Now I get why people buy expensive sunglasses: they just look so much better than the cheapie ones. Like these purple Coach shades I recently thrifted at my fave new thrift shop, Canadian Thrift. They're just so substantial - and they're purple to boot!
Actually, I left them there for a day to think about it before going back and scooping them up. The owner told me today numerous folk have come in asking about them. Ahem.
Now I'm not an expert in detecting designer knock-offs - though I have rather quickly passed over what must be the poorest imitations of Prada and Burberry handbags in some thrift stores - but these glasses just felt right; they had wonderful detailing and a certain weight to them that just made me want to be all movie-star poseur. The lesson I'm choosing to extract from this latest thrift venture? Don't underestimate your gut when thrifting!
Do you have any tried and true tactics for detecting fakes when thrifting? Is it a gut feeling for you, or do you have extensive knock-off knowledge? Please share!
Since I only buy clothes and shoes, I don't pretend to have any experience in identifying fakes. I stick to retail for purses (for big labels) -- my hubby buys them for me as gifts, and I don't wear sunglasses, because I look awful in them. It's the uneven brow thing. I need plastic surgery desperately.
ReplyDeleteYou look fabulous and beautiful in sunglasses!
I agree that nicer sunglasses are so worth it. "Substantial" is definitely the right word.
ReplyDeleteBut I know very little about fakes! I buy my sunglasses at TJM and Marshall's when they go on clearance, like my Theory sunglasses I scored for $20.
I have an aversion to "labels". If it's of reasonable quality and I like it, I will buy it.
ReplyDeleteI know how curmudgeonly this sounds, but: I consider people who only buy "labels" simply victims of retail propaganda. End of rant. :)
No offense to anyone. And certainly not to you, Kelly!
Kris, my brows are uneven too - we are not symmetrical beings you know!! You are lucky to have a hubby buy you fashiony things - hope he brings you stuff you love!
ReplyDeleteThe Bohemienne, $20 for Theory sunglasses - deal!!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I'm not a big label hound either, believe me - in fact I hate the label-mania of our consumer culture - I find a lot of the coveted mass market labels are cheaply made and don't last, and I really don't go ga-ga for higher end labels (like Coach) unless I find 'em at thrift shops for good prices. If we're talking about label mongering here the ones I **really** covet are the ones I find in thrift shops that say "Made in Canada" or "Made in France" or "Made in Italy" - 'cos those labels mean they're well-made and usually vintage pieces!
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