Earlier this week I gave you guys a look at what I wore during my San Francisco trip. But you know I couldn’t venture to a new city without checking out the thrift shopping scene. Let me tell you, San Fran thrifting is amazing! I thrifted last year in L.A. but the Bay Area is by far {in my opinion} superior and more convenient. I actually had two days of secondhand shopping, but for today, let’s focus on the shopping I did in the Mission. Chandra from MoMoMod suggested I check this area out and I’m glad she did.

The Mission is a pretty colorful neighborhood in its design {peep the awesome mural above} and the eccentric personalities. My first stop of the day was Thrift Town {2101 Mission St}. As soon as I walked in, I knew I was going to become BFFs with Thrift Town. It was organized and massive: two floors and pretty spread out.

People frequently tell me they feel overwhelmed when walking in to a thrift store, but nowadays, more of them are organizing based on garments and even color.

On the day I was there, anything with a blue tag was half off, so I naturally went looking for blue tagged items. After an hour of shopping, I had an overflowing cart of goodies that needed to be paired down, as I wanted everything to fit in my large carry-on.

I ended up buying…

Sweetheart neckline H&M dress

An oversized, silk shirt

Satin LBD from Express

A sturdy straw bag, which is perfect for summer

In total I spend $17 {the pink dress wasn’t half off, grr}. After getting a bite to eat {thrifting is a serious work out}, I made my way to Mission Thrift {2330 Mission St}

…but it was closed!

However, there was no need for disappointment, I walked a few blocks over to Valencia Street where there are a few other secondhand shops. I randomly stumbled in to Community Thrift but I was less than impressed and walked out five minutes later. But I hit the jackpot with Clothes Contact {473 Valencia St}, a vintage shop where clothes are $10 per pound.

This was another store where items were organized by decades {50s, 60, etc} and even fun categories like 80s sparkle, velvet and cocktail.

The garments here were amazing, especially if you favor girly dresses, sequins or vintage blouses. However, I did notice stains, tears and missing sequins and beads on quite a few pieces, so as with any secondhand shop, inspect everything closely.

I spent close to two hours in the shop and picked up almost a dozen pieces {high waisted jean shorts, cropped top, skirts, etc.} for $31 but below are three of my top pieces…

Though I’ve heard you’re not supposed to wear a Boy Scouts shirt unless you were an actual member, there were two racks of troop shirts and I had to get this badge-heavy one.

Clothes Contact also had a large bin of lingerie {slips, garter belts, etc} that was so reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Call me crazy but I want to wear this slip as a dress, by either wearing something underneath or adding a liner. It has such a summery, breezy feel.

My favorite piece has to be this black gown I found on the “90s prom” rack. Lace bodice with metal clasps and a slit up the back, what’s not to love? I have no idea where I’ll wear this, but I love it.

I didn’t have time or energy left to check out the Goodwill {1580 Mission St} but I ened up scoring some pieces at Goodwill on Haight St. a few days later.

Check back next week for part two of my San Francisco thrifting trip. The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood has back to back thrift and vintage stores and I found some great thrift store scores.

If you have a closet full of clothes that are just collecting dust and taking up space, why not revamp your wardrobe? I’m looking for a woman who will let me go through her closet and tell her how she can cash in on those old clothes. During the Pix 11 segment, we’ll find creative ways so you can get rid of the old and free up some cash for a new wardrobe! Updating your style on a budget is something we can all use, especially with the upcoming summer months.

You should:

• Live in NYC
• Be available to film Tuesday {5/22} morning and afternoon
• Allow myself and the camera person access to your home and closet
• Have awesome, gently worn clothes you need to get rid of

• name
• age
• occupation
• where you live
• what kinds of clothes you’re looking to get rid of
• please include a photo of yourself and if possible, your closet and some clothes

The segment will be fun {peep my other Savvy Shopper videos here}, so send those emails in ASAP!

During my first day in the city I went for a denim top {Salvation Army} and cobalt blue maxi skirt {Goodwill}. The skirt was actually free because I redeemed my Goodwill Rewards Card points. If you’re a serious Goodwill thrift shopper, check with your local store to see if they have one of these cards, you won’t regret it.

To make the shirt a bit more casual, I cuffed the sleeves and knotted the ends.
I left the heels at home {the hills of San Fran are no joke!} so my feathered flats from Housing Works were my constant companion and though I was on vacay, I still had to whip out a few accessories.
During one of my last day’s in San Francisco, I took a bike tour. Yes. Me. Biking. Strange, right? I hadn’t been on a bike in more than 15 years, but I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to bike through San Fran and across the Golden Gate Bridge. In total, the tour was about three or four hours, so comfort and function was at the top of my list.

