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Best Thrift Finds Ever
From rare designer bags to favorite t-shirts, discover people’s successful thrifting memories.
You can never know where the best thrift find of your life is hiding. It can be listed with typos and missing info on a resale site or gathering dust at the back of a tiny thrift store. Or it can be hiding in plain sight on the racks of your local Goodwill.
We asked content creators where and how they spotted their best secondhand finds. The first lesson learned: never stop looking! The second one: another man’s trash can truly be someone else’s treasure.
Colin Bradley
“One of my all-time favorite thrift finds is this Raf Simons Blue Velvet shirt. I did a double-take when I spotted it hanging on a Goodwill rack in Tennessee, tagged at just $4.99! The shirt features a striking image of young Laura Dern from the iconic 1986 film Blue Velvet. I feel incredibly lucky to have discovered this designer gem, worth over $200, showcasing a film that holds such a special place in my heart.”
Quinn Garvey
“My best thrift find undoubtedly is this early 2000s Chloé chain link leather handbag.
I love it when you find something good in the most unexpected place…This time around, I was at a tiny, standalone old lady thrift store (always the best ones) on Cape Cod.
Cape Cod is my favorite place to thrift, because of the range of people who come through during the summer, and discard most of their belongings by fall. Let me set the scene – this thrift store had Ralph Lauren cable knits, way too much Vince Camuto and probably the world’s largest collection of wicker furniture. But I persisted. And there it was, hanging on the side of a shelf of shoes; a bag that looked somewhere in between hardcore and elegant. It was $80, I didn’t think twice, and I loved that I found it in a place that had sand dollar motifs throughout the whole store. I did some immediate digging via Google reverse image search and found it was from Chloé’s Fall 2003 Ready to Wear collection. During Phoebe Philo’s time as creative director!”
Ange Mariano
“While browsing Poshmark, a little bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot halter dress caught my eye, and I INSTANTLY recognized it. This wasn’t just any old halter dress; it was the same one Anna Faris wore in one of my favorite movies, The House Bunny, during the iconic scene where she strikes the famous Marilyn Monroe pose over the “manhole.” I wear this Betsey Johnson dress whenever I get the chance—dinner, parties, and even to one of my movie screenings. The best part? It was only $15! Thrifting is a reminder that one person’s cast-off can become another’s treasure, bringing new life and memories to something once forgotten.”
Micaela Cacho-Negrete
“I was browsing through a little thrift store in Oceanside, CA, when I stumbled upon a rare Gucci shoulder bag – it was at the bottom of the rack…not noticeable to the untrained thrifter.
The moment I saw it, I knew it was a dream piece, the kind of luxury item that seemed too good to be true. The price tag read $60, which was already an incredible deal. I asked the cashier immediately to buy it, and an even bigger miracle occurred she goes: “This has a stain on the bottom! I’ll give it to you for $30.” I was so excited… I couldn’t believe my luck. I quickly bought it, thrilled with my find.
This Gucci Pelham shoulder bag, created in the early 2000s, fits basically my entire life. It was one of the first luxury pieces I ever found thrifting, and continues to be one of my favorites of all time. It was a true treasure, a symbol of the thrill and reward of thrift shopping. I love it!”
Alex F Bailey
“My best thrift find (other than my thrifted/adopted cat Bea!) is a Tom Ford for Gucci 1999 dress with the original Saks Fifth Avenue tags. I found it for $9 in a Los Angeles Goodwill. When I saw that it was a 1999 Tom Ford for Gucci dress I ran to the cashier to buy it praying the cashier wouldn’t see the $500+ tag attached to the dress and take it back. The thrift gods smiled on me that day and I purchased the GUCCI dress that’s worth over $3000+ for $9. I've kept it unworn with the original tags on as a reminder that you can find magic in the places you least expect it – like on a Tuesday in a Goodwill in LA.”
Lydia Okello
“My best ever find is a tattered motorcycle tee. This unicorn tee was brought my way by a pal who picks vintage. It is so worn, comfortable and faded; it’s one of my most prized possessions. It’s a sibling to the same style but with a roaring panther, which I got about seven years ago when I worked in a consignment & vintage store. Back then, I was a picker, so I got first dibs. I always keep eBay & Etsy alerts for these tees! I’m watching some! Is there a better feeling than a perfectly worn-in tee?”
Bianca Lozano
“One of my favorite thrift finds is this red sweater. I found it for $7.99 at one of my favorite Goodwill San Diego locations. I love thrifting knit sweaters because they are always so unique, and I especially loved this one because of the single button and color. I love how simple this sweater is and how easy it is to style.”
Elle Mahoney
“Along with everyone else on TikTok I have been coveting the perfect suede jacket for autumn. Luckily, with the vibe being oversized and me being in my third trimester size didn’t present too much of an issue during my search. At this stage of pregnancy it’s challenging to find things I love and that will last past my pregnancy. This jacket did not disappoint!
Sourced from Vinted via the recommended for you feed, it was a steal at just £10.00 ($13). At a size 10, I wasn’t sure it would fit, but given the price, I thought I’d take a chance, and at the very least, it might fit after the baby came. Plus, it was Max Mara, real suede and was just uploaded, I couldn’t not grab it before someone else did. When it arrived the quality and tailoring MaxMara is known for shone through, I have one other Max Mara piece which I truly treasure and this suede jacket can now give it some company.
Styling wise I like to throw it over my favourite tonal outfits (the few that still fit!) to elevate the overall look and pair with my favourite brown leather woven bag and simple silver jewellery.”
Ivy Bitetti
“I found this vintage Tommy Jeans pinstripe jersey at a flea market for $30. I’ve been wanting to find a pinstripe jersey for so long. When I saw the pinstripes peeking out of the rack, I immediately ran to it. To my surprise, it was vintage Tommy Jeans. Fun fact: someone offered me $400 to buy it off me one night at a restaurant. (I declined).”
Find with Gem
Raf Simons t-shirt- striped long sleeve t-shirt
- Raf Simons
- 2000s Chloé leather handbag
- 2000s black leather handbag
- black leather shoulder bag
- Betsey Johnson dress
- polka dot halter dress
- yellow polka dot dress
- Gucci logo shoulder bag
- Gucci bag
- Gucci Pelham shoulder bag
- black patent leather boots
- 90s Gucci dress
- Tom Ford for Gucci
- vintage unicorn t-shirt
- bright red knit cardigan
- cross pendant
- Max Mara
- white linen pants
- brown suede jacket
- vintage pinstripe jersey