Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com shop cheap. look loaded. Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:38:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Junk Jam! (Killer Vintage Necklace) http://cheapjap.com/diy-fashion/salvaged-vintage-jewelry http://cheapjap.com/diy-fashion/salvaged-vintage-jewelry#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:38:41 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10744 AuH2O Thriftique, we’re pretty old school about how we stock our store. We go out and unearth the gently worn gems ourselves for two reasons:
1. We’re utterly addicted to the thrill of the hunt.
2. We’re DIRT CHEAP.
We spend hours on end in icky, icky places to deliver the goods

...keep reading Junk Jam! (Killer Vintage Necklace)

]]> AuH2O Thriftique, we’re pretty old school about how we stock our store. We go out and unearth the gently worn gems ourselves for two reasons:

1. We’re utterly addicted to the thrill of the hunt.
2. We’re DIRT CHEAP.

We spend hours on end in icky, icky places to deliver the goods at the lowest possible cost. The only thing we sell that doesn’t involve a shit ton of patience, grit and endurance on our part? Jewelry. We order in bulk from our vintage suppliers, a box of baubles arrives and wee! Kate Goldwater and I are both Jewish, so opening those boxes is basically the closest thing to Christmas morning we’ve ever experienced.

There is, however, a box-of-chocolates aspect to the art of ordering vintage costume jewelry in bulk. Sometimes it’s a delectable Vosges truffle; sometimes it’s a barfy half-eaten Russell Stover square. We never know what we’re getting, and occasionally, what we get isn’t sellable – it’s scrap. JUNK. We no likey.

I’m into recycling where wearable things are concerned, but I’m not really a conservationist by nature. Kate, in contrast, is eco-conscious to the point of snipping the paper prices off our garments as they sell so she can reuse the tags later.

When I find vintage scrap metal lurking in my jewelry shipments – mismatched earrings, bits of chain, busted clasps, random rhinestones, etc. – I bag it up and mail it back to the seller for a discount on the next order.When Kate gets her hands on it, it’s a different story… one in which the scrap becomes something else altogether.That is not a necklace. That is fucking ART.

I can’t help but be inspired by Kate’s recycling prowess. I’m a salvaged jewelry amateur, but if I can make something half as amazing as the badass layered charm necklace pictured, I’m willing to give it a go. Let’s hope our next order has a few Russell Stovers ripe for experimentation.

Cheers to scrap metal, cliches and upcycled awesomeness.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/diy-fashion/salvaged-vintage-jewelry/feed 0 A Modern Perversion of Vintage http://cheapjap.com/vintage/modern-vintage http://cheapjap.com/vintage/modern-vintage#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:38:32 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10706 One was vintage. One was pretending to be. The label at left hails from a time when shoppers actually gave a shit about where their clothing came from. A time when textile workers had real,

...keep reading A Modern Perversion of Vintage

]]>
One was vintage. One was pretending to be. The label at left hails from a time when shoppers actually gave a shit about where their clothing came from. A time when textile workers had real, live rights.

An International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union tag basically says Hey, no one was killed or injured or forced to work overtime or paid unlivable wages to make this garment you’re buying. Isn’t that cool?!

Sooo cool. Sooo retro. Made in the U.S.A. with morally sound manufacturing practices – the only vintage trend that’ll never make a comeback.

The label at right reads, WE CREATED THIS GARMENT TO STAND OUT FROM ALL THE REST. EMBRACE THE IMPERFECTIONS OF YOUR SHIRT. THE HOLES, STREAKS AND SPOTS HELP CREATE THE “VINTAGE LOOK.”

I smell a vintage-inspired shitshow of verbiage. And it STINKS.

Note to Project E: Damaged things are cool when they’re old and actually have a bit of fucking history attached to them. Not when they’re intentionally beat up, marked up and made in China like everything else.

That being said, an item’s age doesn’t necessarily make damage a foregone conclusion. To imply as much makes me wonder if you know jack about vintage at all.

Vintage means classic styles and good fabric, responsibly produced in a way that enables the resulting garments to stand the test of time. Holes, streaks and spots hardly do it justice.

Ditto for those fugly, double Xs slapped on every synthetic top you import. Blech.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/vintage/modern-vintage/feed 2 Vodka, Me and QVC http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/vodka-qvc http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/vodka-qvc#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:48:34 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10709 ...keep reading Vodka, Me and QVC

]]>
Five minutes into vegetating, I remember Saturday night TV sucks monkey balls. Disgruntled, I select some program about Fashion Week on the off-chance it’ll make me give a flying fuck about the charade. Only after I’ve refreshed my double-vodka-splash-of-grapefruit do I realize the channel I’m watching is QVC. It appears I’ve stumbled on a fashion show comprised entirely of QVC apparel and accessories. Innnteresting.

Imagine, if you will, the textile equivalent of a diesel-filled eighteen-wheeler spinning out on a highway and totaling five cars before bursting into a fiery ball of toxicity. Except less sad and more fun, because no one dies or gets screwed over by their insurance or whatever. The QVC runway is the Fashion Week equivalent of a multi-car pileup – a ghastly, poorly lit parade of tacky, ill-fitting synthetics set to mind-numbing synthesized string instrumentation, and it’s taking itself verrrrry seriously. The melodrama of the event only adds to its inherent hilarity – even the models look like they’re about to bust a nonexistent nut laughing. I’m not watching so much as rubbernecking.

At the conclusion of the runway segment, I’m obvs too wildly entertained to tear myself away from the nylon/poly carnage. I ready myself for the product bonanza portion of the evening by splashing a little more vod (eff the grapefruit) into my Priscilla Queen of the Desert cup. Perky host Lisa Robertson fills the screen, clad in an overwhelming amount of red. I have no idea what she’s saying. I’m too busy gaping at the presence of Heidi Klum.

My first thought is, Wow, how nice of Heidi to swing by QVC’s party on her Fashion Week rounds and pretend she likes their jewelry! Except Heidi’s doing more than smiling and nodding at the pieces – she’s GUSHING with PRIDE.

I’m confused. Is it possible that this darling of the exclusive, uppity and uber chic faction of the fashion industry actually designs a line for QVC?

