Tuesday, January 24, 2023

ART OF THRIFTING

 
This weekend my good friend the Dame wanted to go antiquing and thrifting. It's nice to be able to get back into this again. I know some people have a stigma attached to thrifting, don't have the patience, or find it dirty or down low. But I have gotten many a compliment over the years with clothing and home accessories and furnishings found thrifting and antiquing and mixed in with my up-to-date items, creating a one-of-a-kind style that makes me, me. And I have no problem spending. There are a few times I needed to have my head examined over the prices I paid for some of my designer duds and shoes, and coats. That said, I have no problem paying $2 for a vintage Christian Dior shirt though either. In this modern age, it has becoming somewhat of a conscious trend. Apart from the fashion world and people trying to keep up with constant trends that change every 5 minutes and rooted in consumerism, thrifting is where it is at. Thrifting, not only will you find that the prices won't hurt your wallet, and with antiquing, one can usually, wheel and deal for a lower price, one will often find one - of - a kind pieces, hidden gems, hard to find vintage designer, and long-gone fashion labels. Unlike fast fashion, these pieces are often better quality made and last longer, and the same can be said for wonderful items for the home, that add some whimsy and a feel of eclecticness. Thrifting also benefits the Earth. Consumerism is one of the biggest causes of the rapid climate crisis. When we engage in keeping up with trends, we are buying clothes for short term usage, and ultimately produce more waste. Companies like Stein, H&M, sadly, Zara, and Forever 21 participate in the advertising of these trends. The hidden not so hidden reality of the fast fashion companies like these is that they use cheap labor and use cheap material of their clothing that neither stand up to time and contain microplastics. I, in the pass have bought my good staple and classic pieces and then supplement them with thrift finds. And all these years later I still have a pretty good closet I must say. It's all about mix and matching. The above Carlise Antique Mall was just one place where we ended up this Saturday.  There was much to be seen.

Was in love with the assortment of Gladiola vases.

This fireplace would be perfect for a apartment or extra room for a touch of Swiss Chalet.
This handbag AMOST came home with me!
I fell in love with this Mid-Century china cabinet. A steal at $120!! Perfect for a bar like I did with one, or with a low enough bedframe and box spring and mattress, how cool would this be as a headboard?!?! Picture the mattress coming to the lip below the doors. And the inside filled with books!!!! Talk about bedside reading. And a great space saver for an apartment dweller.

Myself doing my best Iris Apel impersonation.
I saw this and thought of Travel Penguin.
A very nice gin glass on the left.
This settee ALMOST came home with me to be placed at the foot of my bed as extra seating in my boudoir but was a bit too deep with my spacing. I love it though. Hmmmm where else to use it?
This piece was absolutely stunning!!! A good price too at $300 or a better offer. This could make for a nice bar too!

Well, my score for the weekend, were two glass pitchers for water and iced tea, both priced for less then $14 each and a slew of more vintage bottle brush trees that went right into Christmas bins for my ever-growing collection. But as always, I was delighted by my unexpected find...another coat...yes, another one...
A 100% wool coat with a fur lined lapel, and fully lined for a whopping $65!!!! And it will go perfect with everything, including these plaid pants from Scotch and Soda I got three years ago. I had wanted a tan wool coat with fur and saw one from John Barlett but didn't want to spend the $795. This one is almost identical and has the distinction of being from the 60's and is in excellent shape. I have two other fur lined lapel coats, but this one has real fur...the only downside. The clan can't believe half the coats I wear down the street. I'm not the fashionista of the group for nothing.

And with all the money saved, that will buy copious amounts of gin and tonics at Happy Hour!

51 comments:

  1. Last Wednesday of the month.
    I hold a public craft day and most of things I bring comes from a thrift stores.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  2. Anonymous1/24/2023

    Tundra Bunny here... I love antiquing and/or thrifting, and have been doing it since I was a teenager many, many moons ago! Scouring second-hand shops, garage sales and auctions for antique and vintage items to re-sell has come in handy as a source of side income when I was a poor university student or unemployed. I could just cry, however, at all the GORGEOUS furniture I've had to pass on over the years because I had nowhere to store it. I'm in desperate need of some "new to me" furniture, so you've inspired me to "thrift" for it next spring, LOL!

