Goodwill buys

[tonyb]

Sharp jacket TonyB. Love the fleck.

Perhaps someone can educate me on partially lined jacket.

I have had a few beauties like these over the years. I miss being able to fit into them now, sigh.
I always assumed they were for warmer climates, yes?

I drop into thrift stores at least a couple of times a week, as often as not leaving empty handed. It's gotten to where I can spot the only vintage jacket on a 30-foot rack with nothing but a sleeve and shoulder readily visible. From there I take a quick look at the lining (vintage jackets are rarely fully lined) and then the inside pocket, to see what clues might be lurking there. Union labels, and even tags showing the original owner's name and the date the garment was ready for him to pick up, are often in the inside pocket, which obviously makes dating the piece a heck of a lot easier.

So no, I don't think the jackets were left unlined with warmer climes in mind. I now have a fairly large assemblage of vintage suits and sports coats, and I don't think a one of them has a full lining. I'm nowhere near as well versed on this stuff as some of the guys here, but I do know there were various types of linings. (I've heard the terms "petal" and "skeleton" tossed about in reference to jacket linings.) The "most lined" of my old stuff (meaning early 1960s at the latest) leave just the backs unlined. Sleeves and fronts and shoulders may indeed be lined, but not the backs.

I enjoy thrift and junk shop scouring. Good thing, too, because, as I said earlier, I frequently come away empty handed, as just about everything to be found in such places is of too recent a vintage to be of much interest to me, or to anyone I may be thinking of passing it along to (I've turned into something of a scout for a vintage dealer).

 

[FPKawaii]

Just the other day I got a grey double breasted suit from Goodwill. The tag says it's from 1944. Will post pictures later.

 

[tonyb]

Just the other day I got a grey double breasted suit from Goodwill. The tag says it's from 1944. Will post pictures later.

Yes, please do that.

 

[cookie]

I drop into thrift stores at least a couple of times a week, as often as not leaving empty handed. It's gotten to where I can spot the only vintage jacket on a 30-foot rack with nothing but a sleeve and shoulder readily visible. From there I take a quick look at the lining (vintage jackets are rarely fully lined) and then the inside pocket, to see what clues might be lurking there. Union labels, and even tags showing the original owner's name and the date the garment was ready for him to pick up, are often in the inside pocket, which obviously makes dating the piece a heck of a lot easier.

So no, I don't think the jackets were left unlined with warmer climes in mind. I now have a fairly large assemblage of vintage suits and sports coats, and I don't think a one of them has a full lining. I'm nowhere near as well versed on this stuff as some of the guys here, but I do know there were various types of linings. (I've heard the terms "petal" and "skeleton" tossed about in reference to jacket linings.) The "most lined" of my old stuff (meaning early 1960s at the latest) leave just the backs unlined. Sleeves and fronts and shoulders may indeed be lined, but not the backs.

I enjoy thrift and junk shop scouring. Good thing, too, because, as I said earlier, I frequently come away empty handed, as just about everything to be found in such places is of too recent a vintage to be of much interest to me, or to anyone I may be thinking of passing it along to (I've turned into something of a scout for a vintage dealer).

It is amazing how in the US there is still so much stuff from the 40s in thrifts. That stopped in the late 80s in Australia.

 

[tonyb]

It is amazing how in the US there is still so much stuff from the 40s in thrifts. That stopped in the late 80s in Australia.

Well, the racks aren't exactly full of vintage stuff. As I noted, I frequently leave empty handed.

I've found that the more remote the hunting grounds, the richer the bounty. Small towns, especially those off the beaten path (the big interstate highways, these days) are the places to go, although I still find the occasional vintage item in the closer-in thrifts. (I make a point of stopping into thrift stores when I have even a few minutes to spare. There's a proliferation of Goodwill stores around here; add to that the Salvation Army outlets, and the Value Village stores, etc., and there's usually a place to prowl within a short distance.)

Some of the stores have gotten hip, though. Some have taken to putting the more valuable/collectible stuff on eBay. It's fortunate that store personnel often don't know a vintage garment when they see one.

 

[cookie]

Well, the racks aren't exactly full of vintage stuff. As I noted, I frequently leave empty handed.

I've found that the more remote the hunting grounds, the richer the bounty. Small towns, especially those off the beaten path (the big interstate highways, these days) are the places to go, although I still find the occasional vintage item in the closer-in thrifts. (I make a point of stopping into thrift stores when I have even a few minutes to spare. There's a proliferation of Goodwill stores around here; add to that the Salvation Army outlets, and the Value Village stores, etc., and there's usually a place to prowl within a short distance.)

Some of the stores have gotten hip, though. Some have taken to putting the more valuable/collectible stuff on eBay. It's fortunate that store personnel often don't know a vintage garment when they see one.

