Alright, let's get down to business. So many people become overwhelmed with thrifting, especially when you walk in and see rows and rows of origional pieces of clothing. Having to sift through it all takes time and effort, but you end up with some really unique, beautiful pieces.
I've gotten a lot of questions about my style, where I shop, where my inspiration comes from, and all that jazz. It's hard to tie myself down to one type of style. That's where the art of thrifting comes in! One minute I have a pile of floral peplum tops, and the next I have grungy casual tshirts for doing yard work.
Basically what my style boils down to is this: I love dressing up in pretty tops and heels, dresses, and jewelry, but, you're also very likely to catch me in yoga pants and a sweatshirt.
I figured I would just share my top 8 simple steps to a successful trip to the thrift store, because the thrifting trend is slowly becoming a more popular option for shopping. (woohoo!)
1. Take your time: 9 times out of 10 you aren't going to walk in and automatically see a bunch of things you just fall in love with. It will take time to sift through all of the different categories. (ie. Tank tops, short sleeve, dresses, pants, skirts, etc.) By giving yourself the time to look, you're less likely to become stressed or overwhelmed.
2. Don't be afraid to fill up your basket: Even if you have a budget you're sticking to, don't hesitate to load that sucker up! If there is something you're iffy about, try it on anyway, because you may fall in love with it.
3. Look for sales: I know I know, kinda crazy that thrift stores would have sales?! Especially since everything is already so inexpensive! A lot of thrift stores will have different colored tags, and on any given day they will put up signs that will say "All green tag items are 50% off today!" Also, most holidays mean great sales at most thrift shops! They try to purge as much as they can, and mark down just about everything.
4. Look for imperfections: Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than finding something amazing, and coming home to realize there's a big hole, or a gross stain on it. When searching, be sure to be looking for items that don't have stains or holes (ask yourself why the person would donate that super adorable Anthropologie top) because sometimes you may be disappointed. It's better to find it in the store, rather than once you already bought it!
5. Hidden jems are called "hidden" for a reason: There will always a few sneaky people that try and hide the stuff they find if they leave and plan to come back later (guilty as charged...) but most of the time they will hide them in the middle of the rack. Having thrifted for quite a while, I've learned the little tricks. Make sure you don't just check the end caps and say "ooh pretty", because you may actually find those hidden treasures when you dig into the trenches.
6. Club cards: A lot of chain thrift stores (Savers, Goodwill, etc.) will have membership cards, or something similar. Every time you go to the store, you can flash that bad boy and save even more. Do a little research and see what benefits you can get at your local shop. (Also, most places give you discounts if you donate!)
7. Try not to get discouraged: Since there are so many things crammed in one place, it's easy to get discouraged, or feel like you aren't going to find anything. Snap out of that! When you give yourself time to really evaluate the pieces, you will surprise yourself with what you find!
8. Keep an open mind: This is a really big one. If you keep an open mind and really see the potential for each piece you find, you'll have much greater success. Thrifting is supposed to make you origional, and set you aside from everyone else. Be daring with your style!
