Thrifty Thursdays: Review of 2ND Time Around.

Hello and good day to all my thrifters,

Today, I will be reviewing 2ND Time Around, an upscale consignment and thrift shop located in the Lenox Hill area of upper Manhattan.

First, a word of caution; we are embarking into pricey territory. abandon your budgets and savings accounts, all ye who enter.

With a multitude of locations in the Northeast USA, 2ND Time Around does high-end thrifting quite well.
2ND Time Around is fashionistas playground, offering some of the latest designs and styles from the most coveted designers, at a fraction of the retail price.
I will be rating 2ND Time Around based on five categories with two stars for each: Staff/Atmosphere, Variety, Uniqueness, Prices and Quality.
Overall, 2ND Time Around garners an impressive 8 stars because of it's "boutique" feel, ample selection of designer wear and impeccable quality of their merchandise.
Continue reading to find out why...

Staff/Atmosphere:  & half.
Upon entering the Lexington avenue location, I was greeted by a young sales associate, and a well lit and relatively spacious store.  Don't get me wrong, it's a small, single floor store, however, the amount of merchandise is balanced with the size of the space.The merchandise is arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner, with most of it being color-coded and/or size-coded.
A major turn-off for a lot of people when thrifting can be the feeling of "going through someone's else's clothes" which turns them off from it. Speaking from the perspective of someone very familiar with hand-me-downs, I've never really experienced that but even from that perspective, I can truly say that this store doesn't have a "thrift store" feel that tends to make some people feel less than pleasant.
For all the bougie (aka bourgeoisie) girls out there, this is right up your alley.
If you're bougie and you know it, clap your hands!


Variety:  
2ND Time Around boasts an impressive collection of high end designers but the sizes generally range from an size 0 to 10. I don't recall seeing anything above a 10. I'm 6-8 and a number of the pieces that I really loved where not in my size. If you're a 2-6, you'll have the pick of the litter at this store. Considering the surrounding neighborhood and the clothing selection of this location, the small sizes do not really surprise me but it would be nice if sizes about a 10 were catered to.

Uniqueness: 
Boasting awarded designers such as Philip Lim, Alexander Wang, YSL, Gucci, Prada etc., 2ND Time Around has very unique pieces that I guarantee you won't see anywhere else but in flagship stores or runways. You'll snag some of the hottest styles of the season.

Prices:  & a half. 
The prices reflect the neighborhood, and the caliber of merchandise available at the store. Most of the pieces start around $30, going upwards to $200-300 for clothing and shoes. However, there are constant sales at the store, with many of the pieces being 10%, 20% and 50% off. At the end of the day,  the prices are a bit heavy for a thrift store but for the kind of pieces you're getting, it's well worth the price. Fashion snobs and lovers would rejoice at the low, low prices for their favorite designers.

Quality: 
The quality is impeccable with many of the pieces still having the tags on it. All the clothes clean, fully steamed and pressed; showcasing every hand-sewn seam and carefully placed dart on these pieces.

Closing Thoughts

Overall,  I found 2ND Time Around to be quite commendable. 

This store caters mostly to more middle class thrifters; people that don't mind spending a few hundred on some very nice pieces that'll last them a lifetime. This isn't for everyone, and I definitely wouldn't recommend it for the more frugal thrifters because everything may simply seem too expensive. 

2nd Time Around is a playground for fashionistas looking to buy coveted deisgns for less, and people willing to expand their style horizons with well-made pieces.

Visit 2ND Time Around at 1040 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10021

Happy Thrifting!
Til next time.
Love & Light,
Rachel.