Yes, Every Single Item Shown in Our Book Was Thrifted

We visited more than 165 thrift, consignment and antique stores while putting together our book, ThriftStyle: The Ultimate Bargain Shopper’s Guide to Smart Fashion. We found incredible bargains in clothes for men and women, shoes, purses and jewelry, and then photographed them on real people – family and friends.

Roger and Sophia — Sophia Winnikoff wears one of the first items we found, a full-length Ultrasuede coat that set us back all of $3 at Central Thrift in south Los Angeles.

Photographer Roger Snider, known for his fashion work as well as high-visibility ad campaigns for the NFL, Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man in the World,” Pepsi and various TV shows — as well as calendars linking models and custom big rig trucks — was our partner on this project, putting in long days with assistant Kevin Pershin and hair/makeup stylist Jayme Kavanaugh. We shot in thrift stores, rented studios, makeshift studios and locations such as Trim 2000 and Journal Fabrics in the Los Angeles Fabric District and Boomtown Brewery in the Los Angeles Arts District.

Boomtown Brewery in the downtown LA Arts District was the backdrop for our wedding photography. Devon Near-Hill was our thrifted bride — in a $1,038 dress we found brand new, with tags intact, for $50.

Every clothing item was thrifted – except socks, leggings and underwear. (We have our limits!) We didn’t want to show unrealistic items like a great vintage piece we found 20 years ago for a song at a garage sale. Items were purchased recently, and we listed every price and store name in the book. So you can use the book as a price guide as well as a guide to repairing and embellishing secondhand items.