05 Dec

Posted at 03:00h in How To, shopping, Thrift by
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new buy the bag location, Buy the Bag brooklyn
Last week I told you about the new Housing Works Buy the Bag location. The thrift store used to offer select dates for this awesome sale {$25 for a bag full of clothing}, but now they have a stand alone location that's open five days a week. Needless to say I was super excited to hear this sale is now being offered year round and throughout the week.
I went to the press preview and the space is definitely different from the warehouse feel of the previous setting. A new layout and even new bags means your strategy has to change a bit.
Keep reading for a complete rundown of the new Housing Works Buy the Bag shop, plus some tips on how to get the max amount of items in your bag.
 

10 Aug

Posted at 03:00h in Looking FLY on a Dime, shopping, Thrift, Thrifty Threads 365, Uncategorized by
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thrifty threads 365 challenge, shopping challengeI have a problem. A serious problem. For as long as I can remember, I've rarely, if ever, been able to wear white without getting a stain on it. I always manage to spill a drink, get an ink stain or rub up against something. Due to this, I stay away from wearing white.

But I decided to stop letting that fear keep me from rocking the fresh, crisp hue. While thrift shopping in San Francisco, I found a vintage Adidas tennis skirt I desperately wanted. It fit me perfectly, but it was white. But it was also crazy cheap {the threads at Clothes Contact are $10 per pound}. I bought it and I'm so glad I did.I finally wore the mini with some bright additions while in New Orleans earlier this summer.

01 Aug

Posted at 03:00h in shopping, Thrift, Thrifty Threads 365 by
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thrifty threads 365 challenge, shopping challengeAnother month down, so it’s time to recap my Thrifty Threads 365 challenge {a full year where I only thrift shop for clothes and accessories, no new items}. My budget for each month is $50 and how much did I spend for the month of July? *drum roll* Exactly $50.

The past two weekends, I ventured to Long Island City for the Housing Works Buy the Bag sale. This is the place to go if you're seeking the most threads for your cash. For $25, you get a brown bag and whatever you can stuff in it is yours. In late July I managed to fit 35 pieces in the bag and on my final visit of the month, I got 28 items in a bag, for a grand total of 63 pieces for $50. That's less than 80 cents for each skirt, dress, top, coat, etc.
Housing Works Buy the Bag haul{my haul, with a tutu on top}
And these aren't just any old items, a few are department store and even some high end labels. Oh, and a cardigan I found retails for at least 500 bucks.
Peep some of my favorite finds.

12 Jun

Posted at 01:00h in shopping, Thrift by
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Are thrift stores too expensive
Maybe it's a product of living in NYC, or maybe this is something others are noticing in their cities, but it seems {some} thrift stores are becoming a bit more expensive, no?
The price tag above was for a dress at Goodwill. It was a pretty basic label and nothing fancy, so I was baffled at the $20 price tag. Really, $20 for a secondhand dress? For that price, you can get a frock from Forever 21 or the clearance rack at some stores.
Of course most secondhand garments don't fall in to this category, but I have noticed the occasional steep price tag. I typically chalk it up to the price you pay for thrifting in NYC but I've also seen some double take-worthy prices in other cities.

22 May

Posted at 01:00h in How To, shopping, Thrift by
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I know I promised part two of my San Francisco thrift shopping tour {check out part one here} but I had a reader ask me what I wear while thrifting and I tweeted her the photo above. I've briefly mentioned some tips on what to wear {especially if you're hitting up a hectic warehouse sale}, but this is my first time devoting an entire post to the best pieces to wear that will help you have an easy thrift shopping excursion.

The pic above is what I wore while shopping in San Francisco. Fitted jeans allow for comfort and make it easy to try a dress or slacks on over them. And I had a button down shirt with a tank underneath which let me quickly and easily remove them so I could try tops and cardigans on in the middle of the aisles. And of course flats are a must. Thrifting takes time and can be competitive, so there's nothing cute about teetering around in four inch heels.But as the weather warms up, I switch my thrift look up a bit.