For the love of thrift

Shoes, a bit like chocolate...

2011-02-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

I love thrifting shoes, it is a weakness of mine. I treat shoes terribly and they never last me long, so thrifting allows me to feed the passion and keep a good shoe collection. Some recent finds:

Housing Works Upper West Side, Pour la Victoire sandals (so painful but oh, so beautiful!)

Housing Works, 23rd street. Classic.

Cat Protection League, Brevard. Funky.

Housing Works Upper West Side. Vintage croc.

What a hoot

2010-12-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Meet David James, the owl who is a cookie jar in his spare time.

Angela aka “the Bounty-Huntress” was giving away this beautiful owl rescued from Goodwill in celebration for her 38th Birthday. I put my name down, crossed my fingers, and waited…..and I won, Hurrah!!!!!!!! David James made the trip all the way from Austin to NYC. He arrived with a bellyful of tootsie pops, and wrapped in beautiful vintage paper.

The boyfriend looked bemused as I excitedly unwrapped him. However, he did approve of him immediately, as the boyfriend is a Brit and by coincidence his team, Sheffield Wednesday, is nicknamed “the owls”. The owl was immediately named David James after some famous Sheffield footballer. David now sits happily on my Manhattan tiny kitchen, looking over all activities with his sleepy, wise guy looks. He is an owl, after all.

Thank you Angela!

Clowning around...

2010-11-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

The mission: Sophie and I go the Cure thrift store to buy a winter coat.
The results: One vintage Oleg Cassini top and a dancing clown.

I took my friend Sophie to The Cure thrift shop to try and thrift her a winter coat.

Off we went, on the winter coat mission. We perused the selection, chatted to the very friendly shop assistant and had a look at what The Cure had. One very promising winter coat was a little too tight, humph…..but we then spotted…..oooooooohhhh ……a very spangly sequined classic black vintage Oleg Cassini top. It fit Sophie like a glove. And such a timeless piece, an investment - we told ourselves. If Oleg Cassini was good enough for Jackie O, it was good enough for Sophie.

As we are paying for the Oleg Cassini top, I spot the most adorable vintage music box of a dancing clown. We cooed over it, and decided he was lovely. The music is so dream like, I might just decide to start collecting vintage music boxes....We abandon our winter coat mission with a spangly top and a dancing clown.

The issue with specific thrift missions is that they are seldom successful. The point of thrifting is the surprise of never knowing what you are going to find. It is best if you remember that you need something specific as you thrift, and help it guide you to the right thrift shops. And whilst looking, why not get distracted with vintage clowns?

Kitchenalia

2010-10-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

I've developed a recent penchant for retro kitchen utensils. These are easy to get at antique markets and of course...ebay. I haven't been able to thrift any yet, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled.

Here are some of my favourite retro kitchen items:

1- vintage cookie cutters (big on my nostalgia factor - when I was a kid, me and my mom used similar cookie cutters to make gingerbread cookies!). If you are on the hunt for old cookie cutters, the ones with the wooden handles tend to be most coveted as they are from the 1920's/1930's. I got these at an antiques market in Brevard, North Carolina, with my aunt Sallye.

2- An icecream scoop. This blue is classic of the 1950s, classic American diner.

3- My wonderful 1950's 'high speed' beater. Love the juicy red handle! And all these years later it works a treat. I got it on ebay.

Here in NYC thrift stores are quite savy about the value of vintage collectibles. When I've spotted retro kitchen items they have been usually for auction, I remember seeing them at the Vintage Thrift Store.

The grand bazaar - the grand daddy of all markets

2010-09-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

I had the good fortune of having to travel to Istanbul with work. I took all the things a grown woman needs: suit, laptop, business cards, mom. Yes, my mom met me in Istanbul and in between work meetings, we hit the streets with a map and plenty of sight seeing and shopping stamina.

We headed straight for the world famous Grand Bazaar, established in 1461 and one of the largest covered markets in the world. Walking its winding corridors is an amazing assault of the senses: the smells of spices and apple tea, the sounds, the music, the selling chants, the beautiful fabrics, the brightly coloured tiles and lamps, you really can - and will - get lost and explore for hours.

We bought plenty of delicious Turkish delight and apple tea. We also decided we wanted pretty throws/bedspreads. My mom bought a beautiful raw coloured bedspread - it took her about 30 mins. I decided I wanted a brightly coloured bedspread, spotted one interesting looking shop and decided that would be the one.

You see, there is a whole routine to buying a throw or a rug. You are invited into a little crowded market shop/stall covered with fabrics everywhere. You then sit down and are offered apple tea. As you sip your tea, your seller chats with you about what you are looking for and starts unfurling the fabrics. The more fabrics you see, the harder it is to walk away without buying anything, so choose your shop carefully!

I was looking at suzanis - the most gorgeous bright silk embroideries from Uzbekistan. They are handmade by women as a way of showing off their handiwork when they get married. They are beautiful and full of symbols. As I made up my mind as to which suzani I wanted, the seller flirted away (as Turkish men do), offered us more apple tea, telling us suzani history and chatting about Istanbul. I must have seen about 20 suzanis (my mom rolling her eyes about my indecision). An enjoyable hour and a half later (and an exasperated mother), we emerged with two pillowcases and a suzani full sized bedspread (and the vendor's phone number - who kindly offered himself as an Istanbul guide...) for about $160. I bargained for ages - essential behaviour at the grand bazaar - starting from the standard offer of half the price. Triumphant we walked into the sun filled streets of Istanbul.

My suzani is bright pink with large circles symbolizing his and her families. Notice how at the center of the large circles you have a flower with two different colours (representing a man and a woman) and then the flowers blossoming and radiating out of it - representing the growing family. Also the square rim bordering the suzani is in two colours - white and a dark green - representing the good times - and the bad times - that marriages go through. Little circles in the middle of the suzani represent the couple's children. I just love it!

Istanbul is a fascinating city, an exotic blend of Europe and Asia, with great shopping and bargaining as well as numerous culturally interesting sights, such as the stunningly beautuful Blue Mosque.

Check out thrift Mondays at Apron thrift girl.

An instant classic: the thrifted typewriter

2010-08-29T06:23:00.001-07:00

My boyfriend has always wanted a typewriter. As I knew that his birthday was coming up I decided I would thrift one. I searched high and low, and then one day - there it was. In Hell's kitchen on 39th, for $40, looking forlorn in a corner. I dusted her off, brought her home and offered her up triumphantly.

I love hearing the rare rat-tat-tat and swoosh when on occasion he fancies himself an old school writer and sits at the desk typing away. One day I glanced at the paper still sitting tightly in the typewriter and it read:

I once wrote a story for my girlfriend about a beach, a typewriter and a game of scrabble. My typewriter has no ONE key and the O sticks. It also has no attention-grabbing mind-numbing portal to Google, Facebook and Czech lesbian websites. All it does is write each document hammered into the page with a sense of purpose alien to modern PCs. I imagine it is from the 1930s or so. Where the typewriter has been or who's fingers have struck it are unknown to me. What was written here? Did you write novel as I'd like to believe? Have characters sprang from these simple machinations? Have you written love letters that changed the recipient's life for ever? Perhaps poetry has poured through your metal chassis or a thesis on organic chemistry that changed the way we conceive this planet of ours?

