I keep thinking to myself that finds aren’t as plentiful this year as last, but the truth — as will become apparent shortly — is that I’ve still been finding quite a lot of stuff. True, there haven’t been any “big name” scores for a while now, but lovely pieces still abound. I think part of the problem is #thriftenvy. I follow a bunch of thrifters’ IG accounts (many of them re-sellers whose business depends on frequent thrifting trips) and seeing their phenomenal finds sometimes makes my thrift scene pale by comparison. I like seeing what others thrift, so I don’t want to stop following these people, but I do need to keep my expectations in check. Easier said that done, though, right?

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity for a quick stop at the VV in Red Deer, which went some way to reconciling me to my local thrift scene. No doubt about it, Edmonton thrifters have it way better. There were only a couple of pieces that caught my eye, like this Maeve top, but I left empty handed. The top wasn’t quite my style, and it looked a bit rough around the edges. I should mention that prices in Red Deer also struck me as somewhat on the high side; with that said, I’m beginning to lose patience with my local VVs too. More on that in a minute.

This was the other piece I spotted in Red Deer. I was quite tempted to get it, but ultimately passed because I’m not sure that long open cardigans like this fit my style. I have a couple of them already, and don’t reach for them all that often, so I thought I had best leave this one behind for someone else to enjoy.

Back to Edmonton. Two pairs of pants that didn’t work out. The J Brands are similar to a pair I already own, and the button had already popped off, so … pass. I was intrigued by the (faux) leather leggings, but they juuuuuuust barely fit me and I am not convinced that I could have sat down while wearing them. Sadly, another pass.

I liked the look of this blouse (made in Canada!) but pussy bows are not my thing.

I love LK Bennett stuff, but this camisole was too big, and too sheer.

I generally like Joie stuff, and it’s a brand that VV hasn’t discovered yet (to jack up prices), but this peasant style blouse was not, well, my style.

Goodwill is quickly becoming my fave thrift store, both for the prices and for the selection. Especially when it comes to shoes … as you will see in a minute. These Hispanitas were not my style but, do not fear, for I did not leave the shoe aisle empty-handed.

Maybe I need to re-think my stance on (or, rather, against) green? This Deletta dress would not have fit my lifestyle (or tush, let’s be honest), but the colour was lovely. Also? The dress was $7 — thank you, Goodwill. In contrast, it seems like almost any dress at VV is now $17.99 or more. Needless to say, I’m not impressed.

I liked the Art Nouveau-ish floral print of this dress, but it was in hella rough shape, so I passed. Probably for the better, since I do gravitate towards pants on weekends; I don’t need more casual dresses.

I’m pretty sure this H&M blazer is ancient, because I remember seeing Fran wear it years ago on her blog, and lusting after it. I had to get it, you see, for nostalgia’s sake. With that said, though my style has veered away from preppy for the most part, I can still myself wearing it. I love the details, which are quite nice for a fast fashion piece (pretty contrast lining, faux leather buttons, elbow patches). The blazer is in shockingly good condition for its age too. It should be a fun piece for fall.

It’s purple and it has pansies on it, and it was also brand new and only $8, so don’t judge me too harshly for buying YET ANOTHER blazer.

I was really dubious about this top when I bought it, but once I got rid of the smocked hem, I really fell in love with it. It’s probably going to be one of my fave tops this summer. I love the dolman sleeves, which surprises me because I’m not usually a fan. I don’t advocate buying pieces you’re not 100% sure about … except when I do it, and it turns out well. What are rules anyway?

Speaking of favourite pieces, this might be one of the year’s, right here. I L O V E this sweater. Love, love, love. I love the colour, and the silhouette, and the chunkiness. I’ve worn it 4 or 5 times in the last few weeks, and I’m planning to wear it a few more times before the month is over. This is now a brand on my “investigate further” list.

Some of you may remember this skirt. I used to have it. In fact, I still have it — in storage, in my basement. My old skirt is too big now … but this version fits just right. Did I buy a duplicate? For $5, you betcha.

