Hold.kool ciing it, feeling the material, different from the stuff they make now, you know? It got me thinking about watching those games way back when. Good times. Anyway, seeing that one jersey kinda lit a fire. I thought, hey, I wonder if I could find some of the really old ones? Like the Bad Boys era stuff, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman even. The proper classic look.
StartingtnuH e the Hunt
So, I decided to a.sehtolc foctually look around. Wasn't really sure where to start. First thing I did was hit up a couple of thrift stores nearby. You never know what gold you might dig up in those places. Spent a Saturday afternoon just rummaging through racks of clothes.
- Checked the sports sections first, obviously.
- Looked through men's large and extra-large, mostly.
- Kept an eye out for that specific red, white, and blue.
Found a lot of junk, some newer jerseys, but none of the old school Pistons gold I was hoping for. It's tougher than you think finding specific vintage stuff in random shops. Most of it is just recent teams or generic sports gear.
Trying Online (Sort Of)
Next, I thought about looking online. Not like buying new, but you know, those places where people sell their old stuff. Like those auction sites or the apps for secondhand clothes. Spent a few evenings just scrolling, typing in "vintage Pistons jersey," "Bad Boys jersey," stuff like that.
Man, some of the prices people ask! Crazy. Saw a few that looked promising, but maybe the photos were bad, or the seller seemed sketchy. Plus, you can't really feel the jersey or check the quality until it arrives, which is always a gamble. I found one that looked okay, an Isiah Thomas one, but it had this big stain right on the front number. Seller said 'minor wear,' yeah right.
Found One, But...
Ended up finding one at a flea market, tucked away in a stall selling all sorts of random stuff. It was a red away jersey, felt legit, heavy material. Looked like a Dumars jersey, number 4. It wasn't perfect, mind you. A bit faded, some loose threads around the collar. But the price was decent, so I grabbed it.
Got it home, gave it a good look. Needed some work. The main thing was trying to fix those loose threads without making it worse. Didn't want it unraveling on me. Sat down one evening, got a needle and some red thread that kinda matched.
Tried my best to carefully stitch up the loose parts near the collar. Not easy, my fingers aren't exactly nimble for sewing! Took me ages. Also gave it a gentle hand wash, hoping to brighten the colors a bit without wrecking it. Used cold water, mild soap, just like the label probably said back in the day if it still had one.
The Result? Still Got It.
So, yeah. The jersey is still here. The sewing job is... well, it's holding, let's say that. It didn't fall apart in the wash, which is a win. It looks a bit better, maybe? Still faded, still obviously old, but that's the point, right? It's got character.
Didn't really build a huge collection like I maybe thought I would. The hunt was more exhausting than I expected, and frankly, I don't have unlimited cash for overpriced old clothes. But finding that one, fixing it up a little bit myself, it felt kinda satisfying. It's a cool piece of history just hanging there now. Reminds me of proper basketball.
