Secondhand September, Part 3

Hello again, everyone, it's Kari!

We've been slightly philosophical as we've thought about thrifting thus far, so today I want to take a very practical turn and consider the price differences between thrifting and retail. I've chosen five pieces from my thrifted wardrobe to do this. Here they are, side by side with something comparable from the retail market.

My Riding Boots: Mine are real leather, which made them an incredible find. As I've mentioned before, there was a very similar pair at Madewell.

Madewell Archive Boot: $298
My Boots: $5
Savings: $293

My Yellow J.Crew Chino Shorts: Even though I had to do a little tailoring to make these into shorts from pants, I started with J.Crew quality and got J.Crew's unbeatable color.

J.Crew Chino Short: $45

My pants: $6

Savings: $39

My Unique Satchel: I can't find another bag like this to compare it with, which is why I bought it - its a one-of-a-kind. I don't think its real leather, so I'm comparing it to another vintage faux-leather bag of similar size that I found on Etsy.

Etsy Vintage Satchel: $44

My Satchel: $9

Savings: $35 

My Free People Dress: Notorious for whimsical designs at exorbitant price points, very few of the dresses in Free People's dress shop fall below $100.

FP's Belle Fleur Knit Tunic Top: $98

My Dress: $7

Savings: $91

My Loft Tees: It may seem dumb to buy a T-shirt at Goodwill when they're already so cheap on the open market, but even if you're buying a $5 top from Old Navy, you'd be saving money by combing the thrift racks.  I've found two of these Loft tees and love the fit.

Loft Basic Scoop Neck Tees: about $10 each

My Tees: $2 each

Savings: $8 per tee

As you can see, it's not difficult to prove the point that the savings of thrifting are worthwhile! But this does raise the question of patience -- for example, I'd been in the market for a pair of riding boots for years before I found them. But in that case, patience definitely had a payoff! There will always be immediate needs in your life which retail can fill much faster than a thrift store probably can. But, considering the savings... Maybe its worth stopping in to your local Goodwill before you hit the mall.