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    1. I myself never got into garage or yard sales very much.

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  3. I adore a nice thrift store... and this one has its act together. How picture perfect is all that? Fascinating use of color throughout. And such great stuff. Well... you have the eye, my dear. And the style and the taste. I bow my head to you. Kizzes.

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  4. Go back and get the purse. It might go with the coat. Plus, you can dual purpose it as a fancy Easter basket.

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    1. Oh Shirley, I like the way you think! When I go to an Easter egg hunt I never want a run to the Mill basket of course. Could you imagine me carrying that around that an Easter egg hunt. It would be fabulous.

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  5. love your wisdom and your taste

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  6. You can never have too many coats as a different one in needed for every weather possibility.
    I am strangely drawn to the hats. I might start a collection.
    Sx

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    1. Well as your aware Miss Scarlett I love me a good chapeau. And none of those hats you see were priced over 10 bucks. And people at work joke about my winter coats. My boss said he doesn't think I've worn the same coat yet all winter.

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  7. The Coat you are totally Rocking it, and Yes, Thrifting uncovers some great stuff. I just bought an Original Signed Watercolor Still Life with Contemporary Chrome Frame, with the Artist's Business Card on the back, still with Price Tag from a Gallery of $200, for... Five Bucks!

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    1. If anyone's going to be bound to anybody in this post and Common Thread, it should be us to you Dawn! I swear you are the queen of thrifting and antiquing. And every time I'm in such a place, I always think of you, what would you buy and what you think of the place!

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  8. I would have a ball in that place. We don't have anything like that around here. I have friends who find great clothes in thrift shops. I have never been so lucky.

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    1. I guess it depends in Europe where you're at for shops like this. I know the UK has tons of thrift charity , and jumble sales.

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  9. Most of our thrift stores are just collections of recycled trash

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    1. Oh no worry Adam, there's plenty of those around here too.

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  10. YASSS henny! Im a queen of thrifting. I haven't bought any "new " clothes in years. I refuse trends and have my own style girl! And as you guessed loved my hats. I have not been to any places in Carlisle yet. Your Iris Apel picture cracked me up qween.

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  11. OMG!!!! That mid-century cabinet!!!!!!! That is gorgeous! That would be an awesome headboard filled with books. And as a clan member, I can attest to, you have the best closet of anyone I know. The things you put together always amazes me. LOVE that coat and those pants? You're wearing them!

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    1. I demand he take the pants off and hand them over.

      Like I'd fit in them.

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    2. Can you help me with zipper on the Fly Cali boi?

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  12. That place looks incredible! And what a steal on that coat... looks almost tailored made for you in the fit. I have the style you have in an age of boring style. Men are such babies dressing up or even wearing a coat like that. I'm proud to say just about 80% of my closet is all thrifted and vintage.

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  13. I love places like this and we don't seem to have a lot of thrift places here like in the US...more antique places then anything. I also always loved those tall vases, and never knew they are meant for gladiolas. I always wanted on. And that coat is sickening! That is a steal, you're a smart shopper.

    Scotch and Soda?!?!? Those are sharp pants. I love their clothes, and they are based out of Amsterdam!!! Good quality and well-made goods.

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    1. Yes they are based out of Amsterdam. I haven't been disappointed with anything that I've ordered from scotch and soda.

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  14. I'm one with no patience for thrifting or antiquing. I should, those are some beautiful furnishings.

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  15. I cannot go past a charity shop without going in! Our friend John-John and I have an annual pilgrimage to one of the more affluent areas of West London, Chiswick, for its vast array of them. All my life I have loved jumble sales, charity shops, vintage boutiques, antiques and curios markets - and have sourced half my wardrobe second-hand. Love it. Jx

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    1. I tell you the old vintage and retro clothing has way more Flair and style then a lot of the clothing you find these days, not to mention better quality.

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  16. OMG...that shop is amazing!

