How the Internet Changed Thrift Shopping for Menswear Forever
Why the Best Thrift Store for Men’s Clothing Is Online!
I have been a serious thrift shopper for men’s clothing for nearly four decades. Back in the ‘old days’, we wore suits to the office, every day, all day, and learned to love it. Out of a desire to look sharp at work without spending all of my disposable income (we had that back in the old days too) on clothing, I learned the art of thrift shopping.
You had to be committed in the ‘old days’ if you wanted to build a complete wardrobe of second-hand men’s suits and sport coats suitable for business wear. There was no online shopping. And, generally, thrift shopping was not something that most men did. But I had developed a taste for better menswear that I could not afford on my plebian salary. Therefore, nearly every other Saturday I would devote an afternoon to making the rounds of my favorite thrift shops. Generally, that would mean heading into Manhattan (I was a New Yorker then) and visiting a circle of thrift shops in the most affluent areas of the city.
I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. Otherwise, I would not have stuck to this endless search and rescue mission. With persistence, I slowly acquired a well-curated wardrobe of name-dropping worthy second-hand suits from highly respected designers and brands. Good times!
eBay and Beyond …
As the Internet became a thing, eBay became my go-to resource for all things second-hand and sartorial. It made things so much easier. No longer was I at the mercy of pure chance when thrift shopping for second-hand clothes. eBay made it possible to have a full range of second-hand men’s suits and sport coats from every brand you desire and in your size all day, every day. If you wanted a blue hopsack Brooks Brothers blazer in size 42l in mint second-hand condition you didn’t have to search every thrift shop in your area for months to find it (most often a futile search). With a few mouse clicks on eBay, it could be yours for the price of a meal for two at McDonald’s.
Nowadays, there is a proliferation of online sources for second-hand menswear. Beyond eBay, there is Etsy, Poshmark, Grailed … even Goodwill has its own online outlet for its better gear. This makes it possible to build a well-coordinated second-hand wardrobe without the hit-or-miss risk of local thrift shopping.
While it is more expensive shopping online for second-hand men’s clothing, there is the tradeoff of not spending loads of time in an often futile search of local thrift shops. Time is money. Also, the range of second-hand clothing available online is far greater than the selection you will find at any retail outlet. If you know how to hunt for bargains, they are waiting for you online.
Thrift Shopping Online Requires Self-Education
To get the best value when thrift shopping online you need to know how to spot quality and know the brands that offer it. Also, you will need to cultivate an informed sense of style. There are no online salespeople helping you to choose the right tie to go with that suit. Hopefully, the posts on this website will contribute to your knowledge. Enjoy the hunt! The best thrift stores for men’s clothing are online!