Some people go to an estate sale for furniture. Jessie Jolles, a fashion and style creator who posts as @ItsJessieJolles, goes for a feeling. In a long, playful show and tell, she says she “was bad” and went to an estate sale, and then she lays out everything she came home with, price by price. The first item sets the tone, a round vintage suitcase for 15 dollars that she plans to use as a purse.
The Suitcase Purse
She shows how the little round case opens on the sides and jokes that she is living her stewardess dreams. A vintage case like this one already looks like an accessory, and carrying it by its handle is a way to turn a piece of luggage into a statement. It is also a clever way to use something that would otherwise sit in an attic.
Found Money And A Slouchy Jacket
Next is a black slouchy sweater jacket for 80 dollars. She says she does not reach for black very often, and that the people around her freaked out when she tried it on. While she looks it over, she finds money in a pocket, wrapped with a tissue. “I’ve never found money,” she says, and she notes that it happened as she was talking. Later she says she also found two dollars. She counts the found money as her first win of the day.
Talking The Price Down
Her fur caplet was marked at 75 dollars, and she bargained it down to 50. “I am going to talk things down,” she says. She cites a documentary about style icon Iris Apfel as saying that bartering is respectful because both people feel good afterward. The lining is ripped, but she says the fur is good, and she plans to wear it to the opera.
Hats, Gloves And Trims
A colorful hat from Saks Fifth Avenue costs 10 dollars, and a pillbox hat is also 10 dollars, though she is not sure about it when she sees herself in it. She calls herself a glove woman and picks up a pair with a nature pattern and another pair for 5 dollars. She jokes about cobwebs on the gloves.
A fur trim piece with velcro could be a necklace, a headband or an ear warmer, and it costs 20 dollars. She was on the fence, but everyone around her talked her into it. “If everyone’s telling you to get it, you get it,” she says. A whole bag of decorative trims and gems costs 8 dollars, and she would have her seamstress sew them onto a cuff or collar. She also tries a sparkling mystery headpiece over the pillbox hat and files it as a project.
Jewelry
A floral necklace, which she also wears on her head, costs 25 dollars. She says she will start the trend of necklaces on heads, and that a man asked her if she was getting married that day. She buys a simple gold ring for a friend, saying her love language is hunting for other people.
At the jewelry table she sees a woman get in trouble for opening a bag. The estate sale rule, she explains, is to ask first and have staff supervise while you open jewelry bags. The woman handed it over, and Jessie took it. It turned out to be a rainbow chain that, in her words, has “a boing,” and she plans to put it on her wall. She also befriends the woman at the table, who says she loves a long necklace with a big gem pendant on her. It costs 15 dollars, and Jessie admits she told herself she had no long necklaces when she has 17.
Her summary is simple. “There is nothing like a steal.” She may go back this weekend.
How To Shop An Estate Sale Like She Does
Her haul is entertaining, and it also contains plenty of good habits.
Arrive prepared to negotiate. Estate sales often have set prices, but many sellers or companies are open to a reasonable offer, especially later in the sale. Be polite, ask once, and accept a no gracefully. Her own approach, a friendly counteroffer, brought 25 dollars off the caplet.
Check pockets. Her found money is a reminder to look carefully through coats, jackets and bags. Items sometimes carry surprises, though you should also be ready to tell staff if you find something important.
Follow the jewelry rules. Many sales keep jewelry in a controlled area. Ask before opening anything, and let staff keep an eye on what you are doing.
Try things on. Fur, hats and jackets look different on a person than on a hanger, and fit matters. Vintage sizing can run small.
Inspect the condition. She notes the ripped lining on the caplet. Check linings, seams, closures and clasps. Small fixes are fine if the price reflects them.
Think about use. A suitcase becomes a purse, a necklace becomes a hair piece, and trims become cuffs. Having a plan prevents clutter.
Set a budget. A pile of 5, 10 and 15 dollar finds adds up quickly.
About Fur And Vintage Pieces
Vintage fur is a topic that comes with some care. Old pieces may be fragile, so handle them gently, keep them away from heat and sunlight, and store them in a breathable cover instead of plastic. Rules about selling and wearing fur vary, and opinions about it differ, so it is a personal choice. Lined garments are cleaned best by a specialist.
Vintage hats from department stores like Saks are collectible, and a label inside the crown is a handy clue. The same goes for gloves, which are still affordable and can be cleaned gently by hand if they are not delicate.
The Joy Of The Hunt
What makes her post fun is how openly she enjoys the process. She jokes, she tries things on, she shares what she paid, and she asks for the favorite piece. Estate sales are full of objects with a past, and part of the thrill is imagining the events those pieces attended. She finds a suitcase for a purse, a jacket with a surprise in the pocket and a necklace for her hair, and she is already thinking about going back.
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