Thrifting Tips – I grew up deal-hunting as a means of necessity as a kid, so finding things that I can work with is basically second nature to me at this point. It’s not always that simple though, and depending on where you live, thrift stores can vary with quality.Some people aren’t really into the whole thrifting thing either; the smells, 80’s hits, and customers can be off-putting. It is surely a great place to people watch though, if you ever check out a sale at a thrift store, be prepared to see some elbows flying and hoarders buying massive amounts of plastic flowers and random gizmo gadgets.
If you’re not familiar, a lot of the clothes you’ll see are going to be low quality, outdated, worn, or ill-fitting. The secret to successful thrifting is to develop the right kind of eye. Speed is very important, many people who are shopping there are on the hunt, and they will have no problems getting all up in your personal space to look at what you’re looking at.
Tips for the budding thrifter:
-Check for promotions or sales, thrift stores can be prone to overpricing things that should probably be thrown away anyway, remember this is used stuff. Plan your visits accordingly, figure out a good time that you can get the newer stuff they put out, or a killer deal.
-Consider the location; is it in a better neighborhood or right next to a strip club? Although many chain thrift stores take in their clothes from various locations, it’s best to find a place that will have some good stuff.
-Wear something that you can be comfortable in, and try on things with ease. Sometimes the lines can get really crazy, so wear something you can easily slip a shirt or dress over, and shoes easily taken off.
-Be patient, and don’t go with anyone who isn’t prepared to do a lot of sifting.
-Get your smart phone ready. Have eBay or Google on your phone if you think you found something of value.
-Look through a variety of sizes, remember that back in the day, a size six was much smaller than what it is now, or if you find something you like that is a little larger, you can alter it or get creative with how you wear it.
Things to Consider:
-Condition. Is it stretched out? Ripped? Fuzzy?
-Fit. Does this make you feel self-conscious? It is it too tight or too big? What would you wear underneath it? Are you comfortable? How could you alter it, and would you ever get around to doing so?
-Brand. Is it a decent brand that will hold up with a few more washes? This applies mostly to newer cheap and trendy items.
-Would you wear this if it was new? If you were in a normal retail store, would you be attracted to that item?
-What would you wear with it?
-Would a friend like this? It’s genuinely a good practice to keep an eye out for something a friend might like if you’re shopping with a friend.
-Are you going to regret not buying it? More than likely, it will be gone next time you come back in, avoid thrift regret, but make sure it’s a worthy item.
