In my previous post, I gave some tips on when to splurge versus when to save when it comes to shopping for clothes. Today, there’s another way to find cute clothes without breaking the bank: thrift shopping. I know some people are wary about thrift shopping because the clothing has been worn before (I used to think the same way when I was younger). But, there’s nothing wrong with wearing secondhand clothes! Because I gave thrift shops a chance, I have found some of the nicest clothes from big name brands for as little as $4! I’ve also found really nice items that were brand new with tags and all!
Here are some basic tips to help you get started:
- When you go thrift shopping, make sure you give yourself ample time to look through all the clothes the store has to offer. If you go when in a rush, you’re setting yourself up for failure, and you’re more likely to leave empty-handed.
- When you pick out an item, inspect it thoroughly. Most of the time, people give away clothes because they have outgrown them and want to make room in their closet, but there are still some people who donate items with stains or rips. You don’t want to pay a cent for that just because you didn’t pay close enough attention.
- That being said, don’t put back an item you really like just because the hem needs a little fixing. I once found a pair of J.Crew shorts at Goodwill with a loose hem, but I took them home and was able to fix it in a matter of minutes!
- Visit various stores. Gainesville offers plenty of places to explore the world of thrift shopping, such as Goodwill, Urban Thread, and The Salvation Army.
- This is probably the most important tip: Wash anything you buy before wearing it. You don’t know if these stores wash all the clothes they get, so better safe than sorry.
I hope you’ll give thrift shopping a chance, and these tips will help you get started! Since I began thrifting, I have found brands such as J.Crew, Banana Republic, Steve Madden, and more for a steal.