It is. As the glitz bombardment begins, I learn that Wildlife by Heidi Klum isn’t just a line of QVC costume jewelry – it’s a way for otherwise trend-shy women to dabble in fashion’s latest via the power of accessories. Gag me with a spoon.

First up, the Ombre Chain Bib Necklace. Heidi’s all kinds of psyched about it; Lisa is absolutely losing her shit. My eyerolls don’t do jack to dampen the onscreen enthusiasm: Both giddily don the bib chain and proceed to discuss its merits at length. This goes on for approximately four minutes.



At first, I’m non-plussed. It’s a bunch of chain linked together costing upwards of fifty bucks, and a generic interpretation of edginess to boot. Heidi and Lisa keep talking.

A great way to vamp it up without going overboard; The perfect hint of edgy; Dress it up or down; Look at all the necklines you can pair it with, it’s a fabulous with a low-V OR a Mock-Turtle; Rose Gold is very trendy right now; Eek! It’s even more wearable in Gunmetal!

Okay, fine, maybe the chain bib is kinda cute. Borderline cool. Still, it’s not something I’d look twice at if I saw it in a boutique.

The thing is, I’m not in a boutique. I’m in the comfort of my own apartment. I’m two vodkas deep, alone and just the teensiest bit bored. AND QVC KNOWS IT.

Retail value of $75.00; Call now, and snap up the Chain Bib Necklace at its one-time-offer price of $54.50! Lisa gets an update from her invisible earpiece, and delivers the news to the camera with intensity. We started with 400 offers, and we’re already down to 200. Heidi beams at the camera; the necklace glows right along with her. Lisa looks concerned, like she wishes she had an infinite amount of these offers so everyone could experience the unbridled ecstasy of the bib chain. If you’re going for the Gunmetal, we recommend picking up the phone immediately. We don’t want to see you miss out on this incredible piece at this amazing value.

The ticking clock flashes on the screen. One minute, thirty seconds left. Heidi says “versatile” about nine thousand times. I sip my drink and listen attentively to her adorable German lilt. I’d probably get it in Rose Gold, as I already have a lot of silver. Heidi’s right – that color’s totally In.

The number of offers left plummets from three digits to two. Maybe I’ve confused generic with versatile, maybe the bib chain’s lack of in-your-face badassness is what makes it chic with an edgy cherry on top. I could buy this necklace. No one is stopping me. I could say I got it on Etsy or eBay. No one would know.



The offer expires. I exit my trance-like state and wonder what the fuck just happened to me.

I’m the snobbiest of skeptics where home shopping is concerned. I’m immune to impulse buys, and I’m cheap in the dirtiest sense of the term. A fifty-four dollar necklace that was, in retrospect, totally meh should have been a breeze for me to resist. In any other context – boutique shopping, ebrowsing, whatevs – it would have been.

What was it about the chain bib necklace that made it so tempting on QVC?

Nothing. Because on QVC, it’s not about the necklace, cocktail ring, coat, skincare line or whatever else they’re selling. It’s never about the thing. It’s about establishing a connection between you and said thing. QVC dreams up a story of you and the thing, and delivers it with a warm smile and nurturing vibe. It swaddles you and the thing in a blanket of promise. Sartorial satisfaction, material bliss – it’s yours! All you have to do is pick up the phone. Like, now.

QVC brought me thisclose to buyer’s remorse by getting into my head. The real jaw-dropper is, I’m not mad at them. I’m impressed. I sat through the Wildlife segment in its entirety, playing with fire every time a new piece hit the screen, marveling their ability to make me love something I’d otherwise not give a shit about every single time. It’s quite the accomplishment. Particularly if the viewer’s a cold-hearted skeptic like me.

I’m too fascinated to stop now, which means a psychological experiment is in order. I drink vodka. I watch QVC. I allow myself to get irrationally sentimental about stupid material things. I write about it.

In the next installment, I’ll observe the selling powers of QVC maharajah Isaac Mizrahi. Stay tuned. Unless you think this idea blows or whatevs. Mwah.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/vodka-qvc/feed 3 Damage-Free Digging at One of a Kind Thrift Shop http://cheapjap.com/thrift/one-of-a-kind-thrift-shop-queens http://cheapjap.com/thrift/one-of-a-kind-thrift-shop-queens#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:59:20 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10689 My first stop was Second Best Thrift Shop in Astoria. On the organizational front, it was basically like Green Village Junk Shop, except smaller and with way less clothes. I mean,

...keep reading Damage-Free Digging at One of a Kind Thrift Shop

]]>
My first stop was Second Best Thrift Shop in Astoria. On the organizational front, it was basically like Green Village Junk Shop, except smaller and with way less clothes. I mean, I guess it could be decent for furniture and/or glassware or whatevs, but if cheap thriftastic clothes are your thang, skip this sucker. Also: demerits for erroneous adjective choice in name. Pfft.

Sunnyside Thrift Shop was my next stop. Used, cheesy dresses at $15 or more? Beotch please. A tip for the idiots running this joint: You want to tag secondhand items that high and get away with it, you better have some semblance of taste. Underwhelming; overpriced; a big fat fail overall. Boo.

One of a Kind Thrift Shop was my last stop, and the only Queens’ indie thrift store that actually delivered what it promised. Tops from $3.00 – $7.00; dresses from $5.00 – $12.00; racks ripe with gently worn gems for the taking. See brandtastic finds below.



As I browsed the racks, I had a sneaking suspicion that something was missing from the thrifting equation. It wasn’t until the conclusion of my hunt that I realized what it was. DAMAGES! No missing buttons; no stains; no visible wear and tear; NADA!

I was impressed enough to compliment the owner, Aladeen, who’s basically the nicest dude ever.

One of a Kind has about five huge bins of $1.00 items outside its storefront on a given day. The dollar bins obvs would have been my first order of biznass, if they hadn’t been covered in plastic on account of the rain. Aladeen was kind enough to lug the bins inside for me so I could dig through them at my leisure. What a DOLL.


I asked Aladeen how he got into the thrifting business, and learned that he used to manage a Goodwill. I subsequently relayed the dismaying tale of the $39.99 make-up stained Calypso dress.

What was Goodwill’s rationale for putting damaged crap on the racks? “‘Let the shopper decide,’ that’s what the corporate retail experts at Goodwill used to tell us. I never thought it was fair.”

