Our Latest Videos
Making Thrift Store Silver SHINE Video
30×30 THRIFT NYC has been eating my lunch for the past few weeks, but now that I can smell the finish line, here’s a rockabilly little “workout” video on how to shine up thrift store silver. Enjoy!
Closet Makeover Makes an Impact Video
In celebration of National Clean Out Your Closet Week (March 13-19), Thrift Store Confidential has the exclusive honor of teaming up with Hearts of Gold, the Thrifty HoG Boutique and the fabulous Organizta, to give you a video that makes cleaning out your closet not only simple and fun, but importantly, extremely beneficial for [...]
How to Remove Ink Marks from Thrift Store Clothing
Quick and dirty video about how to remove ink and “sample” marks from thrift store clothing and other garments by using the amazing product, Amodex. Enjoy! Want more video? Check out Closet Makeover Makes an Impact, Thrifting Goodwill’s Amazing Blazers and Thrifting Tim Gunn’s 10 Essential Elements. Better yet, subscribe to our YouTube Channel!
Repurposed Art
La boîte à dodo: taking the edge off of time apart
A few years ago, I visited my dear friend François at his home in Paris; at the time he was keeping his granddaughter while her parents were away. I noticed a small jar with tiny rocks on the counter, and asked François what it was. “La boîte à dodo,” he replied. The story has stayed [...]
A New Life for Old Records
Thrift store record albums love to be repurposed. Trust me on this. Of course, the best way to repurpose an old record is to find a turntable and play it again. Anytime I play a record for the first time, I wonder how long it’s been since this record has spun on a turntable. I’d imagine [...]
Ideas for Thrift Store Books – The Repurposed Library
Great article in the New York Times yesterday about Lisa Occhipinti, an artist with a penchant for repurposing books she finds in thrift stores, garage sales and the like. In addition to her new book out this week “The Repurposed Library,” she has a gorgeous Etsy Store full of awfully inspired stuff. What are some [...]
Correspondents
Lovin’, Cheatin’ and Thriftin’ with Conway and Loretta
I’ve got this complex “chance operation” generator that I use to pick the music I listen to on daily basis. This method involves a pair of dice, a set of Scrabble tiles and a bunch of playing cards and it’s really, really geeky. Recently, this music selection method informed me that I needed to listen [...]
Operation Sparkle
A new generation of thrifters is reimagining thrift fashion in ways I find thrilling. At the head of the pack are Holly and Laurie of Operation Sparkle – they’re 100% positive, creative and driven souls; not only are their finds fantastic, their views are so fresh I’ve got no excuse to turn all fuddy-duddy. In [...]
San Francisco Thrifting in the Fog
After Lisa shared the sunny side of San Francisco thrifting in the Mission, I thought I would post from the western, fogged-in side of the City. I’ve been away from San Francisco, checking out antique malls and “shopping” from the basement of my antique dealer parents’ home in Missouri. No matter how fun free [...]
Thrift Shop Record Hop
Thrift Shop Record Hop, an Introduction By Rich Wilhelm Hi there. My name is Rich and I collect records—both albums and singles, as well as the occasional old-time 78. I’ve been collecting records since around 1975, when I was 10 years old. I keep up with the times—I have CDs and MP3s and I even [...]
Shopping Thrift Stores for Plus Size Fashions
Shopping Thrift Stores for Plus Size Fashions, by Charity Agomuo As long as I can remember I have been a big girl. When I was younger, my mother would by my clothes out of the JCPENNY’s Catalog, which at that time had a great line of clothing for “husky” little boys and girls.
A Tisket A Tasket, Thrift Your Easter Basket
A Tisket A Tasket, Thrift Your Easter Basket By Mimi Novak A-tisket a-tasket A green and yellow basket… Did you know that we Americans spend close to two billion dollars on Easter each year? And, why should we, when we can find amazing Easter goodies at our local thrift store? Just follow these 5 easy steps to creating [...]
