Monday, April 26, 2010

the thrill of thrifting



this past weekend, I went to 4th street, a small block of vintage stores, in LBC with my girlfriend michelle. i feel horrible for not remembering the name of this store...but there's a vintage store on this street that holds a $1-$2 sale every 3rd weekend of the month. this is something you have to see for yourself, but just imagine the backyard of the store with 8 feet tall MOUNDS of clothes. i'm not joking. it's hundreds of old T's and dresses and jackets, piled hiiigh (oh, they have shoes & bags too). hipsters and thrifters alike, claiming their "spot" - digging, scanning for stains (yuck), throwing it in their trashbag of goods, or tossing off for the next person. 

like any girl, i love sales. but sorting through this pile of old gold, and being able to find some buried treasure is EXHILARATING and much much more gratifying. especially when each item is a buck or two. 

pictured above are the few things i found. coincidentally, all very florally (how fitting), AND i also spotted a faux fur coat. and you know how much i lovesss the fur. 

if you're interested in stopping by this place next month, here are a few tips from me to you:

1. dress comfortably. and preferably in clothes that you can try your finds over. think sample sale-wear.

2. don't bring in your purse! just warning you, when you get into the zone, you may forget about your belongings and end up burying it. and plus, you want to be hands free!

3. no need to think twice. because of the price, and the fact that there's prob gonna be 3 other girls eyeing what you found, just throw it in your bag. first instincts are there for a reason!

4. don't worry about sizing. there's nothing a skinny belt, a pair of scissors, or needle & thread can't do. the yellow dress I found had these grandma sleeves on them, but I loved the rest of the dress so much that I just cut the seams off. now it's an amazing sleeveless summer dress!

5. DETAILS! DETAILS! DETAILS! buttons, sequins, fabric, inner lining...if all are still in tact, you definitely got lucky! like the floral cardigan and yellow dress I found, it had all its glass buttons in tact and I was so happy. 

6. have fun! vintage thrifting is meant for you to find one-of-a-kind items. mix and match with your regular clothes & you're sure to get compliments. nothing beats knowing that you're the ONLY one who has what you found. 

7. if you have allergies, TAKE SOME MEDICINE! you are, after all, sitting on a pile of dusty clothes, but don't let that discourage you! :)


photo'd above: 2 summer dresses, pleated floral skirt, floral crop jacket, & faux fur coat. 
not photo'd: michelle's tweed jacket & striped top.

all = $11

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