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  17. I love thrifting and antiquing because they always have the best things; finds you didn't even know you wanted or needed until you happen upon them.

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  18. Nice penguin, and lots of other stuff

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  19. I am with you all the way on the poor quality of things produced nowadays; that goes for buildings as well as furniture and clothing that is so cheap only because the workers are not paid a living wage. Workers in India, China, Bangladesh etc. are locked into their factories until their long shifts are done. No-one comes to unlock those doors when a fire breaks out. And it is consumerism and the desire among retailers to make obscene profits that drive the deaths in the third world, whether from fire or disaster or just starving to death to make the employer yet another penny

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  20. Anonymous1/25/2023

    HuntleyBiGuy:
    What an amazing place. I’m a little surprised you didn’t snatch up a chapeaus to go with the coat.

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    1. Don't tempt me! How about if I find you a vintage jockstrap?

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    2. Anonymous1/26/2023

      HuntleyBiGuy:
      Tease,

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  21. I love a good browse-around in an antique mall or quality thrift store, although I don't do as much of it as I used to back in the day. A couple of years ago My Rare One had a whole circuit of thrift stores that she would regularly make the rounds of -- she called it "working the trapline."

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    1. The game has a whole Circuit of thrifting an antique places also. Given the chance he'd take me for a straight week for antiguing.

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  22. Anonymous1/25/2023

    Pat Lark says,
    Haven't been thrifting or antiquing in more than a decade. Sadly, most of the places here have been shuttered. That's what this town does, ya know.... Rip it down and build new.

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    1. I think part of the reason thrifting antiquing is so rich with assortment is because of all the history and how old the Northeast is. Although my other reader, Bohemian Dawn from up above in the comments is a huge antique stealer and thrifter, buyer and seller and she's in Arizona also Pat.

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  23. The ones in my area don't have nice things like this for sale. Sadly, it's usually someone else's junk, and that's all it is. No treasures.

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  24. I was a thrifter extraordinaire until bedbugs became a huge problem in cities. I miss thrifting but I'm not willing to take the risk. I'm enjoying the experience vicariously through you, instead.

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    1. Now that you mention it I am starting to itch. I thought maybe I caught something from Mr. Devices warty wand....

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  25. I love thrift stores.

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  26. I love antiquing and thrifting, and I especially like it when the vendors have organized displayed boots. I don't seem to have much patience if I have to dig for stuff. That second picture down is so pretty it makes me want to buy everything. And I'd say you got quite the steal with that coat. You can really wear that with just about everything. It's nice to see a guy that has some kind of panache these days.

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  27. The things that caught my eye were those maracas, and that store fish sculpture, so cool. And I definitely like that you think outside the box. That mid-century cabinet has me obsessed now with using that as a headboard. Imagine a whole headboard of nothing but books! And that jacket is sharp as a tack.

    I love those pants too but there's no way I could pull them off. Well I could but you know what I mean, wink!

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    1. I know Jacoby... I keep thinking about that mid-century cabinet I'm going to sell myself on it! Now about the pants..

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  28. I love the jacket with those pants. You still got it I used to love your post where you would feature all your different outfits and how you would mix and match them. You're thrifting abilities are very inspiring how you mix them with what's already in your closet. Of course your apartment is always nice too, I always loved how you had old and new mixed together.

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    1. And I'll have to check that scotch and soda clothing company out.

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    2. I know you love those posts. They were popular when I did them. I should make them more conscious effort to take photos of outfits that I wear during the week and do some more of those.

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  29. Fantastic finds, sweetpea! All the thrift/secondhand/antique shops here in L.A. are a bonus after living in Savannah! The finds are fantastic, at times I must admit, but the hunt is always exciting! xoxo

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    1. I have never been but I heard LA and San Francisco have some excellent thrift shops. I can only imagine some of the fines in those Lamb Chop.

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  30. Ohhhh so fab!
    Take me with youuuuuuu!

    XOXO

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  31. my version of thrifting is not to buy anything at all.

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  32. I LOVE that cabinet. I'm such a furniture whore!

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!