Thrift Store Clothes

[tyler2016]

I recently checked out a local thrift store to try and find some work pants, but almost all of the pants were way to big in the waist. Most pants were in the 38-42 inch waste range. Right now I am wearing a 34, but will probably be down to 32 in 3-6 months. Should I bother looking at other thrift stores? Do any other men here have this problem? Any suggestions?

[Cranky]

The secret to success in thrift store shopping is to go regularly - like once/week. Good stuff moves fast. If you want a common size, which a 34 is, there will be a smaller selection, plus, I have always found that men's pants were harder to find than most other things, because guys tend to wear them until they wear out.

[chasesfish]

I own some thrift store clothes, my favorite being the winter zip-up sweatshirt I bought to use as a throw-away while running a really cold race and decided to keep it.

What type of work do you do?  That'll really depend on whats acceptable.  If you need to wear "real" slacks, go to Costco.

[APBioSpartan]

My wife is a second hand shopping queen!  I would recommend going to consignment shops vs. thrift stores especially for work pants, but that's just me

[dreams_and_discoveries]

I think it's luck,  if someone your size has donated something in your style. I often find many things at once, which I tend to think were donated by the same person...

[frompa]

I, too, shop at thrift stores for most all of my clothes.  As I am a cycle-everywhere cyclist, I can find pants that fit either my waist or my thighs, but not both, so I'm accustomed to getting thigh fitters, and then taking in the waist, so they fit.  The details on how to do this depend on the construction of the pants, but usually you take out the back of the waist band, then take take in the center back seam the proper amount, then put a seam in the waist band and sew it all back together.  If it's a big adjustment, I might also do darts over (and into) the back pockets.  I like this kind of messing around, as it takes some construction thought and not a lot of time, and the result -- voila! -- is a pair of perfectly fitted pants.  I find it both intellectually satisfying and productive.  Good luck on your mission!

[merula]

I buy thrift store clothes almost exclusively. (Confession: I just bought some pants new on a Black Friday deal, because I loved the style and have had no luck with finding them in thrift stores after looking for over a year.)

BUT, I'm a woman. Women's clothes at thrift stores are a completely different animal. When my husband tries to shop thrift stores, it's much more hit or miss. Not only is there the "more likely to wear things out" idea that Cranky mentioned, but men seem less driven toward trends and seem to have less clothing overall.

I would suggest going more often, because there's always an element of luck. You may also want to look around for consignment stores that cater to men. My husband can never find jeans in thrift stores, but can almost always find classic Levis in excellent condition for $15-20 in consignment stores. Yeah, it's more than a thrift store, but it's worth it to be able to find something without months of searching.

[dodojojo]

I third the consistent visit approach.  I have a couple of good thrift stores in my neighborhood so it's easy for me to drop in at least once a week.  They're not particularly big so I can go in for quick checks and if I don't find exactly what I want/need, I am in and out in 10-15 minutes.  I live in an affluent neighborhood so it's not uncommon to find some really decent stuff.  I had to set my standards for most items to "it's exactly what I want or need and it fits well" to buy.  Or else it's too easy to end up with unused and unneeded items in my apartment.

One recent example is a wool blanket.  I was looking for a good wool blanket and over the last couple of months, I ran across some that were just okay for the right price and one that was really nice but slightly too rich for me.  There were also a few that were just too small.  I was tempted to lower my standards because this was a blanket that would be placed on top of a foam mattress and then covered by two layers of sheets.  It was hardly ever going to be seen.  But I decided to stick to my guns and it paid off last weekend.  I found a 100% wool blanket, in my favorite color and in the right size for $2.  When I got home, I googled the name and it's from a Canadian company that went out of business in the 80's.  The company's blankets are listed on Etsy and Ebay ranging from $20 to over $100.

[fuzzy math]

Try a store in a different area of town? I have found it to be really regional whether the locals donate to GW, or to salvation army or some other option. Some cities people don't donate anything really, and its all at garage sales. You just have to figure out what is the norm where you are.

[honeybbq]

I own some thrift store clothes, my favorite being the winter zip-up sweatshirt I bought to use as a throw-away while running a really cold race and decided to keep it.

I did the same! Every time my H sees me in that sweatshirt he's like "Weren't you going to leave that at a race??"

I can't bear to.

[seattlecyclone]

I don't really buy new shirts anymore. They all come from thrift shops. The selection of pants my size tends not to be very good, as others have found, so I'll usually get those from Costco ($14 for a pair of jeans isn't the end of the world). I've had pretty good luck with shoes from thrift shops as well.

[MightyAl]

I usually only use thrift stores for shirts because like you I can rarely find pants in my size. 

[pigpen]

I'm a 34 waist and have pretty good luck finding pants. As others have said, it's best to go at regular intervals. If you wait until you have to have something right away, you may not find it. I have several pairs of wool dress pants I found at Goodwill that appeared new when I bought them and cost around $5.00 -- Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Jos. A. Banks. Name brand stuff.

I think some of the non-mustachians and their spouses buy stuff like that for each other and end up never using it. E.g., "Oh, John could use these $150 pants for work." But John doesn't like the color, or unbeknownst to Mrs./Mr. John, John has put on a few pounds lately and can't wear them. A year later, they end up at the thrift shop, and Pigpen swoops in with a $5 bill and gives them a home.

Go to a shop in/near a rich part of town, and you may find nicer stuff.