All that glitters is as good as gold to those on the hunt for bargains

Smack in the middle of the chaos, Ashley Potoshnik stood amid friends, wearing a skin-tight, floor-length, purple- and silver-flecked fuchsia gown — over her jeans.

Potoshnik smiled.

"I can embarrass my boyfriend and wear it to prom," she said.

Hundreds of people descended on Goodwill's 23rd annual "glitter sale" on Saturday, some for the simple fun of dressing up. But the event also drew serious shoppers in droves: When the doors opened at 9 a.m., a few hundred women and men were waiting, eager to sort through the vintage fashions and designer formalwear Goodwill collects for this once-a-year occasion.

They came wearing leotards, jog bras and leggings under their clothes, the better for stripping down and trying on. Women of all shapes and sizes wandered around, some in nothing more than bathing suits and socks.

It was something else all right, said one male shopper, who works as a security guard and would not give his name for fear of being mocked by friends at work. He had already bought a tuxedo shirt and jacket, for less than $40.

Now he was hoping to try on some pants — but where?

"I'm trying to work that one," he said, eyeing the racks of gowns at the edge of the room. "If I can get that corner way over there."

Last year, the glitter sale raised more than $50,000 for Goodwill's job-training and education programs. It lasted one day, and sent about 1,500 people home happy.

This year, the event will stretch over two days. A replenishing of stock was planned for Saturday afternoon and another this morning.

There was the promise of designer brands such as Prada and Gucci, but those items appeared to be gone by noon. At Goodwill's urging, some shoppers arrived early, the first spotted around 2:30 a.m. Another wave showed up with chairs, tables and a coffee station at around 4:30.

By 7:30, Darlene Weston and her friends had arrived from Bellingham in a black Escalade with plenty of room for purchases. They make a day of it every year — leaving their husbands at home to spend a few hours shopping, then lunch with a view of the Sound.

At 10:30 a.m., Weston was making her third trip to the car, bags in hand. A self-described animal lover, she felt a little guilty when her poodle saw her loading the four mink furs into the SUV. But really, Weston said, the furs are a luxury she very much likes.

And at $39 each — what a bargain.

"I figure the critters are already dead, so it's OK," said Weston, 61.

Saturday, the sale was spread out over two rooms: the glitter room and the vintage boutique. Shoppers wandered quietly in the vintage boutique, admiring jewelry from the 1940s and clothing from the '70s. They handled gold-patterned pumps and looked at a framed photo of Richard Gere on the wall.

Around the corner, and past the long line at the cash register, lay a louder feast of sequin and sparkle. That was the glitter room, where rhinestones ruled — framing the faces of watches, lining the sides of belts, spelling out the word "sassy" on T-shirts. Racks of gowns were separated by color, from bright purple to bright blue to bright pink. Shoppers wandered around with blue baskets of clothing and shoes.

"It's like treasure hunting," said Lisa Shearer, 45, a volunteer for the event.

For all the commotion, there was a kind of camaraderie in the room. Strangers modeled clothing for each other. They explained to incoming shoppers where the line started, and where it ended, and how to get a ticket for the jewelry counter.

Brittany Schirman, 18, liked the whole thing so much last year, she decided to come back, this time with her friends in tow.

"I just remember this guy asking me to zip up his dress," said Schirman, recalling last year's sale. "Entertaining afternoon."

Cara Solomon: 206-464-2024 or csolomon@seattletimes.com