Bostonist Fashion: Thrifty Finds

Whether your New Year’s resolution is to clean out your closet or expand its contents, local consignment shops are a great resource for thrifty shoppers.

Second Time Around, with three locations in Boston, is a treasure trove of high-end fashion priced on an automatic markdown system—your discount is determined by the color of the price tag. As with all consignment and vintage stores, it’s better to go in without a particular piece in mind. And you must be ready to face the reality that you could fall in love with something unavailable in your size. Bostonist once spent 20 minutes staring at a pair of barely-worn Manolo Blahniks, trying to will them into becoming a size 8.

On the other hand, finding unexpected treasure usually makes up for any disappointment. A poor college student friend of Bostonist’s recently found a pair of $200 jeans for $26 at Second Time Around’s Charles Street location. Plus, the store has recently added a Backroom Bargains area (featuring 80% discounts) to its 176 Newbury Street location.

If you don’t find anything there, go across the street to The Closet, an aptly named spot packed to the rafters with clothes, shoes, and accessories. Be prepared to dig: racks are crowded, and to get a good look at the shoe displays you may have to get down on the floor. The prices tend to be a bit high, but there are bargains to be found—Bostonist once scored a pair of Isaac Mizrahi slingbacks for $45. (Bostonist has a bit of a shoe problem.)

Somerville’s Poor Little Rich Girl is a dramatically different shopping experience from the cramped environs of Second Time Around and The Closet. Named Best of Boston in 2007, the store is housed in a 4,000-square-foot space on Elm Street in Davis Square, and shoppers have plenty of elbow room while perusing the bargains. The store is split between recent fashion and vintage, and racks are well-marked and organized. Labels range from The Gap to Gucci and prices vary accordingly.

Post and photo of Poor Little Rich Girl contributed by Lyette Mercier. More on locations after the jump!