Thanks to Aladeen and One of a Kind Thrift, for proving that reasonably priced secondhand goodies aren’t yet extinct in NYC. Loves it!
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/one-of-a-kind-thrift-shop-queens/feed 6 Friday Booze + Browse at AuH2O! http://cheapjap.com/thrift/friday-booze-browse-auh2o http://cheapjap.com/thrift/friday-booze-browse-auh2o#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:33:31 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10695 ]]>
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/friday-booze-browse-auh2o/feed 1 Refreshingly Cheap Vintage, Courtesy 11th Street Flea http://cheapjap.com/vintage/cheap-vintage-11th-st-flea-market http://cheapjap.com/vintage/cheap-vintage-11th-st-flea-market#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:01:42 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10674 ...keep reading Refreshingly Cheap Vintage, Courtesy 11th Street Flea

]]> I’m a chatty person by nature – the only time I ever really shut up is when I’m shopping. I don’t do banter, I don’t do bargaining; I dig, find, pay and move on. I’m in the zone. And asking myself Do I want this badly enough to hemorrhage my precious time and energy haggling over it’s price? is disruptive to said zone, so me no likey.

Once upon a time, flea markets might have been the exception to the everything-costs-more-in-NYC rule: Every time I hit a local flea, I’m forced to acknowledge this is no longer the case. Brooklyn Flea might be cool, but browsing a mishmash of vintage and handmade items in the $50 – $150 range isn’t my idea of a Saturday well spent. I’m equally non-plussed by the numbers at Hell’s Kitchen Flea and Chelsea’s Antiques Garage: Asking after prices tends to make me bitter, and I’m bitter enough as it is.

My general disdain for NYC fleas was called into question a few weeks ago, by a duo of lovely shoppers at my store. We were in the midst of trading tips on our fave thrifting spots when they started gushing about the market on 11th and A.

Shopper 1: It’s right around here, and they’ve got the sickest vintage dresses!
CJ: Okayfine, but what are they, like $25 a pop?
Shopper 2: Try $7.00. Ten bucks, tops.
CJ: No way.
Shopper 1: Yes way.

So I took their advice, and hit the 11th Street Flea Market (The Mary Help of Christians Church Flea Market, officially) on my next Sunday off.

My shoppers are the shiznat.There are two stellar vintage apparel booths at this particular flea: One’s in the back left corner of the lot, the other hugs most of the far right side. The good news? Every item at both booths has a visible price attached. The better news? Said price ranges from $3.00 to $10.00. Effing flea-tastic.

After browsing the larger booths and making off with some killer dresses, I was elated to the point of venturing into untagged territory.

At one of the interior booths, I spotted a pair of oversized orange aviators. Ridiculous, in the best sense of the term. I tried them on. I knew I had to have them. I braced myself internally, feigned nonchalance externally, and asked the seller for a price.

Well, they’re a little worn… and they’re so FUN on you… I don’t know… eight bucks?Doneskies.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/vintage/cheap-vintage-11th-st-flea-market/feed 1 Burberry and More Found at Crossroads Trading Co. http://cheapjap.com/resale/burberry-crossroads-trading http://cheapjap.com/resale/burberry-crossroads-trading#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:58:02 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10666 Violet recently hit up Crossroads Trading Co.‘s Brooklyn location. Deets on her uber successful shopping trip below.
I took 2 of

...keep reading Burberry and More Found at Crossroads Trading Co.

]]>
Violet recently hit up Crossroads Trading Co.‘s Brooklyn location. Deets on her uber successful shopping trip below.

I took 2 of my girlfriends out shopping in Williamsburg on Saturday. They’d never been thrifting before so I decided to take them to the resale shops in the area. My goals were mostly sweaters (for fall and winter), jeans, and blouses (esp. the classic white button down which my closet was lacking).

I got a pair of Paige jeans off the half-off rack. The ink’s a bit smudged (I left the tag on when I put them in the dryer to sanitize). But red ink says half off, so the it came to $13.25 for the pair ^_^. They weren’t in immaculate condition though (a little wear/fraying along the bottom and pocket but it’s not noticeable and as someone whose normally OCD about that kinda stuff, it didn’t bother me and I liked the jeans too much).

I also found this Burberry cotton/cashmere blend sweater turtleneck top. It fits my body perfectly and had a really interesting but simple design. It’s more noticeable when worn, but you can kinda see the fold design on the front bottom edge in the pics. It has the same folds on the sleeves. $20 ^_^.

I also got a Marc Jacobs red top. What attracted it to me was its super plush feel. I’m pretty sure it must’ve been a sample because of the sticker that was attached to it in the 3rd photo. Now, the top had a huge 2.5 inch rip along the shoulder seam and at first I was dismayed. But I knew since it was torn at the seam it would be a very simple fix so I showed the hole at the register and asked if they would knock off something for it. So it was reduced from 14 dollars to 7 dollars.

Before buying, I put it on hold (I usually put everything I want on hold when I shop so I have the day while I’m at other stores to think about it before I buy), went around the corner to a tailor, asked how much it would cost to fix that type of rip ($3) and if it could be done in the same day, then went back, bought the top, and had it fixed while I was busy shopping at other stores. So the top’s price came to $10 dollars instead of $14.

Love the story of the MJ top – she asks for a lower price on account of damages (smart, and ALWAYS okay), then has the top fixed while she’s shopping at other stores, and STILL ends up paying less than the top’s original price. Effing Cheap JAPtastic.

Thanks to Violet for the sharesies!
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/burberry-crossroads-trading/feed 0 Goodwill Boutique Makes Mockery of Thrift http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/goodwill-boutique-thrift http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/goodwill-boutique-thrift#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:11:29 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10643 Daily Candy named Goodwill GVB one of five Boutique Openings to Get Excited About. Racked‘s

...keep reading Goodwill Boutique Makes Mockery of Thrift

]]>
Daily Candy named Goodwill GVB one of five Boutique Openings to Get Excited About. Racked‘s review seemed too wooed by the good deed factor of Goodwill to question the obvious.
For women, the store carries frilly and floral skirts, shorts in a variety of colors and lengths, and dresses for every occasion. Tank tops and bright, light weight tops are under $15 each, and coats and jackets range from $9.99 for a Mossimo rain jacket to $69.99 for an Ann Taylor Loft pea coat.
Maybe a Mossimo rain jacket costs more than $9.99 at Target. Maybe I don’t give a shit. Charging more than five bucks for an already-budget item of piss-poor quality is an insult to the art of thrift. Where the Ann Taylor Loft pea coat’s concerned, I mean, JESUS. A seventy dollar price tag at Goodwill? For an effing generic ATL pea coat? In MAY?!

