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Thrift

Where There’s a (Good) Will…

Now, I don’t like to brag; anyone who knows me personally can attest to my exemplary modesty in shopping and in life (HA!). Alas yesterday, whilst leaving no hanger unturned at Goodwill, I paused to admire my armfull of Goodies (henceforth, all Goodwill finds will be known as such) and thought:

I am effing awesome at shopping.

Yup; my fancy, overpriced, liberal arts education has brought me to this conclusion. (Sorry Dad).

Shopping at Goodwill is a test of faith. Sooo deep, right?! But for serious. We don’t just love to shop cheap because it’s fiscally responsible. We love it for the thrill of the score. What you see here is an olive-plaid, button-front, velvet-trimmed Tahari blazer – an item that, given its brand, would retail for $400 and change – for $12.99. What you don’t see is the heavy lifting that went into finding this piece (and not just figuratively speaking; I was hauling around fifteen or so garments when I found it). Right before I entered the dressing room, after 45 minutes spent wreaking havoc on the racks, the score caught my eye. I didn’t need another blazer, but COME ON.
I’m not schpieling for accolades (eh fine, maybe a little) – I do have a point. When I hit Goodwill, there was no this-stuff’s-gross, no I-wish-I-was-at-Barneys and no I-hope-I-find-something-decent. Instead, I was thinking, “I WILL SELL THIS HOUSE TODAY” except with buying clothes.

A score like this blazer wouldn’t be any fun if it was the first thing I’d found. I put the time in, I left no stone unturned, and it paid off in the form of a Cheap JAPtastic piece as I knew it would. It will continue to pay off when I get compliments on the it and get to brag about – err, I mean, disclose – the fact that it was $12.99.

When the going gets tough and you’re ready to throw in the towel (i.e. hightail it uptown and open a Saks account), remember: Shopping cheap and looking loaded is like baseball, and I’m your Jimmy Dugan.

It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.

6 comments to Where There’s a (Good) Will…

  • Fantastic. Not sure if you’re into this sort of thing but I tagged you on my blog, btw… A post will be up later on today.

  • Rae

    Too true. When people see me in an awesome outfit, they say, “Hey, nice outfit.” When I tell them my awesome outfit set me back less than $40, they say, “OMFG you are a WIZARD!”

    This makes me finally feel like the prodigy my Russian father and Asian mother always wanted — So what if I’m no concert pianist? I can turn ten-dollar bills into designer jeans, beeyotch!

  • Sal

    Too right, you! Now let’s see your hard-won prize in action.

  • Hayley

    Seriously…it’s all the thrill of the chase and getting the big score. I got a black Theory blazer, pretty much brand new, for 10 bucks on eBay. Now, I’m of the belief that Theory is not worth nearly the price they charge, but it was a solid find. I get compliments every time I wear that blazer. Congrats on your great Goodwill finds!

  • You are so right! And the thrill of the perfect thrift-shop find kicks all over grabbing something new from a rack of sizes.

  • s

    AMAZING find!! will you show with outfit?

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