How To Thrift: Thrifting For Beginners
I get a lot of questions about how to thrift or how I am able to find the items I do in a thrift store. The most common response is "I never find things like that." or "They don't have anything good in MY thrift store."... I even hear (which is a very honest response) "I just don't have the time or the patience to thrift.". If that last response is you, I can tell you right now thrifting is probably not for you! Lol. The thing about thrifting is it's a very time consuming hobby. It's like treasure hunting. Just like in life, nothing worth having is ever really easy to come by. It takes time, patience and a trained eye.
I have included my most recent video where you'll see live, hands on thrift with me examples and my top 10 tips for thrifting. However, I will list them below and a few things to note for reference...
A few things to note first:
If you are thrifting for the first time, DO NOT GO IF YOU ARE IN A TIME CRUNCH! Make sure you go when you have plenty of time to look.
Also keep in mind that most of the people you see cashin' out at the thrift store are either reseller's or pro thrift addicts & they go OFTEN. Most of what you see them hauling are the results of many many many trips to a variety of thrift stores.
Now that we've gotten the disclaimer out of the way let's get into my Top 10 Thrift Tips!
“Tip #1 : Go with an open mind BUT and idea of what you want. ”
Being in a thrift store, especially a larger one can be very overwhelming. Things are rarely sorted by size and most times it's just a cluster of categories thrown together. If you're lucky you'll stumble into a store that is at least color coded and sorted by tanks, shirts, long sleeves, blazers, jackets, dresses, etc.... That is typically how a Goodwill is sorted. Some are sorted only by color alone. So as you can imagine, when you walk in, where do your eyes even go??? EVERYWHERE! Lol. This is why it is important to have a goal in mind that way you can zero in on the sections that will hopefully produce the gems you're hoping to find.
Tips #2: If you are going for a certain vibe but don't know exactly which pieces you'd like, Pinterest is your friend!
We all draw a blank when it comes to style sometimes. Whenever that happens to me I always find that searching on a site like Pinterest gets my creative juices flowing. Even if I don't replicate a style piece by piece, the vibe of the over all look is what inspires my own creativity. So, if you find that you a drawing a blank try searching terms like "Thrifted Style" "Thrifted Fashion" or even "Thrifted Outfits" and you should get a ton of results to sift through. Pin your favorites! That way next time you DO go thrifting you have some pictures to look at and an idea of what you're going for.
Tip #3: If you have time, look through EVERYTHING! If not, Patterns, Colors and Textures will do!
Ideally you want to have the time to look through everything. But that is not always the case. When you find that you do not have as much time as you would like, try scanning the racks for textures, colors, and prints that catch your eye. You'd be amazed and some of the extraordinary pieces I come across by using this method alone. For example this blazer pictured! I used this technique and scored big when I found it! There is nothing like coming across a texture or print, only to pull it out to reveal this wicked design! So keep that eye trained. If it catches your eye then grab it!
Tip #4: Don't be afraid to try something on and think out side of the box!
As stated before... Clothing is rarely sorted by size in a thrift store. To come out with the REAL gems ya gotta think outside the box and completely ignore sizing. Even if it seems like it's too big or it won't fit you, try to think of other ways you can wear that item. This dress pictured above actually started life out as a Men's shirt in size 3X! I loved the print and thought to myself, "How cool would this be as a dress?". So I tried it on picturing a dress in my mind and what do you know?! It fit perfectly! So never disregard an item based on how it was intended to be worn. How YOU would wear it is the better question!
Tip #5: Know your brands and the size you are in those brands. For example: Levis Mom Jeans.
Levi Mom Jeans are probably the most thrifted item of 2016/2017 and I wouldn't even be surprised if it remained still the most thrifted item of 2018. However, they are also the most complicated jean to guess your size in if you're not already familiar. They do not run size wise like fast fashion jeans. They are very stiff and have absolutely no stretch at all! If you're wrong in your guess then you are DEAD wrong. Jeans will not pass go. You will not collect $200. They will not make it pass your thighs.... So when trying to thrift an item like this, you're going to have a much easier time if you already know what size you're looking for. This way you can literally run through a rack of jeans, grab ONLY your size and then try them all on. If you happen to be at a thrift store that does not have a changing room then your chances of finding a good fit are that much more likely!
Tip #6: Grail Pieces take time and everyone's is different!
Everyone has that one pieces they hop to find in the thrift store whether it the perfect Levis or that Guess Jacket. Mine was a long faux fur coat. I thought I would go into the first thrift store I saw and find it immediately. But the truth is it NEVER happens that way. These things take time and as long as you understand that, thrifting will be a wonderful, less disappointing experience for you.
“Tip #7: Unless you’re a reseller, only pick up pieces you really love! Not what you THINK you should love....”
It's easy to watch a thrift haul or 100 thrift hauls where people are picking up the same types of items and think you need them too. So you make a trip to the thrift store, pick up all of these things you THINK you need only for them to sit in your closet staring right back at you. This leads to my next tip but I'll get there in a minute... Having a closet full of clothes you don't know how to wear is definitely the opposite goal of thrifting. Therefore, one HUGELY important tip to remember is "Know your vibe and stick to that!". Thrifting is no good if you are not wearing what you buy. This leads me to my next tip.
“Tip #8: If you can’t wear it 3 different ways in your head then leave it behind!”
To prevent you from having a closet full of clothes you can't wear, try to picture at least 3 different way to style a piece. This really helps if you are on the fence about an item. MY rule of thumb is if I can't see myself wearing it to death then I just don't need it. This excludes special occasion pieces of course. But the point is, if you can't figure out at least 3 different ways to wear then put it back. You won't wear it. I promise.
“Tip #9: Pay attention to fabrics and quality more than brands!”
I know we all go into thrift stores hoping to score a basket full of designer pieces. I mean.... Who wouldn't right? But sometimes this prevents us from getting something really great all because we don't recognize the brand. The whole point of thrifting is getting amazing pieces without having to spend a fortune so you have to look at everything. Pay close attention to fabric compositions, stitching, design details and over all quality. This is how you will get those lasting pieces that stand the test of time AND your washer! Quality always outweighs brands. Some of my favorite brands to date are those that I can only find in a thrift store and I love that!
“Tip #10: DIY is your friend!”
Last but not least and definitely MAJOR KEY! DIY is absolutely your friend! I can't tell you how many times I have gone to the thrift store to purposely find something to alter. Just because you try it on and it doesn't immediately work for what you want, think of some other ways you can make it work. Are looking for that Brandy Melville cropped polo top but you don't want to spend the money? Thrift one and crop it yourself. Looking for the perfect pair of cut off shorts? Thrift them and cut them yourself. The possibilities are literally endless when you think about it. So don't let a few alteration hold you back. Chances are at the end of the day you'll pay way less altering something yourself than buying it brand new. AND do you want to know the best part? You'll end up with completely unique piece that nobody has but YOU!
Although thrifting can be very time consuming, the treasures you find are totally worth it! The thrift store is FULL of gems. You just have to know how to look! I hope my tips help you to be the best thrifter you can be! XOXO