I know it’s been a hot minute since my last thrifting post, but I have news I wanted to share with fellow Edmonton-area thriftanistas: there is a new Value Village opening in Spruce Grove today! I know, because I ended up snagging an invite to a sneak peak at the new store (thanks to the lovely Nicole) and a $50 gift card to spend there, to boot.* Since Nicole and I are card-carrying #thriftingsisterhood members, we made plans to go together … and enjoy a little friendly competition while we were at it. Our self-imposed contest had 4 categories: which one of us could (i) score the best/biggest find of the night, (ii) get the most retail value for our bucks, (iii) score the lowest cost-per-item, and (iv) find the most Anthropologie pieces (but of course). The prize: bragging rights for ever. Or until our next thrifting adventure.

So, how did we do? Read on, friends.

Spruce Grove is a 30-40 minute drive from the south side of Edmonton (taking the Henday and then the Highway heading west to Jasper). It might sound like a long drive, but it’s not when you’re chatting about ethical fashion and planning your future as YouTube mavens (stay tuned!). Nicole and I arrived at the store a few minutes after it opened, and found it already packed. [The event was open to all Super Savers Club members, and if you aren’t one already — get on that. The membership card is free, and it gets you early access to sales (like VV’s periodic 50% off sales) and new store openings.] The store is quite large, but the racks were fairly tightly packed, which made it difficult to maneuver around other (many) shoppers. I dislike shopping on sale days for this very reason (big crowds overwhelm me), but it was worth it — there were some real treasures to be found. More on that in a minute. From what I saw, there was an extensive selection of women’s clothing, and a smaller section of shoes and bags. To be honest, I did not really get a chance to look at the rest of the store (house wares, kids’ stuff, men’s, etc.) but the glimpses I got looked promising. Someone ahead of me in the cashier line scooped a beautiful, mint condition Hudson’s Bay striped blanket, for example; it was priced at $80, which is not cheap, but significantly lower than retail. Prices in general were pretty typical for Value Village — not as low as Goodwill, but not unreasonable on the whole. I was particularly impressed with the prices for dresses, which were under $15 for the most part. In contrast, VVs closer to home will nowadays price most of their dresses at $16+.

I ended up finding quite a few cute things, including 5 Anthro pieces (the 4 below plus a Sparrow knit skirt which I did not photograph) … which won me the Anthro-spotting category. Hurrah! I bought one of the pieces (the olive Deletta top) and Nicole bought another (the multi-print Fei top).

The best score of the night belonged to Nicole, however. She found a gorgeous J. Crew Lady Day coat and some brand-new Marc by Marc Jacobs flats:

Although she won that category, I came out the real winner because I got to take both of those things home with me. Score!

To round out my purchases, I also got a pair of Nine West pumps (my favourite style — so, so comfortable), a mulberry-coloured, leather Fossil bag, a made-in-the-UK dress, and a Vince sweater.

My total damage for the night was $120.68, including tax (or $70.68 out of pocket, after applying my gift card). The estimated MRRP for the stuff I bought was $1436, which means that I paid about 8.4% of the original retail value. That came to $17.24/item, which is a little high but not bad, considering that I bought some typically higher ticket items like a coat, bag, and two pairs of shoes. For those keeping score at home, Nicole beat me on the cost-per-item side of things, but I eked out ahead in the other category. Which means … we’re tied. Now, we had a lot of fun and found some great bargains to boot, but a contest is a contest and someone has to be the winner.

So, here’s the deal: head on over to Nicole’s blog tonight, check out her Spruce Grove VV haul, and then tell us — who should get to claim the bragging rights as bestest thrifter of the night?

*Value Village did not ask me to write a post in exchange for the gift card, or otherwise sponsor this post. I’m writing this because y’all know I love thrifting, and I want to encourage everyone to at least consider it. It’s cheap, good, environmentally-friendly fun!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about whether I should continue with these thrifting recaps or not. I personally love reading posts of this kind on other blogs, and I know I’m not alone in that, but I am also conscious of the fact that some people may find my shopping excessive and these posts obnoxious. In the end, I decided to keep running these for the time being. Thrifting is a big part of my life now, both as a hobby and as a life/style choice, and these posts are my way of sharing that here on the blog.

First up, a quick lesson in on-the-spot authenticating. I saw what appeared to be a Louis Vuitton Musette at my local VV, and zoomed in for a closer look. The material did not immediately scream “fake”, and felt substantial rather than thin and cheap.

