On Tuesday I covered my pre-thrift guidelines that will help prepare you for a successful thrift outing. As I actually thrift the majority of my wardrobe, I’ve discovered which items are reliable finds. It can be easy to feel frustrated about fit in a thrift store, because there is no universal sizing! (I know, you’re thinking… “Is there ever?!”) Sizing in thrift stores is perhaps more complicated because the clothes come from different decades, and sizes have changed over time. But don’t fear! The items I’ve listed below tend to be better stocked (in a variety of sizes/colors/patterns), more withstanding to previous long-term wear, and most likely to look good on a variety of body types.

Pencil Skirts

Usually stocked in tons of colors/sizes. They’ve been a thing throughout the decades so they’re always well stocked (and often have POCKETS). Look for 100% wool. 

My friend S, rocking out on my back stairs. Complete with recycling and pumpkins.

Velvet Pencil Skirt: $2.00 at Village Discount Outlet (Chicago, IL) 
White button down: $1.00 at a yard sale (Oberlin, OH)
Floral/Paisley Scarf: my mother’s 1970s stock of wonder.
Boots: airstreamapparel Etsy shop
Peacoat: Gap (her own; “on sale!” she says)

Short-sleeved Button Downs
Long sleeved shirts are so great, but they’re maybe my least favorite articles of clothing to shop for. If you don’t have the right shoulder/sleeve fit… they can look sloppy. Also they lose their primness after a few years. Most of the thrifty long-sleeved button-ups you’ll find are fairly worn. However! Most thrift stores have short-sleeved button-ups a-plenty. Fewer folks wear them. They’re better stocked. And more likely to fit you. 

My friend Sara

Multi-Colored Button-Up: $4.50 at Goodwill (Cambridge, MA) 

Oversized Sweaters
Need I say more? They’re meant to be cozy, baggy, and just a little goofy. Keep an eye out for cashmere, chunky knits, and handmade products. A particularly good present for a cuddler. 

Sara again, doped out on Starbursts.

Hunter Green Sweater: $3.80 at Village Discount Outlet (Chicago, IL)
Short-Sleeved Button Down: $2.00 Village Discount Outlet (Chicago, IL)
Collar Buttons (actually decorated bobby pins): Modcloth, Gift.

Overalls

Most commercial stores don’t sell overalls anymore. So if you want a pair, thrift stores are your friend. Also. If you’re somewhat small in stature (like me) try looking in the teens/kid’s section (even if you have a donk)… it’s cheaper and often carries cool patterns.

(from bluecollarcatwalk.com, modebaroque.blogspot.com, and urbanbushbabies.com)

Can overalls get any more chic? …I didn’t buy these! But! Unique Thrift in Cleveland has an entire section devoted to overalls… all under $6.00!

Vests

These buddies will last forever and ever. And they generally look better with age. Tip: if it has a clasp in the back, make sure the clasp actually works! Great for layering.

My friend S looking like a hot, queer, female Marlon Brando.

White Shirt: My 16-year-old brother’s closet.
Knit Vest: $1.50 at Unique (Chicago, IL)
Green Flannel: $0.50 at a yard sale (Oberlin, OH)
Jeans: $10.00 at Goodwill (New York, NY) (her own; woaaahhh good find!)
Boots: $12.00 at Goodwill (New York, NY)

Boots

Smaller consignment shops might have a limited selection, but large thrift stores will usually have a variety of lace-ups, rainproof, knee-high, and hiking boots. Make sure the heels are sturdy and in tact/that there are no holes in the bottom of the shoe. Don’t be deterred by ugly or scraggly laces. That’s such an easy fix.

mmmm. I love boots!

 
Dark Brown Boots: $12.00 at Goodwill (New York, NY)
Black Boots: $2.50 at Junior League Thrift House (Evanston, IL)
Tan Boots: $5.00 at Village Discount Outlet (Chicago IL)

Belts, Scarves, & Ties

Just do it. Get those silky smooth pocket squares, kerchiefs, and wrap-arounds. These make fantastic presents. Some stores have grab-bags/boxes full of scarves.

(from: dressresponsiblysj.wordpress.com)

Again, didn’t buy these beauties. I realized that I only had green scarves/ties/belts and was too embarrassed to put a collection of 12 various green shades in one picture. But they usually range from $1.00- $3.00 for scarves and $0.50- $6.00 for ties/belts where I shop.

Hope this helps. Look good, stay cozy, give gifts, and pay your rent on time! Happy snappy thrifting!

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From insisting on wearing them every day as a kid to refusing to wear them as a budding queer, skirts and I have a complicated relationship. These days, I wear a skirt or dress about once a month, either for a special occasion, on laundry day, or because it gives me an excuse to wear my knee-high Frye boots. Sometimes I feel great—I think the boots have a lot to do with it—but most of the time it’s just awkward; like I’m at a costume party and no one else bothered to dress up.

