2025-05-04T16:47:57-04:00

How Thrift Shopping is Changing in 2025

May 4, 2025May 19, 2025/ToniOnThrifting.com/1 Comment

According to the Thred Up 2024 Annual Report, two-fifths of the clothing items purchased were secondhand. The report also states that 55% of consumers say that if the economy doesn’t improve, they’ll spend more of their apparel budget on secondhand, and 60% say shopping for secondhand apparel gives them the most bang for their buck.

I have seen this increase in the number of people shopping in the thrift stores I visit; prices are starting to increase in some stores. Some thrift store managers state that more resellers than ever are shopping to increase their inventory; quite a few thrift stores are now checking Poshmark and eBay to see what their items are worth and adjusting their pricing. The demand for second-hand clothing is increasing dramatically every year. I know of one thrift store that has adjusted its pricing by charging Poshmark prices. Rummage sales and thrift stores have special sections with new items with tags and designer merchandise. It is a sign of this new thrifting era.

With this many people shopping secondhand, it is harder to find the bargains of yesteryear, but don’t despair. There are still plenty of bargains out there; it just takes a world of patience now. I love local rummage sales, especially when the money goes back into the community (The same for smaller independent stores, where the money goes right back into the community). Rummage sales are gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds. I recently went to a rummage sale in Westchester County that started at 9 am. I got there at 8:30 am to get in line, and there were 64 people ahead of me. That was unheard of just a few years ago. The good news is that most rummage sales have fixed pricing on clothing and shoes. Fixed pricing usually does not include high-end merchandise, but if it does, jackpot! Patience and a good eye will always be the key to excellent thrift shopping scores.

Thrift store shoppers save approximately $1,760 each year by making purchases secondhand. Approximately one-third of clothing and apparel items purchased in the U.S. over the past year were secondhand. In 2023, the U.S. secondhand market generated an estimated $53 billion in revenue. Resellers are also taking advantage of the booming thrifting business. For some, it is a full-time business; for others, it is a way to make ends meet.

I still love the thrill of the hunt when thrift shopping and seeing so many people that I have become friendly with on the thrifting circuit. So go out there and REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE, and most of all, enjoy finding those great bargains that we all love to brag about and show off. There are still plenty of bargains out there. So keep thrifting!

Please check out my Facebook page for local sales!

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!

In the spirit of giving back, I would like to highlight Clothes To Kids Fairfield County and how you can help!

December 5, 2024December 6, 2024/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

In the spirit of the holiday season, my next couple of blogs will focus on how we can help others in need. This blog highlights Clothes To Kids Fairfield County and how they are helping kids in need.

Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County (CTKF) envisions a community in which every school-age child has quality clothing so they may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success. Their unique approach is a boutique-style setting where children work with a personal shopper to choose the clothing they like. The shopping experience is geared toward giving kids the dignity and respect they deserve. Elaine Rubinson got the idea to bring CTKF to Stamford, CT, after she attended a Clothes to Kids fundraiser in 2014 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Florida currently has three boutique Clothes to Kids locations: one in St. Petersburg, one in Tampa, and the original location in Clearwater. Two other Clothes to Kids boutiques are in Denver, Colorado, Providence, Rhode Island, and a third smaller outlet in Waynesville, North Carolina.

CTKF is a remarkable charity, but it can only be viable and even more successful with your help. Clothing insecurity is a hidden crisis in the United States, affecting an estimated two out of every five children. For some children, this means enduring cold weather without a winter coat. For others, it means having to wear clothes that are too small or not being able to participate in gym class because they don’t have proper sneakers. Last year alone, CTKF supplied more than 1,000 outfits to eligible kids and kids in crisis in 2024 and anticipates a greater number of distributions in 2025. The number increases every year.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Elaine, the Executive Director (pictured). No one is more committed to spreading the word about CTKF and the desperate need for donations. Since 2016, CTKF has provided low-income and in-crisis children in grades K-12 with two school wardrobes a year, with the assistance of a personal shopper, to meet the varied seasonal needs, free of charge, each year. To meet this growing need, CTKF depends on the generosity of individuals and businesses for financial support and donations of almost new clothing, new clothing, and new shoes.

