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2011-12-09

Thrift Mystery

purse3

I can't seem to thrift any decent purses lately. And I can't bear to admit that something might be wrong with me, so I blame all the thrift stores I have visited in the last 6 months. A few years back, thrifting a good quality purse at a really low price was like getting dressed in the morning; it doesn't always happen but more often than not, there was success. Then thrift stores started to get smarter and the good vintage clutches and leather handbags became more expensive, though not unreasonable. But recently... I can't even find any good purses, expensive or not. I find an occasional $20 pleather bag that Walmart sells new for $23 (wheeee!) but the times where I had to make tough choices between several tooled leather bags during one thrift trip have disappeared.
Truthfully, I don't need any more purses, as the photos in this post are but a small selection from my handbag sheep fold but I am always welcome to new additions. I'm just so loving like that. It's more that I am mystified that I haven't seen a great purse at a thrift store in a long time. Is there a handbag drought in the greater Hamilton area or are you not having any luck either?


purse2purse5purse4purse1

28 comments :

ParisGrrl said...

Your collection is impressive. Try not to hate, but I did find an absolutely gorgeous green and purple velvet clutch last spring in Florida, that came home with me and is now making the holiday rounds. I like to show my purses a good time, so we're both happy.

Emily {tomorrow never knows} said...

1) do you play piano?
2) do i get bonus points for commenting seconds after you post (again...) ?
3) that second bag... I effin love it. I'll trade ya!? I own like 7 thousand purses.
4) Purses are what I usually thrift. Though not at anywhere like Value Village but the church sale has tons. And they are usually VERY reasonably priced.

I guess I'm gloating? Well you have a mermaid (i wrote murmaid again...) skirt so i deserve this. you also have the long legs.

Sweet Laundry said...

Handbags are one of the things that I am horrible at collecting and maybe this wouldn't be the case if I had thought of thrifting them when there were alot more good quality ones available. Maybe there will be a resurgance in the future. Until then, I'm coveting purses #2 and #4. Happy Friday!

MaggleBish said...

I've never found any decent purses at thrift stores, but to be fair, I don't thrift very often. But still, NONE.

Leah said...

Judging by your collection, I think you've already found all of the good stuff!

xo L.

Anonymous said...

I was just thinking this two days ago- the good purse days are gone (though hopefully not for good). How will we go on?

Dawn said...

I haven't managed to thrift a good purse EVER. There was one leather Roots one in the display case at Talize for $30 but I couldn't afford it at the time.

Secondhand Stella said...

For me it depends on the store... I have never really had any luck thrifting purses at the Salvation Army or Goodwill but Savers always had a decent selection. Oh, how I miss Savers :(

Lately I have been having good luck at the local antique store for purses. The prices aren't high which is nice.

Jo - Lost in the Haze said...

Ohh, what a collection! <3 I find that sometimes I find great purses all in one go, and other times I can't find any for weeks! It's so erratic!

x
Lost in the Haze

Meg said...

I have a lot of trouble thrifting purses - I can only think of one I've ever bought, and it was more of a tote than anything. :P

My dad the thrift junkie, though, has scored brand-new Lilly Pulitzers, a few Kate Spades, and a Fossil bag that I've loved for years. I make myself feel better by reminding myself that the thrifting in my hometown is AMAZING.

Please may I? said...

That really is a great thrift find! I either find none or masses.

x x

danielle and dinosaur toes said...

don't fret, you're not the only one experiencing a decent vintage handbag drought. the thrift stores i've gone to here in virginia the last few months have left much to be desired in the handbag department. well, i should admit that i found a beautiful woven leather vintage bag today for $2, but other than that, i SWEAR it's been slim pickins!

Unknown said...

Well, you've got some great bags here! But, I've got to tell you, I'm really not finding any purses that SING while thrifting lately. Sometimes I wonder if every woman in the US carries ugly purses because that's all I'm seeing at the thrift stores. Yard sales, however, now that's another story! ~Serene

Robin H. said...

