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A Beginner’s Guide to Thrifting

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.

I’ve always been a fan of thrifting. My love of thrifting comes from my mom. I have so many memories of going thrifting with my mom on Saturdays. Through the years, thrifting has gained more popularity for multiple reasons, such as sustainability, affordability, and the fact that, overall, you can find cool pieces you won’t find in a normal retail store. I’ve been thrifting for a while, and I’d say a good percentage of my clothes come from thrift stores. Recently, a lot of friends have asked me about wanting to go thrifting and how I find such good stuff! Here are some of my tips for when you and your friends want to go thrifting!

One of my big tips when it comes to thrifting, is to have an idea of what you’re looking for. Usually, I’ll scroll on Pinterest for some outfit inspo, then decide which pieces I want to search for. I typically then create a list on my notes app to help me remember what I’m looking for. Making a list really helps me narrow down where to search since sometimes depending on the store, there can be a lot of racks to search through. For example, if I’m searching for denim shorts, I know not to waste my time looking through under racks I hit that rack first.

Here’s a pair of shorts I’d typically go for<3!

Since thrifting has gained more popularity, a lot of thrift stores have caught on! Recently, a lot of thrift stores have raised their prices, and although thrifting is cheaper than normal retail stores, it’s still coming out to be more expensive than it once was. Selected thrift stores have discount days, such as “pants half-off today” or “all seasonal items half-off today.” I’d plan accordingly to these discount days to save yourself a little cash!

Another huge thing that comes with thrifting is patience. You need to be prepared to go through every rack, because that’s how you find the good stuff! Something that can help with this is going to the thrift stores early in the day because that’s when they typically put out their new stuff. It could also take a couple of trips to the thrift store to find exactly what you want; again, it all takes patience. But it’s worth it, trust me!

A way you can make time go by is by having a great playlist ready to go. Because usually, the music played at the thrift store isn’t the best. Having great music in your ears can honestly get you more in the zone when it comes to shopping. I always make sure to never leave the house without my headphones!

I hope all these tips help you all when you hit the thrift stores! I’ve found success in using these tips, and I know you will as well! Happy shopping:). 

Crista is a freshman at NC State University studying Fashion & Textile Management. This is her first year writing for Her Campus, and she is very excited to learn from all her peers! Outside of Her Campus, Crista was a communications director for the club at her school Politics Acting Locally. As a communications director, she would manage the social media and alert students of upcoming events. Crista also served as a member of her school's Sexuality and Gender Awareness Club (SAGA). She would collaborate with LGBTQ+ students to create a safe place to play games, interact, and act to overcome difficulties. She also was extremely involved in her church by serving in the children's ministry program and youth group. In her youth group, she would attend weekly meetings. Helped plan youth retreats, mentored new youth, and volunteered at food distributions, and Covid vaccinations events. In her children’s ministry group, she would lead a group of children for Sunday School. Helped with crafts, AV support, taught Bible lessons, played games, and connected with kids one on one. Crista was born in Durham, and raised in Apex, NC with her older sister and younger brother. She enjoys watching shows, discussing fashion, shopping, listening to music, trying new restaurants with her friends, and writing. Crista is a huge lover of rock music, pop music, and alternative music. Some of her favorite artists include Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Arctic Monkeys, and The Strokes. Crista also loves to travel and has been to various countries in Latin America such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico!