Goodwill buys

jamespowers · Sep 2, 2009

funneman said:
GOOD NEWS:
I left work early to pick up my daughter at cheerleading, had a few minutes to kill and headed over to the nearby Goodwill. Within minutes I found a like-new brown Harris Tweed Blazer and a Jos. A. Banks Harris knock-off in blue. They both fit perfectly. Cost, $5 each.

BAD NEWS:
It's ninety-freakin-degrees in Florida. I'll have to wait months before I can wear either one.
:-(

lol lol lol Now we know why we call you funneman.

tonyb · Sep 3, 2009

Not Goodwill, but yesterday, at another charity thrift store, the same one that has proven so reliable ...

A sage green double-breasted gabardine two-piece Geoffrey Beene suit. Jacket fits quite well, trousers just about perfect in the waist and seat, but a good two inches too short of leg. The seamstress lady assures me there's enough fabric to make 'em fit, but just barely enough.

Broken button on sleeve. We'll borrow an identical one from the waist closure and replace it with the closest match the seamstress can find. The belt will cover it anyway.

Twelve bucks plus tax. The alterations and cleaning will come to almost twice that, but still, I'm tickled by it.

davestlouis · Sep 26, 2009

Last visit, I thought I had hit the mother lode...a fat guy must have died, because there were shirts and suits galore in my size. The more I looked, the suits and sportcoats were all worn out, pockets falling apart, torn linings, etc., so I went home empty handed.

cookie · Sep 26, 2009

Sh** happens....

Lorrel Mae · Sep 26, 2009

Since I am unemployed, I have had to rely on my antique mall space, and etsy more. I am constantly doing thrift shop rounds in the Portland, area. Which means I hit at least two Goodwills, if not three DAILY. And spend HOURS combing them.

FYI:

For guys in the Portland area: I have seen quite a few double breasted peaked lapel men's jackets at the Cornell Goodwill. Repro, but pretty nice. There are usually some nice vintage inspired jackets too. There are also a bunch of bespoke jackets and suits from Korea and India?? Some businessman must have dropped off his wardrobe!

Sorry if it's off topic... :/

Daniel · Sep 27, 2009

I hit two or three local thrift stores (ARC) EVERY Saturday, and have for around ten years. I have...maybe three dozen suits? 300 neckties? All were cheap, all are quality, most are vintage.

With suits, the secret is to have a good tailor and know what they can fix. I use a little old Greek lady with a small shop in the Bohemian part of town. Suit sleeve shortening is $30.00, suspender buttons $11.00, etc. You need to find a tailor who will understand that a 1930's suit is a treasure, not a disgusting artifact from a bygone era. You also have to figure in the cost of dry cleaning.

All of this is important to determining the "final cost," so to speak, of an article of clothing. Minor moth holes can be mended by yourself with fabric repair patches, if they're not in a conspicuous area.

Keep looking, and be persistent. I've expanded my style sense from 1940's peaked lapels to early-60's mod, and either looks much better than 95% of what you'll see on the street.

tonyb · Sep 27, 2009

Lorrel Mae said:
Since I am unemployed, I have had to rely on my antique mall space, and etsy more. I am constantly doing thrift shop rounds in the Portland, area. Which means I hit at least two Goodwills, if not three DAILY. And spend HOURS combing them.

FYI:

For guys in the Portland area: I have seen quite a few double breasted peaked lapel men's jackets at the Cornell Goodwill. Repro, but pretty nice. There are usually some nice vintage inspired jackets too. There are also a bunch of bespoke jackets and suits from Korea and India?? Some businessman must have dropped off his wardrobe!

Sorry if it's off topic... :/

I do believe your post is on topic, although this one of mine may be venturing just a bit astray ...

If I'm understanding you correctly, you scour thrift shops, etc., for stuff you can resell, either at your antique mall space or online, right? I ask because while my own circumstances and disposition are such that I'm not likely to enter into such an enterprise myself, I do find it kinda fascinating. I'm a regular customer at a shop that sells all order of old stuff ("fun junk," the proprietress calls it). It's a full-time job and then some, I'm sure, and that's among the reasons I don't begrudge her whatever markup she makes on my purchases. And whatever profit she turns still leaves me paying considerably less than what a person might pay for comparable merchandise at, say, a vintage clothing store.

Lorrel Mae · Sep 27, 2009

Thrift shopping...

tonyb said:
I do believe your post is on topic, although this one of mine may be venturing just a bit astray ...

If I'm understanding you correctly, you scour thrift shops, etc., for stuff you can resell, either at your antique mall space or online, right? I ask because while my own circumstances and disposition are such that I'm not likely to enter into such an enterprise myself, I do find it kinda fascinating. I'm a regular customer at a shop that sells all order of old stuff ("fun junk," the proprietress calls it). It's a full-time job and then some, I'm sure, and that's among the reasons I don't begrudge her whatever markup she makes on my purchases. And whatever profit she turns still leaves me paying considerably less than what a person might pay for comparable merchandise at, say, a vintage clothing store.

