Living the good life + Fighting the good fight

Best Thrift Finds Ever

I love thrift shopping. If you don’t already know that, welcome to my blog. You are clearly new here.

On one hand, I am cheap, I like shopping in general, I like fashion and home decor, and I like finding things that no one else has. On the other hand, I thrift for the thrill of the hunt. I see what other people find when they go thrifting and I get motivated to go myself. I also can get a little excited when I think about all of the killer stuff I have found myself.

With all that being said, here are my best thrift finds ever! I hope these inspire you to hit the thrift and start digging.


(These are in no particular order and I don’t hold any of these items above another.)

  • Julia Childs DVD Box Set

When I was in college (I can’t remember if it was in undergrad or grad school), I went into one of my favorite thrift stores in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Gift & Thrift. I passed through the DVD section and spotted a box set of the original Julia Childs cooking shows in black and white. I snagged it because my mom loves Julia Childs. I distinctly remember paying $2 for this item and my mom freakin’ loved this surprise gift.

From my research, you can get this box set on Amazon and through PBS. I have yet to see this item in the thrift store ever again.

Daughter of the century, am I right?

  • Low Top Rain Boots

When I saw this pair of low rain boots in the Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Store in Stephens City, Virginia, I grabbed them and never regretted it! I don’t know what brand these are because the logo has worn off from me wearing them so often. But, they look like short Duck Boots from LL Bean to me, although I know they are not from LL Bean.

I love having these rain boots because they are so convenient. I have been known to put on an outfit and my rain boots, then carry my cute shoes in my bag. Once I’m inside, I put on my cute shoes and set my wet, unfashionable rain boots to the side. Game changer, my friends. (I mentioned these boots and styled them in my post about dressing for bad weather.) Life is just not as easy with full size rain boots.

  • Vintage Coach Bag Collection

As you saw in My Purse & Wallet Collection post, I have managed to find a couple of vintage Coach bags during my thrifting adventures. I like these because they are good quality, classic bags that make me feel like a luxury girl when I am certainly not a luxury girl.

Pictured here are two out of the four Coach bags I have thrifted. Besides these two babies, I thrifted a miniature version of the red one on the left for my mom and a baby blue backpack from Coach. The backpack was the same material as these ones and I really liked it, but I never wore it, so I donated it.

I will always buy vintage Coach bags because they are bags that stand the test of time; they never go out of style and they feel like an achievement when you find them.

  • Fossil Bag Collection

I joke about my Fossil bag collection, but it’s no joke legit. As with my Coach bags, Fossil bags are just good quality and are very much so my aesthetic.

Fossil bags are pretty expensive retail, so sometimes these bags are marked up in the thrift store, but I think they are worth it. The spotted white and blue one is my newest addition and I love her.

I’ve also thrifted my mom a couple Fossil bags as well.

  • Doc Martens

If you are a thrifter and you see something in the thrift store that you know is a BOLO (Be On the Look Out) item, you probably gasp and lunge to said item. Let’s all hope that no one is in between you and that item.

I did just that when I saw these Doc Martens on the shelf with a price tag of $12 (mic drop). Once again, Docs are excellent quality and kind of expensive firsthand. (If are wondering, I don’t mind buying leather goods secondhand, but I tend to not purchase them firsthand.)

These boots have made my ’90s grunge dreams come true.


Now, it’s your turn! Please please please tell me what your best thrift and vintage finds are and feel free to challenge me to find certain items in the thrift.

Just writing this post has got me jonesing for a thrift trip, so thrift on, thrifters!

1 Comment

  1. Nancy

    Looks like some great finds.

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