Curated, my ASS.

Where charity thrift’s concerned, hell hath frozen over: Bundle up beotches, and brace yourselves for the cold hard reality of what it now costs to shop for a cause.

Mmkay, so these photos suck dong, but that’s because the security guard kept eyeballing me whilst I snapped (also, a security guard… what’s worth stealing, the fake Louis Vuitton bag in the window? Pfft.). Apologies, and onto the ludicrousness pictured.

Twenty8Twelve tops retail for hundreds of dollars. Ditto for Theory. It follows that paying $69.99 for one isn’t all that unreasonable… at Loehmann’s, or at a sample sale, or maybe even at a high-end consignment shop. I wouldn’t do it, but I understand it.

Paying that amount at Goodwill GVB is a different story – one in which I’m still digging through significant amounts of donated muck.

You heard me. DONATED. Goodwill wants $69.99 for each of these garments, but what’d they pay out of pocket? Zero. That’s a mark-up even Barneys can’t top.

I don’t have a problem with trading on charity – nationwide, Goodwill puts millions of people to work, and uses 84% of its profits to fund its numerous charitable initiatives. What I have a problem with is its complete disregard for the monetary expectations of those who keep it in business: We, the thrifters.

Goodwill GVB might be a smidge easier to shop than its larger Manhattan counterparts, but copious amounts of Target crap and Old Navy shizzz doth not a *curated* *vintage* *boutique* experience make.When I shop Goodwill, I expect to spend a bit more time and energy browsing than I would shopping retail. In return for my efforts, I expect to snag something amazing for a fraction of its retail cost – meaning five, ten, twelve bucks max. That uber cheap price is my reward for going gently worn, and for giving to charity via my secondhand purchase.

At Goodwill GVB, what do my efforts net me? Brand-name rip-offs, and a fucking forty dollar make-up stain.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/goodwill-boutique-thrift/feed 12 Three Rules For Running a Thrift Boutique http://cheapjap.com/thrift/goodwill-boutique http://cheapjap.com/thrift/goodwill-boutique#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:46:30 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10632 Goodwill was going upmarket, reserving the best of its donation pool for its latest initiative:
The Goodwill Greenwich Village Boutique. Thrift boutiques – thriftiques, if you will – have been popping up all over as

...keep reading Three Rules For Running a Thrift Boutique

]]> Goodwill was going upmarket, reserving the best of its donation pool for its latest initiative:

The Goodwill Greenwich Village Boutique. Thrift boutiques – thriftiques, if you will – have been popping up all over as of late. Kate Goldwater and I know this facet of the gently worn world inside out and bass ackwards; it’s why AuH2O is the number one shopping listing on Yelp for all of New York City.

The rules of a successful thriftique operation are as follows:

1. Have an Eye.

Over the past few months, Kate and I have basically trained ourselves to be brand-blind. This isn’t because we have anything against labels; it’s because we understand the extent to which they influence our judgment.

I recently unearthed a stunning, cream linen pencil skirt from a bin at one of our go-to stock spots. We squealed with delight before we even knew what it was: A vintage Yves Saint Laurent. Yes, it was a lucky score, but when quality’s your end-game, the gems eventually find you.

When assessing any item, we deal with cut (is it flattering? is the fit versatile? is it too big or too small for our shoppers?), fabric (is it jersey knit that’s going to pill after one wash? is it scratchy vintage polyester?), color (we hate pink), seasonal wearability (fuck, another amazing vintage sweater we don’t have space to store) and stylistic relevance (can we cut out the shoulder-pads?). The brand’s the last part of the equation, and rarely the deciding factor.

Having an eye also means getting outside of your own head, i.e. knowing who you’re buying for. Our East Village shoppers are basically a walking street style blog: Their creative wardrobe choices inspire a lot of what we stock, and they rarely lead us astray.

2. Check for Damages.

A thriftique is, first and foremost, a screening tool designed to alleviate the browsing drudgery associated with traditional thrift.

That’s a verbose way of saying NO DAMAGED SHIT ON YOUR RACKS. If you’re going to tack on a convenience charge for curated secondhand stock, checking for pit-stains, missing buttons, busted zippers, fabric tears, pen marks, excessive pilling, iron burns, etc. isn’t an option – it’s your fucking JOB.

Note: If thrift warehouses and vintage junk shops are your stock sources, here’s your golden rule: If it’s really effing amazing, there’s probably something wrong with it. Write that down.

Kate and I do two damage checks for every single item we choose, and we do it every single time we stock, and we STILL mess up occasionally. If we pull something out of the dryer, see a stain and realize we’ve been had, do we say meh, whatevs, no one else will notice, we’ll just put it out anyway? No, because we’re not lazy pieces of shit.

If we knowingly stock a damaged item, it’s a big fat eff you to our shoppers – no item is worth having our judgment and/or thrifting skillz called into question.

If we unknowingly stock a damaged item, and a shopper catches the flaw, it’s 75% off its tagged price if she still wants it; if she doesn’t, we pull it off the floor immediately.

For any item that’s not wearable in its current form, you’ve got two choices: Fix it, or get rid of it.

3. Don’t Forget What You’re Selling.

No, really. What do you sell?

A vintage shopkeeper might answer authentic 60s and 70s era garb. A Housing Works manager might answer designer items at a discount. A Goodwill Boutique employee might say brands for less.

All of these answers amount to a steaming pile of cow dung – a crock of bullshit that enables many thriftique owners to rationalize overcharging for previously worn goods.

Vintage, designer – I don’t give a rat’s ass. First and foremost, it’s USED, and it should be priced as such.

So. Did Goodwill’s Greenwich Village Boutique hit or miss the thriftique mark?

