I love thrifting. I save money, find unique pieces, and am doing a part in helping the environment. It’s my most common form of shopping nowadays. However, every time I show a friend my newest find, they always respond with “how do you always get so lucky when thrift shopping? I never find anything!”. Well, it’s not always about luck. I used to also be “bad” at thrifting, but I’m here to tell you that there is a method to it. Here are my top tips to successful thrift shopping:
Patience
This might be an obvious tip, but patience is key! I used to only go to the sections that I was interested in (ex: dresses, skirts, and blazers). However, I now go through every section. And when I say every section, I mean every section. Yes, that includes the men’s section, but it also includes the bedding section. You never know where something could be hiding. I once found a Rag and Bone cardigan that someone left behind where they kept the bedding. It might be time consuming, but it is key to go through every section, and go through every item!
Buy Trendy Pieces Second Hand
I know we’ve all done it. Seen the latest trends on social media, and convinced yourself you have to buy it right away. Fast forward a few months (or weeks) later and that piece ends up collecting dust in the back of your closet with the rest of your forgotten clothes. Don’t get me wrong, trends are great! But that’s all they are… a trend. One minute it’s “in”, and the next, blog sites are saying it’s a “no no”. Instead of splurging and buying a trendy piece from a fast fashion company, save money, and the environment, and buy it from a thrift store! Believe me, fashion is a circle so you’re bound to find something similar. I did this with the knit vest trend a few months ago. I bought a hand knit cable vest for $4.99 and still wear it… but I won’t feel guilty if by next Winter it’s not something I reach for.
Don’t be Picky with Sizing
When thrift shopping, it’s rare to find a piece that will fit you perfectly. Therefore, don’t make the same mistake that I used to always do and only buy things that are my exact size. If you spend your time trying to find the perfect fit, you’ll waste so much time. I always like sizing up and getting something tailored if it’s required. Or, sometimes I own the oversized look!
Price Isn’t Everything
My number one rule when buying second hand is: If I wouldn’t buy it at full price, I’m not going to buy it just because it’s at a lower cost. The very low prices when thrift shopping can be super tempting. However, if you buy something, make sure it’s because you love the piece, not the price. A trick I always do is after I have found a few pieces that I love, I walk around the store for a few more minutes with everything still in my cart. Normally that’s enough time for me to decided whether I truly love the item, or it was just an in the moment impulse. It’s discouraging spending so long thrifting and not finding anything you love, but it’s a worse feeling buying something just to buy it, only to regret it a few days later.
Look at Off Season Pieces
As we are about to hit Summer head on, I can’t help but start to plan all the summer outfits I want to wear. I miss my flowy dresses, jean shorts, and open toed shoes. However, this is actually the perfect time to start planning my Winter wardrobe! I know, I don’t want to think about the cold weather that seems to have just ended, but it’s key when thrifting. Fast fashion only allows you to buy seasonal pieces, which leaves very little room to think about the future months. That’s when thrifting comes in. While everyone swarms the current season pieces, try taking a look at the emptier aisles. There are so many amazing off season pieces when thrifting, and you will be the first to get your hands on them! Then, when it comes to that time of year, your wardrobe is all set. If you do want to start planning for the warmer weather, check out Cassandra’s post on bathing suit recommendations here!
Well, there you have it, my top tips when thrifting. I truly love shopping hand so much. Whether that be on Facebook Marketplace, my local thrift store (Value Village is a person favourite), or good old fashioned garage sales, there are so many amazing things you can find!
Some of my photos for this blog are styled using pieces I found while thrift shopping. Can you guess what is thrifted and what is not? Let me know in the comments below!
