This is the thread where we discuss the awesome things we've bought at thrift stores recently.

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Thrifting is popular with ILErs, innit?

I got this brown early-70s-ish extremely light cotton shirt with sleeves the exact perfect length* for $1 yesterday. Possibly among the 5 coolest things in my wardrobe/arsenal.

*cuz of the way I'm built it's hard to find shirts with long-enough sleeves (thus I often have to wear shirts too big for my torso, otherwise the sleeves won't be long enough for my arms) and EXTREMELY difficult to find pants that fit well (what with the 30" waist/36" inseam and all).

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

new thrifteriffic an-surs puh-leeze

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I really don't do the thrift store thing. If friend Jake were here, though...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't found anything in a thrift store in years. Timing is everything.

― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I just picked up two pairs of Dockers khakis identical to a pair I already have. Which is awesome. Hopefully soon, my entire wardrobe will all be the same. People will think I never do laundry, but the joke will be on them.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I thrift mightily. This weekend alone my purchases included:

Military shirt ?4 (I've been wanting one like this since Suzy lent me hers for my ICA show)
Mickey Mouse T shirt (pirated, yellow ink on purple shirt, printed out of register) ?2
Two pairs of kids' sunglasses, one yellow 'ski' style, one red 'raspberry shape', ?1 each.
A Casio SA 21 (100 sound tone bank), ?1
A Czechoslovakian reel-to-reel 2 track tape recorder, ?5
A book of the ballads of Frank Wedekind, ?1

― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

?=euro

― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I bought a beautiful silk snow-silver coloured neckerchief with prints of tiny pirates on clipper boats for £2

― ss, Tuesday, 10 June 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I bought a microphone. It was priced at $15, but was 25% off, so it was like $11. It's really cool, kind of small but heavy, like it's solid metal, bulletshaped, and it came with a tiny little mic stand which makes me think it used to be for like a PA or intercom system. I tried to use it to record drums on Sunday, and it didn't really sound too great for that, but I think it will be great for vocals.

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

What is a thrift store, exactly? Is it like our charity shops, i.e. run to raise funds for various charities?

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh, I got a really cool rectangle-shaped wooly oscar de la renta tie for $1. a Hulk Hugan fork for 25 cents. and the Call and Response CD for $2

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Martin, I don't know what a charity shop is, but that sounds like it. People give their old stuff to thrift stores, who then clean it up and sell it, making money for good causes.

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

i own this thread. that is all. Momus is a close second.

― kephm, Tuesday, 10 June 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Thrift stores = charity shops.

I haven't found anything good lately. Last summer I got my love seat sofa bed for $13.

― rosemary (rosemary), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

do records count?

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 18:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh shit yeah Jody!

Sunday, I bought a Bach concertos performed on harpsichord rekkid and an Irish drinking songs rekkid for $1 total!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I went thrifting this past weekend, but sadly I made myself put back everything I found as I can't even afford second hand delights right now. The thing I wanted the most was this very see through frilly slip for sleeping in that had a v-neck at front & back and was gathered... But it obviously needed some cleaning. So I guess laziness was part of it too.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Last thing I bought at a thrift store (besides shirts) was a Luxman turntable in good condition, though lacking a cartridge. It was $15. In the early eighties the pickin's were much better.

― nickn (nickn), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I need to go to the big Salvation Army like two blocks away more often.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:22 (twenty-two years ago)

it's difficult to find pants with a 36" inseam of any waist, but nick you have to be the lankiest sounding guy in history

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:31 (twenty-two years ago)

i found a pair of formal wool flannel pants in a agrey colour that caress my ass.

― anthony easton (anthony), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:33 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and a boxed set of minstrely(sp) and folk records, some jeanne c riley and lorreta lynn, some sophie b tucker, lou reed rock and roll animal, and half a dozen weird jesus books.

― anthony easton (anthony), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:34 (twenty-two years ago)

the last really good thing i found in a thrift store was a xenakis lp

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:45 (twenty-two years ago)

which one? I found a Xenakis LP once in a thrift store in Massachusetts. I already had it but was able to sell it for a good deal more than I bought it for.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 06:02 (twenty-two years ago)

metastasis/pithoprakta/eonta on vanguard, 1967

not too scratched up, but the sleeve has fallen to shit

great awful "modern art" grafix on the cover and unreadable sleevenotes

.99!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 06:26 (twenty-two years ago)

nice!

