21 things I *didn't* buy at the thrift store

another window into the Florida secondhand market

My post earlier this year about everything I didn’t get while thrifting was one of my most popular posts of all time, and who am I to deny the people what they want!

I was back in Florida again for a brief time this month, and went to several different thrift and vintage stores—here’s a fun sampling for you of everything that caught my eye.

This was 100% cotton, and still had the tags on! I thought maybe I’d wear it in the summer and for working out, but the color wasn’t my favorite when I tried it on, and it was a bit too cropped for most of the regular clothes I’d want to wear it with.

This reminded me of a Rosetta Getty vest I’ve rented before (a pretty ubiquitous silhouette from last summer), but when I tried it on I was reminded why I didn’t hold onto that rented vest—this beige is just not my color, as much as I want it to be.

I would have lost my mind over this shirt (100% cotton, too!) if I’d found it while thrifting back in 2009, but it doesn’t really fit with the way my style has evolved over the last decade/decade and a half. I tried it on as a nod to young Eleanor, didn’t feel the pull that I might have felt at 19, and put it back

the version of Eleanor (wearing multiple different thrifted florals) that would have loved this shirt

I texted

LF

about this one, and got her approval (very important to me) but ultimately I didn’t feel like I needed this shirt (and when I looked it up, along with the other Guess shirt I found, they were from recent collaborations, rather than true vintage).

Same with this one. I also would have wanted to crop it, which would have messed up the proportions of the colorblocking.

I am not allowed to get any more rugby shirts!! This one isn’t quite as Playmobil-core as my other ones, but I can’t be looking like a schoolboy every day.

This was 100% wool and I wanted it to work so badly, but it was too small. No use in trying to squeeze myself into something that doesn’t fit—someone else will love it and be able to wear it!

I didn’t really want this shirt, but I did want to make sure I remembered this color combo. We’ve got the manzanilla olive green, the kidney bean red, and then a flash of raspberry! Now that I think about it… I have combined these colors before. Need to do it more often

.

Again, didn’t really want this (the silhouette wasn’t something I’m normally drawn to), but I did note that it was 100% wool (extremely soft and good quality), and from a brand that was featured in one of my first rabbit holes/deep dives: Kenar.

This was fine, but I couldn’t see myself wearing this green—felt too pastel/preppy for me in this specific style. But a good quality shirt!

This reminded me of an Everlane sweater of

LF

’s that I love! The tag had been cut out of this sweater, though, and I wasn’t positive that it was 100% wool/natural fibers, so I left it on the rack.

Another item that 2010 Eleanor would have gone crazy for. I think I would have still tried it on had it not been polyester/polyester fill. I love that the interior hanging loop is made from the floral fabric.

Another callback to a previous post, where I extolled the virtues of shopping for secondhand Denim & Co suede jackets. Not my color, nor did I need another one, but good to know they’re still floating around out there!

your next fall jacket is (originally) from QVC

This was just fun—real leather, some chain and snap closures in the front. Very briefly considered getting, but as someone who will never ever get on a motorcycle for as long as she lives, it felt like stolen valor…

Another rugby shirt. Good colors. Sigh.

This was cute, and 100% cotton! I didn’t need another sweater, and there was a little bit of staining that I don’t know if I could have gotten out had I decided to buy it. I think it was only $5—worth a try for someone else who does need another sweater and likes that style.

Ooooh. Sigrid Olsen for $5. Not sure what that brand is up to lately, but there’s definitely an Eileen Fisher overlap with a lot of their older stuff. The fabric composition on this was odd though… mostly nylon and acrylic. I’m a little sad I left it behind—it was well-made, and hung nicely, but ultimately I think I would have ignored it in my closet due to Sweating Concerns.

Why am I so drawn to the Fila logo! I liked these colors, but could tell that it wasn’t cotton, and the neckline was too stretched out to read as a true crewneck.

Butter yellow cashmere, y’all. Too small for me, but someone who is into stick-of-butter dressing and ballerina-core is gonna scoop that one up!

Love a 100% cotton sweater. This one looked a little stretched out, but if it had been the right size I probably could have reshaped it with wash and dry. And now I have a new-to-me brand name (Lake Harmony) to look for if I’m secondhand shopping for sweaters online.

I wouldn’t wear just because it’s nylon, but I love the way that fabric looks in a more billowy/trench-like silhouette, and the contrast collar is a cute detail. Would be a great light jacket over workout clothes!

Have you found anything good while thrifting lately?