JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Floridians are not so used to the cold… So anytime there’s a decent stretch of winter weather like we’re currently experiencing, it’s not uncommon for retailers to see customers rushing through the door trying to find winter clothes.
“There is some left, but you kind of missed the boat. It was a while back,” said Karen Rochelle, owner of Rochelle’s Boutique in St. Augustine. “But these are the folks that live in the moment.”
Rochelle told Action News Jax that, contrary to what some may assume, winter is probably the worst time to shop for winter clothes from brick and mortar stores.
“We have winter, we push it off a little bit, but it’s available to come in as early as July. You know, that fall and warmer weather. So, we’ll start doing it in late August,” said Rochelle. ”But by the time we get to November, it’s looking spring. Now, it may be warm spring, something that will keep you cozy, but it’s not gonna be that heavy-duty, this kind of weather.”
But there are some workarounds.
Virginia Chamlee, thrifting guru and author of the book Big Thrift Energy, explained that thrift stores and second-hand shops aren’t beholden to the same seasonal cycles as traditional apparel shops.
Plus, you can find killer deals on top-shelf brands.
“And also, I think it’s a good idea to think outside of the box. I once found a really incredible, like 1950’s Christian Dior wool cape at a Goodwill for $10,” said Chamlee.
Finding something you like in the right size can be a challenge when thrifting, but Chamlee argued persistence is key.
“Often, if you’re looking for one specific item at a thrift store, you might have to go to multiple stores as were. So, it’s nice to find, like, sort of find an area of town. Like Beach Boulevard, for instance, has a lot of thrift stores concentrated in one sort of stretch of road, and then you can hit sort of as many as you possibly want,” said Chamlee.
Aside from thrifting or getting lucky in a store, online shopping is always an option if you’re willing to wait a few days for delivery.
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