From my boyfriend L, the writer

Check out the thrift parties at apron thrift girl and southern hospitality.

Paperback thrifter

2010-06-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

In the heart of Soho, on sleepy Crosby street, lies one of the most unique thrift stores in the city. Unbeknown to the hordes of tourists on the neighboring Broadway, lies a thrift book store haven complete with its own cafe. Housing Works book store is in a beautiful building of typical Soho architecture. The store is very large and has a great book collection - all second hand.

For the casual browser, the books are curated into helpful sections at the front of the bookstore, wittily described:

As well as being a fabulous bookstore, Housing works bookstore is also a great place to work, study and meet friends. It has a fabulous cafe, complete with Wi-Fi, and a great cafe where you ca grab a coffee or a cold beer. Housing works bookstore has an action packed events programme, with readings, discussions and Moth sessions (competitive story slams) - I highly recommend.

Hudson treasures

2010-06-13T06:35:00.001-07:00

New York City has a way of sucking you in and keeping you busy for weekends on end. However, even the most hardcore of New Yorkers need to get away from the City once in a while. It feels good to get away from the buildings, crowds and sirens and be reminded of space and silence.

Whilst chatting about weekend getaways, a friend recommended Hudson, a little village not too far away and apparently an antiquer's paradise. I didn't need any more convincing and the boyfriend didn't need much persuading. We were off that Saturday morning.

The train trip to Hudson is a beautiful 2 hour ride up the banks of the Hudson river. Just being on the train, with newspapers and sandwiches, already felt like an adventure. Once we got to Hudson, we headed to the Bed & Breakfast that I hastily booked online, the Croff House. A beautiful house, impeccably decorated and with attentive friendly owners looking over every single detail. To be honest, the room was so wonderful, I could have happily hibernated there for the weekend, what with the fireplace and the claw footed bathtub... I'd love to return in the Autumn when the leaves must be spectacular and we have an excuse to stay inside.

When my friend had said that Hudson was an antiquer's paradise, she was quite right. Hudson is a beautiful, lovely, small town with over 65 antique shops over 5 blocks. A shop owner told us that in the 60s the city was in dire straits as there was little employment and people migrated to NYC and Albany. However, in the 80s, one antique shop opened. Slowly, many followed and the city flourished to become an antiques hub, with art galleries, restaurants and cafes, and summer homes.Much to my chagrin, I managed to miss the city's one thrift store - it closes on Sunday. However, the antique shops kept me very busy. There are antique stores for all tastes and covering all periods. Some look similar to art galleries - with prices to match - whilst others are nicely junky and cluttered.

Besides the great antiquing, Hudson also has some nice cafes, restaurants and a bar in a bookstore, where you can have a beer whilst enjoying a book.

Among all the antiquing we found a $40 industrial looking iron office lamp, a bright shade of blue. After all the antiquing and relaxing in Hudson, we boarded the train back to Manhattan, the lamp tucked under my arm.

My very first Pyrex

2010-03-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

I spotted it on my usual weekend trip to Housing works. In the household section, at the back of a shelf, was a mustardy yellow and very retro Pyrex casserole. The lid rattled slightly and it had a nice heavy feel to it. I promptly paid the $12 (yes, Manhattan prices....) and brought it home.

Pyrex was made in the 50s and makes for the perfect kitchen accessory for any vintage lover. The stuff was built to last and the designs are wonderfully retro. As a result, it has now become quite collectable. It makes the perfect item to thrift, so keep your eyes open for it. If you thrift some Pyrex, check out the Pyrex love website to figure out what you've got. I believe my casserole is part of the Butterfly gold collection, who knew?

The Cure thrift store

2010-03-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Throughout the winter I trudged through the snow, braved the wild winds and got drenched in the rain as I braved the elements to thrift in the city. Now, as New York City welcomes its first days of spring I've decided to emerge from my prolonged blog hibernation. Let me tell you about a thrift store I discovered this past winter: The Cure Thrift shop. My friend Flora, my fellow thrift addict, told me about it and promised great things. Well the girl was right - this place rocks.

The best thing about the Cure is the furniture, this is the best thrift furniture in Manhattan. The place has everything and is organized in room sections:

Bedroom

Kitchen - check out the super cool retro oven

Office - some nice mid century furniture dotted around

A book area. Flora perusing the selection.

This thrift store is gigantic (remember there is no space in Manhattan!) and I was very impressed. I fell in love with a couple of furniture pieces, and although I spotted some good deals, the majority had a hefty tag - cheaper than an antique shop but not exactly thrifty. You pay for the good selection and nice layout. The basement is filled with clothes, shoes and handbags - and has a men's section. Luckily they have a big spring sale going on - they advertise their sales on their website and on craigslist - and for the last two sale days they will be holding a $15 per stuffed bag. Watch this space!

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 9 (10 if you're looking for furniture)
Presentation: 9

Niceness of staff: 8

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 7
Thrift turnover: 8

The Cure thrift store is on East 12th and 4th avenue and is open late on week days (8:30) and on the weekends (8pm).

Use your head

2010-01-29T19:54:00.000-08:00

Imagine my delight when a lady gave me a leaflet for a new thrift store as I was strolling through NoLita during one lunch break last October. My heart raced at the prospect of finding a thrift store in a part of town famous for its boutiques and independent designers. It turned out that Use your head: shop for a cause wasn't out of place in this neighbourhood; this is the ultimate Manhattan high end boutique thrift store.

Rest assured that Use your head is the real deal - not a consignement store or a vintage store, but a true thrift store where your money goes to help the Soho partnership, a nonprofit for helping the homeless get jobs and off the streets. In fact, the lady who gave me the leaflet was called Renee and she had been helped off the streets by the organization. How cool is that?

The staff at Use your head are friendly and chatty and make you feel at ease - no boutique snootiness going on here. In fact, the girl working there gave me the low down on the place. The shop belongs to Henry Buhl, a gentleman in his 70s who has many friends and is extremely active in the community - he started the Soho partnership.

What makes this store so New York, is that Henry Buhl's friends are people like Lauren Hutton and Jane Fonda who regularly drop clothes off at the store. On another trip there I was told that they had just received a donation of vintage clothes from Sotheby's. Designer shops in the area also donate regularly to the shop - including Nicole Miller, Prada and Marc Jacobs.

As a result, the shop is very edited with high end clothes. The pricetags are hefty for a thrift shop but low considering that the boutique next door would probably charge you 5 times the price. Some examples are a Chloe dress ($120), a silk YSL Rive gauche blouse ($45), a Ferragamo jacket ($350). They also have some amazing vintage finds - I read that recently a lady donated clothes from Oscar de la Renta, YSL and Valentino after she refused the request from the fashion houses to arquive the clothes.

As well as clothes they also have shoes and handbags. I snatched a delicious vintage handbag for a mere $20.

