25 Thrift Shopping Tips + Hacks | Thriftanista in the City

7.31.2015

25 Thrift Shopping Tips + Hacks

A few thriftanista friends and I have spilled the beans on our thrifting habits. We're sharing our most valued tips, techniques, and hacks. Enjoy!

thrift shopping tips

Thrift Planning

1. Build relationships with the staff at the thrift store. These relationships can lead to all sorts of things, like knowing when a shipment of brand new Banana Republic items are scheduled to hit the store! - Patrice W., Creator of the Yours/Mine Secondhand Shopping Soiree (YMSSS)




2. Before an upcoming sale at the thrift store, go the day before to check out inventory. Use this time to try on clothes and get an idea of what you want to buy the following day. Once you return on sale day you are able to maneuver through the racks a lot easier and check out a lot quicker. - Shalae of Thrifting Huntsville

3. Keep a wish list so you're always shopping with purpose when you enter a thrift store.

4. Thrift with a friend. An extra pairs of eyes to help find the treasure!

thrift shopping with friends

5. Never judge a thrift store by how it looks. Disorganized mess or pristine. Good bargains can be
found.

6. Take a snack, Lysol, and a hand held fan. - Angela of 24 Plus Style

Thrift Shopping

7. Buy old small toys and turn them into jewelry. Buy over sized men's clothing and wear it as a dress.  - Alexandria of Styled in the Heartland

8. When looking at designer bags, ALWAYS consult google before purchasing. Know your Serial codes, dates and general tips on designer bags. 95% they will think a bag is authentic and it is not. So you want to make sure before purchasing. - Alexandria of Styled in the Heartland

vintage louis vuitton wallet

9. Be patient, try stuff on, go during off peak times. - Chardae of Lioness Dae

10. Look for colors. If you know that you need a red top, scan the racks for your color, then take a closer look at those items. If you have all day, just look at everything, but this is how I organize my shopping. I also look for unusual prints in mens' shirts because I've scored some really expensive mens' shirts this way. You can spot them with just an "eye scan". For home decor, I only buy what I love so that in case it ends up not being sellable, I'm happy to display or use it. - Bettie M. of 14th St. Vintage

11. Say for instance if you are a size 8, check the S (small) rack because the person who tagged the item may have mistaken the 8 for an S. Basically thumb through the entire rack. - radiantlypurposed

12. Check every size and every department... you never know where you'll find something! - Rachel  of Surburban Style Challenge

13. I have found some of my favorite pieces outside of the ladies' section!! A fancy men's dress shirt looks super cute belted at the waist, a girl's dress might make a cute T-shirt. Go with an open mind & experiment! - Jessica K.

14. Check the lingerie section for tank tops. Some sleep tops are silky and still appropriate to wear under jackets or sweaters. Plus, there’s a possibility that a silky or satin tank top was mistaken for a sleep shirt.

thrift tips

15. Look through regular skirts for athletic skirts. I found a Lululemon tiered running skirt for $3.99 ($90.00 retail). - thriftyhipsta

16. Shop the men's department! You can find some great items there like outerwear, sweaters, belts and hats. Be open minded and don't be afraid to shop in the men's section. It's a goldmine! - Whitney 'Nic' James

Thrift Checkout

17. After you've tried on your finds and decided what will leave with you and what will stay; take one more walk around you may be missing a diamond in the rough!!! Kristin A.

18. If you need to narrow down your selection, skip the fast fashion and take the well made classic.

j. crew #2 pencil skirt

19. Sometimes finds are overpriced but if you love it, buy it. Still less than retail or it's one of a kind.

20. Don't buy clothes that don't "wow" you. You'll end up with a closet full of mediocre.

21. Hold all items up near natural light-set stains seem to pop out by a window-and zip and unzip zippers a few times. - thriftyhipsta

Thrift Style

22. Surround your vintage with modern pieces to keep your look current.

23. Sometimes you must perform a little surgery to turn drab to fab. Find a good tailor and get familiar with needle and thread.

24. Look for styles that flatter your body type. On trend or not, it will still look good on you.

25. Ignore the fashion rules and wear what you like.

What thrift tips do you have?

3 comments

laniza said...

I love this post! My thrifting tip is to check items thoroughly for any stains, rips, or tears.

Unknown said...

This is a good list! I came for the tips and saw my tip! Thanks for posting!

Unknown said...

This is such a great read! Thank you for featuring me!!

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