10 Things to Thrift

A bit ago, the lovely Adrienne, with an assist from her equally lovely daughter, Tori, posted the ten items they like to look for in thrift shops.  That post inspired me to write a post about the ten items I like to look for.  And here they are, in no particular order.

Dresses

I know I said that this list was in no particular order, but dresses are probably my favorite item to thrift.  The majority of the dresses in my closet are thrifted and I can’t imagine that changing any time soon.

Scarf Print Blouses

I love scarf print blouses and though you can find them in retail stores, I prefer the authentic blouses from the 80s and 90s, festooned with jewels, chains, cherubs and gryphons.  Sometimes all at once!

80s Prom Dresses

Speaking of 80s, you can find some totally radical prom dresses at thrift stores.  With the exception of one year, all of my dresses for the 80s prom I attend every year have been thrifted.  And in the case above, so were my shoes, my headband of glory, my bag and my sunnies.

Skirts

I do thrift a lot of dresses, but I also thrift a lot of skirts.  In fact, I’d say the majority of my skirts, like my dresses, are thrifted.

Coats

Coats are a pretty great item to thrift, especially fancier coats, because people don’t wear them every day so they are often in pretty good shape.  I love coats but I don’t necessarily like shelling out the moolah for them so thrifting is a great way to build a coat wardrobe without spending too much.

Housedresses

As I admitted the other day, I am a housedress fanatic.  I wear them all the time and they’re all thrifted.  In fact, I’m not even sure where to get a housedress if it’s not at a thrift store.

Giant Sweaters

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away called The 1980s, people used to wear ridiculously oversized stuff.  Like giant sweaters that they paired with stirrup pants and flats.  I don’t know why, but they did.  And then they donated those sweaters to thrift stores for me to find and buy because they fit my giant self perfectly.  Thank you, kind citizens of the 80s!

Lady Ties

There are few things I like better than pairing a lovely, silky lady tie with pretty much everything.  You know who has lovely, silky lady ties for a song?  Thrift stores.

Brooches

If you’re looking for a signed rhinestone monstrosity of a brooch, you probably won’t find them at thrift stores.  But, if you’re looking for fun, glittery-but-not-gaudy everyday brooches, I strongly suggest thrifting them.  You can buy a whole cluster for less than ten bucks.

Belts

Belts, like coats, are another item that I don’t really like spending money on, even though I wear them constantly.  Happily, thrift stores carry a huge selection of belts, from leather to pleather to elastic to plastic.  And they’re generally pretty inexpensive too, which makes it easy to pull the trigger.

What about you, Reader Friends?  Do you shop at thrift stores?  What are some of your favorite items to look for?

Gracey