I jacked this belt from an old Bogner Snow Suit of mi madre’s.

Attics are stellar resources for unconventional accessories.
(DSquared blazer, $16.00 @ Chelsea Goodwill.

Every three months or so, I suffer a crisis of faith re: my mission to get you gals shopping in the most fiscally, socially and environmentally responsible way there is (a.k.a. secondhand, obvs).
The inner monologue goes something like this: Resale’s an easy sell, but what about thrift? The notion of patience as the only [...]

The below Tresics top has the following pros: burnt orange/red color (always a plus for olive-skinned brunettes); thin, cozy material (great for layering); butt-covering length (plays well with leggings); a crazy-low price ($3.99 at Salvation Army, Chelsea. Word.)

There is, of course, one glaring con. The keyhole neckline.
The keyhole neckline is the least flattering of all [...]

Had a solid browse last week at the 23rd Street Goodwill.

Warm, versatile and most importantly, cropped. Eighties!

The pics don’t lie: That’s a tags-on-new $52.00 Splendid U-Neck Puff Sleeve Tee right there. (Originally $51.00 online – the Anthropologie tag attached to the one pictured makes it cost a dollar more. Jackholes.)

Another new retail goodie that ended [...]

Beats the hell outta Century 21. If you’re in the Union Square area at any point this weekend, do swing by. Designer goodies at redonkulously low prices abound.
Cure Thrift Bag Sale
Vintage & designer clutches, totes, hobos, satchels, wallets, purses, luggage and more!
Whether you’re looking for your next everyday carry-all, or just something fun to wear [...]

Vintage Vertigo Paris jeans; old school Radu workout tee; Melissa wedges.

Also: Many of you have asked after the origin of the stunning, buttery, over-the-knee boots pictured a few days ago.

The brand:Tashkent by Cheyenne
Retail value: $600.00+
What I paid: $145.00
For full deets on this epic score, see Why I’m Not Above Secondhand Shoes.

You want proof? You got it:

When I think of the Upper East’s crop of charity-related thrift stores, one term comes to mind: Identity Crisis.
In a vacuum, the average price point for worn-out wares of the J. Crew, GAP and Banana Republic ilk is about $7 per piece, max. Go north on the 4/5 line, exit at 86th street, and you’ll [...]

This outfit represents the Triad of Post-Recession Shopping:

When you’re on a tight budget, extraneous purchases often come with a side helping of guilt. If shopping is to be fun, we must get the guilt OUT. Ranked in accordance with the level of guilt our purchases are apt to make us feel, the Triad looks like [...]

The Alcove Thrift Shop netted me the following:

-Zara shift dress
-pony hair belt
-skinny belt
-military-inspired pencil skirt
-versatile vintage blouse
The most expensive thing was the dress, at a whopping six bucks. Everything else was under $5.

If memory serves, all the above came to less than $20.00.

That is the smile of a happy shopper. More pics en route.

Yesterday, reader KD imparted the following wisdom:
Don’t get me wrong; this is a great find and I love your blog. But I thought Beacon’s Closet was supposed to be a thrift store. I realize that its in NYC and quite organized, but thrift is NOT a $35 dress! Thrift is $15 and below dresses! Most [...]

Possibly still intoxicated. Also suffering foot cramps as a result of a last-minute decision to don impractical shoes last night. Dancing in sky-high boots is a surefire means to looking drunker than you actually are. Write that down.
I’m not sharp enough to pen anything else of note – luckily, I wrote the below a few [...]

Three years ago, Mommy gifted me with what would become my fave transitional coat: A Twill Twenty Two tweed zip-up jacket, trimmed in faux fur. The thing was kickass. STELLAR. Two years of continuous wear resulted in an unraveling exterior and a torn interior, but I wasn’t yet ready to give it up: I snipped [...]

What up dollfaces,
Before we commence with the material goody-related posting, a more detailed explanation for last week’s absence is in order. The initial purpose of the break was to work on other Cheap JAPtastic projects – projects of the stress-me-the-eff-out ilk.

All kinds of obsessed with this old school Bloomingdale’s Men’s red polo.

Outfit 1: Forever 21 Pencil Skirt; Housing Works Belt; Foot Traffic Plaid Tights; Celine Platform Pumps; Vintage Men’s Polo (Goodwill Outlet Center).
Outfit 2: BCBG Dress (Beacon’s Closet); The Sock Man Tights; Housing Works Belt; Celine Platform Pumps; Vintage Men’s Polo (Goodwill Outlet Center). [...]

My Goodwill Outlet haul included a barely-worn J.Crew Seersucker blazer. Shit. You. Not.
Fitting rooms tend not to exist in places where clothes are $1.69 a pound. I wasn’t totally comfortable with the idea of trying anything on before it underwent my requisite sanitation process either. I had the J.Crew Seersucker dry-cleaned, and found myself nonplussed [...]

I checked out Housing Works’ Fashion for Action Preview Sale last night, courtesy of a press pass (thank you kindly).

We’ve now arrived at the first crop of finds from the Queens Goodwill Outlet Center.
Some are wack jobs (but will make for exciting outfit experimentation, no less):

Some are basics (and they’ve already been worn more than once):

And some require a bit o’ tweaking (but have serious potential):

More thriftastic nuggets to come – stay tuned.

Tackling the beast that is the Queens Goodwill Outlet Center requires more than some serious cojones. Employ the below tips, and increase your chances of survival.

1. Defensive Dressing
Clothing comfortable/casual enough to get dirty; walking shoes; a hands-free bag; you know the deal. I donned a fanny pack for the occasion, and it felt AWESOME.

I hit one of the Thrifty Fashionista’s stellar Vintage Pop-Up Sales last week, which will henceforth be announced here as they happen. The Thrifty Fashionista and I obvs bonded over our collective love of thrift and our similar notions of what constitutes cheap; I was impressed by both her sifting abilities and the way in [...]