Are you a fan of thrift shopping? Yes? Then you know where it’s at. If not it’s ok, I absolutely get it. I completely understand that buying gently used (or sometimes new!) items second hand isn’t for everyone. For some people it’s the time they think that’s needed. For others, there is just something uncomfortable about buying anything that’s not from the manufacturer or original retailer. Or other reasons. I get it.
But you know what I get? I “get” all those second hand gems for myself. Like my latest find: an authentic Rimowa suitcase for a very cool $10. Yes, that’s correct, I paid TEN DOLLARS for a genuine Rimowa suitcase that retails for $500+.
Go ahead. Be jealous. And for those of you who aren’t jealous because you don’t know what a Rimowa is and are like “why do I care?”, Rimowa is an iconic luggage brand from Germany. They’re like the Mercedes- Benz of suitcases: beloved by celebrities, jet setters, and anyone who wants a sleek suitcase that won’t fall apart after two flights. For example, Rimowa is about to launch a collaboration with Dior.
As is evident by the big sticker prices, Rimowa luggage is cool but it’s also expensive. I like nice stuff but I don’t really feel like spending $500 on a suitcase. I LOVE shopping but I also cringe at the thought of spending a lot of money. Yes, I definitely like having my cake and eating it too (don’t you?). So enter thrift shopping: while I don’t want to spend $500 on a suitcase, I am more than happy to shell out a whopping $10.
I know you’re thinking “wow, that’s really great for you, but how are you going to help ME find this kind of stuff?”. Well for starters, you need to be willing to actually go into a thrift store or shop second hand. That’s really step one. Make time some time for a quick visit. For me, my local Goodwill in NYC is around the corner from my gym. So I motivate myself to workout by allowing myself to go thrift shopping if I visit the gym. It’s a two for one win.
I allowed myself a quick browse after a workout one night. I decided to check out the housewares section first and there it was, this red Rimowa. It was just sitting on a shelf among a bunch of other suitcases. I knew what it was from that iconic ribbed design. I was happy AF. Just finding a brand like Rimowa at a thrift shop makes me happy but when I pulled it off the shelf I saw the price: ten bucks. I had to try really hard not to look overly excited or silly while checking out, but can you blame me? A $500 bag for $10? You’d be happy too (don’t lie, everyone loves saving $$$)
One of my goals for 2020 is to do a little more travel so this is a really great find for me personally. I mean, ANY suitcase for $10 is a deal but a stylish and cool one for $10 is just icing on the cake. Regardless of what you’re looking for or have on your wishlist, you should seriously consider checking out your local market for second hand swag. You never know what you might find!
I hope that you enjoyed my story of how I found this cool suitcase and take this as proof of concept that it’s possible to have nice things and still have money in the bank. If you’re already a fan of shopping the secondhand/ resale then you get it (ah, my brethren) and if not I really hope this story inspires you to go outside of your comfort zone.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Thanks for checking out my blog: did you like what you read? Want to see a post about something specific? Comment below and let me know! Don’t forget to check out our Instagram page for more chic on a shoestring goodness!