldn't find the pants! That's 3 this week! What's frustrating is that the tags said "2pc" meaning there were pants at one point in the store. But I searched every rack and came up empty. One jacket was a blue pinstripe, so I left it. The other is a navy double-breasted jacket. So I bought it thinking I can wear it as a DB blazer.
You guys have any thoughts on that?

Also, 2 pairs of Incotex, and a really nice pair of mocha brown Cantarelli corduroys.

euro size 56?

Originally Posted by ThinkDerm

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euro size 56?
No, euro size 66!

Originally Posted by Nataku

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Todays lone find. A Fray for Neiman Marcus shirt in my size (I would have bought the shirt regardless, but the right size helps!). I was getting depressed as I had wasted almost 1/4 tank of gas with nothing worth buying, then I see this as I'm about to head out. I think it was one of those "don't give up hope" finds.

Almost wasn't worth it because I almost got into a car accident 3 times today. Two were asshats running red lights (honestly, I can understand trying to make it before the light turns red, but the lights for them had been red for a good while) and the third was an idiot kid who thought it'd be a good idea to do 35 mph in a crowded parking lot.

Needless to say, I'm lucky to be here typing this unharmed. I'm gonna stay inside the rest of the night. Today isn't looking like a good day.

Not a bat find but sucks to hear about your near crash incidents.

There was a piece on Good Morning America about thrift store shopping. Let's hope this won't catch on with other guys, or those guys won't recognize a good name when they see it. I enjoy low volumes of competition!

The most surprising thing was my wife finally approved of thrift store shopping. She generally has the attitude of "oh god, someone else wore that". But after seeing the prices on some of the name brand stuff, she instantly changed her tune.

^^ Thrift shopping is definately a growing trend. I started thrifting around 1998 and it was mostly older folks buying bizzare things (wierd kitchen gadgets, quilts, fuzzy slippers) and a lot of lower-income folks looking for clothes. Since about 2003, I've noticed a lot more people. Everyone from soccer moms looking to flip stuff on eBay to hipster kids buying vintage tees. Before kids used to get teased for shopping at the Salvation Army, now I see packs of high-school kids scouring the racks. Another big factor is the recent "going green" thing. I've seen so many articles, commercials, ads....etc saying to buy used to reduce the production of newer goods and to keep usable items out of landfills. This is both good and bad, obviously. The economy isn't helping either. More and more find the need to bargain-hunt through these tough times. I think this recent "boost" of thrift consumers also pushed the thrifts to up prices. Not too long ago shirts were $1, pants were $2, ties were .25 and so on. $25 for a suit in a thrift was unheard of. Gone are those days.

I blame SF. Stay away from my cheap merch!

Originally Posted by SuitMyself

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All of you must be very lucky to live in cities that have thrift stores that have such fantastic high-end items like these. I do understand you still have to wade through aisles and aisles and aisles of junk before you can find the treasures but still . . . !

There are thrift stores in my city but they're almost always filled with junk like stuff from Sears or any other department store (mid-level or low-level price range pieces). Once in a hundred blue moons will you actually be able to find a high-end piece that is not 20 years old.

I think I'm going to go tomorrow to a Value Village and see what I can find now that I've been inspired by reading this thread.
^^Countless ailes of junk .... countless. In fact, I've been meaning to start a poll to see what is the most common brand of clothing you come across while thrifting? For me, I'd probably have to go with Banana Rep.

Originally Posted by 83glt

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^^Countless ailes of junk .... countless.

In fact, I've been meaning to start a poll to see what is the most common brand of clothing you come across while thrifting? For me, I'd probably have to go with Banana Rep.

I see lots of Izod shirts, Meeting Street, Haggar, and, of course, Dockers. I see the same mediocre department store labels over and over, with just enough Brooks Brothers, RL Polo, etc,. to keep it interesting.

Now and then there is a nice item in brands uncommon here; Ben Silver, Ike Behar, Churchs or Robert Talbott, for example. Recently I picked up some vintage Robert Talbott ties and a Lacoste shirt. I have never seen Canali, Isaia, or Oxxford in a thrift store. Men around here seem to like suits from Sears and JC Penney.

Originally Posted by Nataku

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^^ Thrift shopping is definately a growing trend. I started thrifting around 1998 and it was mostly older folks buying bizzare things (wierd kitchen gadgets, quilts, fuzzy slippers) and a lot of lower-income folks looking for clothes. Since about 2003, I've noticed a lot more people. Everyone from soccer moms looking to flip stuff on eBay to hipster kids buying vintage tees. Before kids used to get teased for shopping at the Salvation Army, now I see packs of high-school kids scouring the racks.

Another big factor is the recent "going green" thing. I've seen so many articles, commercials, ads....etc saying to buy used to reduce the production of newer goods and to keep usable items out of landfills. This is both good and bad, obviously. The economy isn't helping either. More and more find the need to bargain-hunt through these tough times.

I think this recent "boost" of thrift consumers also pushed the thrifts to up prices. Not too long ago shirts were $1, pants were $2, ties were .25 and so on. $25 for a suit in a thrift was unheard of. Gone are those days.

The Salvos now charge AUD50 regularly for good suits...thanks God for Vinnies but even they are changing as thrifting becomes like going to "open for inspection" in the 1990s real estate boom.

I think the new crap clothes with tags on it are more annoying to hunt through then old stuff. Yesterday I saw a couple Club Room jackets with their tags still on it.

I get a kick out of seeing a Sears & Roebuck Polyester suit.

Nothing too spectacular but for a total of $4.00 I was pretty happy