Saltine x Rabbit Fur Coat: Across State Lines

two thrifters on their hometown finds

Today’s post is a joint newsletter between Kara of Saltine and RFC!

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Kara and I met on the internet over a decade ago, and met up for a drink shortly after she moved to New York. When her name popped up on Substack last year, I was happy to see her still writing (and so impressed by the taste, style, and ethos she’s continued to develop). I’m learning so much from her cooking and entertaining newsletter Home Food (I’ve printed out at least one of her posts!), and just as excited to see where she takes Saltine, her newer endeavor focused more on style and decor. As people who are both fond of a bargain and frustrated to see quality goods languish in thrift stores, we’ve proselytized for ages (to friends, family, and now our newsletter readers!) the benefits of shopping secondhand. Hopefully, this inspires you to revisit your own hometown thrift stores or to look at your local thrift stores in a new light.

Eleanor of Rabbit Fur Coat:

There’s one thrift store in Tampa (Sunshine) that I’ve been going to reliably for the last twenty years. Over that period, I’ve watched its selection and pricing evolve significantly. In high school, Sunshine felt like a gold mine—and in some ways it was, but my taste was also different (and perhaps less discriminating) back then. This is the thrift store where I got multiple fur coats (all for under $20), countless pairs of white pumps (did anyone else wear these in the mid-00s? the ones that all inevitably fell apart from dry rot, sometimes as you were wearing them?), and vintage fit-and-flare silk shirtdresses. I have a specific memory of a turquoise cotton pleated midi skirt with white polka dots that I thrifted there for a couple dollars, and would wear with a borrowed Yeah Yeah Yeahs tour shirt and a pair of those aforementioned white pumps, crumbling as I walked the halls of my high school.

In the last five to ten years, the women’s section at this thrift store has been inundated with Sad Polyester Fast Fashion brands (and more recently, with Shein), and it’s definitely become harder to find things made out of natural fibers (the silk button downs that once felt plentiful are now rare). The denim section is also pretty disappointing—I always give it a once-over, but I can usually tell on sight (and verify by touch) that every single pair on the rack has some elastane or stretch. Ten years ago, you could always find a couple pairs of jeans by GAP, Levi’s, Lee, or Calvin Klein, even if they weren't your size.

I’ve been mulling over a theory about the vintage timeline of a thrift store—from my (not necessarily super-informed) perspective, it seems as though the oldest clothing at Sunshine is usually about thirty years old. In the mid-00s, I remember seeing some fringe suede jackets, more mustards and burnt oranges, even a couple pairs of bellbottoms that I’m disappointed I only tried on as a joke. The selection turned just as I moved to New York in 2008, and when I came back to visit during college and the rest of the 2010s, it was more silk (and silk-feeling polyester), shoulder pads, dresses with matching fabric belts, and those godawful teacher dresses that made even your beautiful young teachers look sexless and shapeless. For the last few years, the oldest clothes I’ve identified there seem to be 1990s women’s casual wear—Chico’s, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne, etc. I’m curious if anyone else has noticed a similar timeline in their own local thrift stores!

Where I think Florida thrift stores in particular shine is in their selection of jackets, sweaters, fur coats, and menswear. My guess is that people move to Florida to retire, then realize they no longer need any of their cold-weather clothing. Or, when an old Floridian dies, their kids clean out the condo and just don’t want to deal with the clothes, or don’t have enough to make an estate sale worth their while. My friend Anna once found a roll of twenties safety-pinned to the inside shoulder of a cardigan at the thrift store. I can guarantee you that it belonged to an old woman whose clothing was tossed into a giant garbage bag for donation without a second look. Even if you have to sift through a lot more fast fashion these days, you can reliably find leather jackets, cashmere, wool, and cotton sweaters, and the occasional fur coat (though those seem to be overpriced in recent years; I think I got my rabbit fur coat for $15 back in the day). You can also always find Ralph Lauren button-ups and classic flannel shirts (again, you’ll do better in the men’s section—why are the women’s flannel shirts always fitted and cotton/poly blends?!).

On my most recent trip back to Florida, I went to both Sunshine locations (one in Tampa, one in St. Pete), a Goodwill in Sarasota, and two Red White and Blue locations in Tampa. For all of the things I didn’t come home with from my Florida thrift shopping, you can check out these posts. As for what I did come home with most recently, you’ll find that here—I’m singling out five particularly good items from that most recent trip below.

Jaclyn Smith black leather blazer, Red White & Blue, $8: The stuff of Pinterest dreams! I feel very lucky to have snagged this for $8! This is a silhouette that seems to be enjoying a renaissance (early 2010s leather jackets were more heavy hardware, fitted, All Saints motorcycle jackets; late 2010s/early 2020s were the heyday of the oversized bomber jacket; the sleek but slouchy leather blazer has made its return for the mid-2020s.) I managed to wear this a couple times in the June gloom, but I’m guessing it will stay in my closet for the next few months, giving me yet another reason to look forward to the fall!

Land’s End brown cotton sweater, Red White & Blue, $6: This is a color I love but don’t have much of. Cotton sweaters are a gift to the laziest and sweatiest among us! Yes, cashmere and wool are also natural fibers that don’t make you sweat as often, but being able to throw a sweater in the washer and dryer feels revolutionary. It reminds me of early Everlane, or the golden era of the American Apparel fisherman sweater.

