Thrifting Queen

33 Comments

• jenanded replied 11 years ago

  HI Shannon. I think these are such interesting insights... I have started noting these in my little fashion notebook so I don't make them again... But I do find myself going to eithe same stores/designers/colours that I don't wear but at least it makes me THINK through why I keep hunting them down... Expensive mistakes happen alas but I at least feel I try to consign these. But I feel worse when I add up the thrifts/sales and realise I could have been wearing prada (or the like :-))... Happy closet archaeology...

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Exactly! I used to say "oh I can't afford that" - well actually I COULD if I stopped buying stuff that's inexpensive but doesn't work.

  Don't get me wrong - I have found some absolutely WONDERFUL things via thrifting - handbags, jewelry, etc. But clothing wise, not so much (other then when I find something Cleo Petite which always fits me well). I also don't include my vintage items that I purchase from an legitimate vintage store - this isn't thrifting to me.

• Krista replied 11 years ago

  That is so interesting! And seriously insightful! I wonder if it's the thrill of the hunt with the thrifted items?

• Deborah replied 11 years ago

  Interesting observation Shannon and one I would concur with. I have done the same to find also that most of the donate pile were thrifted . I am getting better at making wiser purchasing decisions particularly when thrifting, infact I am not thrifting as much. I also think I can't afford certain things but I guess I really could if I stopped the random emotional purchases!

• tarzy replied 11 years ago

  This is a huge discovery!

  Last year I basically stopped buying things just because they were on sale. I decided to buy things that I loved, that fit, that made me look good, and that I needed (filled a wardrobe function. Great blazer? Yes. Ball gown, not so much.)

  I bought the pair of Frye boots I really wanted, even though they cost three times the pair that was kinda sorta similar. And you know what? I LOVE those boots and wear them all the time and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I wear them I'm happy. They feel good, they look good, and they are going to last for years.

  Of course, this may not work for someone who prefers a lot of variety. I could only buy one pair of boots instead of several, but it's not just about cost per wear, it's also about joy per wear (JPW) and I've got a (smaller) wardrobe that gives me a lot of joy right now!

• velvetychocolate replied 11 years ago

  I've been cleaning my closet out this weekend too TS - and I'm noticing something similar - a lot of the things that I bought on some kind of clearance/sale are being pitched in some fashion or another. I'm not talking about things I got on sale via NAS or what have you, but more like the times I went into Kohl's (discount clothing store in the US) or TJ Maxx (similar to Winners) and bought a whole bunch of "stuff" just because I needed clothes and the prices were good. Loads and loads of mistakes in there for me. It's not that there aren't fab finds in these places, but I'm *terrible* because I end up buying a bunch of stuff just because the prices are so good - and it's mostly these items that I'm having to clear out now. So yes, I can relate to what you're saying. Same thing happens to me.

  I like the idea of going into these places and just looking for some really nice accessories, maybe a passing glance at the clothes, but not trying to shop for wardrobe items at these types of stores.

  I've been putting off clearing out my closet (I've had to do it multiple times over the last couple of years) - and now I know why - it's because I didn't want to face the fact that I've made so many mistakes. In the end though, it's a good exercise - seeing where I've been going wrong. It's those "deals" I thought were so great...ha! They aren't deals if I don't wear them and don't feel all that great in them.

  Meanwhile, you got some excellent items that look fabulous on you through NAS and it sure seems to me that you're getting really good at this!

• catgirl replied 11 years ago

  Yes, that's been my situation too and that's why I thrift much less now, or at least much more selectively. Just thrifted a sweatshirt and exercise jacket today, though.

• Thistle replied 11 years ago

  This is really insightful. It does make me realize I should also start a fashion notebook!

  Now that you know, you will have a heads up to not make the same mistake. I think that would help us all to make better choices.

• Jaime replied 11 years ago

  I know just what you mean Shannon. In my case it goes more like things I thrifted a while ago, at the charity shop, are long gone, whereas things for which I paid something worth mentioning (probably at a consignment shop) are still around. Not exclusively but there is definitely something to it.