Once I opened the bag, however, things began to look less promising. The lining did look and feel cheap, and there were quite a few loose threads — not what I would expect from LV. There was quite a bit of cracking as well, which seemed incongruous given the external condition of the bag.

What ultimately convinced me that the bag was a counterfeit was the lettering. It may not be immediately apparent in the photo above, but in real life, it was clear that the lettering was not stamped into the bag but rather affixed like a sort of sticker. The lettering itself may have also been “off” (I believe that the shape of the “o” is often a giveaway) but I’m not sufficiently expert in LV to offer an opinion on that.

I was excited to find these MaxMara coloured jeans — in my size! — but they had a few stains, which I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get out, so I passed.

I love to buy ties for my husband, and thrift stores are a veritable treasure trove of fancy ones. My husband is very picky about his ties, so I ended up only getting him the Ted Baker one — a score for $8.

This blazer was nothing fancy, but I thought the relaxed style would make it a nice casual option. It replaces an older blazer of similar vibe that’s now too big.

Made in China, 81% polyester + 14% viscose + 5% elastane (100% acetate lining).

I’ve been looking for a pair of white jeans forEVER, but have found it impossible to scope a pair that was sufficiently opaque and the right style (skinny, cropped) for a reasonable (read: low) price. I love white jeans on other people — they look so cool and chic in the summer — but I’m not convinced that they would be a closet staple for me, so I’m not willing to invest hundreds of dollars in premium denim to find out. These Pilcro pair was an odd cut (cropped but slightly flared, what the hell?), but only $12. I took the chance.

Made in Guatemala, 92% cotton + 7% polyester + 1% elastane.

(I’ve noticed that Pilcros tend to be stiffer than other jeans, and now that I’ve looked at the fabric composition, I see why. I find that the most comfy jeans I own have a higher elastane content.)

I know what you’re thinking and you’re right: this is way too young for me. But it’s also hella cute and comfy, and even though the summer’s almost over, I really want to jump on the romper bandwagon AT LONG LAST. For $5, new with Winners tags still attached, I’ll take the risk. That’s one of the great things about thrifting: low risk (and low impact) experimentation.

Made in China, 54% cotton + 46% viscose.

I originally pulled this from the rack for Cassie, but it didn’t work for her, so I tried it on — and loved it. It’s soft and unstructured, and perfect for casual Friday or weekend wear. I’m fresh out of blazers, too. [No, no I’m not.] I think this is another Anthro brand, which is amusing; my sixth sense is still as strong as ever.

Made in Vietnam, 60% cotton + 40% polyester.

I love a good blue and red print. That’s all.

I found this Swarovski necklace at a Calgary VV, and got really excited when I spotted the tell-tale swan. I love Swarovski jewelry, and I liked the look of this particular pieces a lot — win, win. Or so I thought. I should have known better; it was priced at a whopping $45, and I immediately walked away. But, as it happened, the following day was my birthday, and I was in a YOLO frame of mind (with some birthday cash burning a hole in my pocket) so I went back for it. In the greater scheme of things, the price wasn’t a dealbreaker, but the sticker shock was real — I’ve been thrifting for so long, this counts as a huge splurge.

I found this necklace at the same store, and it was more reasonably priced at a mere $12. The quality looks better than average for costume jewelry, and the design is really cool. There is a stamp on the back which appears to read “Butler” but I haven’t been able to track that down in any way.

Total impulse buy, but I was intrigued by the print. It looked vaguely Mexican to me — probably because of the bright colours and striped pattern. It’s not particularly minimalist, but I decided to indulge my boho side this time. I think this is a brand sold at Nordstrom, but not one with which I’m familiar.

Made in Vietnam, 100% polyester (100% poly lining).

No lie: I bought this dress primarily for the belt. At $7, it was a good deal. Still, the dress itself is growing on me. The top and lining is made out of what is basically t-shirt material, so it’s super comfy. I can see getting a fair bit of use out of it on weekend dates.

Made in China, 100% silk (contrast & lining is 95% polyester + 5% elastane).

Another Calgary splurge, this Ted Baker tote set me back $20 at Goodwill. I’m a sucker for rose gold and metallic bags. This one is in pretty good shape, minus some hairline scratches (which are to be expected given the delicate foil coating).

