The Art of Shopping: Yard Sale Finds

I spent a good portion of last week thinking about shopping. I am really good at shopping (although that is not necessarily a good thing). So I was thinking about finding a way I could use my powers to help other people (because basically I don’t really need anything else myself). I thought this week I could analyze recent purchases to try and share what is it that allows me to find great things and great deals. And I think the first thing is being open to opportunity.

What does that mean? I like to walk around because it slows you down which means you might notice a little shop that if you are driving, you would have missed because you were focussed on traffic. Even if I’m inside, I like to keep my ears open in case there’s a conversation that reveals a new designer or a pop up maker’s market.

Here’s an example. Mr. Andrew and I were walking home from seeing our friend Jorge’s Play “Doomed” at the Fringe festival. We happened upon a rare early evening yard sale. It was run by some hippy looking dudes. While it was mostly guitars and old comic books, there was a rack of hippy clothes. For five bucks, I brought home a pair of overalls, a sashiko-stitched, indigo dyed shirt and embroidered wool vest.

These beauties are the stuff of my Pinterest board fuelled dreams. In fact I already have old overalls and so many Japanese fabric inspired jackets. But I have been searching for an embroidered vest to wear layered over a longer jacket or cardigan this fall.

Which is another good tip when it comes to scoring deals: Plan ahead. If you know what kind of wardrobe you are planning for fall, be on the lookout now.