Thrifting Lessons from a Pro

You’ve probably noticed that nearly all of my  outfits include at least one thrifted item. 

Especially since spring and autumn are high shopping times for most of us, and present fabulous opportunities to hit the charity shops and score some fabulous, affordable, environmentally-friendly new duds!

1. Make time to thrift: Very few people can duck in and out of a thrift store in 15 minutes. Since you’ll be sifting through rack upon rack of poorly organized goods, allot yourself a chunk of time so that you can truly explore the bounty.
2. Try stuff on: Eyeballing it can be incredibly risky at a thrift store, so try everything on. My method is to wear leggings and a tunic or dress whenever I thrift. That way, even if the store doesn’t offer fitting rooms, I can throw things on in the aisles and make sure they aren’t horrifyingly unflattering. Try it all on, kittens, including belts and scarves.
3. Keep an open mind: Take a wishlist of items to keep yourself on track, but always allow the Gods of Thrift to throw a surprise your way.
4. Experiment: Does something grab your eye because of color or texture, but scare you off because of how it’s cut? Try it on anyway. Are you drawn to that zebra print skirt, but have no idea if it’ll work in your wardrobe? Try it on anyway. Don’t buy stuff that’s unflattering or wildly impractical, of course, but thrifting is the best possible place to encourage your style to expand. Clothing is affordable, relatively sustainable, and the variety of offerings is VAST. Branch out a little. I mean, why not?
5. Don’t buy it just because it’s designer and a bargain: Oh man, have I ever been tempted to snap up undervalued duds simply because I knew their true worth. But here’s the thing: Unless you’re going to resell on eBay, you should only thrift items that you love and that work for your figure. A $5 Max Mara dress is a waste of $5 if it makes you look like 15 hot dogs shoved into a tube sock. Use your common sense, and don’t be tempted by something just because it’s designer.
6. Are you a thrifting fiend? Any tips to add, if so? What do you love most about thrifting? If you aren’t into thrifting, what turns you off?