Woman bought a $13 dress at a thrift store — it turned out to be a Louis Vuitton piece worth thousands of dollars
Thrifting is the budding trend for fashion and cost efficiency. Many people are opting for thrifted products over new ones. While most people hope to find something unique and affordable, others are stumbling upon jackpots on their thrifting experiences. A 51-year-old woman, Kelly Cianciminio–who goes by @kelkellovestothrift on TikTok–was rewarded for being an avid thrift shopper by finding a treasure in the form of a dress for $13, per Newsweek. Cianciminio frequently purchases thrifted clothing, then revamps it to suit her styling and documents her skills on TikTok. She recently found a seemingly decent dress, but when she learned its branded history, she was stunned.
Second-hand shopping has been steadily rising over the last few years, according to a 2024 report from ThredUp. The market is worth billions and is growing three times faster than the global apparel market. It was noted that people resort to these purchases as a means to save money. Across all generations, over 50% preferred shopping for second-hand or thrifted items and would buy more if it has no sales tax. For many, thrifting is more of an experience and hobby rather than just shopping and saving, per Southern Living. Allison Bannister, founder of Antiques with Allison (@antiqueswithallison), noted, “Thrifting is always fun, but remember, if an item sparks joy for you, it’s already special and valuable regardless of the price tag.”
For Cianciminio, thrifting is a sustainable passion. "I love thrifting because I don't like wearing the same things that everyone else wears, so it helps me achieve uniqueness. At first, I wasn't so good at it, but then I got into my groove. Now it's become my obsession and I have found some amazing pieces," she said. Knowing the tricks of figuring out what items are worth thrifting, she was stunned when she spotted a cream shirt dress at one of the stores. She liked the look of it and when she felt the material, she knew it was of good quality. On further inspection, she was baffled to see a Louis Vuitton tag.
"I wanted to scream because Louis Vuitton is my absolute favorite designer. I couldn't believe it; this was special because I'm so obsessed with Louis Vuitton. I then searched it on Google and the print came up right away, so I put it in my cart immediately,” she recalled. Cianciminio decided to have a quick look at the mirror and went over to pay for it. She spent $13 on the dress and rushed home to find its original price. She was mind-boggled to find out that the dress originally cost $6,000 and was on sale for $5,472 at the time. "I love Louis Vuitton and it's my favorite designer of all time. It's kind of a surreal feeling," Cianciminio said.
She has exciting plans to style the dress and show it off in all the pomp and glamour it deserves. @ourcatparty said, “This is amazing, congratulations!” @jennyflipsforfunn remarked, “Excuse me, what? I would be dead on the floor.” @kelliesunshineboutique added, “I love this so much.” @anieee623 commented, “May this type of thrift luck find me.”
You can follow Kelly Cianciminio (@kelkellovestothrift) on TikTok for more content on fashion and thrifting.