Thrift shops can be overwhelming. It’s messy, there are hundreds of sections, and the prices are confusing. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Thrifting is cheap, fun, and helps the planet. I’ve been thrifting for about four years now so at this point most of my closet is thrifted. When someone asks me where a piece is from, my typical response? “Savers.” I love all of the hidden treasures you can find, plus it allows me to try out different styles and see what I like best. Besides, who can’t pass up a good deal?
I’ve collected my most helpful tips and put them here for you. Sometimes thrifting is merely about luck, but if you know how to do it right, I promise that you will walk out with something the majority of the time.
- Explore your options
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Don’t get stuck on the typical Savers. Now don’t get me wrong, Savers is my favorite place. But you have so many options. Something I discovered during lockdown is that you can thrift online. ThredUp is an amazing option because they have endless choices, have sales on top of sales, and you can shop by just your size. You probably have local thrift stores, too. You tend to find gems in your local stores like vintage pieces so I highly recommend checking those out. A lot of thrift stores in college towns will have a college student discount, so make sure to keep your student ID on you. Try what your town has to offer and be open-minded!
Fun fact: Did you know UH Manoa has its own thrift store?
- Have a plan
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Getting distracted won’t help you. I mean, one minute you’re looking at shoes and before you know it you’re taking a nostalgic walk down the toy aisle and crying over Pillow Pets. Some ways to help with not getting distracted is to set a time limit for yourself and have a list on your phone of what you’re looking for. Trying to find a babydoll dress? Then don’t look at the shoes. For me, I have a Pinterest board on my phone so that when I need to be reminded of my shopping list, I can just pull it up. It also reminds me that, *ahem*, I’m a college student and need to stick to my budget.
You’ll only complete your list if you stick to it!
- Look at more than just your size
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Some of my most prized pieces come from racks that aren’t even close to my size. Customers will put clothes anywhere as they’re deciding what they don’t want, so make sure you look everywhere. Plus, the men’s side always has better t-shirts than women’s. I don’t know why, but they just do. You’ll probably get strange glances from men, but check out their section! It might be time-consuming and tedious, but trust me on this.
If you find an item that you really love but it doesn’t fit to a T, then you have the option to get alterations or take it to the dry cleaners. You’ll have to spend a little extra on this, but I find that it’s always worth it.
- Dress for a quick change
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One of the most annoying parts about shopping is the fitting room part. That four-layered outfit: cute? Yes. Annoying? Even more so.
I’ve found that either wearing a dress or a tank top with loose-fitting shorts is the best method for getting out quickly. No layers, no skinny jeans, and no button-downs. Fitting rooms are already small and uncomfortable, plus that lighting? You don’t want to be stuck in there for hours because you wore something tight. This will also come in handy if your store doesn’t have fitting rooms; you can just slip on your pieces in the aisle to get a feel for them. It’s all about thinking smarter, not harder.
- Inspect your pieces
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You always want to look over your pieces before you buy them. Check for missing buttons, holes, strays, stains, and so on. Something that I tend to forget is to feel the fabric. Some fabrics look comfortable on the outside, but once you’re wearing it, it is the worst thing to ever be on you. It’s itchy, tight, and scraggly. If you aren’t able to try it on then at least feel the inside fabric against your arm. Hence tip #4.
You might be able to haggle or return it, but make sure you know their policy! Every store is different.
- Sign up for email alerts
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Yes, even thrift stores have sales days. Sometimes it’ll be a holiday sale or a random 50% off blowout day. Oftentimes these events will be emailed to you alongside some coupons. You’ll also find out the latest about your stores: if their return policy is changing, when restocking days are, and if they have specific discount days for the military, elderly, and college students. Your store might even do rewards!
Happy thrifting!