A Beginner’s Guide to Thrifting
design: Revati Mahurkar
Four tips to get you started on your thrifting journey.
by CAMBELL APPERSON ★ AUGUST 11, 2024
Have you been spending way too much money on your outfits recently? Do you feel like you’re dressed exactly like everyone else? Maybe you just want to switch up your style but don’t know where to start. Thrifting is the answer to all of these problems. If you want to start, here are four tips that you need to know:
Know Where to Look
When you walk into a thrift store, the amount of aisles and racks can be so overwhelming. It really helps if you know what you are looking for and to know where to find these things. For example, if a slip dress is what you are looking for, the Lingerie or Sleepwear section is where you will most likely find one. If you are looking for a cute baby tee, as crazy as it sounds, the children’s t-shirt rack is where you will find the best ones. After all, they are called “baby tees” for a reason. Lastly, if you’re looking for oversized jeans or jean shorts, the men’s pants section is where you will have the most luck. I have found my favorite and best fitting jeans in this section. My favorite jorts were even cut from a pair of mens jeans. If you aren’t looking in the correct places, you may miss out on some or your best, most priceless finds.
Be Open to a DIY
The amount of times that I have found a shirt that I love, but put it back because it had a small stain on it is absurd. If you have ever been in a situation like this, you know how disappointing it is. Luckily, there are things you can do. For example, you find a plain white long sleeve that fits perfectly, but there are color bleed stains on it. Instead, you can fix this by mixing bleach in with warm water and let it soak for 20 minutes. Once the stains look like they have faded, run it through the wash and it will look like you bought it new and unused. Another way you could go about this, is dyeing the shirt the color of the stain. Let’s say it was washed with purple colored jeans, so it was slightly tinted purple. An easy fix is to use purple RIT dye and make the perfect fitting, stained, white long sleeve, a perfect fitting, purple long sleeve!
Always Check Tags
If you want to find vintage items, it is absolutely necessary to pay attention to the brand tags. The feeling of finding a true vintage item while thrifting is unmatched. The quality is nothing like it is today with real cotton rather than polyester and the detail of the designs are always gorgeous. Some easy ways to tell if a piece is truly vintage is by checking where it is made. If it says, “Made in USA”, that means it was most likely made in the 80s or 90s. Vintage tags will also have so much more detail than the tags of today’s brands. By not checking tags you could miss out on some of your best finds.
Don’t Overconsume
When shopping at thrift stores, the prices make it incredibly easy to get carried away with what you purchase. How many times have you seen a shirt that you think is kind of cute, but you buy it anyway because, hey, it's only 2 dollars! Now how many times did you wear it? This is exactly the problem. When you over consume clothing at the thrift store, the likelihood that the clothes will end up in a landfill greatly increases. It also takes away clothes from the people who need it. It is important that we remember the real purpose of thrift stores. By buying large hauls of clothing from them, it also drives up the prices in the thrifting industry which could eventually make it inaccessible for those of low-income, who again, are the ones who really need thrift stores!
Thrifting offers a fantastic way to save money, discover unique pieces, and reduce environmental impact. By knowing where to look, being open to DIY projects, checking tags, and avoiding overconsumption, you can transform your wardrobe on a budget. So next time you want to refresh your style, skip the mall and head to your local thrift store. You will be amazed at what you can find and how much fun you have looking!