One New Zealand thrift store shopper celebrated after finding a striking couture jacket on sale for only $16 NZD — or about $10 U.S. dollars.
"Thank you, Salvation Army!" said the Redditor, sharing several photos of the find in the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls.
The first image of the jacket shows the one-of-a-kind character of the shaped garment. From its sharp lapels to its flared hem, it's made entirely of black latex, looking like something straight out of a movie.
The second photo is a close-up of the label, which identifies the designer as Atsuko Kudo. A Salvation Army tag lists the thrift store price.
With the brand information, this shopper went online to find the retail value and got a massive shock. The third image is a screenshot of the manufacturer's website. There, the piece is listed as an "Encounter Peplum Jacket" and is being sold for £733.33 — or about $930 USD, more than 90 times the Salvation Army's asking price.
This thrifter was incredibly lucky to make such a find — and they almost missed it.
"I popped out on my work-from-home lunch break and nearly turned around and went home when there was limited parking at the local Sallies," they said in a comment. "But I did a loop around and came back and squeezed in so I could run in for a 10-minute fix. Found this lovely thing … in the first minute; it was meant to be!"
It's not uncommon for thrift store shoppers to get incredible deals on luxury items. One thrifter found a Swarovski watch, another found a leather Roots Banff purse, and another snagged a Versace dress.
Even without these rare gems, thrifting is just smart. Secondhand items go for much, much less than the retail price, even when they're in perfect condition. The secondhand clothing market's value is estimated at $248 million worldwide and is only expected to expand. You can get clothes, housewares, furniture, and more for cheap — and keep all of these items out of the landfill, so you're helping the environment, too.
Commenters loved seeing another smart shopper score a deal.
"WOAH! This is such a dream find!" said one user.
"It is so beautiful … What a SCORE," said another Redditor. "Buy a lottery ticket ASAP."
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