Seattle Goodwill Glitter Sale is a golden opportunity for fund-raising and fashion

For Kim Tingley and Shelley Deese, the annual pursuit of spangly, knee-high John Fluevog boots or a Nicole Miller dress at the Goodwill Glitter Sale is a girlie ritual that requires Red Bull. And a sense of humor.

The humor, they point out, comes easy when a 70-year-old woman in a leotard and gold high heels tries on dresses next to you.

The Glitter Sale, held at the Dearborn Goodwill, was started 25 years ago to draw more media attention to the nonprofit and has become a ritual for many Seattle-area bargain hunters. Employees cull donations year-round in search of "glittery" goods — shoes from Jimmy Choo, vintage dresses and jewelry or sequined anything — and put aside sparkly, outrageous and classic. The event, which last year collected $75,000, raises money for Goodwill's free job training and education programs.

"You get a lot of people coming for different reasons," said Goodwill spokeswoman Betsy McFeely. "It's the treasure hunt that keeps people coming back."

Deese and Tingley have been Glitter addicts for the past 10 years. North Carolina resident Deese flies in annually to visit Seattleite Tingley during the sale. Deese often calls Goodwill as early as September for a date so she can get plane tickets.

"As October rolls around," Tingley says, "we're like, 'A month and a half to the Glitter sale. We gotta get our glitta on.' "

On the lookout for glitter

In a backroom at the Dearborn Goodwill, rows of shoes are separated into silver, gold and black. Sharp-eyed shoppers could score Lucite heels. Across the aisle, racks are crowded with layered ball gowns, coppery cocktail dresses and classic black dresses. Designer labels claim their own space, and one wall is covered in clutches and handbags.

The Goodwill pricers who go through all donations are trained to keep an eye out for designer labels and vintage clothes as they come in. They set aside possibilities for Mary Lewis, the vintage-fashion coordinator, to look at. The Dearborn Goodwill, which supplies most of the Glitter clothes, gets probably a dozen vintage items a week, said Lewis.

Items from the 1920s and '30s are rare nowadays, but Lewis, who keeps up with trends and prices by shopping other vintage stores, still gets clothes from the '40s and '50s. Right now, shoppers are coveting the straight silhouette from the 1960s, and pair it with colored tights and platforms. But even the 1980s can be considered vintage these days, she said.

Some choice pieces are set aside for the Glitter sale, but vintage clothes also are put on the floor throughout the year in the "Fashion Focus" section.

"It's trendy," Lewis said. "A lot of young people are looking for it."

Employees have refined the massive effort required to pull off the sale. Originally dubbed "Sequins, Satin, Feathers and Beads" before it became "All That Glitters" then just "Glitter," the sale is restocked throughout the weekend. Numbers are handed out to people who want jewelry, and vintage clothes occupy a separate room. The store has crates for shoppers and bans shopping carts and large personal bags from the crowded aisles. About 100 volunteers will help throughout the weekend.

Thousands of shoppers will come through, and Goodwill is expecting more than ever at this sale because of the faltering economy. But at Goodwill, donations always will outpace the frenzy.

"You never sell out," McFeely said.

A strategic approach

Tingley and Deese have their shopping strategy perfected. They almost lost their car key their first year and for years resorted to tucking it into a bra. They show up an hour or so before doors open, Starbucks cups in hand, wearing tights or biker shorts and a camisole to make it easier to try on clothes.

A bag holds water, Red Bull and granola bars to fuel them through hours of combing through racks.

They usually split up inside, with Tingley in the shoe section looking for boots and Deese in the sweaters or hunting for a black dress. But it's best to go without expectations, they said.

People often barter for what you have in your hand. One girl who sang country music spotted Deese wearing a sequined cowgirl jacket and chased her down. They helped one girl find sassy dresses for salsa lessons. They recognize Glitter regulars.

"It's the thrill of the hunt, the rush of everybody just going for what they love best," Deese said.

They started going after Tingley moved here and heard about the sale. Both flight attendants at the time, it was an easy time of year for Deese to fly from North Carolina on an airline pass.

For the 25th anniversary, they plan to wear something they bought at the sale. It's just a matter of what. Tingley once regularly spent $200 to $250 at the sale, and still gives Deese birthday money every year to spend at the sale. Deese has at least six little black dresses from the Glitter sale, and often looks for classic, elegant pieces.

But Tingley's favorite find is her gold, knee-high Fluevog boots, which she bought for $9.99 a decade ago. She later learned she probably could get $500 for them on eBay. She loves searching for the wacky and unexpected.

"It's jampacked," Tingley said. "It's hilarious."

As they've gotten older, Tingley, 51, and Deese, 48, have become more particular, picking up more sophisticated clothes instead of going straight glitzy or glam. They sometimes watch and let others fight over the perfect black dress.

But as part of their ritual, they still put on one of their new finds and go dancing Saturday night.

"It's all about our friendship, absolutely," Deese said. "Everybody has that certain little something they do with their girlfriends. This happens to be ours. And for it to be the 25th anniversary, there's no way I'm missing this."

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com