i don't shop at brand named retailer stores anymore, because I became aware that people who shop at such places have no creative sens of fashion and their prices are overpriced. I shop at thrift stores now only because I don't like wasting a lot of money on clothes that are not a three-piece suit or tuxedo. Also, thrift stores like Goodwill, at many times sell very good but used brand-name clothes that are priced far below retail prices. Unless one is rich or need something specific that only will be sold by brand named retailers, I wouldn't bother shopping at such places. However, if you are one of these people who like shopping for new brand named clothes, I recommend trying the clothes on at the store, and if you like it buy it online instead, it will save you money - don't do this if you need the clothing that day or night!
Brands only mattered to me around my teenage years and earlier, but not so much afterwards. Overall, I just look for style and fit. I will splurge from time to time, but it's so rare that it's virtually trivial. I don't mind shopping at a thrift store, although I can be particular on the things I like. It usually just means I'll take a lot of thrift store visits before I find something, but that still can be an overall enjoyable experience.
So much this! I remember when I was in my teens that I though brand means quality. Well, I was wrong. I found some sweet gems in the thrift shops and I really hope I will find some old boots to recondition. But yea, going to the thrift shop is always an enjoyable experience because you never know what you might find.
tournique, I grew up in a similar situation. Many of my clothes were hand-me-downs and I honestly can't remember getting a brand-new name brand clothing item until I was in high school and paid for it myself, yet I had friends who would say the same about my family. It's definitely funny how people jump to conclusions. I never did and never will be ashamed of my family or our background. Now that I'm grown I see how much my parents struggled to make ends meet. I'm glad to say that my kids haven't fallen victim to the name-brand mentality either. Plus, I see nothing wrong with thrift store clothing. I hate when I see people throwing away perfectly good items that can easily be donated, handed down, or even sold to someone else.
Thrift shops are also very "green" aren't they. Far better to reuse and recycle than throw something away.
I love Thrift Stores, and found some brand name clothing, purse, shoes, household appliances for so much less. I found a Coach purse for three dollars by accident and it still had plastic cover on the zippers and looked brand new! I would shop at Thrift Stores first for what I need before regular discount store any day.
After thinking about this some more, I can say that I shop more now at Goodwill and thrift stores because of the distance to travel to the malls or other department stores. There used to be various stores but for one reason or another they've closed or moved to other suburban areas.
In the past, I would have agreed with the people who said that they would never shop there, because I simply didn't understand just what they were all about. However, I now know that you can get lots of things from there that are of a very high quality, and this means that I do quite a lot of shopping there, whereas I probably wouldn't have done in the past. I buy clothes from there, as well as from charity shops, because I don't see why I or anyone else would want to spend more money on clothes just because I would be the first person to wear them.
I recently started my thrift store shopping because I was done with throwing money away. I used to take my daughter shopping at her favorite place. I could easily spend $500 in there in one shopping trip. A few months later I go in my daughter closet and most of those clothes are still hanging there with the tags still on them. What a waste! I was seriously fed up with that so I told my daughter that the next time she went shopping it would be at a thrift store. That was supposed to be some type of punishment, but to my surprise I was very impressed. I couldn't believe all of the name brands that I saw and a lot of them were new. My daughter didn't want to be there because it was a "thrift" store but I loved it. I've been shopping there ever since.
I really enjoy a little of both worlds to be honest. Sometimes I like taking a trip through Macy's to shop for clothes and accessories, and other times I am in the mood to sift through my favorite thrifts shop and hunt for one of a kind treasures. More often than not I go to the thrift store because of money constraints, but I could easily spend hours in there hunting.
Well when it comes to saving money, thrift stores are the best bet. I found a really nice suit there, I wore it to a formal event and it out-shined most of the other suits there, and I only paid 9 dollars for it. I shop there often, not just for cloths. I look for cookware, electronics, and books.
I think that even if I made more money and was better off financially, I would still shop at thrift shops. I can't justify spending $70 on a Krups juice extractor when I just got one at Goodwill for $5. There's too much consumerism and waste ,and perfectly good things end up in the trash or gathering dust on thrift store shelves.
Years ago I managed a consignment store. We were very successful, because even the upper-middleclass people shopped there! They would bring in the most stunning clothes, collect their money for them, and turn around and buy other peoples' clothing! There were a few people who just brought in clothing to sell or donate, but for the most part, everybody in town benefitted from this shop. It's still there, and still thriving! So yeah, I love thrift stores!
I've found it to be more time consuming to shop at a thrift store in comparison to other stores. Especially concerning clothes. I see where the savings comes in & you always have to compromise time for money when trying to save it but there are times when I just can't spare that much time in a day unless I dedicate it solely to shopping there.
My experience has been that it's actually more expedient to shop in thrift stores. The clerks tend to not bother you so much, so you can just go about your business. I always try things on before I buy, because there is usually a "no return " rule in place. For this reason, I always shop where I know the clothing has been cleaned, either before or after it is brought in.
I've recently started checking out thrift stores more often from time to time and I've been pretty pleased with what I've found. I don't think I'll ever exclusively shop at just thrift stores, but you'd be surprised at how often you can find new or lightly worn clothes for a very cheap price. Certainly helps to expand your wardrobe and save money.
Growing up the most expensive clothing my parents could afford was from the 7$ store so i developed a strong appreciation for them. I still go to the ones around here before I go to the big clothing stores. The truth is whenever I have gone for something specific I can always find something that'll work. It may not be exactly what I had it mind but it'll be something that looks good and serves its purpose.
As much as I like a good deal and discounts, I don't shop at Thrift Shops. I go to places like TJ Max and I always buy on sale. I hardly ever buy anything from a department store, but I draw the line at Thrift Shops when it comes to clothing. Mainly because you never know where it has been. I will go to consignment stores and I have no problem buying used items like decorations or furniture, but just not clothing.
It depends on what I am shopping for, as to where i like to shop. If i need a specific item, and need to know for sure that it works like new; then I will go to a regular store where i know that i can find just what i am looking for, and that it is brand new and still works fine, like say, a new coffee pot. Many times, when something like this ends up in the thrift store, it is because something has stopped functioning correctly, and the owner has decided it is time to replace it with a new one. Or maybe it has lost a valuable part that is not readily noticed, at least until you get it home and try to use it. However, if i am going to just go and browse and watch for a good buy on something, then a thrift store is perfect for that. Many times, you will find something that is worth much more than the asking price, providing that you know what you are looking for when you look at the item. People who know jewelry often do very well at finding valuable items this way. I don't know anything about jewelry, but i still enjoy looking for lost treasures at thrift shops.
I would not say that these people have no creative sense of fashion. I feel like that may be a little bit harsh. Though, I can certainly see where you would be coming from, and why you would state that. A lot of people just buy thing because they have been brainwashed into thinking that a name is worthy of their money, and that if they own certain brands, society will more readily accept them. This is the case even if whatever is being purchased is the ugliest thing known to man.