Hi!

That's what I do! Though, I would like to be able to point out to individuals what I see on my rounds, and suggest a place to look for items, they themselves may seek. I have only started on this idea, with this thread!

Thank you sir!

I believe your little nutshell has summed up every thing I do, quite nicely!

Sincerely, Sandi

Lorrel Mae · Sep 27, 2009

Forgot to say....

I forgot to say, THANK YOU! for this comment: "I don't begrudge her whatever markup she makes on my purchases."

Many individuals do not feel this way.

Personally, if I want or like an item VERY much, little will stand in my way of purchasing it. I do not think about the fact that someone has found it at an estate sale. I do not think about how much less I can find something "similar".

In my heart, I know exactly what I want, and if I may make payments for it I will.

I have passed up some items, I know will never be found again. And so I try to purchase the ones I feel will leave a hole in my heart!

Sandi

Drew B · Sep 27, 2009

Lorrel Mae said:
so I try to purchase the ones I feel will leave a hole in my heart!

Sandi

Even if it leaves a hole in your pocket?

I do it too, it makes saving money kind of hard. However I have been good recently because I have been one of my nation's vital statistics (uh unemployed) but now I have a job I will once again plunge into trawling the refuse of others. Lucky for me though, most of it is rubbish where I live, but it IS worth it for the few finds that you do get.

Cheers,
Drew.

Lorrel Mae · Sep 27, 2009

Drew B: Yep!! Unfortunately, I don't save very well!

If you're in the area: I just came from the Tigard Value Village, there are a handful of men's vintage jackets there. A large bespoke suit that is dated '93, but looks older, a jacket dated 1963, and one that is unmistakably 50's.

Sandi

Ghostsoldier · Sep 28, 2009

Here's one of my recent 5-dollar finds....

There is no dated/manu tag; it was made in Romania, and appears to be a houndstooth pattern of some type...any idea what year/vintage this might be?
Rob

Marc Chevalier · Sep 28, 2009

Early to mid 1990s, I'd say.

.

sproily · Sep 28, 2009

Depends on what kind of material it is.. You can usually tell the age from the material.

Ghostsoldier · Sep 28, 2009

Marc Chevalier said:
Early to mid 1990s, I'd say.

.

Thanks, Marc. The material feels a bit on the modern side, slick and lightweight, if you know what I mean. I wasn't 100-percent sure it was vintage, and the details don't lend themselves to dating it very old...you have confirmed my suspicions.

Rob

sproily · Sep 28, 2009

fftopic: This isn't exactly Goodwills nor a suit but I didn't feel like opening a new thread..

If someone has a better thread please do tell!

I found this at a thrift store, 3€ (USD 4,4)

I recognized the make so I bought it. I also reckon it is unused since there was another one with bold red stripes on white background and it had some sort of cardboard bowtie contraption on the collar. Signaling that it wasn't even opened from the package. Although there was no cellophane.

French cuffs.

It's slightly too big for me and I'm not too sure what to do with it. Do you think I could get it sold?

cookie · Sep 28, 2009

They are worth GBP25-30 new online - more in the highstreet shop. Pink is a high quality UK Jermyn Street shirt.

WideBrimm · Sep 29, 2009

Marc Chevalier said:
If you're a fella, don't forget to always check the ladies' section for men's jackets, suits, overcoats, and more. Sometimes Goodwill workers (and customers too) mistakenly hang men's clothing in the ladies' section ... and vice-versa, though not so often.
.

This is true. Its especially true for hats as in fedoras. Most people have no idea as to the differences in mens vs. womens brands nor the difference in placement of bows on fedoras.

jamespowers · Sep 29, 2009

davestlouis said:
Last visit, I thought I had hit the mother lode...a fat guy must have died, because there were shirts and suits galore in my size. The more I looked, the suits and sportcoats were all worn out, pockets falling apart, torn linings, etc., so I went home empty handed.

:eusa_doh: Well, at least you tried.

MsStabby · Oct 1, 2009

sproily said:
fftopic: This isn't exactly Goodwills nor a suit but I didn't feel like opening a new thread..

If someone has a better thread please do tell!

I found this at a thrift store, 3€ (USD 4,4)

I recognized the make so I bought it. I also reckon it is unused since there was another one with bold red stripes on white background and it had some sort of cardboard bowtie contraption on the collar. Signaling that it wasn't even opened from the package. Although there was no cellophane.

French cuffs.

It's slightly too big for me and I'm not too sure what to do with it. Do you think I could get it sold?

Pink make an excellent shirt, and they are quite sought after on ebay.

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