Dr. Vintagelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Thrift Store
Posted on 9:14 AM, under
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I don't know why, but one of my favorite places to go is thrift stores. Particularly the Salvation Army a few miles from my house. I'm a big people watcher. And believe me, if you're in to watching people, the salvation army is one of the most active petri dishes you'll ever see. I also really love combing through rack after rack of used clothes. It feels like I'm on a sort of treasure hunt and while there's a lot of dirt, I know there's one piece of gold in there. Sure for every 100 no name shirts, there's probably a Brooks Brother 346 oxford in the wrong size (I once found a Paul Smith dress shirt but it was in the wrong size), but every once and a long while the skies open and you find it - pay dirt. Yesterday, I felt like a 49er when I pulled a classic Thomas Pink from the rack. Even more magical - it was a 16.5 x 34. My size! Joy! A shirt that would regularly sell for near $150 was green tagged for $6.99 and showing zero wear. I know I get this obsession from my mother, who practically raised me on thrift store and garage sale clothing. I find it preposterous that anyone would ever buy something like a Ralph Lauren Polo Oxford at full price. Let me let you in on a little secret. Thrift stores wouldn't exist without Ralph Lauren. I'm not exaggerating when I say every tenth shirt has a horse and its rider on the left breast. I think I may have violated thrift store rule #1 when I indicated what I got there. In reality you have no idea that my favorite sweater was only $3.99 or that my favorite t-shirt once belonged to...we'll I have no idea. But who cares. I'm not worried about sharing my secret. The truth is, you're probably to embarrassed to buy clothes someone else wore and that's fine. More for me.
