99% of my wardrobe is from thrift stores. Goodwill and others. I actually prefer other local thrifts to Goodwill mainly because Goodwill is a bit silly with their pricing.
If you have Thrift Town nearby (Texas, Utah, California and New Mexico all have locations) you should check them out. The one in my town is consistently voted "best thrift store" in town, every year, and it deserves it. Clean, organized, good prices, and friendly staff.
As for the "ick" factor; I hope those who feel that way realize that anything they try on in a department store could have been tried on before you by someone with hygiene issues, no underwear, open sores, etc. So I don't see the difference, but it's no skin off my nose -- the more people who feel that way, the more stuff available for me to find and buy!
As for brands and quality; today I am wearing Eddie Bauer cords, a Talbot's short sleeve tee, and an Ann Taylor cardigan, all thrifted, all in excellent condition, total $12. The cardigan had the tags still on it with a retail price of $58.
My shoes were also new/unworn and a thrift store purchase; Dansko tooled leather clogs that I paid more than usual for ($14.99) considering that they were unworn and retail for about $125.
Yesterday I also picked up 3 vintage cameras for $8 a piece that I can re-sell for $50 plus each.
I have been buying at thrift stores for as long as I can remember, specifically after I had my first child, and selling on ebay as well as a result of my thrifting habits. I started back when I wanted cuter baby clothes than what I could normally afford, and didn't like what was available at discount stores for little boys clothes. Yes, it takes patience, but to me the savings are well worth it and I love the fact that I can get "bored" with a piece and not feel guilty about getting rid of it since it probably cost me less than five bucks in the first place. I love having an ever-changing wardrobe. When I get tired of stuff I either give it away to friends, donate it back to a thrift, or sell it as a "lot" on eBay (depending on brands and condition).
I buy all of our family's clothes at thrift shops, actually, and have always been complimented on how my kids are dressed.
I could make a list of amazing finds but it would take all afternoon. To hit the highlights though: a Chanel dress, paid $7 and sold for $350, several St. John knit suits over the years that I re-sold for a few hundred each (and paid no more than $15 for any of them), an Armani sports coat that I paid $5 for and sold for $200, a few Betsey Johnson dresses with the tags still on them that I sold for $125 a piece, and a very weird pair of rare Levi's that I paid $2 for and sold for over $500 so a bidder in Japan who was a collector of specific and rare Levi's. I don't even pretend to understand the whole Levi obsession but ok. I didn't even know there were rare (not vintage) Levi's until that pair fell into my lap.
That's just off the top of my head.
I don't buy bras/socks/undies at thrifts but I do know that Goodwill sells new undies, not used (at least here).. they are often from packs that were torn open and they sell them individually.
I also think that the GW stores here in my town re-distribute their donated goods so that it isn't necessarily the case that something donated on the wealthy side of town will be sold at the goodwill over there. I think they sort it and send it out to all the stores, because I have found some of the priciest and fanciest items at the stores on the poorest parts of town and vice versa.
I agree with the idea that the best plan for thrifting is to just go and see what you find. I have found that anytime I am looking for something specific, it is as if the universe is working against me finding that thing. You go looking for a red sweater, you will find everything BUT a red sweater that works for you! You will find a ton of ugly red sweaters, or tiny red sweaters or huge red sweaters. Something akin to Murphy's law of thrifting?
For example, I have been looking for a purse for a month now. A simple enough purse but with specific needs. I keep looking and keep ending up buying other stuff and I am
not finding a purse that will suit my needs (strap length, must be big enough to hold a notebook for school, must not have gold hardware, needs to be leather)... when I need a very specific item, that is when I just give in and go to a regular retail store, lest I end up making six trips to look for a purse and coming home with $20 worth of stuff each trip and no purse!
Oh and one last thing.. I love the Macklemore song, I realize it is supposed to be funny but parts of it ring
so true! Especially the part where he talks about "Limited edition, let's do some simple addition" and mentions $50 for a t-shirt. (you can Google the rest of the lyrics if you aren't familiar with them, too many words that will end up censored here).
I think I "ruined" my kids' idea of what's reasonable for clothes... they were both shocked and appalled when their paternal Grandparents took them shopping and bought them $30 plain black t-shirts and $50 pairs of jeans at the mall! They wanted to take them back and get the $$ and go thrift store shopping instead.
My oldest son tells me "Mom! I could buy eight pairs of jeans for the price of one, that's nuts!"
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