Women’s Fashion
Recession Proof Glamour
In 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers took the world by storm. Through their grace and elegance, they elevated a nation’s spirit and became two of the most popular entertainers of their time. The basic feeling was that, though even a loaf of bread was dear, dancing was [...]
Seven Principles for the Plus Size Thrifter
Blazer-4.99 Tan pumps-9.99 Green Travel Bag-6.99 Floral Tank 1.99, Blue Jeans $5.99 Total: $29.95 Charity Agomuo, TSC Correspondent, style maven and owner of Navah’s Closet, an online shop for plus-size fashions, returns with great tips for the plus size thrifter navigating the world of second-hand stores.
Plus Size Style on a Thrift Store Budget
I stumbled across Lindsey Adams of LA Language on her YouTube channel, and it seems like I’m the last person on earth to know about her. She’s the queen bee of budget style vlogging, no matter what your size. We’re over the moon that she took the time to put together a special video for [...]
Runway Trends on a Thrift Store Budget
From the unbelievably prolific, beautiful and inspired Stacey Kay of Goodwill Huntingg, an exclusive post for Thrift Store Confidential readers looking to incorporate runway trends on a thrift store budget. Hats off (and loafers on) to Stacey for taking such time and care to craft such a fabulous piece! Thrift your way to savings on [...]
Tips & Tricks
Judging age from patent numbers
Richard & Ellen DeFeo (of DeFeo’s Manor and The Selective Eye in Jim Thorpe, PA) are back again with more great tips for judging age and authenticity of older items: Dear Nicole: This is another tip for your Thrift shop Fans from the Selective Eye: When shopping for items you can have a clue as [...]
Steam Clean at Home
Dove, one of our readers, sent us this question: “Do you know how to steam-clean at home? With one of those little hanging steam nozzles? I’d be interested in your tips. Also, have you ever tried dyeing? Any tips on in-washer usage that won’t stain the washer, or stovetop usage that won’t stain your entire [...]
How to spot the difference between original art and reproductions
In my travels through thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets and garage sales, I’ve seen thousands of works of art purported to be original; but how to spot the difference between original art and reproductions? Richard & Ellen DeFeo are here to help us figure it out.
Featured Friends: Sites You’ll Adore
Thrift Core
Vanessa “Van” Alvarado, the amazing woman who runs Thrift Core, has become one of my personal inspirations, though we’ve never met. I’ve lost track of all that she does; at my last count, she writes and tweets daily, runs an antique booth, gardens, creates and sells original art and craft items, makes websites, writes nationally-published [...]
Parsimonia {Second Hand with Style}
Parsimonia {Second Hand with Style} is the first in our new series “Sites You’ll Love” – I’ve met so many truly amazing folks while running Thrift Store Confidential, and spreading the love is, to me, very important. We’re all people working for something outside of the box, and it’s downright joyful to realize what a [...]
Thrifty Home Decor
Apartment Therapy’s Best Second-Hand Finds
If you’re not familiar with Apartment Therapy, it’s an absolute treasure trove of inspiration and how-to. Their active community is opinionated and inspired, and offer solutions for readers for everything from revitalizing an old dresser to kitchen renovation and redecorating an entire house. I’m over the moon that they’re covering second-hand items, as we all [...]
Closet Makeover Tips from the Pros
National Clean Out Your Closet Week (March 13-19, 2011) is the perfect time to declutter your closets and make room for new things in your life. Read on for tips from the pros for giving your closet a makeover, decluttering your life, and giving much-needed support to charities like Hearts of Gold. All in one [...]
Spring Cleaning with Goodwill and The Clutter Diet
Just in time for spring cleaning, the brilliant folks at Goodwill teamed up with The Clutter Diet’s Lorie Marrero for a great Twitter party focusing on organization, getting rid of clutter, and how to benefit your community and environment by donating that clutter to your friendly neighborhood Goodwill. Spring Cleaning with Goodwill and the Clutter [...]
