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Cheap Thrills: Thrifting for Threads
Cheap Thrills is a new bi-weekly column filling you in on fresh ways to get your kicks in the city and on the cheap.
With a chill in the breeze this week, there’s no doubt fall is whistling its way to our wind-tunneled city. Shorts and sunnies be shunned, it’s time to break out the blazers and boots. And although the recession is looming, gloomy like the clouds overhead, that doesn’t mean you can give up and resort back to last year’s standbys. No, loyal readers, it’s time to take a stand against crummy-weather clothes, and we suggest you do it in a nice pair of new, or at least new-to-you, shoes.
The first rule of bargain-hunting? Patience. You know you’ll be flipping through racks and racks of flops before you come across any real finds, so there’s no point in getting frustrated too early in the game. Next, wear an outfit that’s easy to change in and out of, slip-on shoes, and be sure to always hit the dressing room. There’s no point in the so-called time saver of not trying it on if you’re going to have to bring it back later after all. And finally, quality takes precedence over quantity. Don’t buy it just because it’s on sale, buy something because it fits you, it fits your style, and you genuinely like it. And if it’s discounted? Bonus.
Now that the rules are laid out, it’s time to get down to business―that is, the list of businesses that will be the best for your buck. Sample sales are always a safe bet. You can sign up for upcoming sale e-mails at ilovesamplesales.com, but they also have a new online store where you can buy the jeans at 60-75% off retail price (taking into consideration that the discounted price is what you might pay for a regularly-priced pair at, say, H&M, but the label might be a selling point for some). Designer Collection also holds regular sales in Toronto, with a minimum 50% discount on all the brand name jeans from fashion magazines. Same thing goes for the more sport-oriented Style Democracy.
Some designer outlets, however, are more permanent―surely you’ve heard of Holt Renfrew Last Call, but what about Bayview Fashion Outlet? If you’re wary of the trek to reach their store, you can always peruse the racks online. Consignment stores carry a wider variety of brands―check out Second Time Around or Off the Cuff for hand-me-downs from the closet of the fashionable cousin you wish you had.
If designer’s not your fit, some stores offer regular discounts. Black Market, with two locations on Queen West, takes off 50% on everything, every single Tuesday. Visit the market (which is legal, by the way) if you’re looking for new-wave band tees, old-school jackets, vintage bags, buttons, and other trinkets used and unused. Value Village has half-off sales every month (this month, it’s Monday the 1st and Tuesday the 2nd) and nine locations in the GTA. And while you’re thrifting, it just makes sense to hit up Salvation Army too. Rumor has it that the further you go, the better you’ll find. Less customers at any location means more dirty cheap deals for you.
And although it’s not vintage, Joe Fresh is exactly as it sounds―simple, clean-cut, and cheap to boot―we’re talking entire, accessorized outfits for under a hundred. Now, readers, take what you’ve learned, and go spend a little, buy a lot, and refrain from buying summer clothes! … okay, well maybe just one dress…
Photo by mikefats.