Pink sweater: Gap, but bought at the thrift store
White skirt: Thrifted
Velvet belt: Thrifted
Boots: Thrifted
- The most important thing about thrifting is KNOW what you WANT! Keep a scrapbook or inspiration board, if that's your kind of thing, or just keep a mental note of specific items you're looking for. It might sound crazy, but so many times I've done this and got the (basically) exact thing I wanted! For example, last summer LookBook sent out some email about espadrilles, and how they were all the rage, and I was like hey, let's get one! I went to the store and found some perfect Rocketdog heels almost immediately that were just my size, plus some shorts and a summery blouse that I was also looking for. On the other hand, sometimes you go home empty handed (pun not intended). This helps you avoid buying cute-but-otherwise-unremarkable clothes that you end up not really ever wearing. It narrows your vision so instead of hoping to find something you like, you are way more likely to! Narrow by color, shape, length, season, event, etc....
- Try on clothes! This might sound simple but I know some people who don't. She (won't name names) would find a bunch of clothes, take them home and THEN try them on. Most wouldn't fit, she'd try to give them away to her friends (nice, but still silly) and end up having wasted 20-30 dollars. I always try things on. Even if you wear a size 8 pant, and find really cute size 8, BEWARE! All companies have slightly different ways, and some clothes just don't fit the same. Also, the tag may be cut out and the clothes are in the wrong size section. Shoes are also a big one to watch out for, at least in my opinion. A lot of vintage shoes don't have a size listed, plus you want to make sure they are comfortable! ONE EXCEPTION: I have a Goodwill Outlet Mall by my house (HEAVEN but nasty) and they don't have a dressing room. Wear tight clothes that you can try clothes on over! You look silly, maybe, but it saves you a lot. Don't be a germaphobe, unless something is obviously dirty (if you have a GW Outlet you've seen some dirty stuff!). A rule my friend Madonna follows: Always check the pits!
- Have a budget! Some people go to thrift stores because they can't afford other clothes, but most likely you are not one of those people. So make a budget! Only bring cash! Whatever you have to do, do it. I could go in and spend hundreds probably, if I wanted to go buck wild (maybe not hundreds...) but would I absolutely LOVE every item? NO! Thrift stores have such a HUGE selection of stuff, for so cheap, it's easy to get a dozen mediocre t-shirts and pants. But it's also easy to get one dress that is absolutely the dress of your dreams, that you wear at least once a week! Having less money makes you think harder about what you're really willing to part with, and what you absolutely can't.
- Find a store you like! My city has literally dozens of thrift stores, some in high end, some in low end areas, some are creepy and some are very well cared for, some are big names and others are family owned. Some are even higher-end consignment stores. You can't go to every single one, looking for "it", you know, the piece you're "sure" you'll stumble upon. It's impossible! Maybe if you have maybe 5 stores in your area, you can, but probably not. For some reason or another, the Savers by my house always has pretty awesome stuff. No joke, I found a Betsey Johnson dress there on Thursday! NO JOKE! ( Can you believe I didn't buy it? See Step 1!! It just wasn't my style. Plus step 3, it was $50) It looks like just your run-of-the-mill thrift store. But en-contraire, mon frere! I always find something I like there (um, unintentional)! I also love it because unlike most other thrift stores in my area, they almost always have nice shoes. That is something that a lot of thrift stores lack. If your're new to thrifting, it will take a while, but find a place that consistently has nice clothes and shoes and you'll forever be happy!
