The Thrill of the Thrift: Volume 1

Shopping for discounts is something I very much enjoy. I watched my mom and grandma do it when I was little, and now I continue the tradition in my own way. When I was a kid, there was no Internet, so I watched my mom and grandma scour the Sunday fliers for coupons and store discounts. They also used to make the trek to Filene’s Bargain Basement, Jordan Marsh, and Loehmann’s, where they would get fabulous clothes for a fraction of the original price.

When I became old enough to hit the racks, I enjoyed many trips with my friends to the local mall. This was when stores like Gap and Abercrombie and Fitch were in their heyday. Every girls’ trip to the mall was filled with the hope of returning home with an Abercrombie bag, emblazoned with its ridiculously handsome male models, filled with a few cute, preppy outfits. But to this girl’s dismay, The price of just one cute shirt or pair of cute lifeguard shorts was beyond what my part-time job would allow. But, luckily, a Catalog Factory Outlet (CFO, as we called it), opened nearby. My mom couldn’t wait to check it out, but I was skeptical. Could I really get those coveted mall clothes for a price I could actually afford?

It turns out, I could! Now, the early days of CFO were tough. Amid some of the name brand inventory lay items that were less-than-perfect. Sometimes a shirt or a pair of pants had a defect, so when shopping, each item would have to be carefully inspected to ensure my treasure was in wearable condition. Oh, the thrill of finding those trendy cargo pants, or graphic tee at a discount and wearing them to a dress-down day at school! I’d be smiling inside, knowing that though I was dressed like everyone else, it was with the help of my secret weapon, which meant I could look cool and still have enough cash to go to the movies with my friends.

When TJ Maxx and Marshall’s came along, it was like a whole new world of shopping. All of their clothes were (and still are) in perfect condition - no inspection needed. Who cares if they’re last season? They are a fraction of the price and fabulous! I gladly replaced nights roaming the malls with nights scouring the racks of TJ Maxx, mom and/or friends in tow, looking for a great deal. There was a fabled trip where I scored a pair of Fendi sunglasses for about $35, but I’ll leave that story for another time.

And then, Poshmark came along. It took my thrill of deal-finding to a whole new level-it introduced me to the thrill of the thrift. Case in point: the beautiful JCrew coat pictured here. It was my first thrift, and I was immediately hooked. I was watching one of my favorite Christmas movies, “Dear Santa”, on Lifetime, and fell in love with the coat worn by Amy Acker throughout the movie. After some sleuthing, I found it was the J.Crew Icon trench. Hundreds of dollars in its wool version. So I took to Poshmark, and fell upon this jewel-toned beauty. It turns out JCrew’s’ Icon isn’t the only beautiful coat they make! Because there was a slight rip on the interior lining, the seller was letting it go for a song. I knew I could repair it with a few stitches, so after a few clicks, the coat was mine.

I repaired it as soon as it came in, and the coat became an instant outfit staple. In this picture, it was New Years Eve, and I paired it with some chic leggings, a beautiful scarf that I created, and nude Tahari heels (a great Marshall’s find). Poshmark has since become an invaluable resource, and has gotten me interested in local thrifting and consignment stores as well. Stay tuned as I continue to chronicle my incredible finds!