Oy. Effing. Vey. Photographic evidence to follow. Stay tuned.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/goodwill-boutique/feed 2 Peace Out Mini, Hello Maxi (A Killer Vintage Skirt) http://cheapjap.com/vintage/maxi-skirts http://cheapjap.com/vintage/maxi-skirts#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 19:28:56 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10609 my thriftique is, well, BOOMING.
By the by, we’re phasing out consignment and phasing in cash-for-clothes – if you’ve got castoffs to sell, we’d love to take a look! Email auh2oshop@gmail.com to set up an appointment with me or my hetero-life-mate, Kate Goldwater.
I schlep it

...keep reading Peace Out Mini, Hello Maxi (A Killer Vintage Skirt)

]]> my thriftique is, well, BOOMING.
By the by, we’re phasing out consignment and phasing in cash-for-clothes – if you’ve got castoffs to sell, we’d love to take a look! Email auh2oshop@gmail.com to set up an appointment with me or my hetero-life-mate, Kate Goldwater.

I schlep it out on stock runs, but I’ve started classing it up a bit on my days running the store. For someone with an affinity for hiked-up hemlines and shredded denim, this is obvs uncharted territory.

I used to think cardigans, blouses and skirts of the non-mini ilk had some kind of transformative power – wear them in conjunction and poof! You’re Betty Draper.

A wildly irrational assumption, yes. I mean, they’re just clothes, for fuck’s sake – any power they have over us is always in our own heads. Alas, sometimes logic alone isn’t enough to cut through one’s own ridiculous projections.

Throw an effing amazing ladylike piece into the mix, and the argument for occasional elegance is a hell of a lot more convincing. The skirt above was unearthed from one of the back bins at Green Village Junk Shop. I was on the hunt for store stock at the time, but one look at this puppy was enough to convince me to sell it never. Tuck a white tank into it, throw on flat sandals and some jewelry and it’s not just the easiest outfit in existence – it’s one of the greats.

FYI you guys: While Green Village’s front racks are always ripe with vintage finds, its by-the-pound selection (and I use that term loosely) bears the highest of sketch factors. Successful guerilla thrifting generally hinges on hard work and endurance – where Green Village’s back bins are concerned, sometimes neither gets you jack shit.

Finding a skirt like this in a by-the-pound context is a matter of blind luck alone. Save yourself the agony, and stick to the racks. (Unless you have a borderline-psychotic addiction to digging a la moi, in which case, go for it.)

Now lookie, I wasn’t drawn to this skirt because tea-lengths are oh-so-haute-right-now. I just like to stick it to retail as much as possible. Attached to the occasional on-trend secondhand find is something I’m not nearly mature enough to forgo.

BRAGGING RIGHTS.A brief analysis of my vintage number and its Dolce Vita counterpart:

Similar button placement.
Similar color family.
Same length.
Same pleats.
Same waistline.
A two hundred and nineteen dollar difference in cost.

How you like me now, retail? HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?!

Muhaha.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/vintage/maxi-skirts/feed 1 Oversized Bow Thong Takes Purposeless Lingerie to New Heights http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/oversized-bow-thong-lingerie http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/oversized-bow-thong-lingerie#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:25:52 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10600 Hanky Pankies, I make the mistake of forgetting to browse by brand. Instead, I hit the general “Panties” category, where I’m inevitably confronted by a slew of offenses in the form of two hundred dollar underwear.
I’ve always wondered how upscale lingerie companies a la Kiki

...keep reading Oversized Bow Thong Takes Purposeless Lingerie to New Heights

]]> Hanky Pankies, I make the mistake of forgetting to browse by brand. Instead, I hit the general “Panties” category, where I’m inevitably confronted by a slew of offenses in the form of two hundred dollar underwear.

I’ve always wondered how upscale lingerie companies a la Kiki de Montparnasse stay in business, but I’m not the kind of jackhole who’d ever pony up two benjamins to find out.

Think a $195 thong is the stupidest thing in existence?

THINK AGAIN.What. The. FUCK.

The fact this garment costs $175 is par for the Kiki course and heretofore, the least of my concerns. No. What concerns me most is the Why factor, as in why, WHY does it EXIST?

Color, season and general over-the-toppedness suggest it’s post-wedding bridal garb, you know, in case you feel like putting on a tail after tying the knot.

It’s a piss poor explanation at best, but so is the idiocy you see before you, so whatevs.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/oversized-bow-thong-lingerie/feed 0 Retro Plus Retail Equals An Oxymoron http://cheapjap.com/thrift/retro-style-spring-trends http://cheapjap.com/thrift/retro-style-spring-trends#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 23:14:17 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10584 Retro Trend shall heretofore commence. Clarifying the meaning of “retro” as it relates to style is probs a good place to start. Let’s jack some knowledge from Wikipedia: Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from

...keep reading Retro Plus Retail Equals An Oxymoron

]]> Retro Trend shall heretofore commence. Clarifying the meaning of “retro” as it relates to style is probs a good place to start. Let’s jack some knowledge from Wikipedia:
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of “retro” style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc. It generally implies a vintage of at least 15 or 20 years.
You hear that, chickadees? Old shiznat is In. So In that Topshop sent two chicks from its design team over to AuH2O yesterday to spy on us, which was half-flattering and half-absurd. (What’s wrong, Topshop? Is the shitstorm of sparkles and feathers and other overpriced barely-wearables not going as well as you’d hoped?)

Retro basically means stolen from the past. This makes it the easiest trend in the history of trends to thrift, should you choose to incorporate elements of it into your wardrobe. Tie-front blouses, long skirts, printed button down shirts – there’s about nine kajillion of all the above in every shape, size and color in every Salvation Army Family Store and every Goodwill Outlet Center on the planet. For serious.

The tops below were snagged on a stock run earlier this week… before I’d even browsed Shopbop’s latest trend schmend lookbooks. The extent of the Retro sham eventually became clear. Swearsies, my vintage striped blouse is 100% silk too. Nothing’s wrong with it, aside from the fact that it’s been duplicated, coined the “Clean Sheer Striped Shirt” and perverted by Madewell‘s $95.00 pricetag. Grossness.Am I on glue here, or does the earth-toned, Safari-inspired trend thing happen EVERY SINGLE SPRING and just rotate what it calls itself? I guess this year it’s masquerading as Retro; next year it’ll be Natural or something equally vague. Whatever.

