Hi everyone, welcome back to second semester! It’s hard to believe, but there’s already only a month left until spring break, which is thirty days too many in my opinion. In the meantime, if you’re anything like me and need to take a shopping trip to break up the monotony of classes and studying, but you want to go to a store where you can actually buy clothes without stretching your college budget too far, I would highly recommend thrift shopping! There are some amazing places to find cheap clothing around Memphis, and with a little persistence you can find amazing, high quality pieces for those cheap prices as well!
Today I’m going to be taking you with me to my latest thrifting escapade at City Thrift on Summer Avenue. This has been my go-to favorite lately because it’s fairly close to campus and has an amazing selection of items. Here are my top tips for going thrifting!
1) Don’t Be Overwhelmed
When you initially walk into a thrift store, it can be a little overwhelming because of the copious amounts of clothing therein. It’s hard to figure out where to start, so it’s always best to have a plan before you enter a thrift store. A plan can range anywhere from making a list of specific items you want to find to just wanting to browse a few sections and see what you can find. Today, and most times I go to thrift stores, I tried to go in with an open mind and browse around the store as much as possible.
2) Pick Up Everything You Like
My number one tip when it comes to thrifting is to not take yourself too seriously. Something I had to learn when I first started thrifting is to pick up everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, I found even the slightest bit cute or cool because you never know what will end up looking amazing on you. Thrifting is not a time to be picky because of the diversity of choices; rather, it is a time to experiment with new styles or champion tried and true aesthetics. So even if you end up picking up 20 things, you can be sure that some of those things will look amazing on you.
3) Try On Everything. Every Time.
The biggest mistake I’ve made when thrifting is buying things (or not buying things) without trying them on first. It is imperative that you try things on when you thrift because most thrift stores don’t have great return policies (all sales at City Thrift are final, for example). And the worst feeling in the world is getting home with several purchases only to find that only some of them fit. So although it can be a pain sometimes, and thrifted clothing doesn’t feel the best on your skin, I would recommend trying on everything you pick up from the racks before you buy because it will save you a lot of time and money in the end.
5) Take Some Risks, But Not Too Many
Once you’ve found all of the clothes that fit you, you can narrow your options down to the things you actually want. If I’m ever on the fence about what I want, usually I’ll get it depending on how wearable it is. If it’s another flannel or grey t-shirt, I’ll totally go for it because I know I’ll get some wear out of it. But if, like today, I’m faced with the decision of whether or not to buy a pair of white shorteralls, I’ll probably strike them down because I wouldn’t wear them as often as some other wardrobe staples. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take risks when it comes to thrifted finds! Most of the time, I will buy something a little outlandish if I think I can pair it with at least one other piece and it’s cheap enough. And that’s usually what it comes down to; since most of the stuff is so inexpensive, it doesn’t really matter if you buy it and don’t end up wearing it because it was so inexpensive.
6) Satisfaction
Finally, once you decide what to buy, it’s time to purchase your amazing thrifted finds! I always get the most satisfaction out of my thrifted pieces because of their history and the imagination that sometimes has to go into styling them. They are more unique pieces that make me stand out and help express my true style, and they can do the same for you! Good luck on your next thrifting expedition, and I hope this tips helped you!
And remember to always be cute!