Comments on: Embracing the Thrift-Store Ethic: 18 Top Tips for Buying Used Clothes

By: buy used clothes online

buy used clothes online — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 07:51:50 +0000

Brilliant tips.thanks for researching all this great advice and putting it one handy place.

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By: Brenda

Brenda — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:53:04 +0000

I love going to thrift stores and finding bargains! It’s amazing the “treasures” you’ll find…my house is full of them!

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By: Amy Martey

Amy Martey — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:04:28 +0000

My friend takes old sweaters, felts them and then uses crochet techniques to turn them into bags. You can get much better quality vintage clothes, leather, wool, silk that will last you a good 10 years (it’s already been around for 20 -30. If you can sew, you can do amazing things with a few hems, pleats, etc. Usually you find these things in the stinkier, dustier shops in rural areas. I don’t love American Eagle so I put in the work to find my favourites.

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By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:38:36 +0000

I’ve been shopping at expensive high end stores all my life. I ventured into the Value Village stores here in Edmonton, Alberta a couple of months ago to find old sheets to make rag rugs out of. I never ever intended on buying clothing there, but guess what? I was passing buy the jeans rack and low and behold I saw the exact pair of jeans my daughter bought a couple of months ago and paid over 100 bucks for priced at 10.99. I tried them on, they fit perfect and I’ve been hooked ever since. I decided I would try and find some clothing for dancing as my BF and I take dancing lessons and everyone in the dance studio wears expensive clothing all the time and I just can’t keep uo!! Well, you should see me now, I have loads of nice clothing that I found gently used or only used once, some things never washed. I go for high end brand names only. The things that I just won’t spend the money on. People donate great stuff!! I know I’ve donated great stuff in the past too! I am hooked!! My sister’s and children think I have gone mad because I’m one of those people that is so fussy about my clothes. Trust me, you just have to have a little patience and you can find great clothes in thrift stores. I found a brand new Banana Republic jacket for 16, and I had just paid 175 for a jacket on sale in the same store a few months ago. I love them equally, but appreciate my 16 dollar one more!! I said I would never buy shoes there, yuk, but guess what? I found a brand new pair of boots, exactly my style and I was in desperate need of new ones for only 20 dollars!! It’s crazy and fun. I find it’s better to go myself, then I don’t feel bad about spending 3 hours going through the racks. I used to spend 4 or 5 hours shopping at West Edmonton Mall and buying less clothing for A LOT more money. I’m happy with my change and my wardrobe is plenty and lovely. You would never guess that much of it is bought at Value Village!!

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By: eydie

eydie — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:04:33 +0000

i am 54 and have been thrift store shopping since i was a teen. and i have recently seen some problems. that bad economy you were talking about is making thrift stores greedy. i live in springfield missouri and only one of several local thrift stores truly have what i consider “real” thrift store prices. the others have decided that they can over charge because they have become more popular. it’s reached the point with our goodwill and the DAV (disabled american veteran’s) where you could actually do better at walmart and have something new.

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By: Lorene Alston

Lorene Alston — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:38:38 +0000

I shop Thrift all the time, mostly for clothing, but now for decorating items. What fun! My hubby is into it and got a pair of cashmere slacks (never hemmed, tags on). Tag was on them for $150. but he paid $6.99!!! WOW!
All of my decor accessories are gorgeous white vases, pottery – very modern, also some notable glassware, an evening sequin purse, picture frames, art work, mirrors, –there is no end to what you can find if you are a sharp shopper…
Why pay more for this stuff? I consider it like RENT and if I tire of it, it goes back to the store …. Best time to shop is year end, as donations are heavier due to getting that tax donation slip for IRS.

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By: Pegi

Pegi — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:47:26 +0000

Working at a Thrift Store is best.
We’d joke as ‘the regulars’ would come in & ask, ‘Where is all the good stuff’? We’d think to ourself’s, ‘In the employs trunks’
Now I have to much ‘stuff’, its being boxed up & donated back. I enjoyed it for a few yrs, time for someone else too.

