How To Shop Secondhand Clothing Like a Pro

Shopping on a budget? Tired of the current trends? Want to step away from buying fast fashion? Then, keep reading for my favorite tips to easily find adorable secondhand styles. 

As someone who’s been thrifting since I was a kid, I’m no stranger to searching through endless racks just to find a few good pieces. Understandably, not everyone has the patience to search for hours to find something they’ll love. But, it doesn’t have to be that complicated!

Why Shop Secondhand?

For some, the idea of wearing clothes that someone has worn before can be uncomfortable. While it’s true you don’t know exactly what something has been through, I have faith in clothes that look clean (and using my washing machine). Buying things secondhand can often save you a pretty good discount on the retail price. 

There’s also a common misconception that the only clothes available in thrift stores and on secondhand retail apps are out of style. Because of how cyclical fast fashion is, it’s common to find styles from the current year already being resold. 

Another pro for secondhand shopping: buying something used isn’t directly supporting fast fashion businesses or their practices! Style is always changing, and we’ve come to a point in 2024 where I feel like it truly is acceptable to wear whatever you want. So, who cares about what’s trending? I love secondhand shopping for this very reason; you can find some really unique pieces.

Online Shopping

Since everything is at our fingertips nowadays, why not thrifting, too? If you’re looking for easy access to secondhand shopping, I recommend Poshmark, eBay, and Depop. There are a plethora of other apps out there as well, but I have the most experience with these.

Poshmark

Poshmark is great for shopping by brand. There are tons of used name brands available like lululemon, Coach, Free People, etc. If you want something specific, Poshmark has a great search feature that allows you to filter by size, brand, and color. I also sort by lowest price to see what the best deals are. I’ve found that the seller demographic on Poshmark tends to be people cleaning out their closets, so they don’t know the value of the items they’re selling. So, you’re likely to get a better deal here than Depop, where sellers are a lot savvier.

A great tip: use the offer button! Most sellers are just looking to make a sale, so you never know what kind of discount you can get! Because shipping is defaulted to priority (two to three days), it can bring up the price a bit, but sellers can also discount shipping, meaning you’ll get your item faster.

Depop

Depop is the trendier of the resell apps. They do a great job of boosting unique vintage pieces and catering to your preferences. The app layout is arguably one of the best. The home page has cute items picked for you based on recent views, and they’re always in the correct size (as long as you’ve entered your sizes into your profile). It’s much easier to shop by a broad category, such as shopping all bags than on Poshmark or eBay. The search function is also useful, but many sellers will purposely mis-tag an item to boost it in searches, so you may not find the most precise results.

The main problem I’ve encountered is sellers that try to pass off Shein products as vintage. They’ll even use a photo from Pinterest of a real vintage product! To avoid this, always check seller reviews and reverse image search items. This can also help you find the best deal across platforms. I’ve found Depop to be useful for finding cute pieces, but once I know what I like, I often find it for cheaper on Poshmark. 

Ebay

eBay is useful for finding unique vintage pieces. Unless you have something particular in mind, it’s not the most fun app to scroll because it has so many other categories besides clothing. If you’re just wanting to shop for clothes aimlessly, check out Poshmark or Depop first. eBay might be a good place to find that last accessory you’ve been needing for a Halloween costume or a specific purse you’ve been wanting. I also appreciate that each seller’s feedback is made available to everyone, and I find customers’ ratings here to be trustworthy. 

Shopping Responsibly

When using any online selling platform, it’s always important to be courteous to others. Don’t expect sellers to drop their prices a ton — most of these apps take a large percentage of the sales so they’re likely not making as much of a profit as it appears.

That being said, it’s important to protect yourself from possible scammers. Sellers who won’t answer questions about the item, have bad reviews, or don’t have photos of the actual item are ones you should avoid buying from. Check photos and ask about the condition of an item — you don’t want someone to be hiding a stain or hole in the fabric from you. However, if you do run into an issue like this, most of these companies have customer protections in place, and you can often get refunded if necessary. 

In-Store Shopping

Thrift

Although not as convenient as online shopping, thrift stores are still a great place to find good secondhand clothes. My main advice for thrifting: check every rack and section. You’ll be there a while, but I’ve found some really nice women’s clothes hidden in the children’s section. Be certain to check all areas of an item to ensure it’s in good condition. Knowing how to perform simple alterations is another great way to boost your thrifted styles. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube, and not all need a sewing machine. 

Consignment Stores

Consignment stores are another great place. Often a bit more boutique-like than thrift stores, they can be more expensive. But, honestly, with the way thrifting prices have been going up, some consignment stores compete pretty well. Stores like Plato’s Closet are great for finding newer styles at a good price. No matter what shopping you choose to do in person, if you like something but it seems too expensive, check the sites first to see if you can get a better deal there. 

Remember, like any item, secondhand clothes can also be overconsumed. The most sustainable outfit is the one that’s already in your closet!

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