― hstencil, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 06:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I really spend too much $ and time thrift shopping, since nearby is the wonder that is Savers, the chain of thrift department stores. What can I say, it is a great stress reliever, and at the mall I'd drop a couple hundred dollars instead of ten.

best recent finds-
wicked 80s grey denim skirt with white zippers
ceramic decorative bowl w/Fragonard painting printed inside (super kitschy gift for art historian friend)
coral vintage Calvin Klein polo shirt, bright turquoise polo shirt
bright royal blue tote bag from the 70s
lemon yellow mod coat
awesome off-white canvas 80s jacket in perfect shape, but needs some tailoring to fit me.

― daria g, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 07:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, and Depeche Mode tapes, and a pair of gorgeous antiquey oval frames, and a handmade wool afghan in shades of mauve and pink, and a set of five Time-Life hardcover photography books for collage material. I should, like, be a personal thrift shopper for people. :)

― daria g, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 07:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Grey pinstripe trousers. And some old Open University vinyl recordings of Yeats, Eliot and Auden mm.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 07:42 (twenty-two years ago)

a pure wool navy duffel coat with all its toggles for $2.
its winter here in nz.

― hellbaby (hellbaby), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm going to spend my summer days thrifting. watch this space!

― That Girl (thatgirl), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

a blue checked burberry shirt, a violet cadigan, four folk records including songs in irish and welsh.

― anthony easton (anthony), Thursday, 12 June 2003 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I bought a paint-by-numbers picture of a kitten. Now I just need to find the time to do it. FUN!!!

― toraneko (toraneko), Thursday, 12 June 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

last weekend, a 70's marine blue cotton shirt, exactly the same colour and shape as the one i was wearing on that moment. the guy came to me with the shirt on his hands and told me: this one is yours.
it costed 6 euros ($6), and it has a stupid playboy rabbit sewed on the chest, which will be soon exchanged for a buzzcocks badge.

― joan vich (joan vich), Thursday, 12 June 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

red gingham check western-style shirt

"Patsy Cline Story" CD

"Ball of Fire" Lucille Ball biography

"Austerlitz" by W.G. Sebald

Depeche Mode "A Broken Frame" tape

― Mary (Mary), Saturday, 9 April 2005 22:41 (twenty-one years ago)

you got the patsy cline in a regular record store!

― charltonlido (gareth), Saturday, 9 April 2005 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I got a burgundy linen dress the other day along with a couple other summer dresses including an embroidered indian sari I'm going to alter and wear to myb/fs brothers wedding. the best find was an awesome desk from the 40s painted pea green. I also got an embroidered portrait of a girl, a painting of some dark scary storm over an ocean, sandals, and 3 books (beneath the wheel, wilde's complete short works, and alice in wonderland).
and this is just ONE DAY.
last week i found a child's accordian and a terra cotta rooster cookie jar, unpainted.

― Holly (an appletross), Sunday, 10 April 2005 01:33 (twenty-one years ago)

the easterfappers can tell you all about the official album of epcot center i found at a thrift store on 31st st in astoria.

― jody the country girl doll (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 10 April 2005 01:44 (twenty-one years ago)

― jody the country girl doll (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 10 April 2005 01:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I bought this corset for AUD$12 at a thrift store. My best purchase yet.

http://photos7.flickr.com/8942351_b7aa51e688.jpg

― Kate / Productive Pedagog (papa november), Sunday, 10 April 2005 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw an awesome shirt in the thrift store last week but couldn't afford it :_( "A Question of Lust" was on the store PA which is something you don't expect to hear at the Salvation Army.

― Aaron A., Sunday, 10 April 2005 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

the easterfappers can tell you all about the official album of epcot center i found at a thrift store on 31st st in astoria.

-- jody the country girl doll (theundergroundhom...), April 10th, 2005.

I found this a few years ago. It's amazing, isn't it? "The Universe of Energy" is one of the coolest songs I've ever heard. Ever. If you stumble upon the Pirates of the Carribean ride soundtrack it's a keeper too. One side is a narration of the ride and the other side is a pirate singing sea shanties in a deep deep baritone, with mostly just a ukelele for accompaniment.

― Adam Bruneau (oliver8bit), Sunday, 10 April 2005 02:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I got a black t with a pac-man screen printed on it. I love it.

I also got pants, shoes and shirt to match a suit jacket and tie I found on a curb (fit great!) That for $10. I wore them to a $70 a ticket party I got free tickets to.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Sunday, 10 April 2005 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Excellent thread revive! I just bought a Jean-Paul Gaultier men's waistcoat for $4. It is all black, knee-length, ties in the back, and buttons up in front like some kind of fashiony priest's robe. PWNZ ALL. And a late 50's/early 60's black and tan tiny-check fitted dress jacket with long sleeves and fitted cuffs/waistband. Not too long ago I got a fab black rayon 40's dress which fits like a dream.. I love the thrifts around here.

Also recently found a pair of Nannette Lepore mariachi style cropped trousers, and a vintage 70's Halston peach peasant blouse, but I'm probably going to sell both of these on teh eBay as they are too big for me..

