All Over Albany

The Closet Shop in Delmar

The Closet Shop is a little more, uh -- upscale than the thrift stores I usually prefer to frequent.

Still, a trip there this week proved that if you're willing to pay just a little bit more, there are all kinds of good things to be found.

The shop itself is located in the cute little Four Corners part of Delmar that seems ridiculously quaint and village-like. The specialty here is women's and children's clothing, although there is a small men's section too. You'll also find some used books for sale.

Lately I've been really into accessories and the selection of shoes and purses here did not disappoint. I definitely dug these shiny red size 7 pumps for $15 and was shocked to realize they were from Jessica Simpson's line. Who knew? I also fell for these funky red-and-white striped mule type shoes -- size 10 and $10.

Actually, most of the stuff here seems to run in the $10 - $20 range. And while that seems a little steep for secondhand, I'd say the majority of the merchandise appears to be of slightly higher quality than say, Salvation Army. (Don't worry, I still love you too Salvo!) I thought this blue satiny Bebe top for $10 was also pretty cute.

Right now summer dresses are definitely the main focus and there are definitely some fun ones to be found, like this little pink and black H&M number and this stripey one - both $20 -- but there's a huge selection to choose from right now.

There's also a surprising number of bathing suits -- all of which seemed to be in near-new condition, in case you're wondering about the skeavy quotient. I liked this little tankini printed with cartoonish ladies.

This Anne Taylor Petites skirt for $20 also caught my eye.

And I definitely love all the vintage hats around the place.

The bottom line

You can get some really nice gently-used pieces here, but it's not as cheap as a thrift store. Expect to pay more than Salvo, but still less than brand-new retail. Many of the brands are of a higher cache and seem to be better made so I'm guessing that accounts a lot for the price. The accessories are especially worth checking out.