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3 Thrifting Tips From a Devout Thrifter

  • charis chan
  • May 31, 2020
  • 3 min read

I get a lot of compliments and questions about my clothes, like where I find brand name stuff and how I manage to buy so much clothing for so little money.

I've been thrifting for about three years now, so since I was thirteen. I usually go every other week or so, to look for specific items or just to browse. I usually stay about an hour or two, with an exception of that one time that I was thrifting with my best friends for five straight hours. Thrifting is a satisfying activity when done right, so here are my tips to getting a good thrift haul!

Tip #1: Be Prepared

When you thrift, you're going to have a very wide range of items to look at and try on. So when you go thrifting, your outfit should be very basic, wear items that would look good with everything- I typically go with a simple top with no graphic, and jeans. This way, I have a good base for any pieces I'll be trying on.

Try to also have a list of what you're looking for or would like to find, thrifting without a goal is super overwhelming sometimes. I usually have a list of a couple items that I really really want, and if I happen to find something I like while searching for my pre-determined pieces then it's a nice surprise find.


Tip #2: Look Everywhere

Never count any of the clothing sections out! When I thrift I usually hit the following sections:

  • Boy's clothing

  • Lingerie

  • Dresses

  • Sleeveless tops

  • Denim & jeans

  • Skirts

  • Shoes

  • Activewear (bottoms, tops)

  • Men's section (jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, activewear tops and bottoms)

So some of these may be more suited to my own body type, as I am unfortunately only 5'3 and can fit clothing from the boys children section. But don't skip anything! It may sound strange to shop in the men's section for jeans but I find that they always have the best Levi's denim there, and luckily I can fit the smallest size of jeans in men's sizing. I also look through the lingerie section, not for lingerie but because usually the best bodysuits, tanks, and cute dresses are hung up there as opposed to the sleeveless tops sections. I would also say to go and hit the NEW RACKS. Thrift stores tend to wheel out their newest items on individual racks, and if you sneak up and breeze through them quickly you'll find the good items before anyone else does.


Tip #3: Don't Buy Everything

I have so much trouble with this one. I tend to really want everything I pick up, from crop tops to jeans, even if I already have seventeen pairs of denim at home. What I usually do to prevent myself from dragging home another pair of mom jeans is I ask these questions:

  • Do I have something the same or similar already?

  • How often would I wear it?

  • What condition is it in?

  • Do I NEED it?

Sometimes I admittedly ignore the last question, because let's face it, nobody needs seventeen pairs of jeans. However the first three questions are pretty important. If I can work with a similar item than I already have, I'd prefer to save my money for something that I don't have.

In order to check the condition of a clothing piece, there are certain telltale signs that indicate age and how well it has been treated. If there are lint balls and wearing around the seams or where the fabric folds i.e. sleeves, collars, etc, then its not in the best condition and would probably not last too long in your closet.

If you've gotten this far, I hope this was helpful! I honestly get a lot of my thrifting tips and inspiration from my favourite influencers like Bestdressed or Haley's Corner, if you're really going to be a serious thrifter I'd recommend checking them out. Thanks for the read :)



 
 
 

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