As the great Macklemore once said, “Can we go thrift shopping? What, what, what, what.” Oldie, but goodie am I right?!
I’m the person that loves the idea of thrift shopping, gets exciting by the idea of finding hidden diamonds amongst piles of cubic zirconium shall we say. Except I’m also the person that within five minutes of walking into Goodwill/Value Village/etc wilts like a dead flower. I feel overwhelmed and claustrophobic. If you’ve ever felt that way, keep reading! Below are my five tips for surviving thrifting :
1. TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR CLOSET
Before you even think about where you’re going to shop, find out what you have. When I know I’ll be going thrift shopping, a few days before I check out my closet and see what the state of the union wardrobe is. I occasionally find pieces I’d like to donate or try to sell which is always nice. But typically, it’s great to make a list of things that I want/need. It gives me some direction for when I actually go shopping.
2. PACK LIGHT
No, I know we’re not traveling anywhere. I used to notice that part of what made me overwhelmed while looking through racks of clothes was that 1) my bag was too heavy and in the way or 2) I would be wearing the most uncomfortable outfit that I didn’t want to change out of. Your purse should only have the absolute essentials – ID, Credit Card, phone. Also something super important? Wear a cross body. You don’t want to be using one of your two hands to hold your purse! Also, dress in something that’s quick to change out of. My go to is a t-shirt dress and loafers. It ensures I’m in and out of the dressing room in no time at all.
3. BRING A FRIEND
Bringing a friend on your thrifting adventure is an absolute MUST. You’ll need them to give you their honest opinion on what you’re considering buying. They’ll distract you from the fact that there are 3 million racks of clothes to look at. And of course, friends are just fun to have around!
3. BE READY FOR YOUR VISION TO CHANGE
In number 1 I said have a vision for direction. Okay, yes, that’s still true. But when you’re thrifting you never know what you might find. You don’t want to be so specific-minded that you pass up some gems that you have to have! One time I walked into Goodwill in Seattle looking for a black clutch I could use for going out. I ended up in the shoe aisle and found a pair of Stuart Weitzmans in impeccable condition for $10! Just because it wasn’t on my list, doesn’t mean I couldn’t have it!
5. PRICE ISN’T EVERYTHING
When I first started thrifting, I’d be blinded by low prices, and by the time I was pulling into my driveway would already regret the purchase. As my boyfriend likes to say, you may have saved X dollars, but you would have saved more had you not bought anything at all! Before digging into your wallet, think about how often you will wear/use the piece and what you will wear it with. If the answer is “I don’t know” maybe consider skipping it. Most importantly, is the quality. Are there stains (that may or may not come out), are there any major defects, is something missing (think sequins, rhinestones, pulled threads)? If the answer is yes, then seriously do yourself a favor and skip!
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