Perfection condition Varas. Oh my.
I know I've been quiet with posts this week, so I thought I would pop in and say hi!
Some of you follow me on Twitter and have heard all about my adventures. But for those of you that haven't, I just got back from visiting my girl Lana in Birmingham and made a ridiculous thrift find this morning. We popped into Salvation Army right before I left, since it is Wednesday--aka half-off clothing day.
My thrift strategy (well, any discount store shopping strategy, really) involves hitting up bags and shoes first. Hanging out on the shoe racks were a woman's discarded collection of Ferragamo shoes. All in my size.
A pair of vintage Vara flats has always been on my list of things to keep an eye out for. I usually come across at least one pair at most vintage and consignment shops, usually not my foot size and out of my price range. Whenever I traipse through Saks Fifth Avenue, I pet the Varina flats. Across the street I blow kisses through the Salvatore Ferragamo store windows at their shoe displays.
But OH MY. The cream ones look as if they've only been worn once, if ever. And the black ones? BRAND NEW. I am still having heart palpitations. I had a really hard time not making a scene in the middle of the store while swiftly pulling these off the shelves.
These shoes, plus the jean jacket this month? I am having the best secondhand shopping time of my entire life!!
Don't be jelz. These fine Etsy sellers have some for very fair prices.
And also, they still sell this style at these fine retailers:
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Saks Fifth Avenue
And if $395 is steep (oh my goodness, it so definitely is), there are plenty of alternatives under $200:
Joy Chen, $115.70
French Sole, $149.95
Pink Studio, $36.90
Forever 21, $16.80
Does anyone else have a fantasy vintage/thrift shopping list? I've found almost everything on mine, and am at a loss for what to focus on.
On my wishlist: Vintage Chanel anything. Ran into some fakes, but never the real thing.
ReplyDeleteI did find a vintage Burberry Trench. Hey, I should break that out.
I know you say not to be jealous, but I totally am of your score!
Wow, how wonderful!! Yay, I'm excited for you Jinah :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find! Where in the city is your thrift store? I need to visit the store.
ReplyDeleteomg i am so jealous!!!!!! those are gorgeous, they are definitely at the top of my wishlist!
ReplyDeleteTien--Ooh please do break that out!! I love a good trench. And I've come across some real Chanel pieces in consignment shops, but like with the shoes, rarely in my size or price range.
ReplyDeleteJeana--I am not too familiar with Birmingham since I was just visiting, but this Salvation Army was in a Hispanic-ally influenced part of town, near Valley (Ave? St? Way?) where the Sonic is. I hope that helps!
Rosa--I have been dying for a pair of these and have vacillated on the seasonal colors as they go on sale each year. So excited to break them out!
I would have gone crazy if I'd learned you found these here in Atlanta.
ReplyDeleteI always find designer shoes at the Buckhead and Sandy Springs Goodwill stores, but sadly none that come in my size.
OMG LADY.
ReplyDeleteThat's all I'm going to type.
Great finds. I always head for the shoes and purses first too. I don't have any designer labels on my thrift store wish list, but i've been looking for a good, buttery leather purse. The search continues...
ReplyDeleteCath--I have a compulsive habit of buying bags at the thrift store, when I already clearly am over capacity. I can bring a selection for when I see you next if you're interested! I think I take them home because I want to rehome them myself. Like kittens.
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness. Jinah, I am SUPER jealous of you!!! I've seen some at consignment stores and thrift stores but never in my size (or width..). I can't wait to see you wear them! I'll be drooling all over my keyboard. Promise.
ReplyDeleteEnter to win a professional flat iron!
clothed much, a modest fashion blog
Ha! Dream thrift store find- an Hermes Birkin. I know, I know...but if you're going to dream, why not dream big?
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy finding a classic trench coat in my size, though. The 2nd hand ones I find are always in larger sizes.
NICE. Lucky girl! I dream of stumbling across an antique Hermes bag in a thrift store, but that's never going to happen.
ReplyDeleteElaine--My feet are narrow and these are like, extremely narrow otherwise I wouldn't have been able to fit them.
ReplyDeleteMn--I have never been able to find outerwear in my size either! I guess we have both got to keep digging. I did see a (real) Balenciaga at the consignment store for less than $100, but it was missing some hardware.
Amblus--You never know what will be donated! I found that huge stash of nearly new shoes!
Wow, that is amazing! I never find much cool stuff when I go thrifting -- maybe I should employ some of your strategies! I would love to find a vintage Burberry trench. I'm so jealous of Tien's find!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing! I've never been able to find a pair of those in my size that aren't completely beat up. Those are gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny that you posted about vintage Ferragamo's because my Aunt just sent my mom 7 pairs of them. She hardly wore them! And luckily my mom and I have the same shoe size! :-)
ReplyDeleteI love the ones you found, so pretty! It's like they were just waiting for you to take them home.
Super jealous! I am also always on the look out for the vintage ferragamo. It is hard to find them in my size. I just LOVE their classiness as exemplified by the fact that they are selling the same design shoes for a decade! Actually I found the one pair shown in your picture on the right. They were in my size (8 1/2, I usually wear 7 1/2 though) for $2.99 in the local thrift store. I would love to have a flat. Did you buy them all?
ReplyDeleteare you serious??? this is like the most amazing thing i've ever heard!!! you are so lucky!
ReplyDeleteooh, nice score! i recently saw a pair in my size in a local vintage store. the leather showed some signs of use, but it looked like they had been resoled. haven't decided if i should get them!
ReplyDeletei'd love to find some vintage courrèges or mary quant.
Alysha--We should hang out soon! I like to do a big thrift/consignment haul starting up in Sandy Springs/Marietta and then working my way through Buckhead.
ReplyDeleteRhiannon--I have been looking for some of these for ages! I even have a knockoff Nine West pair I bought during the hunt.
Athena--That's so amazing! You should share your closet and style with us! winkwink
Hyunju--I almost didn't, because I am saving up for various trips this summer, but yes, I took them all home. I did let my friends who are the same shoe size know and am willing to share since I obviously don't need like six new pairs of shoes.
WWANW--It felt like I won the lottery!!
tastymoog--My cobbler can do wonders, and many people say you should have leather shoes resoled before you wear anyway, so I probably would have taken those home. Judging from the wear on the soles and heels, none of them had been worn more than a few days. I still plan to take them to my leather repair person to consult on care.
LOVE your Ferragamo collection!
ReplyDeleteI seem to have a lot of luck. I've found pretty much everything on my thrift wish list, and blog about just that! :)
Thanks for sharing!
Angela
What an awesome find!! I found a cream pair for $6 at the thrift once but way too small, and just a couple weeks ago I found two pairs in my size! I posted about it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://sixballoons.blogspot.com/2012/01/salvatore-ferragamo-vara-bow-flats-at.html