That cute purple dress!

Okay, I've been sitting on this post for a long while now so I am going to finish it now.

Two months ago, my PELUKA sisters and I decided to meet for coffee. While having our usual cup, somehow we got to talk about thrifting, and decided to spend our afternoon doing so.

There are not many thrift shops in Phnom Penh but our favourite haunt, so far, is the Japan Thrift Shop along France Street. Although the pieces were neatly arranged, the merchandise were not selected carefully. You really have to go through each rows of clothes, and with the heat, it could really get stifling there. But if you have lots of patience and an eye for details, it is worth spending time there.

It didn't take long before I found something - a cute purple linen dress with crocheted hem which I am modeling here. It still looks new, nary a trace of wear, and the tag (Dura Dura Momo) is still attached to it. Basically it's a perfect dress for our coffee and shopping dates! Was I so excited! I am not really confident about showing you my "voluptuous, er, rather very healthy figure" but I'd like to share my find anyway :)

One morning at Psah Touch

So what does a stay-at-home wife do when she gets bored?

I go thrifting!

It was my first time to venture at the thrift stalls at Psah Touch, about a kilometer away from my apartment. It was just quarter past 7am -- the husband already went to work and the dogs already walked -- I found myself feeling a bit adventurous that morning. 

Psah Touch, as the name suggests, is indeed a small market, like a talipapa in the Philippines. Every morning it is bustling with activity. When I got there -- 15mins brisk walk from where I live - I basked in the marvelous sights and sounds as I wandered around. After having enough of the sights and sounds, I quickened my pace and headed towards the thrift stalls. There were a dozen stalls, and some of them piled the second-hand clothes on the ground. There were a few mings (manangs or aunties) milling around, digging through the pile but not really into it. I wanted to tell them to go away because this serious hunter couldn't do her business if they're hogging the space. But no. There was a huge garbage dump nearby and the smell was really offensive so I left. I was planning to just go back home when the jeans section caught my fancy.

There were a lot of really good jeans in the pile! For only 3000riels (about 75cents) a pair, I immediately went to action... and I wasn't disappointed. After an hour or so, I found four pairs of jeans that I really like - and with a few snips here and there later on, they should fit me alright -yipeee!

From top to bottom: GAP curdoroy flare pants, Timberland straight cut jeans, Calvin Klein, at Baleno comfort fit jeans. All these four for 12,000riels ($3) - what a  bargain!

I was on my way out when I caught sight of another pile of clothes... mostly sleeveless tops. They're a  bit pricey for 2000riels (50cents) but still went digging and... voila!

Two cute sleeveless tops (a Hang Ten hot pink top and another top of unknown brand) and a Bossini front-zip sweatshirt. These are all great to wear at home. I could use the sweatshirt whenever we go about our early morning walks in Kep. 

Grand total of the day is 18,000riels, and that's about $4.50 :)

My friends and I will be meeting very soon for some thrifting adventure. I can't wait to see what's in store for us.

Why I love thrift-hunting!

Do you enjoy going to garage sales, yard sales, and thrift stores?

Do you get thrill in digging through piles of ukay-ukay (secondhand) items?

If the answer is a resounding "yes" to the above questions, then welcome to my blog!

I am just your ordinary girl, an inveterate shopper, and one of those newly-converted, insane bargain hunters. Yes, I am one of those hoi pollois, jejemons, or whatever you call us these days, who descend upon ukay-ukay shops everywhere in the city, seeking thrill in hunting items - from gadgets to clothes, to knick-knacks and odds and ends and what-have-yous. As a plain stay-at-home-wife with very limited shopping budget, I found myself excited at branded names inside a garment, accessories, furnitures, or decors.  Never mind the dust and the smell, you easily get carried away and there is never a case where I left empty-handed. There are good, quality finds if you only have extra patience and time.

To me, thrift-hunting is like treasure hunting and there are definitely no rules! Everything and anything goes but I tell you, get there early as you can armed with patience -- lots and lots of it -- and I assure you, you'll get the best selection and great scores.

This is where I will display my fabulous finds and scores from thrift stores to yard and garage sales. And if you share the same thrill with me, I definitely want to hear from you and see your finds, too. So please leave a comment and your blog links at any time so we could start a blog roll!

So here we go friends... I'm excited and I cannot wait to see what treasures will be coming up on this blog!