A few small differences between my thrift find and its retail copy, err, inspiration (also by Madewell – someone on that design team def digs Goodwill.) One: Mine is linen – a fabric of equal caliber to silk, IMHO. Two: Mine is olive, as opposed to poop brown. Onto the prints!Okay, okay, I’m aware that the Tommy Bahama number at left isn’t objectively attractive. It could possibly be deemed ugly as sin. Guess what? I don’t give a RAT’S ASS. I think it’s AMAZING. I think it’s my favorite top I own right now, and I think I’m going to wear it all spring and summer, possibly to family events, where it will undoubtedly embarrass my mother.

My feeling is, if you’re gonna go tie-front, go big or go home, and if you’re gonna go print, go loud while you’re at it. I wore it to work yesterday, assuming it’d be slow because it was a weekday and the weather was absolute shite. We ended up getting slammed for the bulk of the afternoon, which obvs means that in addition to being awesome, the Tommy Bahama is also lucky.

For today’s version of the aforementioned lucky top, see the Adhan Sleeveless Blouse by Equipment. It’s a little less loud and little more modern… I might even call it cute. Oh, except it’s effing two hundred and forty two dollars.

I’m sorry, but a top costing more than two Benjamins better take ten pounds off, make my boobs look perkier, go with every thing I own, and have a lifespan of approximately 75 years. If it doesn’t do any of the above, it’s not a top at all. It’s a FELONY.

Peacey outtie and a big fat MWAH.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/retro-style-spring-trends/feed 6 So I’m Writing a Book… http://cheapjap.com/opinions/writing-book http://cheapjap.com/opinions/writing-book#comments Sun, 06 Mar 2011 19:34:58 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10568 I was funny! I was talented! I managed to make a relatively unfamiliar subject matter entertaining!
An overwhelmingly positive response meant the odds of

...keep reading So I’m Writing a Book…

]]>
I was funny! I was talented! I managed to make a relatively unfamiliar subject matter entertaining!

An overwhelmingly positive response meant the odds of my book selling were reasonably good, right?

Wrong. So effing wrong. After pitching the proposal at their respective publishing house meetings, my cheerleaders mutated into cynics. They liked it, but… well… a first time author writing on unfamiliar subject matter was a tough sell. It wasn’t a judgement on my writing – even in their rejection letters, they lauded my voice and my potential. I just turned out to be a risk that a destabilized industry wasn’t willing to take.

I wasn’t just crushed – I was royally fucked. In arrogantly assuming that a book’s fate hinged on quality writing and good content, I’d failed to consider my next move. My funds were running out; my parents’ patience was understandably wearing thin; the dream of a career as resale’s biggest foghorn was fading; reality was rearing its fugly fucking head. I’d turned down editorial positions fashion sites on the grounds that it’d kill my street cred, and for what? To be just another starving non-artist?

I was sick of being told I had great ideas, only to later be told it wasn’t the right time to bring them to fruition. Resale was a growing multi-billion dollar industry; people were shopping it, but that didn’t necessarily mean they’d buy a book about it. From a mass media standpoint, I’d arrived at the party too early.

I still believed in what I was doing, but you can’t fucking feed yourself on faith.

I tend to split hairs on the whole fate/destiny thing. Part of me thinks it’s a matter of choice and willpower; part of me thinks it’s ultimately out of my hands. I don’t know if I believe in God or whatevs. I do know that I believe there’s something out there – something greater than ourselves, something beyond our conception or comprehension. Something that observes how badly we want it and how far we’ll go to get it; something that watches us try and fail and try and fail again, and keep going anyway. Something that witnesses us as we trudge on, at the expense of our pride and against our better judgment. Something that waits in the wings until we’ve exhausted every option and finally hit the lowest of lows.

Last October, I sat on my floor in my apartment with my head in my hands. The experience of pitching a book had castrated me: I’d lost my balls, and the will to keep going along with them. If I was going to continue on my current path, I needed some concrete proof that it wasn’t all for naught.

I then proceeded to do something nucking futs. Something I’ve never done before. Something that at any other time, would have seemed like a crock of voo-doo bullshit.

I asked for a sign.

Ten seconds later, my phone rang. Ten minutes later, I had an offer to co-own a secondhand store.

I got a crash course in running a resale business in the months that followed. I eventually realized my book hadn’t sold for good reason. You can’t claim expertise over anything until you know every facet of the subject on which you’re writing. In my case, that meant I couldn’t write a book on resale until I’d been on both sides of the counter. I’m finally ready to write the goddamn thing.

After my proposal was deemed dead in the water, I was told to view the praise that didn’t pan out as an opportunity. These editors wanted to see more of my work, after all – humorous essays, a funny fashion and style book, a cheeky memoir, perhaps. Maybe I had to get established first before I could write about what I knew best and loved most.

I mulled over the possibility of doing the dog and pony show; of churning out a cutesy coffee table book that’d net me an advance and a promotional budget to boot. It’s tempting. But it’s not me.

I don’t want my first book to be generic and marginally entertaining.
I want it to kick some ass.

Self-publishing takes serious balls. I’m grateful to have mine back.

If this blog consisted of little more than pretty pictures of me wearing cute little outfits a la most popular style bloggers as of late, I could probably keep it going while I write the book. Unfortunately, it’s heavy on content, and content takes time and energy, and I don’t have enough of either to post consistently and get this book done in the next few months.

And so I must bid you farewell and go dark for the time being. I’ll check in via twitter and post periodic updates on how it’s all going. I’ll be thinking of you every time I sit down to write.

Good shopping karma and a big fat MWAH to you all.

VIVA LA THRIFT.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/opinions/writing-book/feed 15 Shopbop Sells Orgasms in Addition to Overpriced Clothes http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/shopbop-sells-orgasms-overpriced-clothes http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/shopbop-sells-orgasms-overpriced-clothes#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:08:01 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10551 really fucking expensive slutty outfits.




...keep reading Shopbop Sells Orgasms in Addition to Overpriced Clothes

]]> really fucking expensive slutty outfits.




