Here’s another steal:

Obviously, this is a Coach purse, sold in stores for just under $200, and here at Rock, Paper, Scissors for around $64. Its condition: perfection. Even though my handbag (picture to come) is the steal of the century (more in a minute), I was tempted to stray from my thrifty biscuit ways and own two designer bags. Silly Rabbit!

Coach bags go fast, speaking of rabbits, so the key here, as with any consignment boutique, is to act fast and drop in often. In November, upon spotting a R,P,S facebook update, featuring a candy apple red Dolce and Gabbana bag, I asked them to hold it. I raced in, and saw a truly beautiful bag that appeared to be brand new. According to the boutique, they had done their due diligence, and the bag appeared to be real (and worth up to $1,200). Now, I would never spend that on a bag, not even if my next book were optioned for a movie. But $44.95? That I would spend, especially since I was in actual need of a new bag. I bought it and went home to search the internet for ways to ensure it was real. The bag met every single bit of criteria I could find, and then purse-y pals of mine double and triple authenticated it. The upshot? My bag is worth more than our minivan. I wish I was joking.

The frugalistas among you may still be reeling. $54? $64? for clothing??? I know, sounds crazy. But if you love fashion, and I do, the cool thing about consignment is that these wacky-priced items one drools over in magazines and such can actually be yours, for WAY, WAY less. According to the front desk clerk at R, P, S, they get all kinds of fabulous brands. “One time we even got in a pair of (Christian) Louboutins in,” she said, starry eyed. The store ended up selling the shoes for $90 on the internet. They were worth probably five times that amount.

Needless to say, Rock, Paper, Scissors is a favorite shop. It’s gorgeous inside and out, and the offerings feed the inner fashion rock star for a coffeehouse performer’s prices.

The prices are quite a bit higher than thrift, so it’s still more frugal, of course, to try your chances at the thrift stores to see if you can snag a Banana top for $3 (in which case you can keep it or resell it to R, P, S, for a nice profit.) As I gushed at length in MSOTA, my brand new mint green Talbots ballet flats were discovered at a local Goodwill for $3. But it’s always a crapshoot, whereas a consignment boutique like Rock, Paper, Scissors, or Zany in Traverse City, MI, are so beautifully curated you know you’ll find something special and beautiful, like a $1,200 purse for $44? Hey, it happened to me, it could happen to you!

Here’s a few more pictures from my field trip:

I love the jewelry–very Anthropologie-esque!

Even the front counter is a work of art!

More bags!

Now, what rapturous stories are you dying to tell me about consignment stores? What are your favorite haunts? Doesn’t have to be in Michigan. I’d love to hear about stellar stores in other parts of creation, too. Tell!

A Korean jade pottery duo on our mantle. The small piece was bought in Korea, for lots of won. The bigger, more ornate piece was bought at a Goodwill in Florida for $8.50

Since we journeyed to Korea six years ago to pick up our daughter, I’ve been in love with Korean Celadon pottery. We picked up a couple of tiny vases while we were there, but recently I found a gorgeous Korean rice wine decanter with fish , crane, and chrysanthymum inlays and details. I found this exquisite piece at the Goodwill in Jupiter, Florida, and just had to bring it home to my mantle. It was $8.50, alot for something at Goodwill, but not alot when you consider a comparable piece would be between $55-$200. I know, a big ballpark, but I can’t quite find this exact piece online. Does anyone know how much this might cost? At any rate, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than flying to Korea and picking one up!

A hammered copper vase, displayed with pride on a bookshelf parallel to the fireplace

Another decor find: This hammered copper vase, $2, picked up at Goodwill here in Grand Rapids. I love copper, and this vase was just the thing to add lustre and texture to a built-in bookshelf by our fireplace. This vase also kicks up the Arts and Crafts era vibe I’d like our 1924 house to exude (exude cheaply, that is).

I really love both these pieces, and they both look fairly expensive to me, though the copper vase is probably worth less than the Korean pottery (I found a similar one online for $45).

What kinds of heart-stopping decor finds have you come across at thrift stores, flea markets etc?

Sometimes, I surprise even myself with how cheaply fabulous clothing can be bought secondhand. I’m talking crazy, silly wacky prices, just for popping in here and there at your favorite thrift store to see what the people have dropped off in big boxes. Recently, I saw that my favorite little thrift store was closing down. Boo hoo for me, but wait! On second thought, the sign outside said 60% off everything. Wouldn’t it all be picked over to smithereens? I wondered. But my newly Amish-inspired thrift made me take a look anyway.

Well, I became positively ferhoodled (Amish for “loopy,” or if you’re Canadian, “spinny”) at the deals I found. Because kids’ clothing is usually $2 across the board, and they were offering 60% off THAT price, I made out like a bandit in a bonnet. A Hannah Anderson top for Phoebe: .80 (would’ve been $25 new). A Columbia zip-up fleece for Ez, .80 (around $25, new). And the Deal of the Day? A very handsome and hip Diesel shirt for Jonah, my teenager, EIGHTY CENTS! It would have been at least $40-$50, new. And yes, all three items were in good-to-great shape! [Read more...]