The Pro's and Con's of Second Hand Shopping

Vintage is all the craze right now but here are a couple things to keep in mind the next time you find yourself roaming the clothing racks.

Pro's

  • Crowd control: If you donate to the places you shop you'll be doing a good thing for the world and a good thing for your closet.

  • The obvious: Cheap, cheap, cheap!

  • The past always repeats itself: Sometimes you can find those diamonds in the rough and it could have come from grandma's closet circa 1970, how much more vintage can you get.

  • Label whore: Recently shoppers in Astoria Queens found their goodwill to be housing items from Missoni for Target, Marc by Marc Jacobs and you just have to be willing to look.

Con's

  • Patience is a virtue: I have never found second hand store to be the most organized so you really need to have the time to dig.

  • Looks can be deceiving: Just because the store took it in and put it on a hanger does not always mean it is in the best of shape. Make sure to properly scan all items for stains, tears, or missing items like buttons.

  • Size does matter: We all know how we feel about loaning clothes to friends and the #1 concern; Don't stretch it out! Because these items have been worn they may not hold their original shape which means sizing could be tough.


If you're in the NYC area here are couple great options worth your second hand scanning time:

Goodwill: Steinway St., Astoria, Queens

Beacon's Closet: 88 N 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY

Cauz for Pawz Thrift: 212 E 23rd Street, New York, NY

City Opera Thrift Shop: 220 E 23rd Street Frnt 1, New York, NY


Stay tuned for next weeks "Fashion Frenzy" article,"Just Shoe Me". Also check out "Staying Trendy Without Emptying Your Wallet"