Like Lois Lane before her, my co-worker Laura is bound and determined to get the scoop...but in Laura's case, she wants the scoop on bargains And she wants those bargains bad. One of her favorite things to do is prowl thrift stores for quality clothes at great prices. On several recent occasions, she very kindly obliged me by wearing some of her bargains to work to share with readers.
Here she works the always flattering 3/4 shot in an ensemble that consists, I believe, entirely of thrift shop finds, with the possible exception of her underthings (I'm assuming she's wearing underthings, but really, wouldn't it be even cheaper to do away with underthings altogether?).
Shoes, too!
Another day, another ensemble:
IIRC, Laura paid approximately the following for the above items:
- purple cashmere sweater: $5
- white tee: $3
- white pants: $6
- black flats: $5
- red 100% cashmere full-length coat: $10
- jeans: $5
- blue shirt: $4
- black layering shirt: $3
At some point I'll get a picture of some righteous, truly nearly new black leather boots she picked up for $10.
Laura will pay a certain amount of $ for certain items. Under her guidelines, the $10 boots would be a splurge. She also has certain strategies. E.g., she knows the schedules for the various shops she likes: when new stuff is put out; when reductions are made; when the seasonal shift in merchandise happens; etc..
She only looks at items priced in a certain way, e.g., one store's tags are color coded. Just-in items have a certain color price tag. After a while, they're reduced x% and sport a different color price tag. I believe that at that store Laura only looks at items with the tags colored for 50% and more off the original price.
She's got a number of stores she likes, but will check out other stores. She and a friend recently made a tour of thrift shops in some of the tonier hamlets in our fair state and were not greatly impressed. I doubt she will return to them anytime soon.
Laura looks for items in good condition, of good quality (cut, materials), with good fit...I had no idea that much -- perhaps most? -- of her clothes are thrift store finds.
Some of her favorite stores:
- Nearly New Shop in beautiful downtown Morristown, NJ; this shop is sponsored by the Junior League of Morristown
- The Bargain Box, also in Motown; proceeds support the Women's Assoc. at Morristown Memorial Hospital
- (I know there's more...will update shortly)
My own experience with area thrift shops is meager. I visited the Nearly New Shop, but since I was squeezing the visit in that day, I did not have enough time to do more than get the lay of the land. I also visited the Goodwill Store on Route 46W in Fairfield, NJ. It's a large-ish store. Clean. I spent a good amount of time checking out almost every department. I came away with one shirt, a royal blue 3/4 sleeve fitted number, for a grand total of $3.74. I thought it was about $7 (an amount which Laura would never pay), but some kind of discount appeared at the register. Everyone who has complimented me on it is informed, whether they wish it or not, of the enormity of the bargain that was had. I expect to mosey my way through more thrift shops and will let you know what I find and learn. I'm afraid I'm not much of a clothes person, so I imagine I'll be looking in the shops for other items as well.
I admit I seriously perused the baby clothes for something I could easily alter for Miles, but the most suitable item had the wrong team logo on it. I don't think Kevin could abide Miles, as adorable as he is, wearing a Philadelphia Eagles tee shirt.
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