All the Luxuries of Thrift & Vintage Shoppingby: Deeandra Mitchell

Some people love the smell of new clothes, while others may merely enjoy popping tags off freshly purchased items. People appreciate new things for a number of reasons: Me, I enjoy the rush of finding something old, recreating it, and making it new again. I’m what many would call a “thrifter” or vintage Shopper. To me, there’s so much beauty in items of the past.
Most people would say that thrift shopping is not a luxury, I beg to differ. Being a thrifter or Vintage Shopper has many perks. I consider it to be more of a luxury than purchasing those new Jimmy Choo's for $800.

Thrift shopping is a form of bargain hunting. Who doesn’t love a bargain? The sense of achievement after scoring such great items at extremely low prices creates a great feeling. Once you're able to get pass the fact that a majority of the pieces are used hand-me-downs, the shopping experience can actually be fun. For me, the idea of finding good quality pieces at really low prices gives me a rush; you know, that kid in a candy store feeling, or like that fashion maven sitting front row at NYFW.
There are many different ways to achieve that thrift shopping experience. Of course the most popular places are the Goodwill and Salvation Army. In addition, there are also flee markets, neighborhood stoop sales and swap parties, where groups of people meet to swap things that they are no longer interested in. These are all great ways to thrift shop and acquire great hand-me-downs.

The old saying goes, ‘one person’s trash is another person's treasure’. So why not find some buried treasure in someone else's trash? You never know, you may discover diamond in the rough.

Usually the things we find while thrifting are made in mass quantities, but have just been scattered about. It's not unlikely for you to run across unique and low quantity produced pieces while thirfting. I've been one of those lucky souls. Some of my favorite pieces were found while thrifting and were also unique items that weren’t mass-produced.
Vintage Shopping, on the other hand, gives me a completely different thrill. Imagine finding a 15th century romantic style lace blouse made from the finest silk. You couldn’t put a price tag on such a luxury! It’s quite a joy, considering most lace garments today are made from synthetic materials.

Some people confuse vintage and thrift shopping. Vintage items are pieces that usually indicate a time period, but don’t hold a specific restraint on the article. The idea is to be able to use your findings throughout any decade and still be stylish. Vintage pieces are considered to be anything from the 1800 Victorian Era to the 50's, which is a debated topic by many. Retro pieces, which some retailers and collectors will still call vintage are from the 60's, 70's and early 80's.
In order to be considered vintage, the article is usually made in small quantities and is indescribably unique in comparison to what one might find while thrift shopping. So depending on your style, you might prefer retro items over classic vintage.

Some people shy away from vintage because of the large price tags that can be attached. Owning vintage pieces is a thriving trend. This has made prices for these particular items in recent years more expensive.

However, there are still some really reasonable dealers, where you are able to find some things moderately priced. Nonetheless, the items are usually worth every penny. Who could really put a price on being able to find amazing, one of a kind, unique pieces of clothing, jewelry, foot wear, accessories and furniture that'll never be out-dated?Vintage pieces can be just as celebrated, or in some cases even more celebrated than shopping in high-end retail shops. Since many of the items are so rare, it makes it almost impossible to run into someone with the exact piece that you've come to own; a factor that makes spending a little extra even more worthwhile.

As a New Yorker, I’ve come across many vintage shops. For me, they all hold special places in my heart. Here are a few of my favorite places to shop vintage in the city:

What Goes Around Comes Around
Beacon's Closet
10ft Single

Yes, I know, I’ve only named three. However, there are many more vintage shops where I spend endless hours searching for new, (well old in this case) loves of my life. I have to keep the others as secrets for now, but stay tuned, a few may be revealed soon.

Well don't be shy ladies, shop outside the box and enjoy yourselves. Revisit the past, mix a little old with the new and dare to take risks!

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Deeandra’s early obsession with her grandmother's shoes, bags and clothes has somewhat shaped her into an old soul. Drawing from the inspiration of old films of the 70’s, along with early black and white cinema, it wasn't long before she began to express herself visually, becoming a collector of small furniture pieces using "Gone With the Wind” as inspiration.

Despite coming from a legal background, having worked in Polo Ralph Lauren’s legal department, simply being around incredible clothes further fueled her love for fashion.

Be sure to follow all of Deeandra’s Fab journeys on twitter for the latest. www.twitter.com/Anniem5257