Find of the Week: A Nice Bit of Leather

Over the years, I have found some fabulous vintage stuff at my small, neighborhood Goodwill. While it is just one of many buying venues for me, it has been a good one. In fact some of my best scores have come from there—a boxed set of Abercrombie & Fitch, Wusthof stag-handled knives. Bought for $18, sold for $250.

And there was this 1959 F.G. Houston painting bought for $6 that sold last year for $140.

Of course most of my Goodwill finds are just “bread and butter” buys…little things that make me $12 to $25 profit. Not huge amounts, but they add up. So all in all, Goodwill has been a good, consistent source for me.

But understandably thrift stores are sometimes lite on vintage goods. Like yesterday. I was in Goodwill and couldn’t find much that was older, let alone older, cool and reasonably priced. Drat! Everything was newer, junky, badly handmade, broken or too expensive. This was going to be one of those days where I spend 30 minutes looking and walk out empty handed.

Then I happened to see the sleeve of a leather jacket as I passed by a rack of clothes. As I pulled out the jacket to take a closer look I sternly reminded myself that I am not…I repeat…NOT selling newer clothes this year and am limiting the number of vintage clothes I sell. (Of course as soon as I decided to get out of the clothes-selling biz, four clothing items sold, including a leather jacket. Ironic, n’cest pas?!)

Now this jacket was a cool Ann Taylor moto leather jacket in taupe, a color I really like. Mmmm…such soft leather and in really good condition. Wait, this looked like my size. I slipped it on and it fit! (Okay, the zippered sleeves are a tad too long, but I can live with that.) It was a surreal moment. New these jackets cost over $300. Secondhand, and ever so gently used, it cost $25.65. 🙂

Hallelujah (with jazz hands)…this jacket is mine and my find of the week!

What’s your favorite thrifted piece of clothing??