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The Great Thrift-Store Sift-Off

Two aficionados rifle through the racks at Goodwill to see who can stretch $100 the furthest.

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The competition
Time Place The Situation
Saturday, 8:59 A.M. The Upper East Side Goodwill
(1704 Second Ave., nr. 88th St.; 212-831-1380). 		Saturday morning is when this Goodwill emancipates the contents of its window display, a jumble of Louis Vuitton accessories, Chanel scarves, and Gucci bags, both real and fake. The store doesn’t open until 10 a.m., but about ten die-hard thrifters are already camped out—some since 3:30 a.m.
Shopper 1 Shopper 2
Greg Armas, owner of Assembly New York and vintage shop Everybody's Going to Heaven.

Items bought: 7 Total cost: $96.94		 Natalie Joos, casting director, avid eBay buyer, and blogger, talesof
endearment
.blogspot.com. Items bought: 6 Total cost: $99.95
Brooks Brothers ShirtPrice: $12.99“It’s pre– Thom Browne, and 14 1/2 is a hard size to find.” Ralph Lauren Camel JacketPrice: $22.99“The blazer feels very relevant, and I love the color.”
Sand-Colored ShirtPrice: $7.99 “It’s a nice gauzy fabric, basically vintage eighties.” Polka-Dot TankPrice: $3.99“Love a polka dot. But this shirt has something classic as well.”
Men’s TuxPrice: 14.99“It looks as if it’s from the thirties, though it’s probably a re-creation.” Navy Blazer With Gold Buttons Price: $14.99 “I love the cut; it’s more vintage than new.”
Monk-Strap Shoes From the Fifties Price: $25“You see so many new monk-strap shoes going down the runway these days, it’s nice to find an original pair.” Ralph Lauren ShoesPrice: $50“They look like they’ve never been worn.”
Fifties Men’s Hunting VestPrice: $5.99“I grew up hunting, so I’m drawn to this kind of thing … and the ‘heritage’ look is in style right now.” Green Cropped TankPrice: $3.99 “It reminds me of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. It’s a look that a lot of kids are going for these days.”
Wool Aubergine Women’s FedoraPrice: $4.99 A “A classic in a rich, beautiful hue.” Red BeltPrice: $3.99“I always like red as an accent, and it will match my vintage Gucci purse.”
Brown Cotton TrenchPrice: $24.99 “A nice treated-cotton trench [feels fabric and notices the contemporary label]. I would take the label out.”

Photographs by Boru O'Brien O'Connell

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