Thrift Shops

I was wondering if anyone goes to these places and purchases used clothing like you would a yard sale ? Some people don't want to wear others clothes. I feel different about this cause my kids got used clothing when they were young cause they would just go out and dirty them up anyway so why not go to the used clothing store > I feel as long as it is clean,no stains, holes I would buy them. I also gave away clothing to the Goodwill when the kids wore them out. So what is your opinon about the stores ?

I buy 90% of my clothing from thrift stores and consignment shops; "Santa Claus" routinely gives me a Gift Certificate to my favorite consignment shop.  I have done this for well over 25 years, when I was earning a whole lot more/less than I am now.  The way I figure it, every penny I save on clothing can go towards a vacation or food for Ritz or the mortgage I now have.

Why pay $100 for new pre-washed jeans when you can go to the thrift store and get them that way for $6.  Or $25 for a tank top, the material cost being about $1 (I wear small sizes).

I do always wash the clothes that I buy in the thrift store/consignment shop.  I also rarely buy underwear or bras there (though I do buy exercise-type bras there).

Upon the advice of a chiropractor--who was a thrift store fanatic herself--I do not buy shoes at thrift stores because she said the soles of the shoes really do conform themselves to the original wearer and wouldn't re-conform to me.  (I have bad knees.)

Also, I have occasionally picked up cat condos, cat beds and other cat/dog supplies from thrift stores.  Ritz doesn't mind the smell.  She may not like the cat bed or blanket, but then she doesn't utilize them when I buy them new.

I've never been inside one, so I can't say anything about them.

I like thrift shops but I rarely find clothes I like that fit. But then I rarely find clothes I like that fit in regular stores, either! :lol3: If I need some cheap dishes or books or other things like that, thrift stores are the best. I will go rummage through the jeans section just to see if there are any of "my" jeans there, but I think everybody else is my size .

I do not like how they are set up clothes wise so I never buy any clothes.  I would rather go to kmart with the deep discounts at end of season and get clothes then(under a few bucks per shirt and jeans are $5-15.  Now household stuff/furniture for cats I go there often.  I have not been shopping much do to income and trying to pay off few bills.  But when I am not going there I ride around garbage days when I have something I need or do craigslist free stuff.

My experience has been that some people have a knack for them.  My BFF can go in and come out with foreign designer clothing.  The last time I tried I dont think anything ever came off the rack.  But it's been YEARS.  I'd like to look for the kids but it's so hard to shop with both of them I haven't made it.  We have one here that caters specifically to extremely gently used kids clothing and buys things too.  They encourage you to bring stuff to sell while you are there to shop.  Mostly I watch for good sales at other places or just shop ahead for my kids.  I rarely shop for myself. It's hard enough in regular stores.  Its even getting harder for my kids.  They are built like my DH with very long torsos; so if a shirt has shrunk at all it's likely DD's belly will hang out.  

I used to collect fabulous materials from what we call 'op shops' (opportunity shops).  I could find fabric from as far back as the 1920s.  It was amazing what people threw out!  However so many people started to do what I was doing to re-sell it it ceased to be fun.

I still have a good poke around though, just to see what's there. Now I've started knitting, I'm looking for wool, but most knitters have the same idea, so it's not easy to find.  Recently, though, I bought a Schlemmertopf terracotta clay cooking pot,  unused and with instructions and cook-book (RRP around $90) for $12.

I rarely buy clothes, but have found some good stuff, either unworn or it certainly looks that way.

It's another form of recycling, as far as I'm concerned.

And I donate whenever I have quality stuff I don't need.

Back in the 'dress to impress' days prior to retirement, I shopped the high-end resale shops in Dallas regularly landing a number of items that had never even been worn, original tags still on them, at dirt cheap prices in comparison to new.  My income would never have afforded me to shop at the Neiman Marcus like stores (I could have but I preferred paying rent & eating..LOL).  All of my adult life I donated clothes to various shelters in and around the Dallas area where I lived for 20+yrs.

Yesterday, the DH and I hit 3 local thrift shops just to see what they had and I came away with 5 new-to-me shirts for $21.00 and 3 of them were name brands I recognized and still had the original tags on them.  I think the stores are hit or miss overall but we like prowling through them.  

We have lots of friends that from finding quilting fabrics to making custom dog collars out of old belts believe the thrift shops are golden.

I like poking around thrift stores, but usually don't find much. Some of them smell very musty or moldy so it's tough for me to breathe and stay in them. 

l've never been to one, but now you've piqued my interest.

l did buy used clothes for the kids when they were little. l used ebay and bought high-end used stuff for the same price l would pay for low-end new stuff here. When they'd outgrown it, l would resell it on ebay and ended up clothing my children for next to nothing.

I've bought a few items on ebay, usually items I can't find at thrift stores like adult ballet shoes and adult ballet leotards.  At some thrift stores and all consignment shops, there are dressing rooms where you can try on the clothing.  For tops, I can look at the size and item and know if it will fit; pants are an entirely different story. 

Because of the economy, thrift stores have upgraded their look and clientele; they are "in".  Some have a designer section, where there are relatively high-end clothing priced higher than the average.

There are consignment shops and thrift stores in all zip codes; you'll find the best stuff in the highest rent areas.

I do agree, some of the thrift stores can smell musty.

I used to frequent thrift stores and second hand clothing stores. But now I've gained so much weight that it is rare to find something there that is in my size.  But some of my best dress finds have been in second hand or consignment shops.
 

I get most of my clothes second hand, I can find all sorts of original or unusual pieces that haven't been sold for yeeeaaaaars.

I bought most of my maternity clothes at thrift shops. They were basically new considering most people don't wear maternity clothes for more than like 5-6 months. I got jeans for $5 instead of the close to $100 brand new. I've looked at the baby clothes a few times but my daughter gets a lot of clothes passed down so I haven't had to buy much.

Speaking of hand me downs, when I was a kid I used to get clothes from my mum's friend's daughter (who is a year older than me). I always looked forward to when my mum visited her friend because I knew she'd come back with 2/3 bin bags full of clothes to try on. And then my sister followed suit with the other girl's sister. 

It may sound odd but I also like the smell of second hand clothes, it's like being a guest at the other person's house. 

i buy a lot of clothes at garage sales & thriftstores. i wear a small and usually have good luck. a lot of the stuff from garage sales still has pricetags on it sometimes

I grew up wearing hand me downs. I like my clothes new. Not that I buy clothes very often. I tend to restock jeans, shirts and sweaters, about once every ten years.

Like others have said, even when I do look, I never see anything I want/like/that fits. I think you have to make a regular practice of going to the store at least weekly, or even more often, to ever find anything decent. Since I hate to shop, that will never be a habit of mine, lol. Either that or, it takes a special knack.

Also, as Swampwitch mentioned, the smell in thrift stores really bothers me.

Does the smell bother your cats?  I ask because when I went to the library and brought home books, Ritz would always "review" them--lots of sniffing and 'reading' (pushing pages) with her nose.

I live in a large, +55 senior living subsidivision of Annapolis.  Given the average age of the population, there are a fair number of estate sales.  You can get some good deals there, especially on the 2nd day of a two-day sale.