How I became a thrift store fan

Happy Friday, friends!  For this fall fashion Friday, I thought I would explain how I became a thrift store fan.

I owe a large part of my thrift store fan obsessions to Goodwill San Antonio and the ambassadorship I have shared with them for years.

Goodwill San Antonio has created a monster!  I love thrift store shopping and I have grown to be a huge thrift store fan.

When I pondered how this happened, here is what I surmised.

HOW I BECAME A THRIFT STORE FAN – FASHION

I became a thrift store fan, when I quickly observed I could find top quality fashion for less.

I have always loved a good treasure hunt seeking real finds of value in the middle of it all.

When I discovered designer pieces in our local Goodwill San Antonio locations which had barely been worn or even still had tags, I knew thrift store shopping was for me.

There have been so many pieces I have worn over the years where no one but me knew where I found them.

Recently, I wrote of my frustration with many of the current trends possessing dropped shoulder designs.

Since I desire a polished top that fits the shoulder and need a few smaller sizes, I have been specifically shopping Goodwill for jackets.

This is when thrift store shopping can really be of value…if you have specific fashion needs of designs that have been on the market for years, but currently are not as much in the retail outlets.

I am in between sizes so I have not found many that make me smile just yet….the search continues.  The wool-blend jacket in the top picture did come home with me.

As a thrift store fan, I wanted to share the story of this cute J Crew vest.

I thought it was a great find for another thrift store fan and it was buried in a stuffed rack of clothes. 

All I did was pull it, and place it at the end of a rack where it was more visible.

Before I left the store that day, I watched another woman purchase it!

Display helps…isn’t that what we discuss on Saturdays?

HOW I BECAME A THRIFT STORE FAN – HOME

When I stop by a Goodwill San Antonio location, I never know what I will find for my home.

These thrift store expeditions always stretch my creativity with my home and have be mentally repurposing as I go from aisle to aisle.

In my house, you will discover the findings of a true thrift store fan…and many of these items have been in my home for years.

Every now and then, I discover a diamond in the rough.

Recently, I found this Lefton China hand painted and numbered figurine and thought he would be perfect at the end of one of my vintage book stacks.

There is a small fashion connection here.  Lefton China became the brain child of the Hungarian- born and bred sportswear manufacturer, George Zoltan Lefton.  In 1939 he left his native Hungary and moved to Chicago, Illinois.  His hobby was collecting fine porcelain, and his passion for collecting porcelain began to shape ideas for a new business. In early 1941, Lefton’s desire for quality ceramics overpowered any feelings he may have had for fabric and fashion.

(From Miss Bargain Huntress: The Story of Lefton China)

I am not a collector of lighthouses, but how fun this find would be for someone who is.

I hope some day to try my hand at re-finishing furniture pieces.  I always see som many great pieces that just need a little love.

HOW I BECAME A THRIFT STORE FAN – HOLIDAYS

I share this idea every year, because I do this every year.

Find some lovely holiday dishes at Goodwill….and use them for goodies to give to the neighbors or friends.  

So much better than paper plates or gift boxes and cost the same…in fact, this year, I think they are less than the paper products.

The picture is from the dishes I used a couple of years ago.  This year, the dishes I found are a “country” design with pine cones.

Another note: My grandchildren are young 9-2.  Little hands sometimes break things.

So when I place Goodwill Christmas decorations at their eye level…and if something accidentally bites the dust, then it is no big deal.

HOW I BECAME A THRIFT STORE FAN – THE FUN

How I became a thrift store fan can be summed up in one word…FUN!

I can spend hours in a well stocked thrift store…looking over items…searching and investigating origins…and dreaming of what might be with each item.

Goodwill San Antonio is not a quick stop for me…but a treasure hunting journey. 

If I go in with a set plan, I most often find myself on rabbit trails of fun.

Thanks for joining me today to hear about how I became a thrift store fan.  Any good finds out there for anyone?  Please share……and make sure that you always….

KEEP SMILING!!

By Pamela Lutrell

Disclaimer:  I am compensated with gift cards from Goodwill to write about my discoveries.  The words are my own.

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