the irene stash

Over the weekend, Hurricane Irene made it a perfect time to stay in, bask in my aunthood, help my sister catch up on washing clothes and explore the thrift/exchange corner of her building's laundry room. Every building should have a space like this. Look what I found (for free!). I can't wait to start wearing and photographing these pieces in action.  More pics coming soon...

photo: yld

photo: yld

photo: yld

the sweet sweet sweater

I've had this piece for years.  Cozy in my closet, it never quite finds its way into any outgoing donation bag. Got it at the Salvation Army Store on 8th Ave @ 21st St for $6.99.

photo: yld

photo: ellis peters

photo: yld

photo: yld

photo: yld

rena REBORN (a new favorite spot)

photo: yld

I have a plan for how to deal with my new favorite discovery, rena REBORN, that most charming cubby of a boutique in the East Village.  See, the problem with a place like this is that it's the kind of place you walk into thinking you're just going to have a look, and end up walking out of voluntarily stripped of all  your money, but with your heart aflutter over the many ways in which to wear the amazing thing, or things you just scored! bought. So my plan is to use the distance between my neighborhood (Harlem) and the East Village, combined with my busy schedule, to dissuade myself from going there everyday.  Seriously.  If I lived close by, the lovely staff would quickly get tired of seeing my face.

rena REBORN deals in 'New and Recycled Fashion' so it's not technically a thrift store (nor does it look anything like one).  Still, they have something for every budget ($1 goodies box, anyone?  Or how about that $5 rack outside?)  Everywhere you look, something cute.
Check it out ... And wish me luck with my plan. I already feel like going back.



117 E. 7th St (between Ave A and 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10009
212-253-2595

Hours:
Monday-Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM
Sunday 12 PM - 6 PM

the thrifted featured on A Good Look by Goodwill (!!!)

Love getting this kind of feedback, this early in the game. 

via A Good Look by Goodwill NyNj:

Fashion Blogs Galore!: The Thrifted

Last week we showed off some of our new fav blogs that we discovered in our comments here, on our Facebook and via Twitter. This week, we’ve got a new gem to add to the list: the young & promising fashion blog The Thrifted.

Just one of The Thrifted's great Goodwill finds - this blogger has her eye set on style & the results are just gorgeous!

The Thrifted recently took a tour of the Greenwich Village Boutique and made a slideshow all about it. If you haven’t been to our Boutique yet, beware: this video might make you hail a cab or hop a flight to 44 West 8th Street right this minute. Take a look, but don’t say we didn’t warn you: http://bit.ly/thriftedgv  

Posted by: goodwillnynj | August 18, 2011 

a lil' sweet tee, with lace

the tee: salvation army @ 96th st/broadway $1.99
photos: ellis peters

goodwill boutique west village

photo: yld

So I'm running an errand in the West Village, a part of town I don't regularly find myself  in, when I come across the Goodwill Boutique at 44 W8th St.   I go in The rabid thrifter in me is yanked in by memories of Goodwill dollar bins.  I barely notice the treasure trove of a window display as I pull the door open, but it takes no time, once inside, for me to realize, this isn't the Goodwill I once knew.  It's almost sensory overload.  Everything looks barely touched, and selected by a discerning eye.  Gone are the dollar bins, yes, and price points are a little higher at the boutique, but the value is still unbeatable.

The place is 4000 square-feet of  spotlessness.  Kept pristine by some of the most courteous staff members I've come across in New York City, the boutique has everything you can imagine, and then some (individual Brita bottle water filtration system, anybody?).  The clothes, the proper children's section, the shoes, the housewares, the baubles in the jewelry case, the mannequins, the front window display where I lingered on the way out, I couldn't stop taking photos... Enjoy.  And do get over there ASAP, but be forewarned:  You'll be hard-pressed to leave without buying something.



AND did you know you could shop at Goodwill online?

jessi arrington: wearing nothing new

via TEDTalks:

Designer Jessi Arrington packed nothing for TED but 7 pairs of undies, buying the rest of her clothes in thrift stores around LA. It's a meditation on conscious consumption -- wrapped in a rainbow of color and creativity.

the top, the cut-offs, the head scarf

photo: ellis peters

photo: ellis peters

photo: yld

photo: yld

the top: beacon's closet, williamsburg.  $8
the cut-offs: salvation army 96th st/broadway.  $2.99 *bought as full length jeans on 1/2 price day. reg. price: $6.99
the head scarf:  rags-a-gogo.  $5