― daria g (daria g), Sunday, 10 April 2005 03:43 (twenty-one years ago)

you got the patsy cline in a regular record store!

Really, was that Plan 9? I thought I salvaged it from some truck-stop thrift. All the stores are running together. It was used, though!

Something I did find today, at a REAL thrift experience: "Life is Sweet" video.

― Mary (Mary), Sunday, 10 April 2005 03:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm wearing a shirt I got at a thrift store right now. It's not one of my recent perchases, but it's great anyway. One of the more recent things is a book about one of David Bowie's tours full of colorful pictures.

― Aja (aja), Sunday, 10 April 2005 04:07 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

five commemorative highball glasses celebrating the 1973 triple crown winner, secretariat. 50 cents each.

records. oy. for the rundown, see the thread i started the other day.

a cherry red "jellies" style beach bag. a dollar.

an opaque amber glass ashtray from the golden nugget in vegas -- looks like early-'70s. i've been keeping my keys in it. 25 cents.

a fitted v-neck tee with aquamarine and black stripes

an '80s-looking preppy polo tee with beige, olive, and maroon stripes

― cindy williams permafrost (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 22 May 2005 03:19 (twenty years ago)

http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/o/orar/organaire.jpg

Is it worth getting an Organaire?

― A homunculus of Darby Crash, .... created for the purposes of *EVIL* (ex machina, Sunday, 22 May 2005 03:23 (twenty years ago)

aw, yesterday for $250 i saw the very same kind of organ my great-aunt had in her house when i was a kid. if it was $50 i would have gotten it!

― cindy williams permafrost (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 22 May 2005 03:26 (twenty years ago)

There's some organs in great shape in providence! If i had a space of my own, I'd love to get one.

― A homunculus of Darby Crash, .... created for the purposes of *EVIL* (ex machina, Sunday, 22 May 2005 03:27 (twenty years ago)

those little electric organs are awesome. most of them aren't in any kind of tune though. I really miss the one I had when I was 8!

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 22 May 2005 03:30 (twenty years ago)

It has some kind of motor that spins up... so weird...

― A homunculus of Darby Crash, .... created for the purposes of *EVIL* (ex machina, Sunday, 22 May 2005 03:32 (twenty years ago)

eighteen years pass...

Yesterday:

CDs

Galaxie 500, Today ($2) - wrote a bit in a Galaxie 500 thread.
Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ($2) - wrote a bit in a Sgt. Pepper's thread.
Aretha Franklin, The Essentials ($2) - I have Aretha's Gold and 30 Greatest Hits on vinyl, so quite pointless; I have some of these songs four times over. But $2!
Barbara Streisand, The Essentials ($2) - Same series, double-CD. I like the whole first CD, then you get into the '70s.
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap's Greatest Hits ($2) - I don't think I like any of the two or three Gary Puckett songs I know. But $2!

Books

Jack Sullivan, The Grey Cup Story ($0.50) - Little pocketbook published in 1971. Not a football fan.
Hockey Facts & Stats ($2) - Little pocketbook published in 2006, the kind of book rendered superfluous by all the Sports Reference sites online. Not a hockey fan.
Bill Simmons, Now I Can Die in Peace ($3) - What do you know, I am a baseball fan and will read this. A collection of columns from the late '90s and early '00s, leading up to the Red Sox WS win in 2004. The layout looks a little complicated.
Jeffrey Forrester, The Stooge Chronicles ($2) - As in Larry, Curly, and Moe, not Iggy.
Carol & Gene Markowski, Tomart's Price Guide to Character & Promotional Glasses ($2) - Do I collect promotional glasses? I have a number of pop-related mugs, but no glasses, I don't think.

DVDs

Grey's Anatomy - Season 5 ($4, sealed) - I've never watched this show.

Magazines (I think these were a dime or a quarter each)

Slam, April 2015 - Damian Lillard on the cover; Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, and Vince Carter inside.
New Yorker, Sept. 8 and Sept. 15, 2014 - The Sept. 8 issue has a Derek Jeter retirement illustration on the cover.

Stuff

10 empty DVD cases, a dime or a quarter each.
8-1/2 x 11" print of a detail from the Sistine Chapel ceiling ($1) - This is exciting because the print is in perfect shape and it was bought in Italy (500 lire from the Monumenti Musei e Gallerie Pontificie). Am I religious? About as much as I'm a Gary Puckett fan.

― clemenza, Saturday, 16 March 2024 15:35 (two years ago)

Magazines (I think these were a dime or a quarter each)

With this kind of profligacy, you'll wind up like Timon of Athens!

― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 16 March 2024 17:54 (two years ago)

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