The magic of thrifting is all in the rarity of the items. You walk inside any store and see that they have several sizes and colors of the same item. You walk inside a thrift store, and you find one item that’s perfectly your size, and 9 out of 10 times, it’s one of a kind. I think any person can go inside any trendy store like Zara, Urban Outfitters or Aritzia and find something cute and trendy. However, I think it takes a true style connoisseur to walk into a thrift store, and mix and match items together to create fits. (No hate against Zara by the way, Urban Outfitters and Aritzia though? Eh.)
In addition to thrift stores being significantly cheaper than regular retail stores, it’s also a really fun way to explore your sense of style and expand your fashion horizons. Thrifting is not for the impatient though, you can’t just go in and expect to find what you’re looking for within 5 minutes. If you’re completely new to thrifting, full disclosure, it takes time, patience, a little bit of creativity, and going outside of your comfort zone. If you’re someone who likes to have a plan, then maybe it’s best to figure out what kind of item you’re looking for before going in. Do you want dad jeans? Flannel tops? A slip dress? New boots? Either way, whether or not you go in with a plan, it is definitely more time consuming than regular shopping simply due to the fact that it’s extremely rare to find the same article of clothing twice, and you literally have to go through each individual hanger. I mean, that’s how I do it – go through each individual hanger in fear that I might miss something I would love if I skip a hanger. This might sound like a challenge for some, but you will undoubtedly reap the rewards. The pure satisfaction of finding a one of a kind item that no one else has, fits you perfectly, looks good on you AND is cheap is unlike any other.
It’s also extremely common to find designer things at thrift stores. I personally have seen Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Oscar De La Renta, Louis Vuitton, and Yves Saint Laurent. Of course, at thrift stores, these designer things are a fraction of the cost of the regular retail price.
You can also try consignment stores – this is where you can give them your clothing, and if they accept the clothing, then you get a profit off the sale. Consignment stores are usually significantly cheaper than regular stores as well, as it’s primarily used clothing. Another avenue I highly recommend is Depop – Depop is a “peer-to-peer social shopping app” where users can buy and sell clothing, makeup, shoes, and other miscellaneous items from all over the world. Depop can be expensive, but for the most part, it’s relatively cheaper than retail.
Ok, now that I’ve blessed you with this top-secret information, go forth, my child. Explore your style, save your money, have fun, and most importantly, look good af.
