09 Dec Thrift Store Haul: $23 Oscar de la Renta coat & More
If you follow me on social media {Twitter and Instagram}, then you know I scored big over the weekend. And if you don’t follow me on those channels, I’m telling you now: I scored big over the weekend!!!
Last week I shared news about the massive NYC Salvation Army coat sale. Furs, trenches, leathers and more for unbeatable prices. The annual sale is held once a month in October, November and December and attracts thrifters seeking the best deals you can find on outerwear. I sat out last year’s sales, but I made up for it this time around.
Keep reading to see what I bought, what I passed on and why it’s so important to thrift shop with people who really know you.
To say the sale was overwhelming would be an understatement. I’m not going to lie, it was intense. The warehouse setting had dozens of racks of coats and shoppers packed the tight aisles.
I dove right in and immediately spotted a cherry red double breasted coat. Oh, and it’s Oscar de la Renta. No big deal! I would have bought the coat regardless of the designer. You know I’m all about color year round, so this beauty is perfect.
I also found a few other coats that I didn’t take home, but that were absolutely gorgeous. I bumped into a few readers at the sale {hey Luz and Amber!} and one of them found a super soft, floor length shearling that would have been perfect for me…but it was a little tight in the arms and back. Also, my friend found this charcoal grey vintage coat with faux fur trim. This looked and felt like it had never been worn before. In hindsight, I’m wondering why I didn’t buy this?!
However, I did find a faux fur I fell head over heels for and absolutely bought. I have practical wool coats and classic cuts, but this baby is for that glam moment. I think I’ll wear her on New Year’s Eve. Also, there were a few bins of purse and I really wanted this vintage wicker bag, but it was too damaged.
As mentioned before, I was shopping with my friend and although she’s a thrifter, I could tell she was freaked out by how crowded the scene was. I totally understood! So I started pulling some pieces for her.
Thrift Tip:
Shop with friends who know your style. My girl, LaToya, has a classic style but she loves details. Has she ever told me this? Nope! It’s simply something I’ve observed over the years, as we’ve known each other since 2006 when we were interns at a fashion magazine. When you know what someone may like, give them a helping hand and make thrifting a bit easier for them. Some pieces will be hit or miss, but when you hit and find that perfect garment, it’s so worth it. Besides knowing someone’s style, there are personality traits you might want to consider in a thrift buddy. I go more in depth about thrifting with friends in my book, Looking Fly on a Dime: How to Find Fabulous Fashion at Any Thrift Shop & Make the Cheap Look Chic.
After about 30 minutes of shopping, I found this Calvin Klein coat for LaToya. I immediately knew it was her and when she tried it on, it was confirmed. She loved it and at $23, her wallet loved it, too!
My final tally for the faux fur and Oscar de la Renta was just $45 {$5 under my monthly Thrifty Threads 365 budget}.
Do you find it easier or harder to thrift shop for coats? Are there certain friends you love to go thrift shopping with?
Lucrativista
Posted at 01:26h, 11 DecemberCongrats on the coats, they’re very chic! I went to the sale as well, and was very pleased with the coats I purchased, but was unpleasantly surprised at the prices. Just two years ago (when you scored your $2 DSquared parka), I followed your advice and went to the last Salvation Army sale. As you mentioned at the time, the prices of coats dropped lower and lower each month, so during the last sale that year, the most basic adult coat was $5. Needless to say, both you and I excitedly bought several coats at that sale. When I got to the cashier at this (final) month’s sale, the cheapest adult coat was $17?! All I can assume is that the prices were even higher in October and November, which would make them standard for thrifted coats (coats at Housing Works and Goodwill are routinely $40-50). I was disappointed that Salvation Army more than tripled their final sales prices (I’m fortunate enough that I could pay for all my coats, but I’m sure that other customers were in for a shock, if they’d held out for $5 coats), and to be completely honest, I’m also disappointed that you, the great advocate for reasonable thrift store prices, would not call them out on this price inflation. When a (sometimes ‘tired’ or a bit damaged) coat from an inexpensive brand is $5, it’s one thing, but $17+ for the same coat is quite another, especially because the brands I’m referring to will routinely put new coats on sale or clearance for the same, or even a lower, price! One of the beautiful things about the Salvation Army stores has been that their clothes are sufficiently low-priced that a wide number of people can buy and enjoy them. Since $20 for a coat used to be the price at the first monthly sale, I feel disheartened and a bit angry on behalf of the loyal customers who were forced to walk away empty-handed these past three months. The only reason I continued to purchase coats last weekend is that the money helps people in difficult circumstances (hopefully, anyway…the Goodwill CEO is apparently lining his pockets with the organization’s profits, since he has a seven-figure salary, while some of his disabled employees are paid less than minimum wage….)
LookingFly
Posted at 10:44h, 11 DecemberThanks for your comment. You definitely make valid points. And yes, the prices are higher.
As far as being “disappointed” I didn’t call them out, that’s ok. Was I disappointed to not see children’s coats under $5 (that’s how I scored the Dsquared years ago) or all adult coats under $20? Yes! But was it expected? Yes! Of course I would have loved to see reduced prices at the final sale, but that’s happening less and less everywhere. I’ll always be “the great advocate for reasonable thrift store prices,” but I’m also realistic. Thrifting is becoming more and more “popular” so stores know they can charge higher prices and like any company, they’re facing their own increasing costs of operation, so prices go up for the consumer.
I even did a few posts on Are Thrift Stores Becoming Too Expensive? and a lot of people weighed in in agreement (definitely check the archives if you haven’t read it).
As previously mentioned, I had not been back to the sale in two years, so I naturally expected higher prices and I also posted that the coats seemed like they were still averaging $20. Also, in my post on how to thrift shop for a coat, I wrote I’m ok with paying slightly higher prices for outerwear, so $20 for me (and to a lot of people) is totally reasonable and still a great deal. I understand if some people feel that’s still too high, especially if they’ve been cheaper in the past.
Since I didn’t call them out, you absolutely can! Contact the Salvation Army and let them know your concern or just pass along your feedback. If you feel this way, I’m sure others do as well. Tell them!