This box of stuff, including a silk Joie tank top, cost me just under $20. Did I mention how much I love Goodwill? These are not the only books I bought recently, either. Some are things I want to read (for fun) now, some are things I bought to round out my library. You never know when a complete history of the French Revolution will come in handy.

Ok, the moment has arrived. Let’s talk shoes. As I mentioned, Goodwill has been really good to me in this category recently. These Vince Camuto pumps are actually cobalt blue not purple, and they’re intended to be a back-up/future replacement of my beloved J. Crew Everly pumps in the same colour. Those have held up well for the past 3 years or so, but the suede is starting to show some wear. Since I know I get quite a lot of use out of them, I jumped at the chance to be proactive and prepare myself for the day when they’ll need to be retired. I’ve heard good things about Camuto shoes, and these pumps were practically brand new and only $17, so it was too good a deal to pass up.

I love metallic shoes, particularly in this pewter/gold colour which I find super versatile. Also, brand new leather flats for $10? Who would pass that up? No one.

These Aquatalias were also brand new, and only $7. Still, I hesitated a long time (like, 10 minutes, which is an eternity in a thrift store) before I decided to take the plunge. I loathe the colour. OK, maybe “loathe” is too strong a word. I don’t like the coral/salmon pink. I also don’t like the peep toe thing, although these flats are pretty comfy. So why did I get them? For the price and the quality (the leather is beautiful and in pristine condition), I decided they were worth getting even just as a “beater” pair — you know, shoes to throw on when running errands and such. And, of course, if they don’t get worn at all, there is always next year’s clothing swap. I’ll chalk them up as a “gift” for one of my swap buddies.

I saved the best for last, you guys. Predictable, but that’s what one does with one’s “treasures”, right? These AGLs are brand new, and just happen to be my favourite style; last month, I bought the same AGLs in a different colourway at a consignment store. That pair cost me $65; this one, only $12. You can imagine how thrilled I was to find them. I was already planning to “save” my other pair for special occasions to avoid wearing them out too fast. Now, I have options.

I’m hoping to get the same lucky break with my other beloved pair of loafers, the Kelsi Daggers I have been wearing non-stop for a year. No luck yet (and I’ve been scouring eBay too), but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Other pieces in the same category: my Aritzia black pants, Theory blazers (navy and greige), and Club Monaco turtlenecks (the black is already showing wear, sigh). All staple pieces I have come to depend upon. And that’s my other pro-tip: when you find something you truly love (and wear often), seize any chance to get a back-up at a good price.

What have you been thrifting lately?

It’s been pretty quiet on the thrifting front lately. I don’t know why that is, but after a long hot streak last year, it feels sort of anti-climactic. While there were still some good pieces to be found, they definitely did not pop up in quantities previously seen on the blog … which is probably a good thing. My goal is to have less turnover in my closet this year, and less temptation does make that a more attainable goal. Not gonna lie, though: I do miss the thrill of a killer score. I did score some amazing pieces recently, but most of them have been consignment finds.

Toms are not my thing, but I thought this Union Jack pair was kinda cute. They were a bit beat up though, and priced high for the condition.

Speaking of which, VV wanted $40 for this Fossil bag. The leather was buttery soft, but it had seen better days. I might have taken a chance with it if it had been cheaper, and if I felt more confident in my restoration skills. The other big drawback was the lack of shoulder/cross-body straps. With that said, I am becoming more and more of a Fossil fan, and I always keep an eye out for the brand at the thrift store.

Cute dress, but not for me.

More cute dresses that were not for me. Left to right: Vera Wang (pretty sure this was a bridesmaid’s dress); Girls from Savoy; Gypsy05. Of the bunch, I really liked the olive green dress on the right, but it was about 2 sizes too big.

These J. Crew flats are hella comfortable, and these were in decent condition for being suede; why didn’t I get them? Round-toe flats, especially colourful ones, are on my no-buy list. They don’t mesh well with my current style, which leans more towards classic than ingenue. To me, round-toe has a definite ingénue vibe; almond- or pointy-toe, a more grown-up elegance.

