5 Thrift Store Tips
I've been thrift shopping for as long as I can remember. My mom used to take me to the Austin City Wide Garage Sale when I was a kid, so I quickly grew accustomed to the musky smells and organized mess that one thinks about whenever the word THRIFT comes to mind. Currently I would say about 80% of my clothes come from thrift or vintage stores, its a fun alternative of going to Zara, Urban Outfitters, or Forever 21, and it's eco-friendly too! You can also find one of a kind gems that will make you stand out and not get caught in the "wearing what everyone else is wearing" trap.
I know that some people don't like thrift shopping because they either don't know where to start or would rather have a curated selection of vintage finds. However, I'm here to tell you that thrifting is fun and easy!
Before I start with the tips, I want to tell you where exactly I thrift at. My main thrift stores I go to are Goodwill, The Salvation Army, and Value Village. These are major chain thrift stores and they have different locations scattered about major cities in North America. If you live in a small town or even in a different country than U.S.A. (where I'm based) don't fret, you can always find local thrift stores or second-hand shops near you. Simply Google your city and see what's the closest one to you.
Another way to find cool thrift stores is to plan a day of thrifting whenever you travel to a new city. I've found amazing white Levi's jeans in Berlin and a paisley printed jacket in Barcelona. In my experience different countries have their own chain of second-hand shops or thrift stores. It's also a fun souvenir that you can remember your trip by. Some cities I've been to that have amazing thrift stores are Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, London, New York City, Austin, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Budapest, just to name a few. But don't worry you don't need to be in a major city to find a thrift store.
I also recommend calling your local thrift stores to ask what their daily sale is. For instance, at Salvation Army they have half off day every Wednesday. I know that Goodwill has certain colored tags that are on sale, but it changes daily, so keep that in mind whenever you're planning to go thrifting.
Here are some tips to get you started in the world of thrifting! I promise these tips will make thrift shopping one of your new hobbies.
1. Start out by creating a vision board (in your mind, on Pinterest, or on paper) of what exactly you're looking for.
Creating a vision board will make your thrifting experience way less stressful and will make it seem like you're on a treasure hunt. I always have in mind what I'm looking for before entering the store. For example, right now I've been wanting to revamp my winter wardrobe so I found some outfit ideas on Pinterest for what pieces I've been looking for: an oversized blazer, black jeans, nice going out tops, etc. Personally I really enjoy using Pinterest for creating vision boards because you can just search exactly what images you're looking for. You can also collect some magazines and cut them out and paste them onto a poster board if you prefer that! I used to do this all the time when I was a teenager and before I discovered Pinterest.
2. Once inside the store start digging in one section at a time.
For instance if you're on the hunt for a band t-shirt, hit the men's t-shirt section first. The men's t-shirt section is usually where you can find awesome vintage t-shirts. If you're looking for more fitted t-shirts go to the women's section, but in my experience there is less to choose from and they're aren't as many graphic tees. Sticking to one section at a time will make shopping less overwhelming.
3. Try on the clothes!
A lot of thrift stores you can't return the item so it's important to try them on before buying. Also, if a store doesn't have fitting rooms don't be afraid to try stuff on over your clothes (you'll look silly, but it will be worth it in the end.) I found these jeans and they fit perfectly and I believe were only $5 at Salvation Army's half off day. I wouldn't have know they would fit so well if I hadn't tried them on. I also like to try on clothes that are iffy on the hanger, because you never know how amazing it will look on.
4. Don't be afraid to try new looks
The reason why thrift stores are so great is that no two items are the same and everything is inexpensive, so why not try out new looks? It's the perfect place to find trendy items and if you get tired of the clothes you can just donate them back to any local thrift store. I found this vintage fur jacket at a thrift store in Germany last spring and decided to get it because it was only $25 and I had wanted to try out the fur jacket trend but didn't want to spend a fortune. Thrifting is a fun way to change up your style or add a one of a kind piece into your wardrobe.
