March Brings Bay Area Bargains!

This March the annual Oakland Museum Women’s Board White Elephant sale returns. What does that mean? Shopping. Tons and tons of guilt free shopping since sales benefit the Oakland Museum’s arts programs and exhibits.

The White Elephant is the largest rummage sale in Northern California, filled with amazing finds at great prices. The sale’s inventory has been stacking up for a year, so you’re bound to find something that catches your eye.

Luckily, I was invited to the January preview sale and can report to all Bay Area shoppers and lovers of a good deal, the sale is worth the trip. This was my first year at the event, which is similar in size to the Junior League’s annual “Greatest Garage Sale on Earth” at the Santa Clara county fairgrounds (also this March) <http://www.jlsj.org/sanjose/index.jsp> where a few years back I found a sharks jersey, a few pieces from Banana Republic, a cashmere sweater that is now the world’s most luxurious cat bed, and a marble stone rolling pin all for under $10. With these deals in mind, I was excited to see how the White Elephant would stack up.

I have to say, even among seasoned bargain hunters, the selection will surprise you. Come well-hydrated and ready to go, since you may find yourself spending all day perusing the 17 departments spread across one enormous warehouse. The collection of hats and purses alone could have filled hundreds of walk-in closets. For accessory hounds there’s a slew of jewelry (modern, vintage, and costume) watches, brooches, and more. The shoe section will not disappoint. I found a vintage blue Bottega Veneta pump with the signature weave design on the toe. It was a little scuffed but with some TLC the price was right at $8. Not to mention there was a vintage nude and black lace Christian Dior pump. An incredible find in good condition, but not exactly my style—I couldn’t get over the half-pointy, half-squared toe thing it had going on. If you love vintage and unique (if somewhat eccentric) designs then I wish I could have bought these shoes for you (for just $35). Other finds: a Marc Jacobs grey military inspired jacket and a North Face fleece coat.

Biggest surprise by far was that my favorite department turned out to be HATS! I went nuts, and bought enough vintage headgear to make the seller ask if I had my own boutique (I wish). I would post the pictures but I might ruin the surprise for a certain bride-to-be, since I bought these for a bachelorette party.

Whether it’s hats or comic books, art or furniture, everything was well organized and labeled. The fun starts March 5th and 6th from 10 am to 4 pm at 333 Lancaster Street, Oakland. Entrance is free. Follow the sale on facebook for updates and photos of the newest additions, as the Women’s Board continues to add new items up until the day of the sale.

Also, the Junior League sale hits the Santa Clara fairgrounds on March 12th and 13th. Let me know if you’ll be there! After Northern California’s biggest rummage sale, how could I turn down the planet’s “Greatest Garage Sale?”