SLIM PICKINGS WHERE I live too!Not sure what's up but I'm taking a break from looking until Christmas

Noelle said...

If you ever find yourself in Windsor, the best place to shop for vintage handbags is Jones & Company Vintage. It alllllllways has cute handbags/clutches/jewelry/clothing/etc. and I always manage to walk away with something :)

Anonymous said...

I may have just teared up when I saw the embossed leather clutch. B-E-A-U-TIFUL!

HuntGatherFashion said...

OMIGOD! You are so right! I have found it increasingly difficult to hunt down a decent vintage bag. They are all crap Chinese manufactured knock-offs. Not sure what's happening,but it's kind of a thrifting tragedy. Le sigh.

Glam And Eggs said...

I have noticed the same thing and it is driving me crazy! I find these cheap-o purses for way too high of a price point and it kills me! I just want to find a high quality, super expensive looking, perfect condition bag for next to nothing! Geeze that can't be too much to ask! LOL! It really is annoying to find a bag that you love and then the price knocks you down. No thanks Thrifty McThrifterson I'll just buy this bag new! Your post couldn't be more spot on!

Linda said...

There are tons of purses at my favorite thrift store, but many of them are pleather (or damaged/badly stained). Every once in awhile, I'll find a pretty leather purse.

I also feel disheartened when I find beaded/sequined evening bags that are damaged. Some of them are gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

In complete agreement on this one. I've been scouring my usual haunts, and the last two purses I bought weren't actually purses -- one was a vintage camera bag that doubles as a purse, and the other was a wallet so large, it's really entering clutch territory. Hamilton, step it up! Keep your plastic pleather, please.

Hannah said...

I'm having the same drought problem with silk scarves...I used to come home with five or six every time I went thrifting, but I think maybe other people are starting to catch on that they're such a great find.

Anonymous said...

I am having the exact same experience here on the wet coast as you! Where are the purses, the handbags, crossbody, or clutch? Jewelled or tooled, I'm having no luck!

I love purses and have an organization system making it super easy to change purses daily, so I'm always eager to love another.

Sue

Sydney said...

you are so not alone! Even in Toronto there is a purse draught! I think people are just wizening up about keeping their old purses for themselves *shakes fist*

Dawn said...

I finally thrifted a great purse! Well, maybe not up to your standards, but great for me. I was in the Salvation Army store when a bag caught my eye. It was a black cross-body bag with brown accents. I laughed out loud when I realized that it was the EXACT same manufacturer as the purse I had on my back - DEREK ALEXANDER! It was $8.99, while retail it would be over $200!! Score!

Ally @ Fever Thrift said...

i'm not very "good" at thrifting purses in the first place(i'm a pro shoe-thrifter.), so i don't know if that qualifies me to have an opinion on this, but i will completely agree with you anyway. i've only thrifted one purse that i completely love and it happened to be an extra-expensive $12.

it seems like a lot of the quality vintage-esque items are hard to come by now that thrifting has been more popular. you featured a blogger who wrote about thrifting silk scarves and you've talked about thrifting leather belts and i feel like those are getting more and more rare too. agreed?

Jackie said...

I *never* find good purses in thrift stores! My best handbag buy ever was at a garage sale; a $5 tooled leather bag that is perfect in every way--mint condition in a dainty Kelly-bag style that goes beautifully with the tooled leather nailhead stilettos I paid way too much for at a vintage shop.

Anonymous said...

Just found this blog. Loving it so far!

As for purses, I feel your frustration. I'm from Toronto, and can tell you that thrifting a good designer leather bag is almost impossible. Weird, because sometimes I watch youtube thrift hauls, and some of these women are finding genuine Coach, and Prada, and I don't get it! There's some excellent thrifting in T.O. for clothes and shoes, so why not purses?

Anyway, I'm blaming it (in part) on the online auction phenomenon of recent years. They seem to be getting smart, and saving all the higher end stuff for that. :(

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