If you are in town, do pay them a visit - you will see some beautiful clothes, maybe a celebrity or two, and if you buy something you can look gorgeous while helping support a great cause!

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 10
Presentation: 10

Niceness of staff: 10

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 7 (if you're looking for designer wear)
Thrift turnover: 8

Use your head: shop for a cause thrift store is on 262 Mott Street

The little black dress

2010-01-27T20:25:00.000-08:00

Every thrift girl knows how important an LBD is.

Thrifted in goodwill, courtesy of lookbook, all the way across the East river ie Brooklyn.

Merry Xmas!

2009-12-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all you lovely bloggers! Time to eat, drink, be jolly, grateful and enjoy family and friends - may the festivities begin! x

A little extravagance....

2009-12-06T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Upper East Side's Council Thrift Shop is one of my favourites in NYC. The volunteers are such sweethearts, always with a smile and willing to chat for ages about whatever you've bought or tried on. The shop has a great down-to-earth community vibe. It is a little dishevelled but makes up for this in spades with staff friendlieness - and great stock.

They sell clothes - for men and women - and often have designer garb. They also have shoes, books, accessories, housewares and furniture. This place is great for nabbing yourself a bargain, the prices tend to be fair and there is always a sale going on.

I went there this October and they had just put all their Fall/Winter stock out. It was mostly designer wear and it was all 50% off. There was some excellent stuff, from Armani, to Valentino and Michael Kors et al. I spied a jacket that was absolutely gorgeous and brand new from Mackage, a brand I'd never heard of. It was $180 (GULP) but with the discount it was $90. Yikes - pricey - and unusually expensive for the Council Thrift store! However, it was soooo funky that after much umming and ahhhing and in-store modelling - I bought it. To console myself I later checked their website and saw that their jackets go for $500 and up. That made me feel less of a sap.

So, I love the jacket but it is my most expensive thrift shop buy ever. Extravagance? Perhaps. However, this is where I throw the allmighty thrift moral punch - all proceeds go to support the National Council of Jewish Women of New York who focus on progressive stances on issues such as child welfare, women's rights and reproductive freedom. Yeah!! This jacket is worth every single cent!!

The Council Thrift Shop is on 84th between 2nd and 3rd avenues. It is open Mon-Wed,11am-5:45pm; Thu, 11am-7:45pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-4:45pm. Closed Sundays.

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):
Selection: 8
Presentation: 8
Niceness of staff: 10
Bargain factor (ie pricing): 9
Thrift turnover: 8

Second hand man

2009-12-03T18:15:00.000-08:00

Because guys love thrift too.

From Ireland - loving the enormous scarf and thrifted jacket

From Germany (all thrifted) - maybe this big scarf thing is a trend....

From the US, shoes and shirt from the Salvation army (maybe he wants to jump off the ledge beacause he didn't thrift his jeans...)

From Brooklyn, New York - thrifted vest - let's hear it for the home boy! Yeah!

Are you a guy that thrifts? Are you a girl that thrifts with or for her guy?

My man wears thrift - on occasion - but I'm the one with the addiction....

Thrifted Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

The boyfriend and I followed the tradition of hosting Thanksgiving for our New York friends. A mixture of foreigners and holiday orphans gathered at ours for a day of eating, drinking and being merry.

On Thanksgiving eve, I realised that we didn't have enough wine glasses for everyone, so I went on an emergency thrifting expedition. First stop - Housing Works Soho. I bought one wine glass and err......a pair of ultra cute shoes. OK, so they weren't on my shopping list, but how could I resist them? Second stop - Goodwill on east 23rd street - brilliant for housewares. As if by magic, there they were, 4 beautifully tall and elegant wine glasses, 1.99 each. Bingo! As we had the exact number of glasses for our guests, we asked our guests to put a little sticker on their glass so they could keep track of it throughout the evening - a great idea.

Thanksgiving day was wonderful. We actually saw the parade, after all, we do live one and a half blocks away from Central Park West. For the first time, we managed to get our lazy selves out of bed and onto the street to see the giant balloons - well worth it! The Thanksgiving meal was divine (my man cooked all of it) and - of course - the table was set with my thrifted china finds. The amount of food we ate was legendary but - most importantly - we were grateful for being among friends and loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving! Here's to family and friends!

Azulejo inspiration

2009-11-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

I was rather pleased with myself last weekend at the Upper West Side Housing Works thrift store. I spotted a beautiful blue handpainted pitcher that had a vaguely familar look. I turned it upside down, and there it was: "Made in Portugal". I promptly paid $6 and proudly brought it

home.

I'm Portuguese you see, and we are pretty much obssessed with blue and white ceramics. We have a long history of making pottery and the Portuguese have the most beautiful handpainted tiles. Yes, tiles. You will find them decorating walls everywhere, churches, rail stations, houses, monuments, etc. They often depict historical scenes and are a major part of Portuguese architecture and history. They are called Azulejos (I love this word). The name is derived from the arabic (from back in the day when Portugal was occupied by the Moors), and the word azul - also means the colour blue. They tend to be blue and white but you may also find yellow and some other colours.

My favourite azulejos are the ones on the church (Igreja do Carmo) in my home tome of Porto. Absolutely beautiful.

And of course the tiles of Porto's railway station Sao Bento, also a beauty.

The Green Lady

2009-11-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

On my thrift wish list is a print of the wonderfully kitsch "Chinese lady' by Vladimir Tretchikoff . I love its gaudy colours and it reminds me of the bright pop art that painters like Andy Warhol immortalized. It is lovely in a vintage nostalgic kind of way and above all - it is fun and doesn't take itself too seriously.

The 'Green lady' was painted in 1952 (when Tretchikoff was 39) and became the world's biggest-selling print. In effect, Tretchikoff was the world's first mass-market artist. The 'Green lady', described as the "Mona Lisa of kitsch", hung on the walls of half a million suburban homes around the world. I remember seeing her in restaurants and homes of friends' parents decorating otherwise dark and drab places. She was everywhere.

She is actually a real person. She was called Lenka and was Tretchikoff's lover, they met in a NYC restauraunt in the late 40s. Apparently Lenka had a fascination for all things paranormal.

Although Treatchikoff wasn't taken seriously by the big art collectors after he went for a mass market approach, his print sales made him the most highly paid artist in the world after Picasso.

My wishful thinking is that someone somewhere in NYC will decide that they canot live with the Green Lady anymore and will give her to a good home....I will find her in a thrift store, dust her off and hang her on my living room wall. She'll look perfect.

For more vintage goodness, see Vintage Thingies Thursdays

Autumn/fall 2009

2009-11-05T18:57:00.001-08:00

Winter coat - Glasgow, Scotland, Marie Curie Cancer Care thrift shop
Skirt - Goodwill, East Village, NYC
Shoes - Salvation army, Williamsburg, NYC
Autumn leaves - Central Park

Polka dotty

2009-10-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

Rainy days ask for a splash of colour to cheer us all up. Here are some polka dots from those trendy people at lookbook:

From Berlin, a vintage dress and a handbag from a London fleamarket.