This is where my readers come in. I have listed some ways you can help Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County. (information is from their website: https://clothestokidsfairfieldcounty.org/)

Donate Clothing & Shoes

Clothes To Kids gladly accepts quality new and nearly new clothing and new shoes appropriate for children in grades K-12 to wear to school.

Accepted Items

NEW underwear, sports bras, socks
NEW bathing suits
Tops (shirts, blouses, sweaters, sweatshirts, hoodies)
Bottoms (pants, jeans, shorts, leggings, joggers)
Outerwear (winter and lightweight coats, jackets)
Footwear (sneakers, sandals, winter boots)
Dressy/Holiday wear (dresses, skirts, blazers, ties)
Accessories (backpacks, winter hats and gloves, belts, purses)

Donation Guidelines

Please ensure that all items are clean and in good condition.
No items that are dirty, stained, ripped, damaged, or have excessive wear.
Underwear, bras, socks, and bathing suits must be new and in their original packaging. We cannot accept used items.
We always appreciate items separated by gender and season, with bags labeled accordingly! (This does help hugely)

Any help you can give them is greatly appreciated, whether by donating clothing or making a monetary donation. You are helping kids in crisis in Fairfield County.

CTKF Store & General Information

The CTKF Store is located in the Lathon Wider Community Center, 137 Henry Street, Stamford CT 06902. We’re on the second floor. There is a parking lot and entrance on 34 Woodland Avenue.

STORE HOURS: Appointments are available Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10am, 11am, and 12pm.

Questions? Please get in touch:

info@clothestokidsfairfieldcounty.org
(203) 595-5664
(203) 595-5665 fax

Thank you, and until next time, Happy Thrifting!

The Habitat NYC and Westchester Restore in Yonkers just celebrated its first anniversary, and they have much to celebrate.

October 30, 2024October 30, 2024/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

After visiting the Habitat NYC and Westchester Restore in Yonkers, New York, I can see why. The store is jam-packed with furniture, appliances, building materials, kitchen cabinets, paint, home décor, and more. These are overstock and second-hand high-quality items donated to the Restore, all at 50 to 80% off original retail pricing. They have an additional store in Queens. The merchandise is quite impressive, with so many options. Join their Facebook page to see new items posted for sale: Their page is Habitat NYC and Westchester Restore.

If you or someone you know is getting their first home, first apartment, going back to school, or tragically, a victim of floods or fire, this is the place to get furniture and other home supplies at a fraction of what you would pay at a retailer. I saw beautiful couches, loveseats, and chairs: paint, some hardware, appliances, and lots of home décor. The staff is accommodating and kind. On. A recent weekend, I was in the store where families bought furniture and other items, and everything was seamless. It was busy, but each person/group received the staff’s undivided attention.

I spoke to Harris (pictured), the manager, who is equally passionate about Habitat for Humanity New York City, Westchester, and the ReStore. You can tell by going through the store how much Harris and everyone who works there cares about what they do and the people they do it for.

More about the Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester. Habitat NYC and Westchester create, preserve, and advocate for healthy, affordable homes and the generational equity-building opportunities homeownership provides.

Here are some great ways that you can get involved and help Habitat for Humanity:

Donate:

Whether you’re renovating your home, cleaning out your garage, downsizing or decluttering, Habitat NYC and Westchester’s ReStore will pick up and remove your gently used furniture, building materials, appliances, cabinetry, countertops, and household items. Pick-up is available!

Shop:

For your next DIY project, shop at the Habitat ReStore! You’ll be able to purchase necessary items at a steep discount, and your purchase will help Habitat NYC and Westchester build more homes.

Volunteer:

Join the team as a ReStore volunteer! It’s a perfect fit for community members interested in retail sales, interior design, or do-it-yourself projects and people simply interested in making a difference in the community. Volunteer opportunities include helping as a retail associate, doing donation pick-ups, refinishing furniture, and much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I loved all the items on display and the store’s vibe and feel. I admire that the ReStore has diverted over 3,000 tons of waste from landfills. Do you need a better reason to shop the Restore than helping save the planet and help families in need? You can shop at either the Yonkers or Queens location. Both have outstanding merchandise.