]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/shopbop-sells-orgasms-overpriced-clothes/feed 4 Best. Jumpsuit. Ever. http://cheapjap.com/thrift/best-jumpsuit-ever http://cheapjap.com/thrift/best-jumpsuit-ever#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:02:16 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10529 The last thing you find is usually the best.
Here’s how this usually plays out: You’ve been thrifting for however long it takes to fully exhaust your shopping stamina. You’re hungry; you’re grouchy; you’re running

...keep reading Best. Jumpsuit. Ever.

]]>
The last thing you find is usually the best.

Here’s how this usually plays out: You’ve been thrifting for however long it takes to fully exhaust your shopping stamina. You’re hungry; you’re grouchy; you’re running on fumes; you’re ready to get the hell outta dodge. You’ve got two choices at this point: Call it a day, or hang tough for ten more minutes.

What happens in those last ten minutes? You find things like this:

This vintage khaki jumpsuit is, hands down, one of my favorite scores in the history of my secondhand shopping career.

It fits perfectly; its neutral tone tempers its ridiculousness; it looks sick tucked into boots; it’s a kickass outfit in one fell swoop. I found it at Green Village Junk Shop after an hour and a half of hunting.

Tacking ten minutes of overtime onto ninety minutes of strenuous sifting isn’t a sane decision by any stretch of the imagination, but crazy clearly pays off.

So. Effing. Worth It. Eek!
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/best-jumpsuit-ever/feed 2 Marc Jacobs’ Vintage-Inspired Dress vs. The Real Deal http://cheapjap.com/vintage/marc-jacobs-vintage-inspired-dress http://cheapjap.com/vintage/marc-jacobs-vintage-inspired-dress#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:14:18 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10532 Marc by Marc Jacobs‘ latest runway show.

The technical term for a dress like this is vintage-inspired. Horseshit. This is highbrow copycatting at its most uncreative.
I mean, if you’re going to highjack a design from a previous era, at least DO SOMETHING to it to

...keep reading Marc Jacobs’ Vintage-Inspired Dress vs. The Real Deal

]]> Marc by Marc Jacobs‘ latest runway show.


The technical term for a dress like this is vintage-inspired. Horseshit. This is highbrow copycatting at its most uncreative.

I mean, if you’re going to highjack a design from a previous era, at least DO SOMETHING to it to make it your own. Why buy a pricey, vintage-inspired dress if we can snag an authentic vintage one for hundreds of dollars less?
Why, indeed.

I found this gem of a dress in the back bins at Green Village Junk Shop.

The clothes there cost $2.00 a pound. So this dress cost me approximately 15 cents.

I WIN.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/vintage/marc-jacobs-vintage-inspired-dress/feed 1 Witchy Woman Style http://cheapjap.com/style/witchy-woman-style http://cheapjap.com/style/witchy-woman-style#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:52:26 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10507 my thriftique was a shitshow of pink. I figured I’d temper the girly vibe/commiserate with uncoupled shoppers by donning an all-black ensemble. It wasn’t until a customer commented on my outfit that I realized the true source of its inspiration.
- You know

...keep reading Witchy Woman Style

]]> my thriftique was a shitshow of pink. I figured I’d temper the girly vibe/commiserate with uncoupled shoppers by donning an all-black ensemble. It wasn’t until a customer commented on my outfit that I realized the true source of its inspiration.

- You know that movie The Craft?
- Know it? I was OBSESSED with it for most of middle school!
- Me too, and your outfit kinda has that early-nineties witch vibe going on. Love the nod to goth!

If ever you find yourself chanting Earth-Air-Fire-Water in your head and feel the need to express your inner witch, a nod to goth can be achieved via the following:

A little black dress. Mine’s from H&M: I resisted scissoring it into a minidress for four solid years, leaving it knee-length for classy occasions, synagogue and/or funerals, but I’m happy I finally gave in. The lining started shredding as soon as I’d cut it, so I want with the raw thang and hemmed it with a loop stitch to keep the hem in tact.

Note: Loop stitch is not a technical term – it’s what happens when you poke a needle and thread through the inside of the garment close to the interior edge, then loop it around the exterior edge in lieu of poking it through the outside of the garment. If that makes any sense.
A black blazer (a vintage Goodwill Outlet Center find, in this case). In its original form, the four-button blazer had two visible copper buttons and two hidden heinous plastic buttons. It looked fine buttoned up; unbuttoned, it was a decidedly not-hot mess.

A blazer that cannot be worn both open and closed is a blazer undeserving of a place in my wardrobe – clearly, the situation had to be remedied. Luckily, the blazer had two matching copper buttons on its sleeves. I snipped them off, and trimmed the fabric shielding the heinous plastic buttons. Then I snipped those buttons from the garment, and sewed the copper ones onto the vacant button space. If it looks unfinished, GOOD. It’s SUPPOSED to. We have a raw, badass witchy theme going on here!
The shoes are a no-brainer, as black, lace-up, combat-inspired boots epitomize the nod-to-goth look. These are Miz Moos, and Mommy got them for me at Marshalls because she is awesome.

Chokers are a staple nineties accessory, so I threw a vintage Jewish star charm onto a long silver chain and wrapped it around my neck three times. I also added a killer vintage wrist cuff, and topped the whole thang off with ripped black tights.

“We are the weirdos, mister.” Bah!
]]> http://cheapjap.com/style/witchy-woman-style/feed 1 How to Salvage an Erroneously Hemmed Dress http://cheapjap.com/diy-fashion/how-to-salvage-dress-hem http://cheapjap.com/diy-fashion/how-to-salvage-dress-hem#comments Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:06:40 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10498 ...keep reading How to Salvage an Erroneously Hemmed Dress

]]>
Do I open late? Fuck no – I’m a professional. I leave my apartment half-dressed and on time, and change my outfit upon arriving at the store. It’s usually as simple as selecting a top or dress and a few accessories from my personal stock, but a few mornings ago, simplicity and speed went out the window. In lieu of picking something wearable in its current form, I chose an ankle-length tie-waist dress.