• RunningSue replied 11 years ago

  I have started taking that advice to heart. After years of the 'thrill of the sale', I started working with a Nordstrom stylist who listened to my needs and budget. She has sold me full price stuff that I really love that I never would have thought I could afford. She told me that if I stopped shopping sale things and just bought what she picked out for me, I would end up saving money and have no clothing orphans. I have noticed that what she picks flatters me and fits so well. We have altered a few things and I have bought items that I never would have thought would look good on me. I am hoping this strategy works for me. I need to convince myself that I do not need multiples of the same thing, especially if I am not even wearing them!

  I brought back all the things I had bought at Nordstrom that still have its price tag on (the amount returned was truly embarrassing) and I am doing my best to not shop. The one good things is my closet cleaning ended up getting me my money back rather than me having to consign/donate. But I am motivated to get out of my buy sale/return item rut.

  I hope we all succeed.

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  Great insights, Shannon.

  I've almost entirely stopped pure "thrifting." I still do go to the consignment store and to my amazing vintage store in Toronto (though I've only actually made purchases there once.)

  I'm finding that the items I buy on consignment are very hit and miss - which is one reason it's hard to stop going, in fact! This past season I bought my fuchsia silk suit, a black cotton top, my Marni-esque full cotton skirt on consignment. The suit "cost" $20 or something, and the skirt and top were "free."

  The suit was tough. I never wore the trousers (and didn't bother paying for alterations as I just didn't think it was worth it). I wore the jacket maybe 3 times. (It's just not the right cut for me, gorgeous as the colour and fabric are). I did wear the top at least 7 times, however, and for $20 I guess it all evens out in CPW and JPW (love that new acronym!) Especially since I'm pretty sure I'll wear that top again next year.

  Meanwhile, the skirt and top were TOTAL wardrobe workhorses for me this summer. I wore each of them at least once a week.

  It's finds like that, that make it tougher to give up consignment shopping!

  But let me talk about sales. Sales in regular stores, I mean. They remain the bane of my wardrobe existence. Again, I find some good stuff. Stuff I really enjoy wearing. And I do find that I'll sometimes experiment with a new colour or cut at a sale, whereas I still hesitate to do that if an item is full price and I'm unsure about it.

  And yet....by and large, the stuff I don't wear much is the stuff I've bought on sale.

  My main trouble, though, is that I'm just not as good a planner as you are. You seem to have a very clear idea of what you need. I feel totally in the dark about this. I honestly have no idea, even after making list after list after list. I'll pull things out, try to imagine outfits, put the stuff on....and I STILL don't have a very clear grasp on what my holes are. I think this comes from years of absolutely ignoring fashion. I wore a T shirt and jeans and that was it. A sweater if it was cold. So how would I know what I would need to make an outfit? Know what I am saying?

  I'm starting to think that in addition to thinking in terms of item/outfit/capsule I need to think very, very specifically in terms of THIS (or that) PARTICULAR OCCASION. What will I wear to workout in in June? How about November? What will I wear to this afternoon presentation in September at the Seniors' Residence? What will I wear when I'm working at home, sitting on my saddle chair but meeting remotely with colleagues? What will I wear when I go to lunch with my super-casual friend? How about when I meet my poet friend for drinks at night? What about date night with hubs? Or when I go on this or that trip?

  It sounds ridiculous, but I am beginning to think that for me, it's truly the only way. Otherwise I still end up with a lot of boring basics (some of which duplicate other basics), a lot of subpar essentials that don't necessarily work together (because I buy them on sale instead of recognizing that these are the core of my wardrobe and deserve a bit of attention), a few (very few) statement items....and almost no sense of my own "signature."

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Thanks Krista, Deborah, Tarzy, VC, Una, Thistle, Shevia, RunningSue and Suz! I appreciate knowing that I'm not the only one with this issue.

  I always thought I would be a die hard thriftier but I'm starting to wonder about that. I don't want to have to work so hard to make an item work with my wardrobe and on me

  If an item is better quality and pricier, I definitely think longer and harder about whether or not it is a good purchase.

  Sue - sales are a funny thing, aren't they? For me, I'm learning that I will shop sales but I need to fall in love with the item when it was first shown full price and I've just waited for it to go on sale. The problem is with items that are on the sale the very first time I see them. Those are the ones where the cheap price sways me before I've really had a chance to think about whether or not the item is needed or right for me.