Visit the website at http://www.habitatnycwc.org for more information and their hours of operation.

Westchester Restore NYC Restore

470 Nepperhan Ave 62-01 Northern Blvd

Yonkers, NY 10701 Queens, NY 11377

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!

The Church of St Barnabas in Irvington always reminds me why I am passionate about thrifting and why their sale is my all-time favorite.

April 9, 2024/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

I had the honor and privilege of attending the volunteers’ dinner, during which the grants from the proceeds of the 2023 sale were awarded. It was a lovely night, and I met the sales chairs and many volunteers who made this sale happen. It takes months for this sale to come together, and it is a well-oiled machine led by Linda Pierpont, Mary Mielke, and Cathy Hansen. The chairs are hands-on; running this sale takes many volunteers and even more volunteer hours. There are thousands of pieces of clothing to be inspected and price tagged (they tag on the seams so as not to hurt the integrity of the garments – impressive). Everyone at St. Barnabas strongly believes in reducing, reusing, and recycling, and it was demonstrated at the dinner by some of the volunteers who proudly displayed the number of thrifted garments they wore. I believe the winner was six pieces, which included accessories—well done.

Since the start of the sale 29 years ago, over one million dollars in grants have been given to charities. A parishioner must sponsor all grant requests, and the charity must be a 501C3 to be eligible for the grants. In her first year on the grants committee, Jeannie Edler told me how excited she was to be a part of this and see how much these grant awards have a direct community impact.

Two of the grant recipients were there to talk about how these grants helped their charities. Heather Thomas, an EMT on the Irvington Volunteer Ambulance Corps board, spoke about how their grant made it possible to purchase a Toughbook laptop, which is used on all calls for patient and other critical information, cutting reporting time significantly. Pamela Grunstein from the Bulldog Family Fund also spoke. Since 2015, the Bulldog Family Fund has supported children and families who qualify for free or reduced lunch, food, clothing, school supplies, field trip fees, summer camp fees, and summer school tuition.

Some other grant recipients included Friends of the Irvington Library, which provides music and storytelling for the neurodiverse population. Neighborhood House provides social and wellness programs for the senior population. The Sharing Shelf provides clothing packs for children in Westchester who are clothing insecure. This is just a tiny fraction of the charities the Church of St Barnabas has helped this year with their grants. The Summer and November Sales continue to help others even after the sale by donating unsold clothes to Career Closet, The Sharing Shelf, shelters, and thrift shops.

The 2024 Summer Clothing Sale is Thursday, June 27, 1-2 pm & 5-7 pm; Friday, June 28, 10-2 pm; and Saturday, June 29, 10-2 pm. You can help the Church of St. Barnabas by donating your summer and vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories for women and men.

Donation Information is as follows:

* Donate on June 8, from 12 to 2 pm, when volunteers will be on-site to give you a Donor’s Shopping Pass, which allows you to shop a day early from the general public.

* Donate when the office is staffed Monday-Friday from 10 am – 2:00 pm

* Call the office at 914-591-8194 to set up an alternate donation time

* Leave donations outside, weather permitting

Donations will not be accepted after Friday, June 14.

This is the one sale that you should not miss!

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!!

St. Patrick’s Thrift Shop in Verplanck, New York – a popular stop on the Verplanck thrift crawl

March 2, 2024March 2, 2024/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

St. Patrick’s Thrift Shop in Verplanck was always a pleasure, but now that they have doubled their size, it is an even better thrifting experience. The newly expanded space has beautifully displayed linens, décor, and household items. Their best seller is still their wide selection of men’s and women’s clothing. They also carry shoes, accessories, small furniture, and more. The shop is better than ever. They have a wide selection of merchandise, and I have always left the thrift shop with something special. That is why they have a steady stream of repeat customers who continually support them. It is very easy to support the thrift shop because it has a great selection and is continuously updated.

Margaret McKeon, the shop manager, opened the shop in October 1993. St. Patrick’s recently celebrated their 30^th anniversary. Margaret, a lifelong resident, has been a parishioner since she was baptized at St. Patrick’s church. St Patrick’s is an integral part of the Verplanck community, and their customers come from near and far to shop there and support them.

