Just to set the mood, feel free to listen to my “Ballin on a Budget” playlist on Spotify as you read this blog post.
As a wise drag queen once said, I’m a cheap queen. (RIP, Chi Chi Devayne).
Through this post, I’m going to highlight a few of my favorite places to thrift including a brand new location to Central Florida.
I spent many days with my Grandma Edson cleaning out Goodwill racks or hitting up the clearance aisle at Pamida. It’s become second nature to go directly to the clearance rack at any given store before I look at anything else. My first date with Amanda was spent at a Goodwill looking for vintage looks for the 90s night at Orlando Pride Soccer.
Goodwill is the OG. The old faithful. Every thrifter’s standby. There are some obvious problems with the corporate structure of Goodwill and how it compensates its employees, but as a staple across the country it is easily the most accessible thrift chain. Walking into goodwill is a roll of the dice. I’ve found some real winners when it comes to vinyl and home goods, but it’s no longer the place I go to hunt for clothing. Depop and Etsy resellers have exploited the low prices of Goodwill so much that the savings are no longer available for items like brand name shoes or jeans.
It’s been odd going from a tax bracket where Goodwill is a necessity to one where it’s a pastime. Growing up in rural Nebraska, I can remember driving an hour to the nearest Goodwill and finding an electric blanket to get me through the winter. I wore “old man sweaters” in the early 00’s out of necessity. I’d love nothing more than to wrap up in one of those ugly Cosby/Chandler Bing monstrosities now that they’re back in vogue. Alas, I have worked hard and made it to Basic Bitch™ levsls of income that allowed me to be more discerning when it comes to my secondhand purchases. Which nicely segues into the next go-to store.
Plato’s Closet. I definitely had some reservations stepping into Plato’s Closet as an adult. My perception of Plato’s Closet was a fun place for teenagers to sell their clothes for some quick money. While that may have been the original intent of Plato’s, I’ve found many of my professional wardrobe staples at this consignment chain. The prices simply can’t be beat. I can spend hundreds of dollars at Target or Old Navy trying to fill my wardrobe with the same staples I can find 80-90% off at Plato’s. My favorite find has been an open weave blue cardigan that’s perfect for layering in my cool office without being stifling in the Florida heat. And I spent a whopping $4 on it almost five years ago.
A special silver lining for Plato’s Closet shoppers in the Central Florida area is the sheer volume of Disney returns. My budget has increased, but I still have a hard time shelling out over $50 for a seasonal Disney hoodie that I will most likely not be wearing outside of the parks. If you want to get your Loungefly accessories and Mickey jerseys on the cheap, definitely hit up the Plato’s in Kissimmee before emptying your Pluto piggy bank. Disney employees cull their wardrobe, sell to Plato’s, and Plato’s passes on the savings to you. It’s a winning combination.
The newest store I’d like to highlight is the one I’ve been looking forward to for nearly a year.
Out of the Closet is a chain of thrift stores created to fund treatment and housing for AIDS/HIV programs. 96 cents of every dollar spent in the store goes directly towards helping people living with HIV and AIDS. We were ecstatic to go to the store opening weekend. Everything is clean and well organized. I was able to nab a pair of Universal Thread brand jeans for the great price of $7. Amanda was able to get shorts in her size and some nice shirts. We also spied quite a bit of drag queen merch for those jonesing for a Detox tank top. We can’t wait to see what else this location will bring in the future!
Some honorable local mentions that are nowhere near us now: Value Village in Victoria, B.C. and Flying Worm Vintage in Omaha, Nebraska.
I’ve never experienced envy like that when Amanda took me to Value Village or VV Boutique as it is affectionately known. Value Village is everything Goodwill wishes it could be. Clean. Organized. Full of great finds. I have two staple sweaters and a beautiful vintage leather purse from the Value Village in Victoria. Sadly for me and my wallet, there are no locations close to us in Orlando.
Flying Worm Vintage is my favorite store in Omaha’s Old Market. If I’m spending any time in Omaha, I’m making to trip to get a new Lacoste Cardigan and check their selection of converse. They have an amazing selection of weird and wild finds.
Hopefully this has inspired you to find some wonderful vintage finds near you, and when you do please share them with us in our Facebook group, Two Wives & Their Dog!
Bredson Family 