For some reason, this doesn’t stop me from continuing to buy skirts when I go thrifting. They’re just so gosh darn cute. But then I get home and put them on and realize, um, no. Usually these skirts are brightly colored and way too short. Case in point: neon pink skirt from H&M (via Crossroads) that I bought to bring on a queer writing retreat this summer, thinking to myself “I can totally wear a skirt around queers without compromising my not-so-femme queer identity.” I was about two feet out of my bedroom before I turned around and put my shorts back on. Second case in point: a tiered, shades of green, semi-stretchy mini-skirt that I think is supposed to make the wearer feel like a mermaid. WHY DO I BUY THESE THINGS? I think it’s because I DO like girlie things. I like to look at them and admire them and crush on them, and in the heat of the shopping moment, I forget that I don’t actually like them ON ME.

My best skirt, my favorite, most reliable skirt, is a brown tweed A-line skirt with two rows of buttons that I thrifted sometime in the distant past. I wear it with the aforementioned boots, dark-colored tights, and a plain t-shirt and cardigan. I feel as much myself in this outfit as I do in plaid pants and high tops. Better, even, because BOOTS! So I’d like to figure out how to wear skirts more often, while still hanging on to my sense of self.

Even since I saw the fabulous Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit this summer, I’ve been intrigued by the idea of skirts as menswear. One of the very first pieces in the exhibit is this simple but striking men’s skirt:

(source: rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com)

This got me thinking: as a tomboyish person who takes many of her fashion cues from traditional menswear, could examining the skirts-as-menswear phenomenon give me some ideas about what sorts of skirts to buy, and how to style them? Though he was certainly groundbreaking, Gaultier is hardly the only designer to feature skirts in his men’s lines. In the last couple years alone, they’ve shown up in Vivienne Westwood, Comme de Garcon, Givenchy and more. I LOVE this look from the Fall 2009 Rick Owens show:

(source: fashiongrunge.com/)

and this, from Raf Simons Fall 2010, is pretty classy:

(source: nymag.com)

Gaultier has continued to do amazing work throughout the decades. But overall, I was surprised to find myself coming out of this research largely uninspired. I think it has a lot to do with the already huge disconnect between high fashion and what we regular human beings actually wear. Combine that with an attempt to draw conclusions about cross-cross-gender style, and circuitry overload is nearly inevitable. A lot of these pieces are fun to look at, but I’m not sure how they apply to me. Would I ever wear a shiny purple skirted suit?

from Vivienne Westwood, Fall 2010 (source: nymag.com)

Sad to say, but I probably would not. Plus, to be honest, this particular skirt feels like an afterthought. The jacket is tailored so beautifully, and then the skirt is just sort of… there, like the only reason it’s a skirt and not trousers is to make you go “Oooh, a men’s skirt. How transgressive.” Then again, that color palette is pretty great. Purple jacket, black-and-red button down, red and purple tie? There’s someone reading this who could totally rock that.

Believe it or not, one of my favorite men’s skirt looks came to me courtesy of Vin Diesel at the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards. Did you ever think you’d be inspired by the fashion stylings of Vin Diesel? I sure didn’t, but check this out:

(source: elle.com)

Apparently this landed him on plenty of worst-dressed lists, but I think he looks RAD. And I think I would look rad in that outfit, and if you’re someone who wants to rock a skirt while still looking tough in a masculine way, you would look rad in it, too. Obviously, leather skirts, and even their faux alternatives, aren’t cheap. But a simple black skirt paired with black boots and a black long-sleeve tee should be pretty easy to put together. Throw on a military-style jacket and you’ll be ready for anything:

(source: chictopia.com)

(Okay, if you’re like me you’ll probably want to swap out those heels for flats. Now you’re ready!) 

Clare is a student of Fashion Design at City College of San Francisco. Modcloth totally produced one of her dresses. Follow her blog: silkandsqualor.wordpress.com

Anonymous asked: My biggest doubt when it comes to skirts is what type of shirt to combine. Would you happen to have any suggestions of what to wear on top of skirts+street shoes?

I love the skirt and street shoes look. I think so many tops would go with it. The only thing that probably wouldn’t go would be something really silky and dressy. Rae suggests a V-neck tee. I’ve opened up the photo reply for this one, so send ideas our way!

source: lookbook.nu 

labexperiment asked: Hot weather is here (at least in my part of the world), and I have a question. I'm comfortable with the tops I have, but struggle with what to wear on the bottom. Skirts are SO much cooler but I don't like how "girly" they look. Is there a style of skirt or way I can wear them that are more "tomboyish" or "dykey?" Love, love, love your blog!

Rae says: Try straight skirts (nothing a line or flow-y) in stiffer fabric like denim or twill. 

Playground daze skirt, available at Modcloth for $39.99