We recently decided to get our thrift on by trying for a bargain clothes-shopping experience in Wellesley.

Our first stop was Second Time Around, located at 574 Washington St. Actually a consignment shop, not a thrift store, this was our most high-end used-clothing experience of the day. You won’t find many Gap or Old Navy labels in this all-women’s clothing store. It’s more of an Ann Taylor and Michael Kors kind of place. You can also find nice styles sporting labels you’ve never really heard of but saw at Anthropologie, so you know they must be cool.

The Schofield Elementary School moms have got it going on in their PTO-run thrift store, Shoppers’ Corner, located in the basement of the school at 27 Cedar St. We found the Banana Republic orange sleeveless top and a very nice pair of white jeans (pictured) for $3.00 each. They get their inventory of clothing for the whole family through either straight-out donations, which are tax-deductible, or by consignment. Shoppers’ Corner is open Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month, 10:00 a.m. – noon. Their half-price sale is Wednesday, June 1 and Saturday, June 4; their final blow-out sale before they close up shop for the summer is Wednesday, June 8. Grab a coupon here.

Next, comforted by the “Wellesley” in Newton-Wellesley Hospital, we dared to cross the border into (gasp) Newton and check out The Thrift Shop in the Alan-Riddle building on the hospital campus at 574 Washington St. I hit them on their big winter clearance sale day and things got a little competitive there when it came to the Giorgio Armani pants. Everything was 75% off, and their spring merchandise is moving in on Thursday, March 31, the one Thursday that the shop is closed in the spring. The shop, which sells clothing for the whole family and household odds and ends, depends entirely on tax-deductible donations and is run by the Newton-Wellesley Auxilary. Proceeds are used for the development of Hospital services and facilities. Regular hours during the spring are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

So the next time you’re tempted to buy a $100 t-shirt at one of the many fine boutiques in town, consider one of the lower-priced alternatives…they do exist.

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