Ellen Tracy red leather jacket, Red White & Blue, $8: I cannot wait to wear this. I’m envisioning it for slightly dressier occasions, and curious what colors you’d pair with it. Also—has anyone replaced a zipper pull? This is a minor quibble, but the zipper pull on this jacket is very shiny and long, and I’d like to replace it with something a bit smaller and more subtle.

The Limited off-white overall shorts, Sunshine, $5: One particular gift of thrifting is the ability to immediately designate an item of clothing as non-precious (an identity that newer/more expensive clothes can take years to come into). I think these are cute and would wear them in public. However, I spent less than ten dollars on them, I’m not a big fan of shorts, and I’m fine if they get absolutely wrecked. These can be park picnic shorts, tie-dyeing with my nieces shorts, art projects with my friends shorts, wall-painting shorts (lol—my husband will tell you that he has so little regard for my painting abilities that he declines my offers of help when this occasion does come around… it’s not weaponized incompetence, I swear!). I can only hope that one day they look as cool as my friend Kristin’s paint-splattered clothing does!

Aldo brown leather contrast-stitch coat, Red White & Blue, $10: This is an item that lets me imagine a new identity for myself yet also goes with a lot of clothes I already own (crucial!). I’m envisioning it on one of those crisp, sunny, early days of fall, paired with a floaty, long white skirt and some old Danskos I might bring out of retirement (aka the cabinet in the hallway) for the occasion.

Kara of Saltine:

When I’m asked by visitors where to thrift in New York, I always say the same thing: don’t bother. The thrift stores in the city are dirty and overpriced, and the prices at the vintage stores will be a shock to the small-town system. I do like Life Boutique Thrift on 5th in Brooklyn, and for designer consignment, there’s always Consignment Brooklyn. Otherwise, I save thrifting for eBay or when I’m out West.

I was in Idaho for ten days in early June, and my request to my sister was to go thrift shopping. While I usually pop into the antique store in my sister’s town, I haven’t done a full-day thrift marathon in a few years. In some ways, the thrift scene is much, much worse—lots of Shein and single-wear bachelorette T-shirts. The Youth Ranch has a little “vintage” section now? And much of it is not vintage? And they are pricing shirts at $18?

I was also surprised to see that Goodwill and Savers no longer have dressing rooms! The prices, too, were stupid. I skimmed the jackets there, but didn’t see anything good. I did a halfhearted look at the home goods section at those two, but only came home with a (rather nice?) Samsonsite piece of luggage for $20, so I could get my antiques and some of my grandma’s paintings back with my free checked bags (thanks, Delta).

The best discovery on this trip, though, was Deseret Industries. One thing about the Mormons… they run a tight ship. The stores are clean, well-stocked, and not overcrowded, and they also use these thin, uniform metal hangers that are easy to navigate. The prices, too! I felt like I was thrifting in 2010 again. I’m a DI head now.

Here’s what I found:

Eddie Bauer white long-sleeve shirt, Deseret Industries, $6: I have a superstition when shopping in person that if I don’t find something in the first 10 minutes, I won’t “break the seal” and find anything good. This is the shirt that broke the seal, thank god. Judging by the tag, I think it’s from the early 2000s, and its heavy cotton (100%) is nearly structural. They don’t make cotton shirts like this anymore! I’m looking forward to autumn to wear this one, styled with loose-fitting jeans and a Lands’ End boat bag, I’m thinking?

Black Sesto Meucci woven leather slides, Deseret Industries, $6: I had a cursory look through my sized shoes (7, sometimes 7.5) and didn’t find anything good. I was waiting for my sister and wandered over to the 8s and 9s, where these black woven sandals jumped out at me. Size 8 but fits me like a glove. They have a baby heel and dress up jeans perfectly for a dinner out.

Lands’ End gray button-up, Deseret Industries, $5: I’m not sure if this shade of gray suits my skin tone, but I like the looser (but not oversized) fit. I usually wear men’s button-ups, so it’s nice to have one with a little more fit.

Tommy Bahama yellow short-sleeve button-up, Idaho Youth Ranch, $14: I almost didn’t try this on on principle because I thought it was priced too high. I’m glad I did, though. 100% silk and perfectly oversized on me. I wore it to the beach the next day over my swimsuit. Chic!

Express cowl top, Idaho Youth Ranch, $10: This was new, I could tell, and seemingly never worn. I was right because I washed it and it shrank! I can still get away with wearing it, I think. Is this a safe space to say that Express kinda slaps? Lots of polyester, but in a good, drapey way.

Gold hoop earrings, Idaho Youth Ranch, $5: These were an impulse buy at checkout, but I could tell they were good quality. I’ve been wearing them often, and they don’t irritate my ears. I don’t wear much “gold” jewelry anymore, but I realized I like brushed gold.

80s earrings, Unknown, $5: I wandered into this spot next to the good antique mall in Nampa (Village Antiques). The “metal” is cheap, but lightweight. Is there any way to polish these, I wonder?

Also at Deseret Industries, I bought a white waffle long-sleeve ($3) to wear as winter loungewear. It’d be a great thermal layer, but lord knows I’m not adventuring in the cold. I also bought a Lands’ End black button-up shirt ($5), which I might donate because I realized it is giving Applebee’s hostess.

What have you noticed, good and bad, about your hometown thrift stores?

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