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By: Kristi

Kristi — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:36:56 +0000

I’m looking at the date in the Goodwill tag pictured in this artical. I have not seen Goodwill prices or Salvation Army prices like that in quite some time. These types of stores have got completely out of hand. I use to support these shops two or three times a week and within the last year and a half I go maybe once a month. I picked up an old and dented and dirty muffin pan and the price was $8.00. Are they out of their minds !

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By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:19:17 +0000

In the past decade over 95% of the clothes I have bought have been from thrift stores, or ‘op shops’ as we call them in Australia.
I did capitulate when I got my first job out of uni and bought some new clothes, but recently decided to go back to 100% opshopped clothes and havent bought any new clothes in over 12 months.

The reason I started was economic: I had just finished high school and was facing the prospect of going from wearing a school uniform 5 days a week to needing enough regular clothes for 7 days a week and starting uni I simply couldnt afford it. I was amazed at the clothes you could buy in op shops and ended up only allowing myself to buy my clothes from opshops for the next four years.

In the past decade I have paid as much as $20 for a pair of designer jeans to as little as 5c for clothes in a fill a bag sale from opshops. My favourite opshop has a huge one dollar section which I frequent often. When I can get clothes for one dollar I am less inclined to want to buy a pair of 5 dollar shorts at another opshop. At the beginning of the year they even had a fill a bag sale, so each item worked out to be 6c!!

I love thrifted clothes, everyone I meet is always amazed at the gorgeous finds I have bought from opshops!! One of my lovely older coworkers was worried I was spending all of my pay on clothes as each day I would turn up in a different outfit: I was so pleased to be able to reassure her that the silk skirt & knit top I was wearing cost a huge 80c each!!!

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By: alberta

alberta — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:20:23 +0000

A good friend of mine introduced me to thrift shopping. I was quite hesitant at first but eventually loved it.. due to the variety and cheapness of the clothes. Nowadays I don’t have to cut down on my eating just to save for a new top or pair of jeans. So my friend and I now schedule our shopping together because as you’ve said it’s good to have a second opinion. I do this now because when I shop alone, I indulge in too many impulsive buys, especially at the thrift stores. And sometimes the trendy clothes don’t look good on me. So when my friend is there, she can easily talk me out of buying unnecessary clothing. And I really do enjoy it because we often have a good laugh when trying on ridiculous looking clothes we know we’d never buy and all the while I know im saving some serious money.

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By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:11:10 +0000

those are the ugliest pants i have ever seen.

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By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:39:49 +0000

I am such a thrift store shopper that I have favorite stores and my friends laughed at me when we were talking about thrift shopping and someone pointed out how close I live to one, and I stated, “Oh I don’t shop there; they price their stuff too high!” So I guess I comparison shop thrift stores!

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By: kat

kat — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:40:16 +0000

I go to thrift stores for several things, but the most useful is for jeans because it’s the only place where I can find a rack of 40 different brands all right beside each other in my size. I sift through the sizes right above and below me too, because they all fit differently. While walking by other sizes (i.e. four feet away) I scan them to see if something is misplaced and might fit me.

If I shop for jeans in a regular store, I have to sift through several racks all over the place for my size, and then go to the dressing room to try on five pairs of jeans only to discover the one or two brands doesn’t fit right… and then I have to drive to another store to do the whole process again.

At least with the thrift store I can find many different shapes and brands, some of which are likely to fit me.

Not as much of an issue for guys, I know.

With short-sleeved shirts, I have to try several different brands because my arms are very muscular. The only place to do that with any hope is in a thrift store. More brands to choose from, sorted by my size, and I don’t have to run around 1600 sq ft of space trying to do it.

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By: Maharani

Maharani — Sun, 09 May 2010 16:55:31 +0000

I guess the family with the $150/year clothing budget must be buying all their underwear at thrift stores too.

