(Bebe is great is for petite women & a great on-trend fix. Got to watch out for the quality though, but at thrift prices...wtfcares? If that works for your body type (and your closet size), that is great. Knowing what brands work for you certainly helps you zero in on something in the endless racks. )

I'd say 30% of my wardrobe is thrift/consignment/vintage. I *love* the thrill of the hunt & the pride of being asked if I am a stylist (lol!) at the check-out line. I think the folks who mix it up in this way are inherently artists- they can see the potential in something & will use it in new & exciting ways. I often have wonderful experiences with other thrift shoppers; when you get to interact & ooh & ahh with them when they find something that is cool for them be it furniture or some cool tchotckie (sp) or some garment that is so obviously made for them. & you become Thrift Allies for about 20 minutes in the store before you move on.

I thrift weekly, mostly in my neighborhood which often gets the most amazing castoffs from wealthy san francisco socialites. Lately, the things I scan for are:

exotic glass, costume jewerly, vintage handbags in leathers or skins(with metal "feet"), wool coats (I have a vintage coat obsession), patina'd brass object d'art, plates, silk scarves, and objects with a certain creepy/old world/ macabre feel.

I also look for the tried & true fabrics such as camel hair, silk, wool, velvet & gaberdine. I have two good tailors (and a dressmaker) & I usually spend a couple of bucks per garment purchased having it tailored, ie sleeve length, hem line, tapered. I search for old fashioned quality construction & fabrics, sometimes for lux brands where that is assured (I am, however, not a brand whore), the proper style for my figure, flattering color, condition &, of course, the bargain.

There is nothing like getting a beautiful wool (lined) skirt for 5$, spending another $10 to get it tapered into a pencil cut & looking a million effing dollars.

I get great satisfaction for thrifting & I have a harder & harder time paying boutique prices on anything (well, except shoes) anymore.

taste, knowledge, style, grace, creativity understanding flair & fun are priceless

Okay, I find <I think the people who use thrifting as an excuse for looking crappy just don't have the joy of the hunt and aren't willing to persevere until they find the good stuff. > to be reallly snotty and condescending.
I am not a princess. I am pleased not to be a princess. To me "princess" = "high maitenance" and also "princess" = "snob."
I don't think I've said anything in this thread. I've found it rather dreary and far too focused on brand names, but okay, it's not me, I don't need to say anything, these women are happy and aren't hurting anyone.
Some people aren't princesses by temperment. And in this Golden Age of Self-Proclaimed Princesses it can be very hard to just say, "No, I have other things in my life." Some people are too busy to spend time "hunting" "persevering" and primping. So, you get the polite fiction (ala Miss Manners or Dear Abby answers to rude questions) "Oh, I don't find the good stuff at the thrift stores." One would hope that real ladies would leave it at that.