Thrifted polka dot skirt
From New York City, thrifted dress and belt. Love the peeptoes.

A Brooklyn beacon

2009-10-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

Beacon's closet in hipster centric Williamsburg is a must go destination for any New York thrift shopper. Although this isn't your classic thrift store - the funds don't go to support a noble cause - Beacon's closet is definitely thrifty, with plenty of bargains to be found.

The shop is located in an old warehouse space and is ginormous. It is arranged by colours - see the pretty photos - and has a great selection of clothes, vintage and modern. The shoes are fabulous and there is a good dress selection if you're looking for something with a little va va voom.

Men need not feel neglected at Beacon's, there is a good men's selection and there are some comfy chairs at the entrance where they can read a newspaper as they wait for their girlfriends. Alternatively, you can park your manfriend at the record store a couple of blocks away. Happiness all round!

Do you want to indulge in some new shoes but cannot face eating cheese and toast until payday? No worries, swap your old threads for cash or Beacon's closet store credit. Keep in mind that the cash you get for your clothes depends on:

- How fashionable/desirable are they? Would anyone want to wear them?
- Are they in good nick?
- Are they designer? However, see first point. Nobody wants your nylon purple mesh Versace trousers.

Last time I was at Beacon's, I bought a huge, girly dusk pink silk scarf - for $11. I love this place!

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 9

Presentation: 9

Niceness of staff: 7

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8

Thrift turnover: 9

Something old, something borrowed, something blue

2009-10-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

Moving into a completely empty apartment with nothing but a couple of suitcases filled with clothes, was, I admit it, a little daunting. However, in a city filled with thrift shops, and in the country that gave you Craigslist, I quickly realised that the process of making a home was going to be a lot of fun.

In NYC, there is no reason to go to Ikea or other similar mass-produced, yawn-inducing stores. I want a home with personality. A home where things have a story about who they belonged to, the house they lived in, or how they were hunted down and found. And I'd rather not have to assemble my furniture – lego for grown ups is simply not my thing.

Each day, after we'd moved in, L and I obsessively scoured the Manhattan furniture section of Craigslist. This is one of our early finds and one of my first ‘home’ projects. The dresser had the exact shape I was looking for and in its shabby, off-white state was going for only $30. I dragged a grumbling L miles down south to the financial district.

We followed our map through an anonymous part of town but then found ourselves in a funky apartment where the owner sat us down, poured us tea, and wanted to know our life history. Hmm, we were buying a dresser, not considering an adoption. Nevertheless, we chatted for ages and she kindly sold the dresser to us and volunteered her reluctant boyfriend to deliver it to our door. Success!

From the very beginning I knew I wanted a brightly coloured dresser in my living room. And so I transformed the dresser from its orginal sad white into this gorgeous blue beast, and finished it with these sleek burgundy drawer pulls from Anthropologie.

Thrift for Traviata, Vintage for Verdi

2009-09-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Amongst Manhattan's array of thrift stores, few have the quirk and charm of the City Opera Thrift Shop. This Bergdorf Goodman of secondhand stores lures you in with it's gorgeous window displays - courtesy of the students of the nearby School of Visual Arts - and offers up an assortment of upscale designer wear.

The collection of dresses, women's shoes and men's suits make it an excellent place to shop for a special occasion. The styles on offer cater nicely for all ages; I can imagine bringing my mum here (and her squealing in delight at the velvet jackets and silk dresses). There are plenty of clothes for us younger types too, when I was there last a young woman was trying on a cute fitted leather jacket. If you want a Dior jacket this is the thrift store to visit - but if you're looking to stretch your last 20 dollars as far as you can you might want to steer clear.

It's not just having art students dress the windows and the designer threads that makes this place so New York, it's where the thrift dollars go - here is a clothes tag:

Hmmmm, my shoe indulgences have contributed towards Madame Butterfly; Candide; Don Giovanni; Tosca....

The New York City Opera supports groundbreaking opera and has 25% of tickets priced at $25 and less - now that is thrifty.

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):
Selection: 9
Presentation: 9
Niceness of staff: 8
Bargain factor (ie pricing): 7 (if you're looking for designer wear)
Thrift turnover: 8

The New York City Opera thrift store is on East 23rd Street. As well as women's and men's clothes and shoes, they have furniture, books and often opera records and posters.

Summer, are you leaving already?

2009-09-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

As I cling onto summer for dear life, here is a look from earlier this year, boots thrifted in Chelsea flea market, belt thrifted at housing works and an urban outfitters dress with a retro feel to it. Summer, please stay!

Coney island baby

2009-09-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

In NYC you can feel a little nip in the air signalling that summer is ending, EEEeeeek! There are loads of things to see and do and there are summer clothes I haven't even worn yet. In an attempt to do the things we've been procrastinating for ages, the boyfriend and I set off on an impromptu "Do everything weekend". First and foremost on the list - Coney Island.

Wow. I get that funny NYC feeling that I've been here before having seen it in the movies and on TV so many times. It is a sight to behold. Trashy, over the top, fun and community oriented, all in one. The beach is full of families and the water seems crowded with grannies, aunties, fat men in Tshirts, muscular men in tattoos and snotty children. We stroll around taking in all the sights. I'm wearing a red dress I bought at a fleamarket in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

From the beach we head over to Wonder Wheel, the large ferris wheel. Feeling brave we get onto the cyclone - frankly just to be able to say that we have done it. 90 secs on the ricketiest roller coaster and we go through the feelings of elation, fear and dread. And then it's over and our legs are shaky and we cannot stop giggling. Then of course we have a Nathan hot dog and then the freak show - with ALIVE acts from Serpentina (lady with large snake), a sword swallower and fire swallower, a bendy woman on an electric chair and other assorted oddities.

I'm afraid there was no thrifting done in Coney Island - although imagine the crazy goodies you would find there!

The next day, we head to Governor's island and rent bicycles. The views of Manhattan are amazing - this is a must do summer trip. It is 5 minutes away from the city and it feels you are miles away.

I'm all thrifted in a red silk dress I got at the greenflea, handbag and bangle (from junk man at the greenflea) and shoes from a thrift store on the Upper East Side (the Spence Chaplin thrift store).

And guess what?? There are no thrift stores on Governor's island. That should come as no surprise because this enigmatic piece of prime NYC real estate is uninhabited and exclusively for public purposes.

The best NYC flea market...

2009-08-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

....is without a doubt the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market (HKFM). I have had lots of luck from this market: two pretty girly dresses each for $5; many silk scarves and OOoooh the furniture. The market is great for conversation pieces - the ones guaranteed to get you a "Where did you buy THAT??" or depending on how adventurous you are, a "What is THAT??"

The sellers are friendly and there are bargains to be found. My boyfriend bought a cashmere camel coat here last winter (the market is on all year but as it is outdoors it is a little weather dependent) which was $40 and in mint condition. Errrrr we may have been blinded by the bargain because the coat does make him look like Tony Soprano....!

