The Joy of Thrifting: 10 Tips & Tricks

Does anyone still wear a hat?  (Name that musical.)

The answer is yes!  Especially people attending the Hats & Heroes Ball for Kids Beating Cancer next weekend.  We’re attending with some folk from Mark’s hospital and the dress code is black tie…and hats!

So, today, I scoured the local Orlando thrift stores in search of the perfect hat – – a hat suitable for a ball.  I tried on hats that were too small, too big, too expensive, too outlandish, too casual, too, too, too…until I finally had my Goldilocks moment.  Here she is:

A vintage pale pink sequined wonder.  And for only $14.99 at Dechoes!

She looks even cooler on a human, but I’m going to wait until I have the outfit put together to share that.

Anyway, I was so excited about my thrift find that it got me thinking: I have so many treasured items that I have found over the years at thrift stores and resale shops.  (Mark does, too.)  So, I thought I’d take some pics of our favorite thrift finds and share a few tips and tricks that I have picked up in my thrifting endeavors.  I hope they’re helpful!

Tip #1: Find thrift stores that buy/trade clothes as well as sell them.  Oftentimes you can shop while they look through your clothes and price any items that they want to buy.  You can get a percentage of the selling price in cash (for example 30%) and sometimes a higher percentage (45%) in store credit to put toward a purchase.  Talk about recycling!

Tip #2: Don’t be too hurt if the thrift stores don’t buy any of your clothes.  It doesn’t mean you’ve completely lost the pulse of modern fashion.  Sometimes, stores are just over-stocked.  At least, that’s what I tell myself when my clothes get rejected.

Tip #3: If it doesn’t fit you to a T, don’t buy it.  Mark and I both have made the mistake in the past of justifying the purchase of an ill-fitting garment because it was really cool.  We thought we could live with the tightness in the armpits and looseness at the waist.  However, the truth is, when you go to your closet to choose an outfit, coolness tends to lose to comfort.  So now, I hold out for those garments that fit like a glove – – like they were made for me.  Here is one of those thrift store items: a smocked sundress by Free People.  It’s one of my faves.

Tip #4: Speaking of fit, always visit the dressing room.  Tags are not to be trusted.  Nor are your eyes, which leads me to….

Tip #5: Shop with your eyes closed.  No, I’m serious.  Stop walking.  Close your eyes.  Then, run your hand across a rack.  Stop when you get to a soft or pleasing texture.  The best t-shirts are the soft ones that have lived a little (or a lot).  Below is a picture of Mark’s road trip shirt, purchased at thrift store back in the Wheaton College dayz…over 10 years ago.  And it was obviously printed over 10 years before that.  So, it’s lived a good life!

Tip #6: Don’t scoff at higher prices for name brands.  If a name brand item is only gently used, you’re often still getting a deal.  Mark and I both found a pair of 7 for all Mankind jeans at our favorite thrift store in Columbus, Rag-O-Rama, and for each of us, it’s our favorite pair.  We paid a little more for them than one might expect to pay at a thrift store, but still loads less than we would have at Nordstrom’s.  You can’t beat the quality.

Tip #7: Take a fashion risk and try a new look.  What do you have to lose?  Ten bucks?  You may end up making a real statement and feeling empowered.  Little story: I was involved in theatre at Wheaton and one of our traditions was to “Dress with a Capital D” for the opening night party of a new show.  Dressing with a capital D could be a costume, it could be a red carpet gown, it could be a black turtleneck with black jeans and hot pink heels…but it was a night to be intentional with your outfit.  Risk-taking was encouraged.  So, I found this vintage dress at a local thrift store and decided to give her a new lease on life at the opening of The Madwoman of Chaillot.  It’s definitely a dress of a different generation, maybe even the dress of a madwoman, but I wore it proudly with a capital-D!

I love the detail work in the beading on the front.  Now, catch a look at the back:

Tip #8: Thrift with friends.  Thrifting can be a fun social event; whether it’s trying on a goofy outfit just to laugh or encouraging each other to branch out of your comfort zones, thrifting is always better when together.

Tip #9: Steer clear of stores than are disorganized or burning incense like there’s no tomorrow.  Disorganized stores usually stress me out and aren’t worth the time it takes me to dig and hunt for a gem (although I know some people LOVE that aspect of thrifting, so take my words with a grain of salt).  And the incense…that just gives me a headache.

Tip #10: Always wash your clothes when you get home.  No matter how anxious you are to go trick-or-treating in your new flapper dress.  It’s not worth the risk.

Well, there you have it.  10 tips and tricks.  Now, let the treasure-finding begin!

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I linked up at: House of Hepworths, The Shabby Cottage, Somewhat Simple, Shabby Nest, Simple Humble Home, Joyful Stamper, Twigg Studios, Sew Many Ways.