Our Favorite Kind of Leftovers: Thrift Shopping!

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For those of us with tight budgets (which is…um…all of us?), it’s a good thing that thrift shopping has become trendy. After spending hours sifting through racks of pre-owned clothing, coming across a name brand item or a piece that’s truly unique is a rush.  As the weather gets cooler and the foliage pops, go spend some time thrift-ing. It’s a cheap (or free), eco-friendly way to spend an afternoon.

Tips for finding name-brand items:

1) Know your brands. Know their fonts, logos, or the patterns on the butt-pocket of jeans so that you can recognize a designer piece at a glance, especially in large warehouse-type thrift stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army.

2) Target certain categories of clothing, where the most expensive types of labels would be found. For instance: -denim, for designer jeans -coats, for real-leather jackets -blazers, for high-end labels -Purses -Jewelry, especially if you can separate quality metals and stones from imitations

3) Visit the stores that are in  middle-to-upperclass neighborhoods. The more money the residents make, the more they spend on clothing, and you’ll be getting their leftovers.

So now that you’re excited, let’s get this ball rolling…

Thrift stores near you!

1) Find 

http://www.facebook.com/
findscarborough (via www.facebook.com)

Portland and Scarborough

One of the trendiest thrift stores in Southern Maine. As described on their website, they, “offer a carefully curated inventory of vintage, modern and designer clothes for men and women in a boutique setting.” The stores are small enough to prevent you from getting too overwhelmed, and each hand-picked item is consistent with their style.

  • 16 Free Street Portland, Maine 04101 (207) 699-4285
  • 456 Payne Road Scarborough, Maine 04074 (207) 730-716

2) Goodwill 

http://www.sodahead.com

South Portland, Portland, Falmouth

These stores are everywhere, so there’s bound to be one near you (the link brings you straight to the Goodwill Locator site). With so many heaps of clothes, trying to snatch a steal at a Goodwill can seem like a daunting task. This is a place where you’d be most successful using the thrift-shopping tips I mentioned above.

  • 50 Market St South Portland, ME, 04106 (207) 741-2056
  • 1104 Forest Ave Portland, ME, 04103 (207) 878-1763
  • 251 Us Route 1 Falmouth, ME, 04105 (207) 347-8252

3) Forget Me Nots

www.forgetmenotsfalmouth.com/

Falmouth

When I know I want a designer item without paying the designer price, I go here. This is a high-end consignment shop that specifically carries name-brand items it great condition. While you won’t get a pair of jeans for 3 bucks, you will find Seven for All Mankind designer denim for 60 or 70 bucks rather than 250.

  • 190 US  Route 1 Falmouth, ME, 04105 (207) 781-8252

4) Zeus’ Closet 

http://profileengine.com/

Scarborough, Portland, Falmouth

This consignment store specifically targets teens to young adults. An especially trendy consignment spot, Zeus’ has a surplus of name-brand clothing, making popular brands like Express, American Eagle, Gap, and even Coach super-affordable. As their motto goes, “Fit for the gods, but priced for the mere mortal!”

  • 201 US  Route 1 Scarborough, ME, 04074 (207) 883-6532
  • 352 Warren Avenue Portland, ME, 04103 (207) 878-3005
  • 240 US  Route 1 Falmouth, ME, 04105 (207) 781-8600

Good luck, and Happy Hunting!

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