Yeah if I am going dowentown for coffee I always look in the Salvos. Just when you think there will be nothing there is. Last week it was a pair of those beautiful Incotex Italian linen trousers. Last week at Vinnies a pair of those Gant shorts.

 

[cotillion]

A fun weekend at Goodwill. Two great vintage wool knit ties (Craigmill from Scotland) a new pink shirt for myself (I can never find good condition yellow/champagne shirts though which I am looking for) and a great sport coat from Wilkes Bashford, SF.

 

[Bourne ID]

Kindred spirits all!!! I've been shopping at the Salvation Army since highschool, exclusively!! Sure it takes some looking , but that's the thrill, that and the bargains!! I can wear sharp looking clothing to work in my shop and not feel to badly about throwing it in the trash when it gets stained or torn! Dress shirts and slacks for 3 to 4 dollars, you can't beat that!! It's a little harder in the shoe department, especially since I've got very small feet, just takes a little more patience.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I am the same way. My wardrobe is almost all thrift shop finds. Shoes are tough for me too, I wear a 13EE and those don't seem to come up too often. If you wear around a 10, you're good to go at the thrift shops around here.

Kindred spirits all!!! I've been shopping at the Salvation Army since highschool, exclusively!! Sure it takes some looking , but that's the thrill, that and the bargains!! I can wear sharp looking clothing to work in my shop and not feel to badly about throwing it in the trash when it gets stained or torn! Dress shirts and slacks for 3 to 4 dollars, you can't beat that!! It's a little harder in the shoe department, especially since I've got very small feet, just takes a little more patience.

 

[Talbot]

Yeah if I am going dowentown for coffee I always look in the Salvos. Just when you think there will be nothing there is. Last week it was a pair of those beautiful Incotex Italian linen trousers. Last week at Vinnies a pair of those Gant shorts.

Gant stuff is nice, but expensive down here. I couldn't believe how low the prices were the first time I went to an outlet mall in the US!

Nice pick up BTW!

 

[Bourne ID]

I found a great coat and pair of shoes at the Sally last week, I'll post some picks this weekend. Here's a great find from the Salv Army a few years back. Three for seven bucks, all the same size...My Size!

I haven't gotten that lucky in a long time!!!!

 

[Lonny]

I love the one in the middle, amazing!

The last one is a bit odd...but cool!

 

[yorkshirechap]

Hi,
I'm from the UK and have spent many a cheerful 10 minutes in charity shops here, though to be honest decent finds are rare. I've built up a selection of suits and jackets, some Magee suits for less than £10. I think most reasonable stuff goes to ebay.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Most consignment/thrift stores here don't have much of anything for men. One exception is not too far from where I work. On Christmas Eve of '10 I found a black Hugo Boss suit there in my size, though it'll need some alterations. That day a lot of items were 90 (yes, ninety) percent off, so I got it for a cool $27.

 

[earl]

Due to fortunate but health-mandated 50 pound weight loss last year, turned to second-hand shops to redo my wardrobe. Rediscovered the pleasure of that which I hadn't done for 20+ years. Lucky to pick up a Brooks Brothers suit and a Christian Dior jacket, $10 and $7 respectively. Also could fit back into my tan Hart, Schaffner and Marx camel hair jacket picked up second-hand originally that 20 years before that I couldn't part with. Also picked up a charcoal grey camel hair. But, typically do not find really good stuff as to jackets and suits. High quality shirts occasionally. Earl

 

[BrandonCarlson]

Yesterday my local goodwill was having a sale, all red tag merchandise is $1.29 so I got two jackets for under $3. Both are double breasted, one has a tag that reads Pincus Brothers Maxwell for Nordstrom sleeves just need to be shortened a little bit. The other one is brown and the tag reads English Manor, and it was made in Poland.. not too sure how vintage they are but they look and feel nice.

 

[C Gregory Purbaugh]

Went to salvation army today, picked up a wool suit for me from beecroft & bull which I believe is from the 60s, a disco suit from Johnny Carson (It was $10, good for halloween I suppose ) and my brother in law got a wool suit as well. All were 3 piece, and all together, it came to $36

 

[C Gregory Purbaugh]

Ok, pictures!

 

[Bourne ID]

Went to salvation army today, picked up a wool suit for me from beecroft & bull which I believe is from the 60s, a disco suit from Johnny Carson (It was $10, good for halloween I suppose ) and my brother in law got a wool suit as well. All were 3 piece, and all together, it came to $36

Awesome finds...you just can't beat the deals at the salvation army!

 

[John in Covina]

What I tend to find is anything in my size is simply crap while others walk in, find a gem in 2 minutes and pay next to nothing because it is the "half off" day.