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By: Maharani

Maharani — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:48:56 +0000

That is just my point: I dont have the time. My job is too busy and pressured, and I dislike clothes shopping in the US as it is so disorganized and random- it is just another stressor. Don’t get me wrong-I love my job, but I need to schedule time as productively as possible when I buy clothes, and thrifting is too slow if you are looking for specific items in a tight timeframe, as i usually am. With the best will in the world I cannot budget that far ahead of when I will need something. Its hard enough being Indian-most business clothes are the wrong styles, colors, and fit for my body type. Tailoring fixes the last problem, but not the first two. I have a personal shopper/dressmaker, shop twice a year very intensely with her, and have other things custom made. Thrift and saving $$ are great, but not in all situations. For me, this is one where it is just simpler to pay full price-I can cut costs in other areas-and frankly I shop as little as possible. My upfront costs for clothing are greater, but I am happier with my clothes. The pants in the picture are detestable and a waste of money at any price. They do not encourage me to thrift-if anything they are are a put off. Pressing or dry cleaning might have helped before taking the photo, but I wouldnt wear them for a Halloween costume. Poor quality, extremely cheap looking, machine embroidery (the fabric is all rucked up around the edges-it should lie flat) and the wrong shoes-strappy evening shoes would have been more appropriate: if you dont have the right accessories, it is a waste of money buying the item! This is the first rule of clothes shopping!

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By: Pigtown-Design

Pigtown-Design — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:33:01 +0000

I love thrift shopping! I am very well-dressed, and like Maharina, I have to look put-together and high end at work. I have a huge collection of gorgeous cashmere sweaters in every colour of the rainbow. I have beautiful flannel wool pants, silk skirts, and linen blouses. All top quality.

Recently, I found two brand new Hermes scarves at a local church thrift shop for $2.00 each. And yes, they were genuine!

It’s all about having the time and inclination to shop, knowing quality brands and fabrics, and being interested in investing the effort to get what you want at very low prices.

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By: Maharani

Maharani — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:49:18 +0000

Sorry this advice does not work for me. I have to look well dressed, well put together, and high-end at work. It is too much trouble to do this by thrift store shopping-most clothes you buy new need alterations to fit properly, let alone stuff from thrifts/Goodwill. I think this is fine in certain circumstances, but I dont think it would work for me. Personally, I find thrifting is a bore-it takes too long and yields very little of any use in my life-I simply hate sorting through all the junk.

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By: Rochelle

Rochelle — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:46:29 +0000

I LOVE the pants! Go Kris!

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By: skipetit

skipetit — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:13:07 +0000

Having been a thrift store junkie for years – I still see some misconceptions here. My ‘Favorite Thrift Store’ is in a horrible part of town. The new Ralph Lauren Polo shirts, with tags are only 2.50. The new quilted ski jacket with fur collar for my friend was only 9. The new Nordstrom heels (gold and silver kitten heels) were half off 8. The sterling silver candlesticks were 5 dollars for a pair.

My second favorite thrift store is the Junior League Thrift store. I used to be a member, and we were required to donate 150 dollars worth of clothing every year. I got my teen son his very own tuxedo jacket for 10 dollars. He got a beautiful vintage tuxedo vest for 5 dollars (my husband says it’s better quality than his!). I got my husband some new Ermengildo Zegna shirts for 10 each. And a silk wedding dress for 20. They know me well enough to pull me to the back to show me when they have St Johns knit come in.

My friends think I’m rich. I’ve invited them, but they think it means stained, ripped and dirty clothes. Their loss!!

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By: nancy

nancy — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:21:24 +0000

Love this article. I have most of my clothes from thrift store. My best find a red beaded suit for 10.00. Someone would not beleive I didn’t spend hundreds of dollars. The other thing I love while pregnant for my second and last child. There was 7 years between them I did’t save any from the first. I got all my maternity clothes from a thrift shop. It is crazy to spend a lot of money on clothes I’ll never need again. I spent less than 20.00 and got a workable wardrobe for the few months I needed them. The only caution is my baby dr told me never to buy childrens shoes used. They need to fit properly for your child. I also stay away from sneakers. I have gotten many items with tag still on them.

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By: richandcreamy

richandcreamy — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:16:58 +0000

If the item you’re buying costs less than dry cleaning you could wear it until it’s dirty than toss it. So you’re getting your money’s worth right?

