Who shops at resale outlets?

[prolesunited]

There's a huge one near our house and I'm starting to become a fan.

At first, the (lack of organization) and ambiance were a little off putting compared to a typical retail experience. But, by casting it as a treasure hunt in my my mind has helped.

The last time I went, I found name-brand wool sweaters, like Land's End, in mint condition. This latest foray, I got a shirt with the original tags on it, a Liz Claiborne lacey T , and two other more mid-range designer shirts. I also got 3 display stands for these butterflies my mom had given me, a plant stand, and a mesh basket with dragonflies on it that I am going to use as a planter. All of it for a grand total of $10.81!

In these rough times, the prices can't be beat and it's a great way to recycle, too.

What have your experiences been like?

[dropkickpa]

1. Yopu mean thrift store shopping?

Love it, but you gotta know where to go. There's some in certain areas where you can score good stuff, others that are incredibly picked over. You gotta be in the know when it comes to shopping them!

[eyesroll]

2. I do thrift rather than consignment...and I've done really well.

I got a Talbot's wool suit (something I would never actually buy at Talbots--MSRP around $300) for $12. A Tahari black pantsuit, with the tags still on it, for $16. Apparently never-worn knee-high black boots for $3 (that got me around Europe without blisters).

Most of the clothes I own come from thrift stores, vintage stores, yard sales, and clothing swaps. (Mom: "When you're making Big Lawyer Money you won't need to shop secondhand!" Me: "Maybe I won't need to, but I still will.")

[DarkTirade]

3. I don't usually find good stuff in places like that...

but the few good things I find make it worth stopping to look now and then. :)

I've gotten two good sets of headphones for about a quarter what they're worth at places like that, and I got a bad-ass leather trenchcoat at a thrift store a while back for 25 bucks. That much leather alone woulda cost over a hundred. (which, coincidentally, was why I was shopping. I'd been dabbling in leatherwork, but leather's expensive. So I stopped by the thrift store to see if there was anything I could buy and then cut up. But the jacket was just so bad-ass that I couldn't bring myself to cut it up.)