The truth about flea market shopping

Everybody loves a bargain. Who doesn’t? Why else do malls get packed to the seams the moment they advertise a mall-wide sale – gee, that word alone makes our wallets open on their own. After all, what can be better than walking out of a shop, your precious package tucked under your arm, knowing deep down inside that you got good value for your money?

Some people are turned off by the fact that flea markets showcase used goods or somebody else’s rejects. However, this isn’t always so. The fact that the prices of the items you find at flea markets and discount shops are slashed down does not automatically translate into items that are used, damaged, or of inferior quality. Even the ukay-ukay in Baguio has imported items with the tags still on, all sold at unbelievable prices. The last time a friend of mine was there she was with another girl friend and they chanced upon a pair of brand new J.P. Tod’s loafers that were selling for a song. Her size 10 feet were desperately trying to fit in the size 7 shoe while our other friend was desperately trying to either make her feet expand or the shoe shrink because it did not fit her either. They went home without the much-coveted loafers but with a booty of equally precious fashion items – and their wallets were none the worse for it!

Now that brings me to a fleamarket shopping truth: The treasures that you have and hold always are a matter of destiny than it ever will be a matter of choice. For in a mountain of hundreds (even thousands) of items there lie only a few must-haves that ended up there for you and you alone to discover. Or so you think – someone else close by may be under the very same impression. Grab it before she does.

Shouldn’t we be thankful then that we all have different tastes, different sizes, and different body types? Shopping tales of items being subjected to a literal tug-of-war involving two virtual strangers who happen to have the same object of desire are a dime a dozen. In which case, the one who wants it more is usually the one who gets to bring it home. Now who decides that is another question altogether. And that’s another story waiting to be told.

Meanwhile, let’s just focus on the gratifying aspects. What’s nice about flea market finds is that the pieces you discover are like diamonds in the rough, waiting to shine as part of a complete outfit. And you’ll only truly appreciate their beauty and potential as time goes by. It becomes even more fun when you mix and match flea market finds with expensive, branded items that you already have in your closet.

I, too, have accumulated my own treasure trove of flea market finds, through our travels here and abroad. Admittedly, some were impulse purchases that I’m not particularly happy with – I just bought them because I liked the idea of walking out with something that I could say I got a good deal for and not necessarily because they were my kind of thing. So instead of letting them gather dust in storage boxes I gave them away. On a parallel note, I also have chanced upon items that I know I will find hard to part with and wish I bought more of.

In London, for instance, there was this little shop manned by a middle-aged man from Kashmir very near the St. Martin’s Lane hotel where we were billeted. Boy, did he have the most beautiful hand-embroidered cashmere and pashmina shawls. They were a bit expensive and I had in mind to buy just one. Each day, though, as we would walk by his shop, I would find myself tempted to go in and minutes emerge with yet another shawl in my possession. Each day, I would get a different color. When I would debate whether or not to buy another one Richard would egg me on to just go ahead and get it because I may never find any other I would like as much. I admit, I obliged. The only saving grace, aside from the fact that all four pieces I got then have been constant traveling and movie companions, was that on our last day I saw a rack that was set apart from the rest – and on it were beautiful shawls in a delicate, almost gauzy fabric. The best part was they were marked down to a price that I felt was way below their value. Of course, I bought the two colors available. And not only have I used them as summer wraps, their flimsy, semi-crushed material allows me to wrap it several times around my upper body as a tube top held together in place with a brooch my mother gave me.

In Paris during our honeymoon, Richard and I were walking along the district of San Michel in search for the grenouille (frog’s legs) he was craving for when we saw a woman peddling accessories. I saw and fell in love with a black and white-embroidered and beaded fabric belt that I’ve used with an all-white or all-black top and matching pants. Again, it only cost me a little over P600 when converted. (I only remember the prices of the items as converted in pesos so that’s how I will be quoting them all throughout.)

Surprises spring eternal in Hong Kong where I found a P70 bag in yellow satin chinoiserie sitting all by its lonesome in a basket in one of the sidewalk shops in good old reliable Granville, hair accessories that only cost P30 and a navy blue cheongsam jacket, fully lined that I paid less than P1,000 for.

Bangkok is not far behind and my love affair with the city started with a beige embroidered shawl with flowers in pink and green that I got for P250, two pairs of suede shoes with ties that wrap around the ankle in camel and black (about P598 each only) and a black crocheted spaghetti-strap top fuchsia flowers scattered along the neckline and the plunging back. Pressed for time, we were no longer able to go to Chatuchak (who knows what wonders I would find there) but I was able to go to the Suan Lum Night Market and the tour guide was haggling for me a double-strand neckpiece made of chunky tourmalines that was initially selling for almost P12,000. By the time we were done poking the calculator, the price went down to P3,000 and of course, it was but right that I buy it. Maybe it also helped that they were about to close down for the night and probably wanted to make one more sale. When I see the prices of even smaller yet similar tourmaline neckpieces selling for at least P10,000 in some local shops, I am amazed at the amount I got it for. Still from Bangkok, a black all-lace evening bag with moss-green lining.

I also was able to buy from the Baguio ukay-ukay a pair of P25 shades that look decent enough – I take it to the beach only because I don’t want to lose any of my favorite Oakley’s should I leave or misplace it in the sand. Ironically, three years and numerous forays into sandy shores later, I still have them. Well, I guess I really do take care of my things.

In Australia at a quaint shop that sold whimsical and interesting odds and ends, I fell in love with a wooden jewelry box with an image of a woman completely handmade in real crushed gemstones. With an inner lining of velvet, it sold for only P980.

Finally, in a duty free shop in Clark Pampanga I found a huge yellow and green boxy carry-all that holds most everything. Wonder of wonders, it even unzips fully into a sturdy picnic mat. Perfect for mommies on a day out. I’ve also used it to lug around my crafting materials and projects and come Christmas time, I use it as my "inbox" (meaning, all the items that need to be wrapped go in there, only to be refilled soon as the last of that batch is done). Sadly, it was the last of its kind – I’ve never chanced upon anything quite like it anymore here and abroad. At less than P800 and all of four years of use, misuse and abuse it has held up better than expected.

Lastly, let me also share with you a doll that remains a favorite. I saw it when we were at Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. There was an old man peddling paintings and this chubby Chinese doll stared at me, looking happy but lost amidst a sea of still-life. I felt the urge to buy it but to my horror, I had no more Hong Kong money left for the day! Worst yet, the old man would not consider accepting US dollars! Tito Dougs saved the day and paid P210 for it. Juliana has attempted to give my little Chinese friend a shower once but thankfully his long braid is still intact. She has also tried coloring his white shirt numerous times and I’m only too glad that I was wise enough to not get her permanent markers. To this day, he sits by my desk, that is, if he’s not somewhere among Juliana’s other dolls.

I’m sure you have a wealth of items in your closet that were definite good buys, too. They may come few and far between but precious they very soon will be. All they are waiting for is a stamp of ownership. Have fun and do wear them with as much pride as you would more expensive pieces. It simply means you are a smart consumer. And hey, let’s be thankful that with the proliferation of bargain haunts to offset exclusive, designer stops shopping has never been this fun!