Inspiration Boards
Goodwill Online Brings Five Easy Pieces for Spring
Today’s Thrifter Inspiration comes straight from my genius boyfriend; 30X30 NYC THRIFT has taken quite a chunk out of my free time, and without anything thrifted this weekend to share, he asked “isn’t there anything available online?” [cue lightbulb] Shopgoodwill.com has thousands of items (only about 8,000 of them are clothing). I’ve put together a [...]
Classic Tweed Blazers on a Thrift Store Budget
Today’s Thrifter Inspiration comes from Shopalicious, and their wise prediction that classic tweed blazers are the perfect transition piece for spring. However, the retail versions they suggest run from $200-$1,400. What’s a savvy gal to do? Head to your local thrift store; they’re full of vintage blazers like this one, a classic Talbot’s thrifted (with [...]
Spring Thrift Inspiration: Modern Love
For a splash of modern love, bold, graphic prints roar in like a lion for spring; paired with sweet sweaters and tights, bright little dresses are perfect transition pieces for the promise of spring. Finding them in a thrift store is as easy as picking spring flowers. Two of these beauties are vintage finds from [...]
News & Inspiration
Wall Street Journal covers thrifty decorating
Hello thrifty warriors! This article thrills me not merely for its inspiring (and inspired) content, but also for the fact that the long-revered king of financial newspapers, the Wall Street Journal, is touting the advantages of thrift. Who woulda thunk it? For all of us who are life-long thrifters, the prices here may seem steep [...]
Kylie Minogue is a Thrifty Sister
I love stories like these, but don’t know what to call them – maybe “coming out of someone else’s closet?” Read the full article here:
NYCWasteLess: re-fashioNYC
I’m doing handsprings over this one: in partnership with Housing Works, New York City has launched “Re-fashioNYC,” a program that will place clothing recycling receptacles in buildings alongside other recycling bins, making it that much easier for us to get our unwanted clothing out of landfills. What’s even better is
NYC Thrift Stores
Salvation Army Announces 2011 NYC Coat Sale
Hot off the presses, the Salvation Army of NYC has announced the dates for their 2011 Coat Sale, an annual event that pits fashionistas against die-hard bargain hunters in the race for the most fabulous coats of the season! Prices are ridiculously low, the competition is high, and, most importantly, real people in need benefit [...]
Crossroads Trading Company Opens in Brooklyn
Crossroads Trading Company, a 20-year old San Francisco institution, has opened its doors in Brooklyn, an exciting event for bargainistas across all 5 boroughs. If you’re not familiar with the model, they buy, sell and trade gently-used, fashion-forward clothing. For those of us who prefer revolving closets, it’s a pretty neat way of doing business. [...]
Day 30 The Thrifty HoG NYC 30X30
Day 30 The Thrifty HoG NYC 30X30 The last, but certainly not the least, store in NYC 30×30 is The Thrifty Hog, a true boutique store in the heart of the Flatiron District. Curated with a retailer’s care and attention by Deborah Koenigsberger, Founder and Executive Director of Hearts of Gold (and owner of the [...]
Philosophy
Thrift as a Luxurious Lifestyle
This weekend was pretty stellar, in a down-home kind of way. I’m swamped to the gills with many projects coming due at the same time, but my oldest and dearest friend surprised me with a four-day visit. She took a 12-hour train from the South to come stay in my tiny Upper East Side apartment. [...]
Looking Through a Thrift Store Kaleidoscope
Proust used the kaleidoscope as a metaphor for social evolution; can looking through the lens of a thrift-store kaleidoscope help our society evolve? The mad consumer machine Americans have become accustomed to has run out of gas. Or, more aptly, it can no longer afford to fill up the tank. With the new economy now [...]
Oregon couple downsizes, lives ultrasimple life
Beautiful story and video on USAToday.com featuring the lovely and inspiring Tammy Strobel of RowdyKittens.com. Especially poignant now. Read the full article here: Oregon couple downsizes, lives ultrasimple life – USATODAY.com.
Hi there. I'm Nicole. I live in New York City, in a small apartment full of strange little things. In addition to running Thrift Store Confidential 
