Monday, January 16, 2012

Thrift Store Shopping.

It is no secret that I love thrift store shopping!

I used to hold onto the stigma that thrift store shopping was gross, and just a glorified yard sale.
But, we have an awesome thrift store, near the gym.
My gym partner Ponica and I would often frequent the thrift store after our work-out, to find treasures.
We started in on the clothes one day, and I was hooked!

Here is what I like about thrift store clothes.
They have been washed and worn. And broken in.
Nothing bugs me more than buying a sweater from a department store, wearing it once, and then washing it...and having it turn into an oddly shaped muffin-top baring, arms tourniquet.
I don't like to lay my damp sweaters out on those mesh drying racks.
I don't like to have to try and remember if my shirt can't be dried in the dryer.
I can barely remember my pin number.
Clothes maintenance shouldn't require space in my brain.

Enter the thrift store.
When you try something on, that is exactly how it is going to fit.
Forever.
Also, when you can score designer jeans?
Original price $178.00
My cost: Six bucks.
I have gotten tons and tons of brand name shirts, jeans, slacks, skirts and shoes for dirt cheap.
It is also the thrill of "the hunt" that makes it so fun.
And also the occasional "WTH is this?"
Thrift stores often have very odd items of clothing.

I went thrifting on Saturday.
I found a dang cute pair of shoes.
They hadn't even been worn!
Five bucks!
My size. Comfortable wedge heel.
I was pretty excited about them.
I thought they would look cute with my black skirt, black textured tights, and gray cardigan.
So in the cart they happily went!

You have to be careful in the thrift store.
I once wore a pair of shoes into the store that were kinda uncomfortable to walk around in. It was my first time wearing them. I had purchased them previously from the thrift store for $6.
My sisters and I were planning on spending the rest of the day shopping, so I took those shoes off, and tried on some other shoes at the thrift store that might be better for our shop-til-you-drop.
I found a pair that felt okay, so I tested them out, and walked up the aisle and back a few times.
When I came back, MY SHOES were gone.

Someone was buying them, apparently.

The shoes I was trying out, were tagged $6, so I just wore them out of the store, and called it a good trade.
I kinda wanted to chase down the people buying my shoes, and tell them they were uncomfortable!

Anyway, always keep your real shoes and clothes in your cart when you are at the thrift store.
I clump around in the shoe department, with my right foot-shoe off, ready to try on shoes, and the left foot still in my own shoe.
People are less likely to purchase one single shoe.
So far.

Back to my cute new shoes.
Sunday morning dawns.
I shower, do my hair, slap some make-up on, and start getting dressed.
On goes the cardigan, skirt, tights....and WHAT?
I can't get the left shoe on.
Internets, there have been some mornings where literally overnight, I can bloat up, and not fit into my jeans.
They are not good mornings.
And some mornings, overnight,  you feel too jiggly to pull off a tight shirt.
I get it.
But shoes? My feet have never bloated before?
This was new.
I tried to do the Cinderella Step-Sister thing, and squeeze into them.
You can't suck foot fat in.
I totally know they fit in the store!

I double checked the size.
Yep, a size 8....and oh, wait a minute....the left foot? Size 6.
Which explains why they had never been WORN.
A 6 and an 8.

Who the crap donated those shoes to the thrift store, and thought it was the right thing to do?

Did they think, that by some miracle, some woman plagued with a rare foot disease in which one foot is normally sized, and the other is shriveled and withered, would find those shoes and quickly snatch them up, grateful for the miracle?

I am taking them back.
Five bucks is five bucks.

6 comments:

Pam said...

LOL! That sounds exactly like something that would happen to me. How disappointing! :-( I have tried shopping for clothes at the thrift store next to my house to no avail. So glad your thrift store has many goodies to buy. :-)

Stephanie said...

That's so funny! Well, I'm glad you left with some comfier shoes :)

Kathy said...

As usual you have me cackling while reading your post! I'm guessing there is another lucky person out there who has the exact pair as yours!

Glen said...

Hey girl...they belonged to me! Just kidding.*Ü* I frequent 'charity' stores here in England and car boot fairs, where usually, items can be even cheaper! That makes me sound 'cheap' but trust me Shaunte, I have had the best bargains and made many an alteration to suit. Thanks for the laughs. I do so like reading your blog - it sets me up for the day. ~Glen~
PS..the word ver for me is 'rantse'!

Amy Sorensen said...

My sister has to buy two different sizes of shoes because her crooked foot is 1.5 sizes smaller than her non-crooked foot. Both of her feet are straight now...but different sizes. She has to buy her shoes at Nordstrom because that is the only store that will sell you two different sizes.

So....this WOULD have been a find for her!!! ;) Well, almost. I think she's a 6.5 and an 8.

That said, kudos to you for your thrifty ways. I've tried it twice and yeah...I didn't like it. Not because of being snobby but I just didn't find any real bargains. Plus, what is this myth of things only costing $5? Everything I saw at Savers was $15-20. Am I doing it wrong???

Kara Henry said...

How does this stuff happen to you? Sniggering at you. I love to shop at thrift stores and most of my wardrobe is from thrift stores, but I don't have great luck with shoes. Never bought shoes of different sizes before though. My problem is that they feel comfortable in the store, but then once I wear them for more than 2 minutes, they start to hurt. Except for boots. I love my thrift store boots.

Amy--the key to Savers is to get coupons for donating (it's off your entire purchase), and to go on the days when certain tags are only a dollar (the one near me--Mondays are dollar days). They usually have a certain tag color 1/2 off at all times--it rotates color. I very rarely pay full price for anything at Savers. Although, most things at mine in Orem are priced $3-8 as far as clothing goes.