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I recently spoke to Michael Gold of TheThriftShopper.com about the three elements of thrifting, how some thrift stores fool patrons, and where the best thrifting can be found. Gold buys all of his clothes at thrift stores, most of his family’s furniture, all of their reading materials second hand.
What is one thing people don’t realize they can find at thrift stores? What people don’t think they can find at thrift stores is everything. People think that thrift stores are only clothes. Larger thrift stores are mini used department stores. I don’t think people realize you can go to Habitat for Humanity and buy a refrigerator. (more…)
Splurging at Macy's and Out of the Closet
I went shopping yesterday and came home with three pairs of pants and two pairs of shoes, $139 later. I started at Macy’s, where I found two pairs of shoes that I loved. They were on sale, plus I had a 10% off coupon. Cha-ching!
The soft leather, hardy sole, and distinctive look of this pair of creamy tan slingbacks sold me. They are made by Lucky Brand, which I didn’t even realize made shoes. I wear flats ALL the time and was down to one lime green pair. I paid $49.77 for them (orig. $79, on sale for $55.30).
I rarely find appealing shoes in the jumbled clearance racks (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains
basykes/Flickr
Should you buy used shoes? My answer used to be a resounding “NO,” but now I answer “maybe.”
When I was little, I was pigeon toed. I had to wear sturdy shoes to correct my stance at a time when sturdy shoes were very OUT. As socially debilitating as the experience was, I learned a thing or two about how shoes affect your feet and how your feet affect the rest of your body.
When you wear someone’s shoes, you are inheriting their improper body alignment and foot problems.
This is because when you are wearing shoes, the weight of your body wears down the heels and bends the fabric to match your pressures. Someone with properly aligned hips and strong ankles would wear out the heels of their shoes in the middle, not to one side or the other.
It used to be that people had one or two pairs of shoes. However, in this day and age of Imelda Marcos shoe shoppers, you can easily find shoes at a yard sale or thrift shop that have never been worn or only worn once or twice. But should you buy them?
Here is how you check if too many miles have been put on the second hand shoes you are considering buying:
- Check the heels for wear. If you see any wear, the shoes have been worn too much to buy.
- Check for wear and tear inside the shoes. Has the size been worn off? Are there indentations in the insoles? Sometimes you won’t see the wear on the heels, but it will show up inside the shoe.
- Is the shoe sitting straight? Are the sides up and down or are they at an angle? Any sag or bulge or deviation from the original shape is a sign that you do not want to inherit the back problems of the previous owner.
If you find a pair of shoes that you just HAVE to have because they perfectly match your new pink taffeta ball gown that you plan to wear to Comic Con, but they have worn heels; don’t despair. Do what your ancestors did. Buy them and take them to a cobbler and have new heels put on them.
Don’t turn your nose up at used shoes. Just make sure to inspect them for wear before purchasing. I got a pair of brand new $200 handmade Brazilian leather shoes for my husband at a Really Free Swap. Score!
It occurred to me last night while listening to a talk on social marketing that my beautiful bargain basement flats were shamefully tacky. The flats – lime green patent leather with a faux animal print tip – were a gift from a good friend who pointed them out to me at the local thrift store. I hesitated so she went ahead and bought the $5 flats, above, for me.
I adore them. If you can’t get away with green patent leather in gaudy LA, where can you? But…I’d like a second opinion. I wear them with dark skinny jeans, a black top, and a fitted black and white jacket.
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