I do not wear ankle-length dresses. Ever. But the print was sooo cute, and the jersey knit had the coziness of a broken-in t-shirt. I loved this dress and goddammit, I was going to figure out a way to wear it. So I did what I always do when I fall for something too long for my liking: I busted out my scissors, and hacked a few inches off the hem.

Allow me to paint you a picture of the scenario: I’m in the dressing room with the scissors. No customers are in the store yet, but I’m open for business and, heretofore, on a serious time crunch. I try the dress on and ballpark the hem. I take it off. I hack it. I put it back on and… BALLS. Way. Too. Short. This wasn’t a mini-dress, and it didn’t look like a tunic either. It looked like the mistake it was – a dress hemmed too short for wearability. SHIT.

Luckily, I had a gauzy, layered, ruffle and lace trimmed H&M miniskirt on hand, so I layered it under the mistake of a mini dress. It masqueraded as a slip effectively enough, but it was too thick to lie flat under the thin fabric – from the waist down, I was a big bunchy mess. I threw a blazer on over the combo to hide the bunch and survived the day.

I couldn’t leave the issue of the too-short dress unresolved – this thang was way too cute not to salvage. The ruffled trim of the H&M miniskirt was a perfect pairing. All I had to do was cut the hem from the garment, sew it together to preserve the layered material, then sew that piece of material onto the bottom of the dress hem.

This took nine hours.
Thankfully, I had Freaks & Geeks for company.

Pretty cute, yes? Oh, and both the dress and the skirt-turned-hem got snagged at Goodwill Outlet Center.

In other news, it’s Fashion Week. I could do a long-winded rant on the ridiculousness of the scene, but these days, it’s just not a worthy use of my time. Better to keep you entertained with subjects marginally relevant to your lives, methinks.

How’s this for a compromise: It’s Fashion Week, and I don’t give a flying fuck.

Doneskies.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/diy-fashion/how-to-salvage-dress-hem/feed 1 Valentine’s Day Lingerie: Sexy vs. Sex Worker http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/valentines-day-lingerie-sexy-sex-worker http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/valentines-day-lingerie-sexy-sex-worker#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:02:07 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10483 ...keep reading Valentine’s Day Lingerie: Sexy vs. Sex Worker

]]>
Look, I’m not opposed to splurging on a lacy bra and undie set in the spirit of V-day – good boyfriends deserve an occasional reward in the form of a drool-worthy ensemble. I’m just not on board with for-sex-only attire, as it tends to have a lifespan of 15 minutes (hopefully more, if your man has solid foreplay skillz :P ).

Sidebar: Ladies, if you’re sleeping with someone on a regular basis and dealing with subpar foreplay, do not grin and bear it. Few things are more confounding to men than our respective hoo-has: You must communicate! A good lover gets off on getting YOU off, and won’t be offended by a little guidance. But for fuck’s sake, be POSITIVE. Do not do what I did in the early stages of my relationship, and allow your frustration to manifest as criticism, eye rolls and an aura of huffiness. This person is trying to please you, and your equipment is infinitely more difficult to master than his. Be patient. Be kind. And be adventurous – “Show, Don’t Tell” is an incredibly effective exercise. According to Dan Savage, men tend to enjoy sex more than women because men start masturbating earlier. You can’t help someone else get you off until you’ve done it yourself, so stop being a prude and get to it. (Yup, I was a sex columnist in college. Spanks for indulging.)

Back to Valentine’s Day garb, and discerning hot, wearable ensembles from those better left on stripper poles.

Let’s play a little game called Sexy vs. Sex Worker.

The cutout teddy is a study in slutty geometry. Hanky Panky‘s Retro Set proves black lace can be classy AND hot.

Is this Halloween? Because that pink and black number is very, very scary. Also confusing. What’s the continuous line from the cleavage to crotch supposed to mean – start at boobs, follow the slutty pink road, and put wee-wee here? The Only Hearts So Fine set is an infinitely more versatile bet.

Calvin Klein‘s Kyoto Thong/Push-Up Bra combo screams special occasion without looking like it’s trying too hard. Or fondling a blowdryer, for that matter.

The maid costume. Sweet Jesus. For sexual suggestiveness sans cliche, see Hanky Panky‘s After Midnight Bodysuit.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/valentines-day-lingerie-sexy-sex-worker/feed 4 Spring Stock Preview! http://cheapjap.com/thrift/spring-stock-preview http://cheapjap.com/thrift/spring-stock-preview#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:01:08 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=10462 Goodwill Outlet Center isn’t just challenging: It is a trying test of spirit and will. I’ve been at it for two years now, and it knocks me on my ass EVERY SINGLE TIME.
High volume thrift is a dangerous journey. Here’s how the clothes-by-the-pound game is played: Approach massive bin of

...keep reading Spring Stock Preview!

]]> Goodwill Outlet Center isn’t just challenging: It is a trying test of spirit and will. I’ve been at it for two years now, and it knocks me on my ass EVERY SINGLE TIME.

High volume thrift is a dangerous journey. Here’s how the clothes-by-the-pound game is played:
  1. Approach massive bin of donated crap.
  2. Plunge arms into bottom of bin; grab as much clothing as wingspan/bicep strength allows; yank in upward direction.
  3. Sift through first pull; put promising items into cart.
  4. Repeat 4-5 times for current bin.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 for every subsequent bin.
How large is a massive bin of donated crap? Five feet wide, nine feet long, four feet deep – and that’s a conservative guess.

How many massive bins of donated crap exist at Goodwill Outlet Center? Forty or so – enough to scare the shit out of me.

Why do I continue to frequent a place that leaves me battered and brain-fried? Because it’s the biggest payoff in the history of thrift. (Also, because I need stock for my thriftique: We bust our asses to find it cheap so we can price it cheap. You’re welcome. :P )

Sifting through mountains of damages, stains, dated fugliness and suspicious odors isn’t fun by a long shot; trying the stuff on when you’re done sure as hell is, but it’s not the ultimate reward. The best part of all the work that goes in to foraging kickass stock? Watching someone fall in love with something it took me hours to find. Sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I guess I’m in the right business.

A few finds from my latest AuH2O stock run.
More laters. Mwah!

P.S. Dig the polaroid frames?! Picnik, I LOVE YOU. :P
]]> http://cheapjap.com/thrift/spring-stock-preview/feed 2