Thrifty Summer

Been busy with work and other commitments, but I've had the opportunity to thrift more often than usual since school is out of the way for now. Here's some of what I came up with in the past couple months. 

Keep in mind the following: Thrifting with good results is equal parts luck and skill. 

Luck that you will come across something of value (and that somebody else hasn't first) 

and Skill in being able to evaluate an item for purchase, perhaps instantly, on several factors. 

If you are shopping for yourself, fit is the most important factor. Doesn't Fit? Don't buy. 

Assessing condition and value are also critical skills you will develop as you become a more experienced thrifter. Thrifting effectively is all about separating the wheat from the chaff, in as little time as possible. 

Let's face it: Most thrift stores are filled with 99%  junk that I would't wear if you PAID me. But lurking within you will inevitably find really great stuff, it just takes time and patience. Especially for so-called "grail items" like Brooks Brothers blazers in nearly perfect condition, a Hermes tie or a Barbour jacket. These items are so rare that it may take years thrifting before you find one (if you ever do) and you can then pray it will be in OK condition and then your size. But you do get surprisingly lucky sometimes, and that's the point of this blog: to give some inspiration to keep you all going.

I occasionally find things "too good to pass up" and have been re-selling mostly to cover my costs, on eBay. My auctions can be found under the "For Sale" section of this site. 

Here's what I've picked up for selling recently, and why.

Came across 4 Brooks Brothers 346 shirts in great condition. Because they were all the same size, I sold them as a lot for $54 ($13.50 each). If they weren't in such good shape, they might not have sold.
These are all great patterns that I would wear if they were my size.

Two pairs of like-new Hudson fit Brooks Brothers Twill pants. These retail for about $98 but I sold both for $20 ea. 

Found this University of Idaho tie from Rivety of Boston. 100% Silk and in good condition, I figured I'd make an Idaho alumni happy so I listed it on eBay. There were no other ties of this style currently for sale when I listed it, so it sold pretty quickly. Gone for $11

I will always pick up Brooks Brothers polos if the are in good condition. Sold this along with another for $25 in a package deal. 

Brioni is one of those rare, super-expensive brands you seldom encounter while thrifting. This made-in-Italy shirt, retails for over $300 new, and I was able to fetch $27.50 for it on eBay. If you encounter Brioni while thrifting and it's not too expensive, I highly recommend you buy!
 

Some nice Brooks Makers Oxfords which are currently for sale.

The Classic "University Stripe" shirt is a must have in your wardrobe. Ideally, have three of four!

Classic "Must Iron" Oxford Cloth Shirt from Brooks Brothers. This is one of the most authentically preppy items you can own.  

This was a BIG find for me-- Allen Edmonds Strand in really good condition. What sucks is they are just a tad too large for me, but I'm currently selling them and maybe will put the money towards some quality footwear for myself. These retail for about $350 new and are quite desirable even second hand, so if you see Allen Edmond shoes, buy em!

Now, what have I found for myself lately?

Polo corduroy shorts in fire engine red. Yes, they're quite loud but were only $10 NWT at a local thrift.

Some cool ties from some even cooler stores. From left to right we have J.Press, The Yale Co-Op (What used to be the University store on the Yale Campus outfitting the Ivy League look from the turn of the century onward), and some odd label called "John Bull" 

Found this Made in Italy Polo tie for a couple bucks, you can see here an example of a basket-weave tie, in contrast to a repp. 

Sweet Brooks Brothers thermal Henley in unworn condition. 

I found this jacket bearing the label of a now-gone menswear shop in the same town as my university. This cool-factor, plus the 3/2 roll button arrangement made it a buy for me. I might swap out the buttons for something a little more interesting but it will serve great as a "beater" that can be worn, taken off and folded in a class, and generally something I won't worry about too much considering it is made from a more durable material. 

Worn here with a summer cotton madras tie 

This was an eBay score, but here we have a Brooks Brothers Black Fleece oxford, with an interesting feature. This shirt has a button-down collar (considered casual) with French Cuffs (considered quite formal) making it a bit of a quirky but nonetheless very unique shirt. The material itself is quite nice, as are the mother of pearl buttons. Black Fleece oxfords retail for nearly $200 at full price so it was cool to pick one up at a lower price and get to test it out. Looking forward to some opportunities  ways to wear this.  shown here with a regimental tie and silk knot cuff links. 

I picked up this New but "old stock" (meaning it's something that is still unworn but was made many years ago) pinpoint oxford from a company called "Paul Fredrick. Now Paul Fredrick stuff isn't super expensive or anything, and most people I talk to don't find it that spectacular nowadays, however this shirt has something that sets it apart. Made in USA. I like the idea of domestically made clothing and make an effort to wear US sourced products whenever I can.
On top of that, it doesn't seem like a bad shirt.

 

Two new Crocs (and not the shoes) to the family. The bottom one is a dull shade of green but is photographing kind of brownish, so I apologize for that. Regardless, hard to pass up for $4 ea. now that these Polos retail for ~$89

This shirt was made for the high-end department store Barneys, which is a good sign. Additionally, we see the MADE IN USA label which adds further reason to acquire this shirt. I am not quite sure what company actually manufactured it (probably some maker under contract for Barneys) but with a spread, contrast collar, it will definitely look good with a sport coat or suit.

A GANT "foxhunt" plaid shirt. This one is vintage and has some poly content (usually a bad sign) but the pattern was too nice to leave behind. Modern GANT shirts sell for about $135 and the company has a very preppy/trad history.

Brooks Brothers BB#3 Stripe Repp in Pink/Navy on the left. Another tie of the must-have list! 

Not a thrift purchase but indeed a good price, Target is selling these NATO style watchbands on their site for $7, and they are awesome quality. I applied mine to my Timex Expedition whose leather strap was starting to come apart. I believe this is a better product than what J.Crew or Brooks Brothers sell for $20-$30. I highly recommend you pick a few up!

Found this sick vintage Brooks Brothers fleece zip pullover from what I think is the 1980s. Neat alternative to the Patagucci synchilla with retro cred. 

100% cashmere sweater from Alan Flusser. Some thrifters follow the motto of "No Cashmere Left Behind" and this one was no exception considering it was still brand new with tags. Retail (full price) was something like $230 but I snagged it for $4.
Important: Always check for moth damage before buying anything wool, especially sweaters. There may be a reason it's at the thrift store and not in someones closet.... But if it passes the test, buy it!

I found these RL Polo "Suffield Pants" at a TJ Maxx for $10 (down from $98). While I'm still coming up with a good excuse to wear them, it's hard to pass up such a good markdown.