Thrift shopping has become very popular again in recent years. With the return of 90’s trends, thrift shops are a great place to look for vintage t-shirts, oversized flannels and a rad denim jacket.
The great thing about thrift stores is that each one is unique. You never know what you can expect to find. Also, you can count no one owning the same pieces of clothing as you. Nothing is worse than investing a lot of money on a unique piece, only to find out three days later that one of your friends own the exact same thing. Who wore it best is not a game we strive to play. If you are new to thrift shopping, don’t be intimidated. Here are some tips to make the most out of your first experience:
1. Keep an Open Mind: So many people walk into thrift stores with prejudice. Thrift stores are not for poor people! You can find great vintage treasures and unique decor for your home. The fact that it happens to be at a low price is just a bonus. Besides, shopping at a thrift store is better for the environment. Shopping secondhand reduces your carbon footprint.
2. Be Patient: Thrifting takes a lot of time, because there are so many different items in store. With new things being donated several times a day, there is not much time for organization. You need to take the time to search through the racks if you really want to find the treasures. After you go a few times, you will get an idea of which stores have the best inventory, which day is better to go and which sections have the best stuff to offer.
3. Don’t Be Discouraged: Because all of the inventory is donations, thrift stores are a hit or miss. You may go in one week and find ten things you fall in love with and the next week you may hate everything in the store. Don’t let that keep you from coming back and trying again. There is new inventory every week.
4. Try Styles That You Haven’t Tried Before: The affordable prices make it very easy for you to try out new styles that you’ve never tried before. Try out the latest trends that you’ve been seeing in the magazines or something that you have always wanted to try, but haven’t wanted to try bad enough to invest a lot of money into it. Plus, trying new things is part of the fun. Sometimes an ugly print shirt makes for a cute outfit and a good conversation starter.
5. Bring Along a Friend: You can always count on your friend to give you an honest opinion. They will tell you the truth if that magenta fur coat you tried on is crazy enough to work, or just plain crazy. Plus, they make the experience more fun.
