Top Tips for Mastering the World of Thrift Stores #FriendlyFinance

Check out our top tips for Thrift Store Shopping! Not only can great quality pieces be found for too-good-to-be-true prices, but by buying second-hand, we’re keeping still-wearable garments out of the landfill. Plus, who doesn’t love a good thrift shop find?

Plan ahead & Use your Smartphone- Make a clear list of items you need keeping in mind things you already own. This will keep you focused & on budget. Save pictures of fashion inspiration keep you on track in the store to remember what you really want.

Sell your own Pre-Loved clothes. For good quality items you have grown apart from you can sell on to someone who will wear it. This is a great way to avoid landfills, more space in your wardrobe and even earn yourself some pocket money.

Dress for the occasion – A lot of vintage & charity shops have limited dressing rooms so wear something handy if you need to quickly throw something on to check if it fits.

Bring a reusable shopping bag as many stores don’t have bags to give you for purchases.

Find out when stores restock. Most stores only get one of each item so this will give you the chance to get early to get a first pick.

Shop off-season. Like with retail stores, the best time to buy seasonal clothing is when the demand is low. Shop for jackets and boots in the summer and look for sundresses and sandals in the winter.

Read the vibe of the store and move on if it’s not working for you- Some stores are tailored to a particular type of style, which will become clearer as you traipse through the inventory. If you start to feel it’s not your vibe, it’ll save you time and energy to move on before you tire yourself looking through everything.

Be patient- Successfully thrifting for clothes comes down to a number of things but patience is tantamount. It really is a case of right place, right time, as well as having a keen eye, but patience is what will turn your thrifting game from amateur’s luck to a seasoned pro.

Save time by Scanning the Aisle. It’s easy to get lost searching for items but this will take up a lot of time as well as increasing the chance for impulse buying. To save time get used to scanning rails looking for the colours & items you can planned to buy before. This is a great way to avoid impulse buying.

Make friends with the staff- When you find a store that fits your style & budget become friends with the staff they can be great assets in helping you find items in the store & even keep an eye out for new items coming in for you.

Learn to discern quality. Consignment stores can offer designer brands, vintage items, or other high-end quality pieces with low price tags that you can find if you know what to look for. Natural materials will often be of higher quality than synthetic ones. Shoes made of 100 percent leather usually have the words “Vero Cuoio” marked on the bottom, which is the Italian phrase for “true leather.” Blazers with linings and wool-blend coats will also be more expensive items than other materials. Get familiar with high-quality tells to discern which items will be worth the money.

Look at the tags and consider the fabric- This will help you identify how easy an item will be to launder and whether it’s worth its price. A common example is the sheer amount of polyester items in thrift stores. There’s nothing inherently wrong with polyester garments and in some cases, it’s the preferred material, but if you think you’re paying premium for top-notch fabrics like silk or wool, it’ll be a smack in the face to find out it’s synthetic once you’re home. If it says dry cleaning only this could also be quite a costly piece.

Google a brand if you’re not familiar with them- this will help you recognise the quality of the item.

Give your chosen piece a quick once over- When you find an item you like, give it a quick once over. Check for obvious signs of wear and tear, whether the size looks like it’ll fit properly, etc. You’ll do a closer examination later so you don’t need to take too long here. Ask yourself if it’s something you’ll actually wear. If it’s not it will just be a waste of money. Most stores have a no return or exchange policy- This is the reason why many of the pedantic notes above are necessary. It’s worth thinking that little bit harder about whether you really want something, as more often than not you won’t be able to return it.

Wash your item before wearing it or Air out pieces that can’t be washed. Learn to sew or make friends with a local seamstress. One of the few disadvantages of thrifting is that you may find the perfect piece, but it may not fit properly. This can be an easy fix: If it’s a quality find, take it to a tailor. Or, if you’re confident in your sewing and hemming abilities, you can attempt a DIY tailoring job to make your item fit just right.