5. Wash your item!
It's important to wash or dry clean your new treasures, to get rid of the thrift store scent. I usually hand wash more delicate items. Some things are more difficult to wash, like jackets/coats so I just throw them on and have found no problem. Pictured above is me wearing a dress I got from Goodwill, freshly washed and happy to be worn on a sunny afternoon in Houston, TX.
I know that some people don't like thrift shopping because they either don't know where to start or would rather have a curated selection of vintage finds. However, I'm here to tell you that thrifting is fun and easy!
Before I start with the tips, I want to tell you where exactly I thrift at. My main thrift stores I go to are Goodwill, The Salvation Army, and Value Village. These are major chain thrift stores and they have different locations scattered about major cities in North America. If you live in a small town or even in a different country than U.S.A. (where I'm based) don't fret, you can always find local thrift stores or second-hand shops near you. Simply Google your city and see what's the closest one to you.
Another way to find cool thrift stores is to plan a day of thrifting whenever you travel to a new city. I've found amazing white Levi's jeans in Berlin and a paisley printed jacket in Barcelona. In my experience different countries have their own chain of second-hand shops or thrift stores. It's also a fun souvenir that you can remember your trip by. Some cities I've been to that have amazing thrift stores are Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, London, New York City, Austin, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Budapest, just to name a few. But don't worry you don't need to be in a major city to find a thrift store.
I also recommend calling your local thrift stores to ask what their daily sale is. For instance, at Salvation Army they have half off day every Wednesday. I know that Goodwill has certain colored tags that are on sale, but it changes daily, so keep that in mind whenever you're planning to go thrifting.
Here are some tips to get you started in the world of thrifting! I promise these tips will make thrift shopping one of your new hobbies.
1. Start out by creating a vision board (in your mind, on Pinterest, or on paper) of what exactly you're looking for.
 |
| My Pinterest Vision Board |
Creating a vision board will make your thrifting experience way less stressful and will make it seem like you're on a treasure hunt. I always have in mind what I'm looking for before entering the store. For example, right now I've been wanting to revamp my winter wardrobe so I found some outfit ideas on Pinterest for what pieces I've been looking for: an oversized blazer, black jeans, nice going out tops, etc. Personally I really enjoy using Pinterest for creating vision boards because you can just search exactly what images you're looking for. You can also collect some magazines and cut them out and paste them onto a poster board if you prefer that! I used to do this all the time when I was a teenager and before I discovered Pinterest.
2. Once inside the store start digging in one section at a time.
 |
| The Salvation Army men's section |
For instance if you're on the hunt for a band t-shirt, hit the men's t-shirt section first. The men's t-shirt section is usually where you can find awesome vintage t-shirts. If you're looking for more fitted t-shirts go to the women's section, but in my experience there is less to choose from and they're aren't as many graphic tees. Sticking to one section at a time will make shopping less overwhelming.
3. Try on the clothes!
 |
| Thrifted jeans |
4. Don't be afraid to try new looks
 |
| Vintage fur jacket |
The reason why thrift stores are so great is that no two items are the same and everything is inexpensive, so why not try out new looks? It's the perfect place to find trendy items and if you get tired of the clothes you can just donate them back to any local thrift store. I found this vintage fur jacket at a thrift store in Germany last spring and decided to get it because it was only $25 and I had wanted to try out the fur jacket trend but didn't want to spend a fortune. Thrifting is a fun way to change up your style or add a one of a kind piece into your wardrobe.
5. Wash your item!
 |
| Thrifted red dress |
It's important to wash or dry clean your new treasures, to get rid of the thrift store scent. I usually hand wash more delicate items. Some things are more difficult to wash, like jackets/coats so I just throw them on and have found no problem. Pictured above is me wearing a dress I got from Goodwill, freshly washed and happy to be worn on a sunny afternoon in Houston, TX.
Thanks for reading,
Kristina
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