On Saturdays and Sundays in the HKFM you can find hipsters, antique geeks, models, vintage lovers and fans of all things bizarre, rummaging elbow to elbow for:

- vintage and thrift clothing (his and hers). One great stall is the Store with no walls.
- kitschy home decorations

- silk scarves and bling
- heels and boots
- funky vintage furniture

- records
- bodyless doll heads/disco balls/collectibles/weird and wonderful things you wouldn't find anywhere else

Point in case - Can you believe that on sale was a metal stretcher??? And also one of those huge candle holders you find in churches - see behind the stretcher. You have to love this place!

Plan your trip to the HKFM around getting some brunch at HK around the corner (39th street and 9th). The Bloody Mary's are good and you can people spot - throw in the flea market, and how best to spend a weekend morning in New York?

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Market location: 7 (not the nicest part of town - to put it kindly)

Presentation: 9

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8

Stall variety: 10

Approx number of stalls: about 40

Summer in the city

2009-08-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

It is August and it is boiling hot in Manhattan. I rather be at the beach or on an island (I know Manhattan is technically an island but I mean an island with palm trees, beach bars and hammocks). Ho hum. Here is some summer thrift inspiration via lookbook:

I love this holiday chic look all the way from Australia. Knickerbockers were thrifted, or as the ozzies say - bought in an op-shop.

Here is the same girl in thrifted dress and shoes (she clearly knows her stuff). The perfect city summer look.

A New York summer look with a dress thrifted in Brooklyn.

Gimme a thrift lunch break

2009-08-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Imagine my delight earlier this year when I discovered a thrift store was opening right around the corner from where I work! This means I can get a fix of eye candy whilst on my lunch break. And who knows maybe even pick up the odd thing (ok, ok, several things...)

The new store, Housing works Soho, is right next door to the Housing works thrift bookstore on Crosby Street, in the heart of Soho. Just one block away is Broadway, a hustle and bustle shopping destination with Prada, Uniqlo, Topshop, Bloomingdales etc. This thrift store is still a little bit of a secret as it is on a quiet block. Shhhhhhh, let's keep it that way.

As you serious thrifters know, it pays to have your regular thrift haunts- so you can snap up any goodies as soon as they hit the shop. I tend to go to Housing Works Soho once or twice a week. And oooooooohhhhh this place is good. I have been particularly lucky in the shoe front - the first pair I bought there were a leopard print Steve Maddens - brand new - for $10. Many a sandal soon followed, see this post.

I particularly like the fact that they always have some special discount going on and often have a deal with the thrift bookstore next door - if you buy an item in one of the stores you get 30% off at the other place; one month they had a 30% discount at the store if you donated books next door.

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 8

Presentation: 9

Niceness of staff: 9

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8

Thrift turnover: 9

Housing works Soho is on Crosby Street and Houston. The clothes are arranged by colour and there are womens as well as men's clothes (quite a large mens selection). There is a small furniture selection, and a housewares selection. They also have jewellery

China collecting

2009-07-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

When I moved from London to NYC to join my boyfriend, I carried with me on the plane, two china tea cups and saucers I inherited from my American grandmother.

Like my grandmother, I love china. Preferably second hand and mismatched. I guess that explains why I like so much to thrift china orphans. By that I mean the odd plate; tea cup; bowl; etc.

My grandmother's tea cups (the beautiful black ones) now keep company with several china items I've thrifted in New York in the 2.5 years I've been here. All have cost me between 25c and $2. There is no particular thrift store that is better for them, you just need to keep your eyes peeled.
Here are some interesting facts about china:

Porcelain originated in China in the 9th century. It was imported to Europe for many years and even after the Europeans started making it themselves, they always referred to it as ‘china’. It is made of kaolin (a type of clay) and feldspar. China is hard, strong and translucent - allows the light through. Try placing your cup/plate against the light and waving your hand between the cup/plate and the light. If you can see the outline of your fingers – it is translucent and is real china!

Bone China is the English form of Porcelain. It is considered as the highest quality and most expensive. It is very translucent. Although it looks and feels quite delicate, it is the strongest of china and is extremely hard and durable. Bone China actually contains animal bone ash. Hmmmm, not sure I wanted to know that.

Ceramics are made out of clay, are not porcelain 'china' and are not translucent. I guess that means that some of my thrift china is not china and actually ceramic. Nevermind, it is still very pretty!

Marks at the bottom of your china allow you to trace the manufacturer and also to put a date on your item. Here are some of mine (my grandmother's is the top left one - do you know anything about it?)And that whole thing about saving your good china for a special occasion? Nonsense. I say use your good china as often as you can, after all, these things were made to be enjoyed. And what could possibly be more special than a cup of tea whilst curled up on my sofa, or dinner for two?

Thrift cinderella

2009-07-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

Like a magpie attracted to shiny things, I'm a thrifter with a shoe obsession. Shoes are one of the best things to thrift and here is why:

Thrifted shoes often mean that someone else has taken the trouble of breaking in the shoes for you. This means you get a gently worn pair of shoes, all soft and lovely, and you are ready to get all the gain with no pain.

I love shoes and I live in NYC where you walk - a lot - so my shoes get treated pretty roughly. If you're like me, into shoes and into wearing them, thrifting is the only way of sustaining a large shoe collection so that you can rotate your shoes often and have them last longer. Which brings me onto the next point...
Thrifted shoes mean you can feed a shoe addiction without breaking the piggy bank.

Like with all thrifting, you can look fabulous and with your own individual style. And if you're into vintage, there's nothing better than thrift.

Here are some summer beauties I've thrifted in NYC:

These lovelies are quite special. They are the most perfect 50s pink shoes and were my very first NYC thrift buy. I bought them on the Upper East Side Council Thrift Shop for $7 . I love that thrift store! These marked the beginning of my penchant for thrifted shoes...

These cuties are super stylish and were found in the Housing Works Soho, for $10 - I love the ankle strap. And another pair, these are cute chocolate brown colour and a nice heel, and a lovely pink bottom. $5. This place is a treasure trove for shoes.
The ones below were from the Goodwill on the UWS, they go with everything. $5.
Some tips for shoe thrifting:

It's not rocket science. Check they are of good quality - made of leather - and in good nick - check the heels and soles.

Try them on, give a twirl, see how they feel. Even in places without changing rooms, never ever buy a pair of thrifted shoes without trying them on.

Be open minded. I'm a 6 and a half, but I'll try on 5 and a half, 6 and 7 - you just never know.

I discovered summer soles a couple of years ago. This amazing invention is basically a trim-to-fit sole that comes in different types of materials and in stylish colours. I have them in all my shoes (thrifted and otherwise). It protects the shoes from my feet - sweaty summer tootsies - helping them last longer. And for all of you out there who may be freaked out about wearing secondhand shoes, a pretty new sole between your feet and your thrifted shoes may help you get over it.

