This time last year, about 2/3 of my clothing came from either Value Village or Goodwill. I had just gotten into thrift shopping and felt like I was missing something if I didn’t grace my local thrift store with my presence at least once or twice a month. While its not exactly advisable to go thrifting as often as I once did, thrift shopping can be a great way to experiment with different styles for a fraction of their usual cost; I had spent months looking for a pair of mom jeans but, at the time, buying the only brand-name pair that fit me well enough would have meant living on ramen noodles for a month. So, being my financially-savvy self, I decided to hit up my local thrift store- I never looked back since.
In the era of fast fashion, it is important to be mindful of the impact of the industry on the people who produce the clothing, as well its effects on the environment. Thrifting is one way to reduce the amount you contribute to the fast fashion industry and save some money while doing so. However, it can get overwhelming, especially for beginners. Here are some tips that are guaranteed to make your next thrifting session more enjoyable and worthwhile.
Give yourself enough time
I’ve come to learn that thrifting is not something you do when you have a one-hour window free in your day- not it you want to make the most of your time at the store. For whatever reason, I have found my favourite pieces after walking around most of the store a couple of times, scouring both the women’s and the men’s sections. As you can imagine, you’d need to grant yourself a decent amount of time to do this; most trips tend to take about 2 hours. Block off a lazy weekend afternoon and get thrifting!
Wear comfy clothes
I can’t stress this enough.
You will be trying on several clothes.
Most of them will not fit.
It would be a pain to have to waste time trying on ill-fitting clothes from the store, as well as struggling to get your own clothes back on. My go-to outfit is anything I can take on and off easily – loose trousers and a fitted tee to put sweaters and shirts over, or a loose and flowy dress are all good options
Have a budget in mind
It can be easy to get carried away by the $5 tees and the $10 jeans but all those tags add up. Have a rough estimate of how much you want to spend in mind, and try not to spend above it.
Be open minded
One of the great things about thrifting is that it gave me the chance to try out styles I was unsure of without having to pay an arm and leg for them. So if you see an item of clothing that may be out of your comfort zone, but is within your budget, don’t be scared to experiment!