Even if round toe flats were not on my no-buy list, I still wouldn’t pay $50 for these Revas.

Marc Cain is a European (?) designer brand sold at Blu’s, where pieces run in the hundreds. The style of this blazer appears dated to me, but it’s encouraging to see the brand at the thrift store for the first time; some of the pieces I’ve spied at Blu’s are definitely lust-worthy, so I can only hope to see them pop up at VV in the future.

More BDG jeans, but another pass. I still intend to give this brand a try someday, but I’ve decided that snakeskin print is not for me.

This was a lovely coat, that I am starting to really regret not getting. It looked too big … but I really should have tried it on. Sigh.

I would definitely be interested in trying a Derek Lam dress, but this collab piece was not quite up my alley. I’ve been spotting a ton of designer collab pieces (mostly from Target) lately, including stuff from older collections which were never available in Canada. It always makes me wonder how clothes end up in the local thrift store.

VV pricing for denim is *so* inconsistent, you guys. I have never seen Pilcro’s priced this high before either; it was sufficiently egregious than I passed on this pair, even though it was my size, and the print was intriguing. You guys know I never pass on Pilcro. Luckily, VV is inconsistent enough that I was able to find a second pair of Pilcros for under $10, and that came home with me as a consolation prize.

Cute, right? Even though they certainly don’t look the same on as on the model. So bizarre.

This sweater dress is all kinds of wrong — too short, too body-con — but I could not resist that soft cashmere. The dress is, shockingly, in perfect condition (good condition cashmere is very rare in thrift stores) and for the price ($13 plus 30% off), I decided to get it. Worse case scenario, I will be perfectly cozy lounging at home. [Update: I’ve worn it out-of-doors twice. It makes a great foundation layer when you feel like wearing a dress on cold days.]

This is a different colorway of one of my fave blazers. For $8, it was a no brainer. I think the dark metallic is going to be a fab addition.

Another blazer, Adina? Well … yes. In my defence, it has a truly phenomenal fit and the colour is part of my wardrobe palette to boot. Last year, I purged my old blush blazer because I wasn’t fond of the quality. I have high hopes that this will be a great replacement. I am not familiar with the brand (CarlaG) but the label says “made in Italy” and judging from the fit, I am willing to believe it.

For someone who has spent as much time as I have stalking Anthro dresses on eBay, this one was a familiar sight. It’s always fun to find them IRL, for a fraction of the price. This Plenty number is fun, super soft, and very much in my colour wheelhouse. I think it’s going to be a cute dress for summer weekends. IF summer ever gets here, that is.

After you’re been thrifting for a while, you start to develop a feel for special pieces; certain materials really do stand out to the touch more than others. This simple black knit dress looked pretty unassuming on the hanger, and the label was hidden inside the turtleneck. Still, based on hand-feel alone, I stopped and decided to have a closer look. The dress turned out to be Rick Owens Lilies. I don’t know much about the brand, other than that it has a devoted fan base — so there must be something to it, right? This particular dress feels nice and non-scratchy, and the style holds a lot of possibilities as weekend wear. I can already imagine it with my fave leather jacket …

Alright, over to you: what were your favourite recent thrift finds?

It’s been rather quiet on the thrifting front lately; I’ve had less time (and inclination) to go lately, and the frequency of my scores has decreased in proportion. I’ve said it before and it bears repeating for any aspiring thrifters in the crowd: the more often you thrift, the more amazing things you will find. One thing I have noticed locally is that prices have gone up. Goodwill has increased its standard prices by 50 cents here and there; no big deal, especially considering that they are still running their weekly 50% off colour tag sales. Value Village prices on the other hand … oof. Scoring good deals is still possible (premium denim is where it’s at, as you will see shortly), but more and more of their people are wising up to designer labels. As both a VV shopper and donor, I have very mixed feelings about this. I have debated taking more of my donations to Goodwill (which is a non-profit, unlike VV), but Goodwill does not offer donation coupons in my area. I still support both organizations/companies with my shopping dollars, but I am doing so with a grumble when it comes to VV.