Like the saying goes: Men are like buses, you don't see one for ages and then suddenly there are two or three at the same time. With thrift shoes it is the same. After a particularly long time with no luck thrifting shoes, when you finally spot a perfect pair, you often also spot about three pairs more. Point in case: Housing Works Soho last week had about three pairs of the most beautiful heeled sandals, all sized 5 and a half. They were all a similar style and I'm sure they were donated by the same woman. Unfortunately they were all too small for me but nevermind, I'll cash in my thrift karma another day.

Like all thrifting your efforts will be rewarded over time - don't expect success every time, that's the fun part. Go forth and thrift my friends! Good luck and thrift karma!

A thrifted dress fror the perfect English wedding

2009-07-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

My friends Rob and Pippa got married two weekends ago in Norfolk, England. It was the perfect English summer wedding.

This is the room they got married in, in a gorgeous old country Manor, the sunlight flooding in. I cried, I couldn't help it, I always cry at weddings!

I wore a dress I thrifted last year from a thrift store in the East Village, NYC, for a grand $15. The dusk pink handbag is also thrifted, from the British Heart Foundation Charity shop in Somerset, England.

After dancing the night away, the next day, my boyfriend and I went on a walk from our little village of Cley-upon-sea. We came upon a 'cockle van' next to the sea port where all the sail boats were anchored. Our lunch will go down as one of my all time memorable meals. Deliciously simple seafood, oysters, the smell and taste of sea and perfect company.

The perfect end to a perfect weekend.

The once in a lifetime Salvation Army find

2009-06-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

As part of my two week holiday in England, I take my mom, a thrift store junkie like me, thrifting at the Salvation Army shop off Oxford Street in London.

You can try on clothes behind a flimsy looking curtain on a shower ring. Picture my mom and me squeezed together shoehorning our ways into respective dresses whilst avoiding flashing the men perusing the men's section next to us with a vagrant boob or bottom. Yikes.

My mom tries on a dress, with a geometric blue print on it - sighs and gives me the wise advice that "ladies over the age of 40 should never wear puff sleeves". I take that is a no then. Then it is my turn, I manage to try my dress avoiding indecent exposure by having my mom clutch the curtains closed. It is a winner. Mom just goes OOOOoooooooooo and I think, gosh that is pretty nice. We put our clothes back on, and my mom treats me to the dress, we leave triumphant. A gorgeous Laura Ashley - with a 50% discount on the thrift shop price- a grand total of £12.50 (£20).

The fabric is gorgeous with the loveliest floral print.

I love it when you try on some thrift and it fits like a glove. I think this is a pretty fenomenal find. I cannot wait to wear it!

Such is the beauty of thrifting, you must sift through loads of random things until you can find that diamond. What are your once in a lifetime thrift finds?

The London Salvation Army shop is large, with women's and men's clothes, homewares, books, shoes, and also accessories.

Address: 18 Great Peter Street

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):
Selection: 7
Presentation: 7
Niceness of staff: 7

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8

Thrift turnover: unknown

It's in the genes kiddo

2009-06-24T03:11:00.000-07:00

I'm in London this week visiting family and friends. I'm staying at my mum's and quite frankly, am being spoilt rotten, and not minding being the baby girl although I'm a ripe old 32 year old.

The love for vintage is clearly genetic; I'm sure scientists will soon discover the tique gene.... My grandmother owned an antique shop for a while and my mom has a great eye for antiques as well as thrift.

Here are some of my mum's finds. First is a pair of dressers she bought in the Isle of Skye (the most beautiful island in the world - off the Northwest coast of Scotland!). You can see they are quite sober; they are probably 19th century - and reflect the conservative tastes and austere religious aesthetic of the islanders. I think they are also pretty cute. The first piece is my mom's bedside table.

What is also rather delightful about these dressers is that you can tell they are from the Scottish Highlands. You can tell that from the second item of the pair. These dressers are shorter than most dressers - so that they could fit under the eaves (the slopey roof part) of the houses (farmers' cottages) in the area back in the day. The mirror part of the first piece was probably added at a later period. My mom bought these in a second hand furniture shop in the Isle of Skye. On a totally different note, here is my mom's gorgeous art deco walnut cabinet. She bought this at an antique warehouse in Glasgow next to the Clyde river. I love the colour. Aptly, the beautiful woman in the photo in the middle, is my grandmother, who had a love for all things antique.

In order to keep with the theme of Fortheloveofthrift, my mom has patiently obliged to model her two best thrift finds. She bought these in Blackheath, London at the local charity shop - Cancer Research UK, for £8 (or $15). They are made of silk, are reversible and she's had a ton of comments on them. I think she looks fabulous in them.

Tyra Banks move over, my mom is America's next Top Model!
First the blue side, very earth mother:
Then the ivory side, very stylish classic mother:
Then the black jacket, very sexy sophisticated classy mama:And then the pink side, a rather reluctant and giggly model, my "I-look-like-a-giant-strawberry" mother! I don't think she'll be wearing the jacket on this side.....

Jacket- thrifted

Style - model's own

How many dresses can a girl own?

2009-06-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

Quite a few I believe. This Sunday, a stall in Hells Kitchen fleamarket had a huge pile of dresses, all for $5 each. Once I saw it, I quickly packed the boyfriend to the neighboring cafe to read his newspaper - he's such a good man! I knew this was going to take time and skill. I went rummaging elbow deep next to a couple of other thrifters and checked out a few nice dresses, all too large, until I spotted these two. I couldn't try them on, but I didn't care, from looking at them I knew I was golden:

- Pink dress - perfect for summer, very delicate, very feminine. Sweet!

- Black dress - lovely cut, great sleeves

The photo in the first picture is one I bought in a market in Buenos Aires, Argentina - I love the face of the slightly grump lady on the left staring at the couples dancing tango. The frame was thrifted at Housing works.

On my thrift list: the white summer dress

2009-06-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

On my thrift wish list is a white summer dress - with some embroidery perhaps. I haven't had any luck yet but I'm keeping my eyes open!

Here are some inspirational thrifted examples via Lookbook:

From Canada, a thrifted example of white summer dress AND leather bag from a flea market...beauty!

Some inspiration from Germany - This is the dress I would love to find - what a beautiful combination of the thrifted dress and a sharp blazer...

And finally, another example of a white dress, this time paired with some roller skates - also thrifted. Not sure about the skates.....I'd last about 10 seconds....

A thrifted classic - the leather satchel

2009-06-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

Oooh how exciting! My first post for Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingies Thursdays!

Here is a gorgeous vintage brown leather satchel I thrifted some weeks ago at the Angel thrift store - for $35. It feels worn and loved, and the leather is soft with the deep dark colour of vintage leather. It has a pretty golden clasp and a kitsch green inner lining with little dogs.

I know nobody will see the lining but I like knowing the secret beauty of it - a bit like wearing nice underwear....

It is perfect handbag size, I feel it will make a good autumn bag.