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  My problem may be partly too few opportunities really to shop.

  I'm still wary of online shopping for all the reasons you understand all too well - I mean cross border online. And for other online I am pretty much limited to BR and sometimes GAP for jeans....maybe Old Navy for denim jackets. Although I need to try Cleo petites more, as you have taught me.

  I think Kingston is probably even more of a shopping wasteland than Winnipeg. And I think, also, that I still lack the shopping know-how. I get easily overwhelmed in a store. I can't even see straight. I would love someone like Angie to help me sort things through.

• annagybe replied 11 years ago

  Actually I did a huge purge back in the spring right before the Seattle swap. My orphans and purged items were actually Angie picks. The ones she recommends for everyone, not ones she approved on me specifically. Am I really that much of a contrarian?

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  Interesting, Anna.

  I'll bet it's more like this: Angie's picks tend to be items that she thinks may work well for a broad group of people.

  Your style is so distinctive and you change things up so often that if it works for the masses, it's not likely to feel like "you." Or it won't go with other stuff you have.

• RunningSue replied 11 years ago

  Shannon, I have put something in my cart at full price and waited for it to go on sale to buy it. By then though, I really did not want it anymore and the season was almost ending. So now, I will buy things before the season so I can enjoy wearing them. The nice things about living in Seattle is that most clothing items can be worn year round. Our summers are so short and winters are relatively mild so most items can be layered. Being a petite I normally do not even bu petite top but wear short sleeves under cardigans or jackets with a scarf in the winter (or turn the heat way up!)

  I do veer right to the sale rack when I go shopping since it has been the way my family has always shopped. Actually paying full retail was wasteful and with our current economy, most stuff does eventually go on sale. But my promise to myself is to avoid shopping altogether so I do not continue to buy things just because they are on sale. I will spend all the extra time I have practicing to teach body pump and studying for my ACE certification. And playing with my kids. Good reasons to stop sale shopping, don't you think?

• Echo replied 11 years ago

  Shannon, I agree that the items I see and covet at full price are great buys on sale, but I, too, have difficulty with the items I see first and only when they are on sale. It is hard to separate the idea that it is a great deal from whether I truly love the item. I purchased two swimming suits mid-season on sale that I wanted at full price. And I ended up wearing them both more than the inexpensive one I bought as a substitute. As far as CPW went, the pricier items were a better bargain, and still would have been a bargain at full price.

  I don't thrift, but sale purchasing is very similar in nature. I think your closet revelation will make a lot of us rethink our purchases!

• RunningSue replied 11 years ago

  Suz, does Shopbop now offer free international shipping? If so, I like their selection. I have ordered and kept a number of things. Ordering and returning is really easy and their customer service is great.

• Gaylene replied 11 years ago

  That's interesting, Anna, because I had the same thing happen when I sorted through my closet. The items that I bought from NAS last year that were Angie's picks have, for the most part, just hung in my closet. I think I got caught up in the excitement and ordered the items without really thinking of when and where I'd actually wear them. It's a good lesson for me to have learned--the item can be beautiful, but, if it doesn't work for your day-to-day life, it probably doesn't need to be in your closet.

  And, Shannon, while I don't thrift, I'd say that 50% of my sales "scores" also end up in the recycle bag. That's why I keep trying to remind myself that, if I wouldn't pay full price for it, I should really think twice before I buy it just because it's on sale.

• Deborah replied 11 years ago

  Shannon I think I will always thrift and I think you will too but we just become more discerning. I love the excitement of finding something really special. Like the two jackets I picked up this year. Both designer, current and brand new. (#1 & 2) And then there are the items that are in thirft shops that are genuine vintage and you pick them up for almost nothing (#3)... I love that.

  1 2 3
• Scarlet replied 11 years ago

  Yup, this is why I am not much of a sale shopper--it clouds my judgement. I love the beginning of the season when there is a big assortment available and I just stick to a set budget. Thrifting is a great skill though. I just don't have the patience and imagination required.

