Thrift Treasure

Yesterday I made a long overdue return to my favorite Fort Worth thrift store, Berry Good Buys. I’ve experienced a few work related losses and was in need of some cheering up. Nothing does the job quite like thrifting! So, I grabbed my coat, purse, and camera (it’s always with me) and headed out the door. Within minutes of arriving, I had an armful of clothing, a sold tag for a desk chair, and my eyes firmly fixed on a couple jewelry treasures in the corner of the store. (don’t worry… I didn’t come home with everything)

It was as I tried on these really beautiful and unique clothes that I realized part of what draws me to shopping second-hand… Quality and individuality!

Because the merchandise in second-hand stores comes from donations made by people in all walks of life, the variety is amazingly broad. Some pieces (although not all… beware!) were first purchased at very high price points and from exclusive (or at least very unique) retailers. Many times, they are later resold in thrift stores at prices far below what they were originally! For this reason, you can often find high quality goods at ridiculously low prices. Details and craftsmanship are important factors to me in design so this is a major draw!

Then, you have the individuality factor. The lag in time between the original sale of a piece in retail stores and the point when it’s donated to a resale store can often be much more than a few years (if you’re lucky, you might even score vintage). So, many times the pieces you’ll find are unlike anything else for sale at big box retailers or high-end department stores at the time. Ahah!! Individuality, the great quest of every design. Sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes it’s bad… beware, know your style, and “shop chic” regardless.

Quality and individuality… it’s just some of what makes thrifting awesome!!

Oh, and how do I dress for such serious shopping??

• single layers (you’re going to be taking things on and off a lot… don’t make it too hard on yourself)
• comfortable fitting
• button-up tops (to avoid excessive hair mussing)
• and a little bit of jazziness (i like to feel chic when i shop)

How about you? Why do you like second-hand shopping and what do you wear while doing it?

*Speaking of thrifted clothing… see more of my favorite second-hand pieces in today’s “Lovely Lady” feature on Emmadime (i love Emma’s blog and bet you will too!!)