Put This On

The Thrifty Gent has been running an interesting series of thrifting tips, and his latest is really great - it’s a few signs of high-quality clothing that are as useful for the new-clothes shopper as they are for the thrifter.

A Good Day’s Thrifting

After working every day for a few weeks straight, I took a few hours yesterday to pursue some hobby time. I hopped in the car and headed for the west side of Los Angeles to do some thrifting.

I live in East LA, where there are plenty of thrift stores, but precious little quality menswear on the racks therein. The reason’s simple - no rich people, no rich people clothes. There are some thrift chains that distribute across a region, rather than store-by-store, and there are always scores available everywhere, but the percentages are best in nice stores in affluent areas.

I ended up with the pile above. The Polo suit is older, probably from the 1980s, made in the USA, in a beautiful gray birdseye. Perfect fit and a very classic style, especially for a big tall guy like myself. I find myself drawn to Polo from the mid-80s and before, when it was inspired by classic styles of the 1930s and ’40s. The better-quality pieces have held up with time, as well. This suit will require a letting out in the waist and taking up in the sleeves and trousers, but both of those are easily done by my tailor. It set me back $40.

I found the pocket squares in the ladies’ scarves section of one of my favorite thrifts. It’s always worth taking a peek there - pocket squares are usually about 15 or 16 inches square, and scarves for women tend to be much larger, so it’s easy to spot the difference. Only one of the ones I picked up had a brand (also Polo), but all are great options, and they were only five bucks each.

The ties came from a Goodwill that’s been very productive for me in the past. The green striped one was the first I found - I spotted its Kiton tag from across the room. The rest are made by Paul Stuart (in England), Facconable (by Breuer, in France), Brooks Brothers Makers and Andrew of Milano. There was another Kiton, stained, that I left on the rack.

The trip represented visits to six stores, and I shopped at two of them. I spent a total of about $75 (plus another $15 on baby clothes, not pictured). Not bad for half a day’s work.

Q and Answer: Can I Get Bedbugs From Used Clothes on eBay?

Dwight asks: What is the risk of getting bedbugs from an eBay purchase and what are the proper steps to mitigate them?

The risk of getting bedbugs from an eBay or other second-hand clothing purchase is very small, but it’s not zero. It’s increased a bit if you’re shopping somewhere where bedbugs are more widespread, like New York City. Bedbugs prefer the regular blood meals that bedding provides, so they don’t travel much via clothing, but they can go without eating for quite a long time. If they end up in clothes, they can hang out for up to a year, waiting for snacking conditions to improve.

Luckily, if you’re concerned about bedbugs, it’s very simple to kill them.

Bedbugs can’t live in temperatures over about 115 degrees. So, if you want to kill any bedbugs that might be hiding out on a garment, just put it in the drier on hot for a few minutes. Expert recommend 15 or 20 to be safe, but say that even five or ten should do it. Dry cleaning will also kill bed bugs, so if you have a dry clean only garment, there’s no need to put it in the laundry.

Of course, cleaning second-hand clothes is good practice anyway. While some second-hand stores and vendors dry-clean clothing, some don’t, and dry-cleaning or laundering your new-old clothes will also eliminate the risk of bringing another terrifying pest into your home: clothing moths.

This is one of the prime thrifting seasons, as the folks who need tax write-offs have just dropped off their year-end contributions. I’ve been working furiously on the launch of my new public radio show Bullseye (you should subscribe now free in iTunes, by the way) the past couple of weeks, and I needed a break, so I headed out for a little thrifting yesterday to a few favorite spots.

I came home with a lovely tie by Gianni Campagna in heavy navy silk. I also grabbed the above: a double breasted blazer by Arnys of Paris. Arnys is a slightly eccentric haberdasher known for its unique Forestier jackets and beautiful printed ties. The buttons on this piece have their unique and jaunty logo.

Arnys clothes aren’t sold in the United States, so half the fun of buying the coat is imagining how it made it all the way to Los Angeles. It’s far too small for me, I should also note. I bought it because I couldn’t bear to leave it on the rack, paying a pretty penny for it. Sometimes, though, you have to follow your heart.

I have to admit I’m jealous of Will from A Suitable Wardrobe’s new overcoat. It’s absolutely stunning.

I live in Los Angeles, with no need for an overcoat unless I’m traveling. I do have two coats - a Chesterfield I bought at Bobby From Boston while attending a winter, black-tie wedding and a gorgeous navy polo coat from Capper & Capper, a celebrated but long-departed Detroit clothier. They spend most of their time, though, in a zipped-up covered clothes rack in my shed, along with my evening clothes and some out-of-season suits and sportcoats.

Will has all his clothes made for him, and this beautiful jacket likely cost him a pretty penny. If you have the budget, I would never begrudge such a thing, but overcoats are the one item of clothing I’d most suggest buying second-hand.

They really hit all the sweet spots for thrift or eBay shopping. They’re prohibitively expensive new - a good overcoat usually has a four-digit price tag. A number of classic styles will always be fashionable - Will’s coat above, for example, could have been made in 1945, 1965 or 1995 as well as today. Most of all, they’re durable, so it’s entirely possible to find an older coat in good condition.

If you’re a regular thrifter, you’ve probably run across a coat you love already. If you’re not, take a look at eBay. As long as you’re careful of edge wear - ask about it, it’s tough to see in pictures - and moth holes, there’s plenty of good stuff available. Shipping will likely cost you $30 or $40, but there are plenty of deals to be had for as little as $30 or $40. My own coats, both of exceptional quality, and both in exceptional condition, each cost less than $100, all-in.