I was raised on thrifting. Most Sundays (aka dollar day), my mom, my sisters, my friend, her mom, and I would brave Goodwill.
We would go hunting. We moved down aisles and sifted through racks to find something that caught our eye. We would fill up carts and then sort through our findings to decide which pieces made the cut.
The thrift bug has never left me. I love to thrift. I love the thrill of the find, and I love to save money.
I would say that 60% of my clothes and shoes are thrifted, and the ones that aren’t are mostly athletic gear and running clothes.
While thrift prices have skyrocketed, I’m so glad that thrifting is now considered a “cool” thing to do. When I was younger and going on my weekly trips, I remember snide comments from my peers when I would proclaim that my cute sweater was “from Goodwill.” (Of course, the newer and more trendy term is now “thrifted.”)
I am also never not astounded and disgusted by the amount of clothes in thrift stores and stores in general. We, as humans, have created so much stuff, and it’s reassuring to know that some of that perfectly good merchandise will have a new life.
I mean, prices are obscene for thrift stores but not insane on average. Do I think that a black t-shirt with a hole in the armpit should be $5? Absolutely not. However, there is still value in thrifting and buying second-hand, especially if you know where to look.
I mean, where else could I get a Brooks Brothers cardigan for $3? Or a new-with-tags Princess Polly top for $4?
The trick to thrifting, besides knowing where to go, is manifesting a thrift find. To manifest your dream thrift finds, you have to be specific. The item you want is somewhere in the universe, but you need to know exactly what you’re looking for if you want to find it.
One of my best finds was a pair of maroon Adidas Sambas. Only two nights before I found them, my sister and I exchanged pictures of the shoes and exclaimed our infatuation with them. Then, I walk into a Goodwill with my friend, and the first thing I see from across the store is the exact pair of beautiful red shoes in my size.
This is the magic of thrifting! Thrifting isn’t just shopping. It’s a treasure hunt that forces you to use your imagination. As you comb through clothing or knick-knacks, you envision each item in use.
What outfits can I make from this? Can I turn this into something else? Will this look weird with the sleeves?
The thrift bug is a unifier. People who have it always have something to do and talk about together. They possess a certain spirit about them that attracts one another – thrift girls are cool girls!
They aren’t above digging through a pile of musty clothing to find their equivalent of gold, and they are rewarded for it.