One time I bought a bunch of suede jackets and waited a year to finally dry clean them so I can use them again haha. All that dry cleaning was the price of a single jacket if I bought it full retail!

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By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:46:00 +0000

My reflections: My first hard and fast rule is to think of your goals and stay focused. Then…
*You will look your best if you can pull together an entire outfit – shirts, pants, accessories.
*If you need $ and don’t give away clothes, sell a set of clothes on craigslist for a reasonable price.
*Inventory is always revolving at these stores, so don’t get discouraged and make repeat visits.
*Garage sales are often cheaper, but if you can not try clothes on and look at yourself, it is harder to make wise selections.

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By: Tina

Tina — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:09:29 +0000

My two teenage daughters love to shop thrift. Just last night my youngest was telling her dad, how much she paid for her jeans $3, brand new black heels $10. It’s fun you never know what you’ll find.

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By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:34:52 +0000

Shopping at thrift stores, yard sales and Goodwill has helped me expand my personal sense of style. I look at great item and if it’s not something I’d normally wear I might buy it anyway and see how it “fits” stylistically speaking for me. Also, because the items are often such a deal I can have several things that are very limited in the way they can be used with my wardrobe but are great when I need them.

My latest find: a pair of $90 Tsubo urban street shoes for $9.99 at Goodwill. And a $200 French made jacket (not available in the US) for $7.00. Both fit perfectly and look sharp.

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By: barbara

barbara — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:17:21 +0000

Another great thrifting day! A brand new pair of short black UGG boots! (Retail $159) I got for $20! How awesome is that? You never know what you’ll find next!

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By: dotty

dotty — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:24:55 +0000

the economy being what it is today and with high unemployment. People still like to shop, you may only $20 alotted to buy clothes, it can take you far in a thrift shop and have fun shopping. in a retail store $20 will buy very little. thank goodness for thrift stores.

Supply and demand has come into play, Goodwill has raised all their prices which is sad. They always had 1 color tag 50% off and 1 color tag 25% off, they stopped the 25% off sales. But still a great deal for shoppers.

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By: barbara

barbara — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:03:13 +0000

Thrifting is awesome! Today at local thrift shops I got a pair of Notify Capri Cropped Jeans (Retail $320) for $6. Also a pair of Joe’s Jeans (Retail $150) for $8. And if that weren’t enough I got a Seven (for all Mankind) Denim Skirt (Retail $175) for $2. All in new condition and they all fit perfectly!

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By: gail

gail — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:56:57 +0000

another great place to buy used kids items is kids consignment sales. use google to see if there is one in your area. the sellers set the prices. it is worth volunteering (if they have them) to shop first to get the best bargains. incredible deals!

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By: dotty

dotty — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:25:55 +0000

message #100 must be an employee or owner of Ross Stores. Yes, they have good selection of cheap, cheap clothes that do not hold up. I would rather buy a designer suit from a thrift store that was expensively crafted than a new cheapie that looks like a rag after 5 washings. No one should buy an item with rips or stains, nor do they have do, the
selection is so good at the thrift stores, no need to.

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By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:12:50 +0000

Regarding the $3 one-use shirt.

Heck no!

Never buy anything at a thrift store that has a stain or a tear that can not be laundered or repaired EASILY.

You can go to Ross and find cloths cheaper than at the thrift store. Brand new, unlaundered, multi-use clothing.

I need clothing that layers, wicks, and keeps me warm for the outdoor activities I enjoy. That means I can find several technical fabrics for a song at Ross. At a thrift store it can be iffy: stinky, torn, pilled and just plain old technology.

There is always the thrift store find, I have an Ann Taylor sweater set for $7.99. No problems.

Suggesting that stained clothing is a valuable investment? That is just a bit ridiculous.

The rule with thrift stores: something new always comes along. AND keep an eye out for sales.

Right now some of the Ross stores are having DEEP discounts. Some examples: 99 cents for a women’s sports wear tank top, $2.99 for denim jacket in a very on trend cut, $8.99 for Fuschia ruffle front empire waist shirt (on trend on MANY counts).

Sales and wise investments in clothing are frugal. Not buying stained “one-use” clothing.

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