• fashionista replied 11 years ago

  Yes I have that one dressy t-shirt from Zara. White and black with upper part sheer white with a bow on the upper left side and lower part attached lycra type hugging my waist and hips. But I can't wear it with jeans, too long for jeans and cant wear it with leggings. The lower part of the blouse is black and black leggings along would look ghastly (I have tried it). I am not into colored bottoms that much. No colored leggings or jeans. So I wear it, take it off and wear something else again. An expensive mistake I guess. I don't know how to dress it up.

• jayne replied 11 years ago

  This thread is awesome, and helps me cement the same conclusion. Price should not play a factor in whether you like or dislike an item. It is only the factor on when you purchase it. I actually forgot to look at price yesterday when I was trying to find my cocktail dress. I figured I would deal with that when I found the options that worked for me.

  I track my clothes in excel with both price and y or n on it being a sales item. After my first purges this year I discovered also that sale was more often in the 'out' pile and that I rarely bought full price. Buying full price, or at least, staying away from the back of the store sale rack, has been in practice since. I am now heading into my first season where most of the clothes are new (60%) and those that are new are bought full price. A few sales items are in there but that came at a sale price that is usually what I would consider full price (if you know what I mean). SO I have really upped my game.

  The real test comes in November/december when I should have been wearing this fall wardrobe some and can see if I used and enjoyed it as much as i hope I will. There is n guarantee yet that shopping with perfect fit and a list in mind (and not purchase cost per item) is really going to work for me...but i sooooo hope it does.

  by the way, what is JPW -- joy per wear??

• jenanded replied 11 years ago

  Yes this IS a great post... I too had always had the dont spend on yourself upbringing but the add ups on the dodgy sale items is just deceiving. I really am starting to realise I don't need a squillion clothes, not multiples, I need to spend more time selecting the very best items for me and enjoy them. As Running SUe found, I have had great sucess with working with a store advisor. I am also sick of the TIME I spend looking for the right pieces. Maybe these lists of personal basics we did earlier this week are so important so we can hone right on in on them and then just enjoy a few special extras. The interesting thing w my fashion notebook is that I started it in 2005 when I paid for a local Angie for the very shortest time I could,,, and the list she came up for me way back then remains at the heart of my basics list... Its an intersting reflection but I am getting sick of spending so much time and money on clothes as others have noticed. Suz, i wonder I would actually WELCOME not being close to shops, I can literally see the main city mall from my kitchen window,,,

• Lyn D. replied 11 years ago

  I agree Shannon that if you are into thrifting there will be a lot in the purge pile.
  For me it has been because these items are inexpensive, so are worth trying as a new style direction or whatever, and I don't hesitate as much about tossing if they don't work. I tend not to exchange these items but prefer to re-thrift them as the takings go back to a good cause.
  I am becoming more cautious in my thrifting too now, trying to stick to my need list rather than wants so much.

• Kristin L replied 11 years ago

  I've noticed a similar trend. When I clean out my closet, a lot of items were either thrifted or on sale. I feel like it's hardwired into my brain sometimes that if it's cheap, it has to be a good buy and I must buy it right then! It may not be here later if I change my mind. While I still love thrifting (and shopping sales), I've been making myself stop and ask a couple of questions.
  1) Is this something I've been searching for/will it fill a hole in wardrobe?
  2) Do I have something in my closet that's similar to this?
  3) Am I buying it because it's on sale/a really good price?
  4) What will I wear it with?

  It doesn't always work, but I think it's helping me cut down on the number of impulse buys.

• cheryle (Dianthus) replied 11 years ago

  Shannon, I watch your style evolution more closely than I do most of the group because we have met in person. It seems to me that you wear a semi fitted dress silhouette or close to knee length skirt most often and your booties are the go to item for all but the hottest months. The jackets and bags are often where you bring in your slightly funky twist. You may gravitate to other silhouettes on occasion but these are your best friends and the ones you go to without working on it.

  Just a few observations.

  I also tend to buy what is on sale and then rarely wear the items. I blame it on the weight fluctuations but it has always been an issue - it is just more pronounced now. I am trying to buy fewer items now and only those that I really like. If I say something like, "it looks so good but could be just a smidge roomier there", it is not an item I should buy even if it comes on sale. I am still working on it and think I am improving but I make almost as many of these blunders on the pricier items (J Brand skinnies never worn) so need to be more cautious.

  Very good thread.

