1) Have a Pinterest board for your style so you know what kind of clothes you want in the first place
A great way to start developing your style and understanding what you’re looking for before you even go to the thrift store is to look on Pinterest! Some keywords to look up right now are “Autumn Trends” and “Layered Style” for the upcoming cold season. Another thing that could be helpful in organizing your boards is to make categories titled ‘Summer’, ‘Winter’, ‘Fall’, and ‘Spring’, so you can update them with trends but also add to your basic style throughout the year. Pinterest (or other social media accounts like Instagram) can really help you map out and create a base for what you want your wardrobe to look like.
2) Do the proper prep
One of the best things about thrift shopping (despite the price and the fact that it is a more sustainable option), is that it’s an activity where you can spend a lot of time looking through the items. The downside of this, however, is that it does take a while to truly get the full experience and make sure you find everything you want and/or need. The best way to make sure you take full advantage of a trip to your local thrift store is to make sure you schedule time out of your day to go. If you can, give yourself a solid two to three-hour block to go during the week, depending on the size of the store. Also, if you can find information on when the store you are going to restocks, do that! You can go on that day or a day after, to make sure you have plenty of options to look through. Also, come prepared with hand sanitizer, and go over a list of what you’re looking for on the way there so it’s fresh in your mind.
3) Go up and down every aisle, just in case
Even if you’re not necessarily looking for a specific item, it never hurts to check out the aisles anyways. The great thing about thrift stores is the uniqueness of every piece of clothes you find. For example, let’s say you aren’t necessarily looking for a sweater that trip, but you go down the aisle and find one that is perfect for you! You would have never found that sweater if you had kept a limited mind and only looked in specific areas. (P.S., the men’s section is great for things like denim and sweaters, so don’t be afraid to check out those aisles too!)
4) Put things that you are considering into the cart or carriage
When you’re shopping, especially in thrift stores, it can take a while to decide whether or not you really want a specific item. Instead of standing in front of the clothing rack staring at it forever trying to decide if you want it, put it in the cart and come back to it later. This way, you can come back with a fresh mind and decide.
5) Change up the items you’re looking for Make sure that you are not only looking for basic clothing and you’re not only looking for statement clothing. You can build up your wardrobe over time, so you don’t have to get everything at once. Try and vary what you put in your cart between solid colors and patterns, basic jeans and colorful dress pants, etc. This way, when you put the clothes together later, you have some excitement and texture in every outfit, while maintaining a cohesive look.
6) Be sure to check out the accessories
Accessories can truly level up any outfit. If you’re stuck on what to wear or opt for a very minimal look one day, a few earrings and a necklace can make the outfit look really put together. At thrift stores, there’s a wide array of different types of accessories you can find. Make sure you don’t overlook this section and take a look at different belts, bags, or rings that might help inspire a whole other outfit.
7) Reevaluate what you have in your cart at the end (& put back what you don’t want where you found them)
At the end, it can be really helpful to have what I call a “considering session” with yourself or with anyone you might be thrifting with. Go through each item and decide whether or not you really want them. Consider whether they’ll be practical, comfortable, or if they’ll excite or add to your wardrobe in any way. If you find that a specific piece doesn’t really reflect you or you don’t like it as much as you did when you picked it up (which is very likely to happen in a span of 20 minutes) then put it back in the section you found it in!