I felt the day called for some bright hues, so I threw on simple t-shirt and purple jeans {both $1 each from the Housing Works Buy the Bag sale} and pink Chucks.

Bright jeans are a huge trend and I was fortunate enough to pay just $1 for them! Some people think thrift stores don’t have trendy pieces, but that’s simply not the case. Fashion is so cyclical so what was in style years ago is back in style now, like florals, polka dots and stripes. You’ll find a ton of these pieces at thrift stores. Check out my post how to thrift shop current trends for more info.

My look was fashionable, yet functional and I successfully biked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Of course I had to do some thrift shopping while I was in San Francisco, so check back in later this week for my thrifted finds. I had no idea San Fran had such an awesome thrifting scene! I even found a vintage shop that sells clothes for $10 per pound.

Week 32 of my Thrifty Threads 365 challenge {a full year where I only buy second-hand clothing} is down. Only 20 more weeks to go!

In need of some affordable thrifted and vintage finds, be sure to check out the Looking Fly on a Dime Shop. I’ve added some new pieces and from now until 5/19, you can gett 15% off any purchase. Use promo code SANFRAN

As much as I love a flirty dress, I adore skinny jeans, especially black ones. They’re a simple canvas you can dress up or down in minutes. And since I love jeans so much, I’ve worn them in a ton of brands, from Seven to Citizens of Humanity to Joe’s and more. But I find they all share the same characteristic: the dreaded crotch rip. You know what I’m talking about. It’s when your jeans start to rip and get frayed from the friction of your thighs.

Well, the one pair of jeans that have never given me the crotch rip are from Forever 21. About three years ago I made my first ever F21 purchase: a pair of black and off black skinny jeans. I’ve worn these jeans at least once a week. They totaled less than $30 so my cost per wear ratio is amazing! And I rocked them everywhere from the rows of Fashion Week to the beaches of Santa Monica.

This goes to show that just because you’re saving on cash, doesn’t mean you have to skimp on quality. I don’t know how well other Forever 21 items hold up {the jeans are the only things I’ve ever purchased}, but whatever this denim is made of, I need them to keep it up. I’m seriously dreading the day these bad boys rip. But hopefully that day won’t come any time soon.

And as soon as my Thrifty Threads challenge is over in October, I’m going to stock up on these F21 jeans. But hopefully before then I’ll find a few pairs at the thrift store!

Has anyone else experienced a pair of Forever 21 jeans that have stood the test of time? Or what’s your favorite affordable brand or item of clothing that’s lasted longer than a high end piece?

We sipped on cocktails provided by Ciroc and swapped our gently used {but fab} clothes and accessories. Besides Ciroc, our other sponsors included Golden Krust Bakery, Handbag Heaven, Havaianas, Happy Scarf and Housing Works. After swapping clothes for two hours, we still had a ton of clothes left over, but they all found a good home, as they were donated to Housing Works, which isn’t just a chain of thrift stores but an organization that supports those in NYC who are homeless and/or living with HIV/AIDS.

Whether the ladies were a size 2 or 12, they all walked out with at least one bag of clothes and accessories.

 An attendee showing off the floral jeans she scored from another swapper.

 In between swapping, we hosted giveaways every 20-30 minutes.

Housing Works gave away not one, but two $50 gift cards. If you’re not in NYC and don’t have access to one of Housing Works’ dozen stores then you can even shop online.

Another raffle winner showing off a pair of sneakers from the Havaianas Soul Collection. She later got to choose the style and color she wanted.

Happy Scarf donated an aztec print scarf, perfect for a brisk spring day.

And last but not least, Handbag Heaven gave a $75 gift card to attendee, Taryn.

 Though I was running around for most of the event, I did get to swap a few pieces. I loved these Julian Louie for Aldo wedges I picked up from Gangstarr Girl. I got about a half dozen pieces from the Sip & Swap. I”m sure you’ll see some of them in future Thrifty Threads posts.

It wouldn’t be a Sip & Swap without something to sip on. We created three signature drinks for the afternoon, including the Fruity Fly on a Dime, which was a yummy mix of Peach Ciroc, peach punch and Sprite. Try this concoction at home, I promise you’ll love it. But sip slowly

Thanks again to everyone who came out and to our sponsors {Ciroc, Golden Krust, Housing Works, Havaianas, Happy Scarf and Handbag Heaven}. Cheers to doing it again next year…or even sooner!

A clothing swap is a perfect way to update your style without dropping a penny. If you’re hosting one, just make sure to invite friends of all sizes so everyone can walk away with something that’s fly!