Today was yard sale day in Pomona Ca. So I buy a paper and see an estate sale in my area. There is a small sign saying estate sale.

I go in. Looks like very few items left. I look a the camera on a dusty shelf, ewww $110 for an old point and shoot. This doesn't look good.

I go into a back bedroom, and there are two racks of clothes. From the 50's, 60's and 70's. And they are a dollar each. WOW!!!

I'm excited. I buy roughtly 25 dresses, 2 slips, 2 underskirts etc... for a total of $37.00.

I think this is neat. I let the lady know that these are going to a loving home as I am a photographer.

They are size 10-14 so I might actually fit in them, but otherwise I can always pin them to the models.

ah-hem... I mean to fit the models

I go home. I start unpacking them. A funny label catches my eye. Alfred Shaheen master printer. I realise it does look hand printed on some sort of silk like fabric.

Ohhh.. wouldn't it be neat if this was worth like $20 or $30 dollars I think.

I go to the internet.

It isn't worth 20 or 30 dollars, apparantly with it being hand signed and all, look on the right hand hem, it is worth between $75-$150.

I start looking up the other dresses. twenty dollars, twenty dollar, fifty dollars.

than $150.00

a second shaheen dress--- crap

a 1950's plush dressing gown-- double crap

ok good good, we are going down in prices 20.00 here 35.00 there

Henry Lee: about 20

Tucker Grossman: $50--- eeep
and it fits... my 5 foot 8 inch 180 pound butt, it fits that

Nan Leslie rockabilly dress? Who knows? I hope less than $50

Vintage Henry Lee with jacket and belt....

1940's dressing gown, who knows?

1950's Lorraine slip: $15-30

1940's Seamprufe slip between $15-85

so here is why I feel guilt, I just paid $35 for wardrobe woth between $500-$1000

and it fits me
and I look good

Awesome for you! And don't feel guilty about it; like you said they are all going to a good home. Wear them and be happy!

  -P-

Good god, that's like winning the lottery!  Color me jealous.  Congrats;-)

Life is short.  Keep the elation and leave the guilt for someone else.

i absolutely love this feeling.

i find stuff in thrift stores every now and then that i know i can resell.
my most recent victory was finding a vintage Kentucky Wildcats jersey for a dollar or so, that ended up selling (on eBay, of course) to a japanese collector for $88. that's not a typo. he paid eighty eight dollars for this:

weird double post, so i'll just ramble some more

i also had a run where i sold three shirts for $20, $35, and $53 each. and they were probably only a buck or two too.

I have a friend that basically does this for a living. Buys things cheap at estate sales, flips them on eBay for 500%-1000% what he paid.

despite my lucky finds with these men's-sized tshirts, the real money in this is with women's clothing.
which is good for some, but it sucks for me because i don't know what i'm looking for. so i can't live off doing just this, but it's definitely a nice source of side-income.

I wish I had your luck.

seeing this thread again just reminded me to check my auctions.

I just want to see pictures when you start pinning these dresses to models..

*wicked grin*