7 Secrets of Expert Thrifters - how to have successful thrift shopping trips
Thifting, consignment shopping, vintage shopping, or whatever you like to call it, is a trend that's been picking up a lot of steam in the last few years, and thankfully so! I like to think all the hours I spent as a child scouring the Sally Ann for something cool were a well spent investment into my future as an avid thrifter...and I believe they were! I now consider myself pretty dangin good (dare I say an expert?) at finding steals and deals at vintage and thrift shops, and on figuring out which shops hold the best used goods for the best prices.Here are some of my most helpful hints for you, so you can up your vintage shopping game. Enjoy!
Give yourself time. In many instances I have walked into a consignment or thrift store and BINGO, my perfect item is sitting right there waiting for me. However, sometimes you don't find the perfect item on your first trip. Sometimes you need to visit another store or come back at another time, and that is totally ok! It's all part of the fun - hunt around, try your best, celebrate when you score an awesome sweater for $6.
Shop online. Sites and apps like ThredUp, Depop and Poshmark make it so easy to do your second hand shopping online. You can search by almost any criteria - color, size, type of clothing, etc. Definitely worth checking out!
Think outside the box. You may have to think a little outside the box if you're going to be an expert thrifter. Try to be imaginative with colours, patterns, combos, and even what a garment could be with a few minutes of TLC. Thrift and consignment stores aren't usually laid out like big-box shops with some outfits already assembled for your inspiration. When thrifting, you need to dig deep down and find your own inspiration - which can be so rewarding!
Keep your eye out for $5/bag deals. Many thrift shops host events where you can stuff a plastic or reusable bag for $5 with anything you can fit in it. This was how I always scored big as a kid. We'd wait for the $5/bag events and just go nuts. Nothing like coming home with a bunch of fun new pieces that you literally paid pennies for!
Don't be afraid to ask. This goes back to #3 and thinking a little out-of-the-norm... because thrift shops sometimes arrange their stuff in bizarre ways. I once found an awesome pair of distressed jeans in the men's denim section, even though they were clearly women's jeans. Don't ask me why, it's just what happened. Don't be afraid to ask if there are other sections that could potentially hold the item you're looking for and venture outside of where the item “should” be.
Know the market. "Vintage" and "consignment" stores generally hold different types of clothing and goods than "thrift" stores. If the shop markets itself as "vintage" or "consignment," it probably sells higher quality, more expensive items and has a more curated collection to suit a certain style. If it's a "thrift" store, chances are good that prices are low and you're going to have to do a little bit more hunting to find a high quality item because the shop won’t be very curated. The reason for this is people who donate to thrift stores are saying goodbye to their items forever. People who donate to vintage and consignment stores often get a commission off their item, which means those stores will charge a bit more for each item. But to make the added price worth it, the consignment or vintage store does half the work for you and sorts through the piles for only the best items (like brand name and designer pieces) that are typically like-new, yet they're usually way cheaper than actually buying new.
Know the area. I find that second hand shops tend to carry the types of goods that the people who live in that area would use. So a shop in an artsy part of town will often have really funky, unique pieces at average prices. A shop near the wealthier side of town with frequently have lightly used name brand or designer peices at higher prices than other second hand shops, but, again way cheaper than buying new. Try to imagine who lives in the area you're planning to shop, and that can give you a hint as to what types of things you'll find, and what prices you'll encounter there.
I hope you found this post helpful, and I'd love to hear your tricks and tips for finding great deals on second-hand items. If you've got any bright ideas, leave them in the comments below! Have a fabulous day, everyone!