St. Patrick’s welcomes all gently used donations, especially clothing if they are clean and usable. St. Patrick’s is also giving away free prom shoes on April 19^th. While there, you can also shop for prom accessories. The event is from 4 pm until 7 pm.

Check out St. Patrick’s Facebook page to see a sampling of their new merchandise. I couldn’t see Margaret on my last visit, but I did see Marlene and Becky, two of the many amazing volunteers at St. Patrick’s.

St Patrick’s Thrift Shop

240 11 St.

Verplanck, New York

Open Wednesdays and Saturdays – 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

stpatrickschurch@gmail.com

Website: http://www.chrispatparish.com/

When you are in the area, you can also visit:

L.I.S.A. “Let It Shine Again” Thrift Boutique
137 7th Street,
Verplanck, New York
Wednesdays 9 AM – 1 PM
Thursdays 9 AM – 1 PM
Fridays 11 A – 4 PM
Saturdays 9 AM – 1 P

Carriage House Thrift Shop
Church of Divine Love
80 Sunset Road Montrose
Thursday & Saturday 10 am – 2 pm September-June
10 am – 1 pm July and August.

The Mustard Seed
Reformed Church of Cortlandtown
Saturday 10-2, Sunday 11-2
2124 Albany Post Rd.
Montrose (914) 737-6482

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!

Here are some of my favorite quotes about thrift shopping that I love!

January 7, 2024/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

Happy New Year! I wanted to share with you some of my favorite quotes on thrift shopping! I hope that you enjoy them!

Thrift shopping is all about going into the thrift shop and having no expectation of what you might find.

Macklemore

My mom passed on her obsession of all things antique or vintage. I love to go thrift store shopping or explore any sort of garage sale. Treasure hunting is a family passion.

Zoey Deutch

Thrift shopping is really just an extension of me being that same kid and going into a place that’s completely unconventional that has really endless possibilities in terms of outfits that you can put together and really just expressing yourself.

Macklemore

I love thrift shopping. You can get ten things because everything costs, like, three dollars.

Lorde

I might wear skinny pants one day; I might wear thrift shop pants the next day.

Post Malone

I am a theater girl, and a lot of theater girls dress however pleases them. I wear whatever looks good on me. I wear what I wear because I have been shopping at thrift stores since I was five.

Kirsten Vangsness

The whole thing of clothes is insane. You can spend a dollar on a jacket in a thrift store. And you can spend a thousand dollars on a jacket in a shop. And if you saw those two jackets walking down the street, you probably wouldn’t know which was which.

Helen Mirren

Thank you, Brainy Quote, for the above quotes!

And here are three more:

Natalie Joos
On her advice for new vintage shoppers: “Never shop for something specific. Just browse. Don’t expect to find what you were looking for. It never works. Either go for cool pieces that stand out and are unique (you will keep them longer) or go for the big designer pieces that will last you a lifetime. Don’t buy things you know you will dispose of. Try stuff on. Vintage was made for smaller people. But don’t be afraid to buy things too big. Alterations are common when buying vintage. You don’t want to miss a cool piece just because it’s too big. Too small is not recommended!” —Elle, February 2013

Winona Ryder
“Most of my wardrobe is vintage and I’ve worn dresses to the Oscars that I got for $10. At Sean Penn’s last Haiti gala I wore this vintage dress that I’d worn to a film premiere in 2005. I know that’s kind of a no-no in the fashion world, but why wear something just once if you love it?” —Red, April 2014

Tracee Ellis Ross
“I buy a lot of vintage because, well, it’s AMAZING! And truthfully you can get great stuff for not a lot of money. I have a passion for vintage clothing because of the quality and uniqueness of the pieces (you don’t really have to worry about showing up in the same outfit as someone else). To update some of my vintage finds or sometimes just to make them fit, I have the help of a fabulous seamstress and dressmaker, Daniela Kurrle. She really is stupendous and our collaborations have resulted in some of my favorite dresses in my closet.” —her site, February 2013

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!

ToniOnThrifting