I’ve been
frequenting thrift stores since I was 14. Value Village was a block away from
my high school and my friends and I often ditched class to spend hours trying
on polyester dresses and sequined blouses with shoulder pads and would usually
walk out of the store with bags and bags of loot. Those were the golden days;
the fount of decent thrift finds was plentiful and, at least for a short while,
our obsession with cheap vintage clothing was funded by our weekly allowances.
By the end of high school our cherished Value Village as well as Tucson’s other
thrift store goldmines were getting picked over by out-of-towners who would
take our precious wares to Austin and sell them for ten times the original
price at vintage shops. My taste in fashion also changed and I started
preferring cheap and easy-to-shop-for Forever 21 clothes over one-in-a-million
candy-striped button-ups and puffy-sleeved party dresses. These days, my
wardrobe seems to be made up evenly of new apparel and Goodwill finds. I
recently found a fantastic thrift store buddy though, and I feel like I’m
reliving my high school days in some ways. I’m by no means a vintage expert,
but I’ve picked up some pretty good techniques over the years for making a trip
to the thrift store worthwhile. Here are some basic rules I follow when I’m in
the mood to hit up second hand stores.
Have an idea of what you’re looking for
Before I go
thrift store shopping, I look through my closet to get an idea of what I need
and what I have too much of. That way, I can keep an eye out for a specific
item I’ve been craving and avoid adding to my collection of high-waisted velvet
skirts (I honestly don’t understand how I’ve accumulated so many). It’s always
good to gather some inspiration before you shop. Look at your favorite fashion
blogs or the websites that you shop at and pick an item or two to look for. Is
winter approaching and you need a comfortable cardigan? Are you on the prowl
for a simple black dress? When you have something specific to look for, it’ll give
you a starting point when you walk into the store and start feeling overwhelmed
by the endless lines of racks and people pawing through them. Having a
direction to head in right off the bat will help you avoid feeling like you’re
wasting your time.
Donate often
I believe that
if you give, the universe will give back in some shape or form, so boost your
thrift store karma by donating your clothes on a regular basis. The process of
cleaning out your closet will help you gauge the types of clothes that
consistently get unworn and neglected, as well as help you rediscover some
items that you forgot about. If you start donating your clothes regularly,
you’ll find yourself buying less crap that will make you question your sanity
when you find it lying on the floor of your closet months later. It’s a win-win
for you and your local thrift store.
Try on everything
Instead of
debating whether you or not you love something while you’re looking through the
racks, grab everything that appeals to you and make your buying decisions in
the dressing room. Just because something looks drab on the hanger or not quite
your size doesn’t mean that it won’t look awesome when you put it on. Be
indiscriminate as you thumb through the racks and save your eagle eye for the
fitting room. You’ll probably end up finding something that surprises you.
Don’t fall in love with something before
you try it on
If you find the
absolute best article of clothing you’ve ever seen (and God knows you will),
don’t start planning your happy future together until you see how it looks on
you. Murphy’s Law dictates that you’ll find the dress of your dreams in one
size too small. I know this tragic situation all to well: everything about the
article of clothing is perfect, except for the fact that it won’t button up or
cover your butt or allow you to breathe properly. But since it’s the BEST THING
EVER and you never want anyone else to wear something as awesome, you decide
that you can tolerate the way it flattens your boobs into an awkward square
shape. You tell yourself you’ll wear it after you lose those ten pounds you’ve
been trying to get rid of. It’ll be inspiration, right? WRONG. Seriously, this
mentality is the #1 reason why so many girls have the cutest fucking things
hoarded up in the back of their closets that they never wear. If something doesn’t fit you, it isn’t
meant to be. You can do better things with it than never wear it, like put it
back on the rack and let someone else die of happiness when they bring it to
the fitting room. Maybe if we all stopped hoarding the best items in the thrift
store, we’d all find our perfect clothing matches more often.
If you can’t decide whether to buy
something, give it some time
Sometimes after
trying an item on, you still can’t decide whether to dish out the cash for it.
Maybe the price is higher than you’d like or there is a small stain in the
fabric. Maybe it’s amazingly flashy and incredible but you’re not sure if it’s
quite your style. Even if the article of clothing is $1.99, it can be tough to
resolve to purchase something if you aren’t fully sold on it. If you’re unsure,
walk around with the item. Look at other racks and knick-knacks, and eventually
work your way back to the fitting room and put it on one last time. As you try
it on, imagine what you already have in your wardrobe that you’d pair it with.
Does it need a belt or blazer over it? What is it missing that’s preventing you
from loving it? If you’re shopping with a friend, ask her to try it on. You
might just need to see it on someone else to realize how awesome it is. If you
still can’t decide, imagine how you’d feel if you put it back on the rack and
left it. Would you come back to the store fifteen minutes later and frantically
search for it? Would you be upset if someone else picked it up and bought it?
If not, fuck it. Don’t buy something you don’t want or need. You can buy a beer
with the money you save. Although thrift store finds feel like one in a
million, there are plenty of items out there that you’ll love. You just need to
find them.
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