Trainspotting

2009-06-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Shoes - thrifted at Housing Works (Upper west side)

Scarf - thrifted at Hell's kitchen flea market
Handbag- thrifted in English charity shop

Cardigan - thrifted at Housing works (Gramercy)

NYC thrift guide: Upper West Side expedition

2009-06-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Starting off at 72nd street - check out Off Broadway between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenue- a little gem of an indie store with vintage clothes, shoes and accessories. See the Dakota building on the corner of Central Park West and 72nd street - where John Lennon was shot and Yoko still lives. See if you can spot Lauren Bacall - another Dakota tennant - walking her dog in the hood.

Before you can thrift with gusto you will need some food/coffee - so here are some options:

- For proper brunch - the works - go to the Fairway cafe upstairs. Broadway and 75th.
- For a coffee and a pastry/sandwich - go to the lovely indie Cafe Arte. Columbus and 74th.
- For girlie scones and tea - served in mismatched china - Alice's teacup. On 73rd street and Columbus.

OK, time to shop those calories off. Dust the crumbs off your vintage skirt/trousers and get going. As you walk North on Columbus, there is a Jonathan Adler on Columbus and 74th street. Go get some design inspiration.

Just next door to Jonathan Adler is your first thrift hit: the Housing Works Upper West Side. Yipee!

I'm hoping the thrift gods have smiled upon you and you're carrying at least one bag. Keep walking on Columbus and go to the greenflea, the flea market on Sundays, on 77th. Yay! Check out all the cool stalls.

OK, by now you must be carrying at least two bags of goodies. Cross the street and check out Design within Reach. Yeah right - within reach of the trust fund crowd perhaps!! I always wondered who gave this shop its ridiculous name. Go for the inspiration.
Stroll North on Columbus and admire the Natural History Museum. Once you've had your culture fix, it is time for the second thrift store of the day - the Goodwill on 79th street and Broadway.

Carry your thrifted goodies down Broadway and walk past Barney's co-op and giggle at people spending a fortune on clothes.

Further down is Loehman's (Broadway and 73rd) - not a thrift store granted, but the place where many a bargain can be found. If you still have any energy left in you there is also an Urban Outfitters on 71st and Broadway.

By now you either need a:
- sugar rush to get you home - in which case try the delicious Levain bakery enormous chocolate chip cookies - a Manhattan secret (74th street and Amsterdam avenue) - you can thank me afterwards

- or a drink to get you home - for a glass of wine go to Wine and Roses on Columbus and 74th or for a beer chill out at Dive 75 on west 75th street and Columbus.

Go home, admire your purchases, and massage those feet!

I hear the thrift angels singing - The angel street thrift store review

2009-05-25T07:15:00.001-07:00

If you close your eyes and imagine a Manhattan thrift store - this is what you probably come up with. In fact, if you have friends who are snobs about thrift shopping - this is where you must bring them to, to shatter their ideas of thrifting.

The Angel Street thrift store (west 17th street and 6th ave) is a treat of a thrift store. It is beautifully organized, has gorgeous window displays and yes - it is expensive. In ways it almost feels like a consignment store because it is dripping with designer clothes - but it is a thrift store all right - where your donations go to benefit people affected by substance abuse, HIV/AIDS and mental illness.

But first, the window displays....aaaaahhhhh, do not expect a dusty ramshackle goodwill/salvation army display, oh no. The Angel has a super sleek and stylish window display - in the style of an upscale independent boutique. Take a look for yourself:

What a beauty! And once you actually walk in the shop it is all organized by colour. It has women's clothes, shoes, belts and handbags. It is pricey but bargains can be found and like many New York thrift stores - it has great sales. When I was there last they had clothes by Vivienne Westwood, Armani, Ralp Lauren, and many other designers, as well as nice clothes by nice people without a flashy name and hefty price tag.

The Angel also has a very large furniture selection - which again can be pricey - but always cheaper and much nicer than anything you would buy in a mass market shop. On my trip it had a beautiful solid wood dining table with large heavy benches to go with it. This beauty had just been sold. Besides furniture they also sell housewares, have a whole section of nicely displayed glassware and - in my last trip- had curtain fabric and wallpaper.
Men can find a large men's section with shoes and clothes. One man was trying on a rather fetching straw hat when I was there. The Angel also has records and comics, as well as books. Ah! The Angel also has a nice section of lamps - I guess most thrift stores that sell furniture also sell lamps, but The Angel has its own lamp section display.

That last photo shows a sideview of the cabinets with jewellery, handbags and shoes. Although The Angel sells all kinds of things - I don't think the pooch is for sale...

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 9

Presentation: 10

Niceness of staff: 8

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 7

Thrift turnover: 8

The Angel Street Thrift Shop on west 17th street and 6th avenue sells everything: housewares, women's clothing, jewellery and shoes, men's clothing and shoes, books, furniture, lamps, comics, curtains, wallpaper, etc etc. Opening hours - Mon-Sat: 10 am to 6 pm; Sun; 12pm to 5pm. The Angel offers free pickup for furniture and large donations.

Everybody needs an old tin lunchbox

2009-05-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

The greenflea market has a strange effect on me - I usually walk in with nothing and walk out with something beautiful I never thought I needed. Then again, most flea markets and thrift stores have that effect on me. I must have an inner magnet for second hand things......

Point in case. As I wandered through the greenflea - the upper west side flea market- this Sunday, I checked out one jewellery stall that was selling a nice old frame - $15- with a wire backing - intended for storing jewellery. Nice no? This greenflea adventure was far from over. I had a fruitful encounter with 'junk man':

- A quirky handbag - $3. I love it! It has a slightly trashy 80s feel to it - it is covered in a little white metal mesh - and will be great in the summer. Every girl that doesn't take herself too seriously needs an 80s style handbag.

- A tin lunch box - $4. Curiously, me and the boyfriend spotted the tin lunchbox of 'junk man' separately. Ooooooh sweet. We are now the proud owners of this lovelieness which we will use to store our assorted house tools. Isn't it perfect?

The gorgeous greenflea - greenflea market review

2009-05-23T21:12:00.001-07:00

I 'm such a lucky girl. I get to live in New York City AND have a charming flea market two blocks away from me. I can get a flea market fix every Sunday - by walking two blocks to the Greenflea - conveniently located in the Upper West Side on Colombus Avenue and 76th street.
It is now part of me and my boyfriend's laundry routine - we drop the clothes at the laundromat and stroll up to the flea market for a quick look. The Greenflea however, is well worth leaving your clothes to wrinkle in the dryer for - give yourself plenty of time to stroll and soak it all in.

What I love about the greenflea is its size and variety. The market is located in a school and gets very large in the Summer - with tons of stalls in the school playground- and has an indoors as well as an outdoors part.

Near one of the entrances is a large stall with vintage fur coats. Wearing fur is Oh so wrong so I don't tend to hang around there. I walk past the stall that sells only chandelier crystals, all light and sparkle. Opposite the chandelier stall is 'junk man' - with a big bushy moustache and a lovely laid back attitude. He has a table crowded with assorted random things - and if you dig deep - treasures. Oh yes, we've got all manner of things from junk man - and all at super bargain prices.

