Despite switching buses outside of my favourite thrift store twice a day it has been a while since I have been thrifting. This week I was able to make the time work and went in to explore however and was very successful. It has been over two months since I have pulled out my spring and summer wardrobe from storage and in wearing my clothes for that length of time I was able to see where some of my gaps are, with wanting more dresses or skirts the most.
Now every thrifting trip is different and some are much more successful than others, but I do have some tips to be able to make the most of thrifting, especially when like me it is your main method of getting clothing.
- Try on everything that catches your eye
It is rare that I don’t go to the change room with piles of clothing items and that is because I know that many of them won’t work, but it never hurts to try. If something looks interesting to me I put it in the cart. I can then evaluate further when trying things on and figure out what I like the most. Many things look very different on a hanger than on a real body so if I have any interest I grab it. - When trying on an item make a limit of how much you would pay for something
I look at prices when I am grabing the items to make sure they are way more than what I would spend, but then I don’t look at them again before I try it on. When looking at something that I like wearing in the mirror I think about how much I would be happy to pay for the item. Then, and only then do I look at the price and if it is the same or lower than my ideal I happily will get it. If it is higher I have to consider if that extra money is worth it to me. - Don’t buy something just because it is cheap/second hand, you have to love it
I have definitely fallen into the trap of getting things from the thrift store that I then donated back less than six months later because I didn’t actually love it. Even though the clothes are thrifted and it is better than buying new or from fast fashion, you should still hopefully be buying for the long term. - Have an idea of what you want
With so many sections to look through and so much to see it is easy to get overwhelmed when thrifting which is why it is always good to have an idea of what you are looking for to fill gaps in your wardrobe. For me I was specifically looking for dresses and skirts as well as I am in need of a new pair of black jeans. Since I know that is what I am looking for I go to those sections first and then check out the rest of the store, looking mainly in the right areas for the season (such as shorts and tank tops right now for summer). This will help you put your best energy into what you are looking for and then you can scan the other areas as desired.
Thrift Haul
Dresses
I will start with the most important section since this is what I was hoping to find. I was able to get two dresses on this trip, the first a blue striped dress that has pockets! and makes me just want to go on a picnic. The second dress is my favourite colour and will be great throughout the whole year by adding leggings or a cardigan.
Tank Tops
With summer pretty much here I always love tank tops, especially ones that I can wear at work and both of these will work. The first is a plain grey tank top that can be dressed up or down and the second is a blue striped one unlike anything else in my closet that makes me feel like I am on a boat.
Shorts
I was hoping to find some black shorts as I had to get rid of my last pair as they became too small and was not able to find those, but I was able to find some fun high waisted shorts that I am excited to wear this summer.
Shirts
Both of the shirts that I picked up will probably be worn more in the fall and winter, but I am still excited to have them. The first shirt is very similar in style to a shirt I had in the past, but I love the plainness of the shirt and the ability to wear it with a more coloured bottom. The last purchase was a dusty pink light sweater that I absolutely love the colour of and am so happy to have.
Do you like thrifting? What are your tips or most recent finds?
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