I’ve been seeing a ton of fake Burberry in thrift stores lately. It’s funny how coincidences like that happen. I have no idea if these pants were real or knock-off, but judging from the quality and workmanship alone, I sure hope it was the latter. With that said, Burberry is totally not my thing, coats and trenches excepted.

I have no personal experience with BDG brand denim, but I’ve heard good things online. I almost bought these two pairs to try out the brand; you’ll see in a minute why I ended up not getting them, but I am definitely keeping my eye out for it, and will probably end up buying some BDG in the future. For, um, blog science … or something.

Seriously, though, thrift stores = treasure trove of low-priced premium denim. I have found pretty much every brand you can imagine, including (in addition to the above) J Brand, Acne, Citizens of Humanity, Rich & Skinny, and others. Ironically, the brands that are priced highest at VV are the likes of 7 For All Mankind, True Religion, and Rock & Republic (although prices vary wildly, even within the same store). I have bought my fave brands (Rag & Bone, AG, and Pilcro) for under $10, and often under $5 — in brand new or like-new condition.

More denim. The Fiorucci’s were a nostalgia moment; anyone else growing up in (Eastern) Europe in the early 90s probably has fond memories of that brand.

I have been finding very little Anthro lately, which is probably for the better. I did spot this floral top … and passed, because it is not my current style. Pat on the back for restraint.

I am always low-key looking for my next great black blazer, so I was initially excited to see this Boss version on the rack. The price did make me raise an eyebrow; while it’s certainly low compared to retail, it is very high for thrift where most blazers are $10 or under. And then I had a closer look, and saw that, on top of everything else, the condition was not good. Pro tip: always check the inside collar and armpits on blazers. Dirt/residue in those places is often hard to get out (and dry-cleaning sometimes just “bakes” it in more) and nobody has time to deal with that — there is always a better blazer to be found.

I was tempted by this sweater — look at that huge funnel neck! — but ultimately decided to pass because of the length. It was not quite a tunic, but longer than I prefer my sweaters. I didn’t see myself wearing it enough (especially not for the rest of this year), and the bulkiness would have made storage a challenge.

Leather jackets (real or faux) in good condition and current style are few and far between in thrift stores, but since I adore my Joe Fresh version, I always keep an eye out for them. This Free People jacket was a decent deal (about $18 if I recall correctly) and in pretty good shape. The style was not my cup of tea, however, so I passed. Nicole did not approve.

Remember how I passed on those BDG jeans? Well, it just so happens that I found another pair of skinny grey jeans (which I’d been hunting for months) and dark red cords on the same trip — both made by two of my fave brands. Of course I bought them. And since I never say no to AGs (or Pilcro or Rag & Bone), I also snagged a pair of dark grey skinny velvet cords. They were $3. I am not kidding.

This cobalt blue shell is not quite on all fours with my colour palette, but it’s close enough to Dazzling Blue and I knew it would work well with lots of existing pieces in my closet. It was less than $3, which for 100% silk was a no-brainer. There was a tiny spot on the blouse, which I didn’t notice when I bought it, but it luckily came out when I (hand) washed it. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have about 20 outfits featuring this blouse lined up in my Stylebook app. It’s going into heavy rotation starting next month

This DVF blouse was a similar story, albeit the colour is definitely off-side my palette. It’s a really lovely, really unusual blue. Not cobalt, not royal blue. I tried, but couldn’t accurately capture it on my camera phone. Since I love blue in almost all its incarnations, I decided to get the blouse, even though it will probably be difficult to wear with anything except black.

Lastly, this light grey pin-striped blazer was not quite what I was looking for (I want a medium grey, plain blazer) but the quality and condition made it too good to pass up. It’s made out of light wool, and judging from the lining, it was not worn by its previous owner. Judith & Charles is a less well-known label but they feature a lot of great business wear options, and their pieces are made in Canada. A blazer like this would run about $400; definitely worth checking out if you see it in thrift stores.

And that is it, my friends. Tell me all about your thrifting adventures this month.