The Greenflea has several furniture stalls: one selling beautiful chunky wood tables, one selling formica 70s style furniture and a recent beautiful vintage furniture stall - among a few others. The prices are not those of thrift stores and reflect more the Upper West Side crowd the market gets - ie expensive. Humph. In the outdoors market you can also find rugs, handmade clothing, loads of jewellery stalls (new and vintage), crafty things like soaps and decorative pieces, photohgraphs, thrift clothes/shoes/handbags, china, antique lighting, and tons of other stuff.

The Greenflea is also a farmers market - selling local fruit, veg, flowers, eggs, cheese, honey, juices, pastries, etc. Last week one stall had fresh elederflower cordial! There are also great plants stalls for all you greenfingers - sometimes located two blocks up opposite the Natural History Museum.

The indoors market also has lots to see - antique stalls, from stamps to postcards to clothes to everything in between, new designer clothes and collectibles.

What are you waiting for? Drop your laundry and get to the greenflea quick!

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):
Market location: 10 (loads of other things to see and do around there)
Presentation: 8
Bargain factor (ie pricing): 7
Stall variety: 10
Approx number of stalls: over 50

The chelsea flea market

2009-05-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Want to bag yourself a bargain, something vintage, fabulous and random? Hit the New York flea markets. Every Saturday and Sunday you can find the Chelsea Antique & Collectible Flea market in a small space in the corner of 17th street and 7th avenue. The area has other nice things to explore on a lazy Saturday/Sunday.

This market is small but has a big personality. For randomness you cannot beat the old barbie dolls and the deer head I spotted there last week. There is also a hardware stall with door knobs, and errr strange hardware things. One lady sells old lamps. Several places sell vintage jewellery, and you can find vintage shoes, paintings, records, handbags, clothes, etc, etc. My favourite stall is what I like to call "junk lady". You cannot miss her. She has two or three clothes rails and a table piled high with clothes, shoes and assorted stuff. I bought my cashmere sweater there for $5. Last time I was there she had some great shoes but alas, all too large for me. C'est la vie. Perhaps next time...

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Market location: 9

Presentation: 6

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8

Stall variety: 8

Approx number of stalls: 15

Let's go thrifting

2009-05-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

In order to satisfy a thrift craving, I normally pick up my vintage handbag and hit the New York streets. However, when I cannot do that - as a thrift junkie I can get a quick eye candy fix at Housing Works online. Nothing beats rummaging in a thrift shop, but when you cannot do that - the next best thing is online shopping.

Housing Works have a good selection online - most of which you can buy immediately. Each of their New York shops has a fantastic window display - and all the items are on auction -which you can check out and bid online.

To illustrate my point of good thrifting online, check this out:

A beautiful vintage silk chiffon green dress, perfect for spring. I love the empire waist and the ruched bust. This beauty is in an auction - ending 26th May. It starts at $35.

I would pair the dress with this investment piece (read expensive but would wear over and over again) - a Ann Demeulemeester blazer. I love the combination of the feminine floaty dress with a killer tailored blazer. Ann Demeulemeester is a Belgian desginer well known for her perfect cut, edgy monochromatic clothes, which are as beautiful as they are horribly expensive. The thrifted blazer is $175, is in perfect condition and is available online right now. Unfortunately it is too large for me but I would love this in my wardrobe - it would look great with anything.

Love thrift, will thrift - the goodwill upper west side

2009-05-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

The Goodwill is a little treasure trove of goodies. That is, if you are willing to trawl through piles of grizzly coloured nylon shirts, comfortable rubber slip-on shoes (eek!) and scary see-through nighties. Buy hey, I'm not a fair weather thrifter, so I take a deep breath, pull my sleeves up and go for it!

This Goodwill is on 79th street between Broadway and Amsterdam avenues. It is small and narrow and you are pushed for space - although that means more thrift, yay! They have a women's clothing and shoes section. I once spied a Cacharel camel creme coat there, but unfortunately it was about 4 sizes too big for me - I bet it made one thrift diva a very happy lady. They also have housewares and books and a men's section.

The place isn't for the faint hearted, clothes are tightly packed together, there is usually a barricade of newly dropped bags blocking the narow store and there are no changing rooms - although there is a large mirror. That certainly hasn't stopped me from trying something on although you really don't want to be doing a full monty there.

This Sunday I went in and was rewarded with 3 classic books for ....drum roll...a grand total of $2,30. The books are used and have that nice soft feel to them. I've already started on to Kill a Mockingbird.

And by reading my all time classics I'm contributing to the greater good. Your dollars contribute to training, education and career services for the disadvantaged. Nice stuff.

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 6
Presentation: 6
Niceness of staff: 5
Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8
Thrift turnover: 7

The 79th Street Goodwill sells housewares; women's clothing and shoes; men's clothing and shoes; and books. Opening hours - conveniently open late: 10 am to 8 pm every day except on Sundays where it closes at 7pm.

Housing works - Upper West Side

2009-05-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

When we walk into Housing Works Upper West Side store, me and The Boy have developed a little routine. At the front of the store is an arrangement of furniture that we walk around together, imagining where we would put the table or the desk in our imaginary house (our little Manhattan shoebox apartment cannot take anymore thrifty finds!). I then make a beeline for the shoes and clothes whilst The Boy heads for the books and CDs. This routine works beacuse I know exactly where to find him when I need to ask him abpout 5 times whether he really loves the fab shoes that I've just tried on.

My neighbourhood thrift store, the Housing Works Upper West Side store, located on Columbus Avenue between 74th and 75th street, is a little piece of New York thrifty heaven located one block from where I live.

The store is part of the Housing Works chain, which has seven thrift stores, located in upscale Manhattan neighborhoods, dahling. Each store has a fantastic window display, offers great selections and is well organized.

The Housing Works stores are the best kind of thrift stores - where you can buy a great pair of shoes or the perfect table for that spot in your living room - whilst getting yourself some good karma as your money helps provide services for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS.

The store's clothing can often be expensive - compared to other thrift stores - and the selection can sometimes be a little staid - unless of course you are a 70 year old lady that lunches. There are however treasures to be found and you should always watch out for the sales - they often have them for different store items - when I went two weekends ago the whole store had 40% off and recently they had shoes 30% off.

The furniture selection is excellent -they have an eclectic mixture of functional and quirky pieces. Take for instance the rustic wood table or the modernist lamp I spotted there recently . The housewares are good and I have bought many a china plate there. The book selection is very good, with a mixture of genres and of hardbacks/paperbacks. For their spring clearance all books were 10 cents.

The shoe selection is my perdition. I simply cannot resist it, I have bought....err I rather not count....many a pair there. The condition and the prices tends to be very good. Here are the beauties I bought yesterday ($12), I need to figure out what to wear them with.

The store tends to get very crowded on Sundays, I'd recommend you go during the week or on a Saturday.

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):

Selection: 8

Presentation: 8

Niceness of staff: 6

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 7

Thrift turnover: 9

The Upper West Side Housing works sells furniture; housewares; women's clothing and shoes; men's clothing and shoes; books and CDs; and jewellery. Opening hours: 11-7 Mon to Fri. 10-6 Sat. 12-5 Sun.