https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/dxyxvf/virginiafinal_-_12_17_22_535_PM7zd4y.mp3
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Virginia Chamlee is an author, artist, and thrifter who uses her brand, Big Thrift Energy, to share tips and tricks for finding the best items for the lowest prices. In today’s episode, we sat down with Virginia to discuss how Virginia got into thrifting, how to tell which thrifted items are valuable, thrifting for beginners, and items to avoid when thrifting.
First, we asked Virginia how she started her journey into thrifting. She told us that she’d gotten a passion for thrifting from her grandmother, who raised Virginia and started her own business buying and reselling furniture. Eventually, that business turned into a store run from their home. Once Virginia became an adult and bought her own home, she began thrifting herself and sharing her finds on Instagram. When she realized her posts were resonating with others, she decided to utilize her platform to help spread tips and tricks about the best ways to thrift. One of her tips is about how to tell if a thrifted item is valuable or not. A big part of finding the value in thrifted items is doing research on high-end brands. By looking into brands’ marketing and merchandising, you’ll be able to tell which items are from more pricey companies when thrifting. Markings such as artist signatures and stamps are another way to assess a product’s value. For material, if a product is made from silk, marble, or leather, then it’s likely higher end. We also asked Virginia what items in thrifting remain valuable over time, and she said that marble, nice woods, and the styles of boho and farmhouse tend to maintain their popularity.
Thrifting can feel like a daunting challenge for beginners, and to ease the stress, Virginia offered some great tips for getting started in your own thrifting journey. She explained how if you go into thrifting not knowing what you want, then you’ll end up either buying nothing or everything. Have an idea of not only what you want but what you believe others will want as well. Rather than going into it thinking only of what will sell, know your customer and base your finds off what you believe will appeal to them. It’s also important to find your niche so you don’t get overwhelmed by options. For example, if you’re into old fashioned books, then go to thrift stores and shops that you know you’re more likely to find that style of book in. When going to a new city to thrift, it’s important to read up on the location’s history to understand the most popular trends in their thrifting. For Detroit, it is a great place to find midcentury modern items. In Palm Springs and West Palm Beach, there are a lot of Hollywood regency style products. Places that are located near design schools are also likely to have discarded art and projects in thrift stores that are valuable.
When asked what a list is, Virginia explained that some estate sales will have something called a list, which guarantees a person that they will get into a sale among the first 25-50 people. People who do sales will either list it on their website 24 hours before or the morning of the sale itself. We also asked about auctions and whether or not they’re worth it for thrifting. While Virginia has found great products during auctions, she cautioned to be mindful when participating, for it’s easy to go out of your budget when bidding.
For things to avoid when thrifting, Virginia gave two important tips: never buy something out of your budget, and don’t buy an item that’s broken beyond repair, even if you love it. We also spoke to Virginia about thrifting clothes. She told us that from a young age, she’s loved spotting high end clothing items while thrifting. For clothing, it’s important to look at the material itself to figure out whether or not the item is expensive. Blazers and women’s suits are commonly higher end, for they were more in style during the 80s and 90s. A lot of thrift stores also get leftovers from estate sales, and by talking to employees, you can find valuable items that are higher end. Virginia herself has experienced estate sales when she and her grandmother ended up checking out a thrift shop while stuck in traffic. While looking in a back shed, Virginia ended up finding a trunk from a luxurious French baggage company for only $90.
Virginia’s book, Big Thrift Energy, offers Virginia’s perspective on thrifting and provides helpful tools to improve your own thrifting skills. When asked about what inspired her to write the book, she said that the idea came from her Instagram. She kept receiving comments from people struggling with thrifting, and since she had already been a writer for years, she decided to create a book to help others succeed. Finally, we asked Virginia about the best places to find her. She’s active on her Instagram, vshamlee, and also sells her artwork and vintage on chairish.com and art at Anthropology.
Virginia Chamlee
Virginia Chamlee is a lifelong antique fiend, professional writer and artist who has over the years amassed quite the collection of high-quality designer wares. With Big Thrift Energy, she shares all the tips you never knew you needed: how to shop for the good stuff, how to upcycle and style vintage treasures in your home, and even how to flip your most-coveted items to turn a profit. Plus, she’ll share her all-time best finds, from a Goyard trunk worth upwards of $10,000 (scored for $90) to a floor-length vintage Christian Dior cape, a $10 Goodwill find.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Bossa Bars
- [0:49] Guest Introduction
- [2:42] Start of Interview
- [3:51] How Virginia Got into Thrifting
- [7:15] How to Tell if Items are Valuable
- [9:15] What is Always in Style for Thrifting?
- [11:02] Thrifting for Beginners
- [13:15] Popular Locations for Thrifting
- [15:51] A List
- [20:45] Items to Avoid When Thrifting
- [22:07] Thrifting Clothes
- [23:50] Best Places to Thrift
- [27:06] Big Thrift Energy and Where to Find Virginia
- [29:17] Closing Thoughts
- [30:01] Outro
Useful Resources:
Big Thrift Energy I [https://www.bigthriftenergy.com/]
Virginia’s Art I [https://www.artfullywalls.com/artists/virginia-chamlee-361166]
Virginia’s Shop I [https://www.chairish.com/shop/themostest]
Virginia’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/vchamlee/]
Virginia’s Book
Big Thrift Energy I [https://www.amazon.com/Big-Thrift-Energy-Finding-Treasures-Plus/dp/1950968618/ref=sr_1_3?crid=119LX2TOLVBNT&keywords=big+thrift+energy&qid=1636325436&sprefix=big+thrift+energy%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-3]
TRY BOSSA BARS FOR MENOPAUSE AND USE CODE “HOTCOOL10” FOR 10% OFF AT https://bossabars.com/ !
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Can’t Get Enough? Find Us Here!
Website I [http://hotflashescooltopics.com/]
Mail I [[email protected]]
Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/hotflashesandcooltopics/]
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Twitter I [https://twitter.com/CoolFlashes]
Pinterest I [https://www.pinterest.com/hcooltopics/]
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