• 2tonsils replied 11 years ago

  I like to have a mix and match wardrobe that will cover most events in my life. Before I buy I think of the different types of events I go to and try to have an assortment of clothes to fit those lifestyles.

  I live in Greece and we have too very clear seasons here...summer is extremely hot (113 in the shade for three months this year) and cold, dry winters which can also be warm and very wet.

  I have one lot of clothes for day wear which are mostly sports clothes (I spend a lot of time doing sports or at the gym), another more dressy general day wear and a set for evening wear..all of which mix and match. I wear about 85 percent of my wardrobe.

  This year I have altered a lot of my clothes to look different and have swapped clothes I no longer want for shortages in my wardrobe. I have to save money where I can as the austerity measures are making it very hard here. If I have the choice of clothes or food to eat, the food has to win every time.

  I am trying to get my head around my autumn /winter wardrobe right now, but its difficult when its still over 100 degrees in the shade. I am longing to wear my boots and sweaters again and to light the fire!

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Wow - such great replies ladies! Clearly there are many of us that let the price sway our clear thinking.

  Anna - I completely agree with Suz's analysis as to why Angie's NAS picks ended up being orphans for you.

  Dianthus - I really appreciate your observations regarding my style. And you are right - those are absolutely THE items I gravitate to the most. Thank you.

  I will always thrift as I do indeed enjoy the "hunt" but I'm becoming much more picky on the items I reach for. This fall will be the first season where I've purchased several items and my wardrobe will be around 80-85% new clothing - normally my wardrobe is about 80-85% thrifted clothing. It will be interesting to see how things stand at the end of fall/winter with respect to number of times things have been worn.

  And yes - JPW is "joy per wear"!

• mrseccentric replied 11 years ago

  i have to come back to read all the thots but had to chime in and say THANK YOU SHANNON! i have a small budget and get a lot of pressure to thrift as a result, but for a number of reasons it does not work for me. Thrifting has some truly great upsides but it has some significant downsides as well. It is by no means an effective strategy for everyone.

  Thank you and happy closet cleaning :) steph

• celia replied 11 years ago

  Interesting observations.
  From your WIW I think that you have great items and enough variety in your wardrobe. The items you bought at this NAS are truly amazing and you have a great head start for Fall and probably winter.
  The old question of quantity vs quality(if this can be equivalent in terms of quality , as in more money means more quality)makes me think if we truly budget.
  If we had say $500 per season as a budget and we knew that or budget would always be this or even less would we buy several items or would we buy good quality, well fitting items, things that we would still love next year and give ourselves the bonus of next fall not to have to substitute this item but buy something different and then have more quantity, what would we do?
  Although I don't thrift I also buy things just because they are cheaper and because I do love the thrill of the 'hunt'.And then I arrive at the end of the season thinking that if i hadn't bought 10 not so interesting items just because they were cheap I could have bought ,say, those incredible boots that were more expensive and would have actually been useful during the past season.
  I the last year I have been using the same kind of reasoning that Suz as , thinking about what activities I have for a certain period of time and what I need for them

  Sorry for writing so much.

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Steph - you're welcome!

  Celia - please don't apologize for writing your thoughts. That's exactly the conclusion I came to while cleaning my closet. If I hadn't bought 10 so-so items at $10 each, I could have purchased something better that could have had a significant impact on my wardrobe.

  Just wish I wasn't so slow to learn some of this!!!

• Ariel replied 11 years ago

  Wow this is a good thread!

  I toss, I just realized as I went through it in my head, almost ALL the items I buy on sale. Oh good lord. I should stay away from sales ... Or stay away from them unless I'm feeling so fabulous that day I'll be immune to bargain hunting thrills and chills. Maybe get on YLF right before I go :p

  But! I love my thrifted items. I almost never give them up until they've been worn through. They are the bulk of my beloved items. When I buy more expensive pieces I tend to wear them because I feel like I should an they look fine, not because I love them. My thrifted items I love. Why on earth? My only theory is that I buy more boring and quote unquote versatile when I'm paying more. And the items bore me. There's some truth I that I think.

  Still, thrift-and-tailor shopping is my tried and true strategy. You get variety of time period and brand and nothing is too trendy or clone-like and everything fits because you spent the money to make it fit.