I bought these vintage gold Ferragamo Varas (in mint condition) for my mom … and kinda wish I could fit my ginormous, ugly stepsister feet in them. In the end, they sadly turned out to be too narrow for my mom, so they’re now up for sale on the blog shop page. Sigh.

How did your thrifting go this month?

Unrelated sidenote: the second chapter of my free weekly serial is now up on my author blog, and you can read it here. Hope you like it!

I was going to call this the “slim pickings” edition, but that might be a bit unfair. Even during a slow period, thrift stores can deliver. I haven’t come across any truly major finds in the last few weeks, but I still picked up quite a few fun pieces. And I spotted plenty more that didn’t quite make the cut.

Like, say, these Italian made shoes. Would have bought them in a heartbeat if they had been my size.

I almost bought these, but they were too similar to another pair I thrifted just before (see below).

Not all vintage Ferragamos are exciting.

The patent tortoiseshell looked familiar, but the previous owner of these shoes had added an insert which obscured the label. I turned them over out of curiosity and, sure enough, they were Stuart Weitzman. I love SW shoes and I love tortoishell, but these were sadly too small.

More cute shoes for the tinier of foot.

Very Dynasty-esque, non? These look too new to be vintage, but do people still make poofy pom-pom shoes in the 21st century?

Red pumps are always a good wardrobe addition. I don’t know much about John Lewis — UK peeps, care to weigh in? This pair was too small for me, but I’m sure they found a good home.

I think this was the first time I’ve seen Rebecca Taylor at a local thrift store, but it was sadly a few sizes too large. I thought about getting this for a friend, but I didn’t think it was special enough. The dark plum/black combo was a little blah.

My second spotted-not-thrifted eShakti dress. Too big for me, but very cute.

I so wish I was young enough or hip enough to wear this. How freaking cute is it?

This was another super adorable dress, which I *almost* got but ultimately decided to leave behind. The style was ok — not too twee, but my hesitation was two-fold. One, the fabric was a bit sheer (I would have needed to wear the dress with leggings) and two, it was pricey ($18). I hesitated, so I passed. See, I’m getting better.

I want to wear green more. I really do. I just don’t feel wowed when I put it on. Too bad, because this Vince Camuto top was pretty cute.

Another almost-buy. I would love to add a cool graphic tee to my closet, but this one was a little too worn and a little too expensive. ($10 for used H&M? No thanks.) I also felt like I’d be a bit of a fraud if I bought this — can’t say I’m particularly into the Ramones.

Oof, look at those sleeves! The rest of the jacket was super cute and fit great but, man, those mutton sleeves were rough.

I got excited for a minute when I spotted this Ted Baker men’s shirt, but quickly realized I’d never sell my husband on it. It had a lot more, ahem, flair than he’s looking for.

But don’t worry … I did manage to find a few keepers. Like this Ted Baker top for myself. Love the print, and I think I can dress it down enough to count as minimalist-adjacent.

Made in China, 100% polyester (and not the good kind of poly either — tsk tsk, Ted Baker).

This blazer was a great find — I’m very excited about its remixing possibilities.

Made in China, 53% linen + 47% cotton (100% acetate lining).

I rarely find good bags when I thrift, but this was an exception. Since I already have a burgundy bag I love, I picked this up for a friend.

Here are the black kitten heels I mentioned earlier. I like the chain detail — very witchy. I think they’re made in China, 100% leather.

I did end up finding a pair of tortoishell Stuart Weitzmans, and even though they’re peep toes, I’m pretty happy. They’ve proven to be quite comfy.

Made in Spain, 100% leather.

With this dress, I fell for the beautiful orchid purple colour and the draping. I think it looks better/more intentionally slouchy in real life. “Made in” tag is missing, but I assume China, 95% polyester + 5% spandex.

Impulse buy. I like the other Maggy London dress I bought recently, so I thought I’d take a chance on this one. Made in Sri Lanka, 97% cotton + 3% spandex (lace overlay is 100% nylon, lining is 100% acetate).

I had every intention of leaving this dress behind, until I tried it on. The fabric is *so* soft, comfortable and figure-flattering — it’s like wearing pyjamas in dress form. It probably won’t be a closet staple for me, but it’s the sort of dress I can see coming in handy during certain times of the month, ahem.

Made in China, 95% polyester + 5% spandex (100% poly lining).

This was utterly ridiculous, and for $10, I had to have it. No regrets. Made in Indonesia, 100% polyester.