Whether you frequent vintage stores, consignment stores, or standard thrift stores, there are many reasons for purchasing second-hand clothing. Thrift shopping allows you to purchase clothing cheaply, find unique garments, and reduce your environmental impact.
However, if you don't have much experience thrift shopping, it can be a little intimidating, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed and miss out on some of the best deals available. This guide will show you how to make the most of your thrift-shopping experience.
General Second-Hand Shopping Tips
- Some stores might not have change rooms, so you should dress appropriately. If you wear leggings and a tank-top underneath your clothing, you'll have a (relatively) skintight layer that won't get in the way of clothing you are trying on, but also will allow you to change publicly without embarrassment. It also might be helpful to tie your hair up, and avoid wearing complicated shoes.
- Do your research. If you're heading to a vintage store, Google it. A lot of "vintage" stores are really just thrift stores. While there's nothing wrong with this, it can be frustrating to find generic used clothes when you're searching for 1930s Christian Dior. If you are heading to a consignment or thrift store, call ahead and find out if they have cheap deals days (some stores have $5 grab bag days), and what days they display their new merchandise, so that you'll be able to see their goods before they're picked over.
- Bring hand sanitizer! I can't stand the gross way my hands feel after spending a few hours at Value Village. While hand sanitizer won't clean your hands as well as washing them will, it is a good in a pinch, especially when you are spending several hours at a store.
- Consider the damage: if clothing is stained or damaged, asses the extent of the damage. For instance, if a dress is missing a button, or has a small tear, this is a fixable flaw; conversely, sweat stains or large rips are difficult to fix, and essentially make the garment not worth your money.
- Visualize your wardrobe. This is one of my general shopping rules: don't buy something unless you have other things to wear it with. If buying a blouse means that you have to purchase 4 other items to wear it, it's probably not worth it.
- Don't get swept away by the deals. While there are some things you are more likely to buy at $5 than you would be at $30, don't buy something just because of the price. People often say to ask yourself if you would buy it at full price, but I'm not sure I agree with that. However, don't buy something just because it's cheap. If you're at a vintage store, and you find a designer item that is far cheaper than what you would normally buy, that doesn't mean that you have to buy it. Ask yourself if you truly like it, if it really is a good deal, and if you can afford it. That will make things much easier.
- Focus on material. Since many items will be from labels you don't recognize, look at the quality of the fabric to figure out if the price is a good deal. Items that are silk, wool, cotton, or leather should be worth more than items made of man-made materials. Belts, shoes, and jackets made of leather are easily recognizable by the leather symbol, as well as their distinctive smell. Otherwise, check the label to see the material breakdown.
Buying Vintage Clothes
Vintage shops are some of the greatest places to find unique fashionable clothes. Because they're from a different era, you're almost guaranteed that no one else will have a garment like yours. When vintage shopping, keep in mind the following:
- Sizing: many vintage sizing differs from the sizing we follow today, and the labels may be cut out of some of the clothing. Don't limit yourself to certain size racks - try holding up the item to see how it might fit once you put it on.
- Keep silhouette in mind: certain decades have very distinctive silhouettes, and some of them might be difficult to pull off, depending on your body type. While I love 1920s flapper dresses, they don't look good on me - 1940s and 1950s hourglass-shaped dresses are far more flattering on me.
- Don't confuse vintage with cheap. While some vintage stores are cheap, others are definitely not. Generally, depending on the designer, age, and provenance of the garment, vintage stores can often be quite expensive.
- Think about how you will wear it. This is most important for vintage clothing because it is so different from modern clothes. You have two options: either you can go straight-out vintage, or you can try to mix it with for modern items. For instance, I have a power-blue lace shift dress that was my grandmother's in the 1970s, and I often wear it with white and beige cap-toe shoes to play up the vintage edge; conversely, I have a printed 1940s sun-dress that I wear with more modern sandals, or tights, boots, and a cardigan in the winter. Regardless, it is important to be able to wear it with items you already own. I purchased a vintage mink fur caplet and still have yet to figure out how to wear it without looking silly.
Consignment Stores:
Consignment stores are usually stores that accept modern (so, usually from the last 10 years), gently used clothes. Consignment stores are a good place to look for more expensive labels that you can buy more cheaply. My favourite consignment shops frequently features items from Diane von Furstenberg, Frye, Coach, Citizens of Humanity and J.Crew (at sometimes less than half the price!) as well as mall stores like American Eagle, H&M, and Aldo. If you've ever though these items are overpriced, here's the place to buy them at lower prices, but remember:
- Don't get too caught up in labels: yes, this is a great place to buy more expensively-priced items cheaply, but don't just buy because of the label. Assess the garment's fit, material, and price before purchasing.
Thrift Stores
Stores like Value Village, the Salvation Army, and others are large second-hand stores that accept all items donated to them. In addition to clothing, they often have used furniture and smaller accessories.
- Look for unique items. These stores are often the cheapest, so this is the place where you can afford to make impulsive shopping decisions. By looking for unusual items, you will be guaranteeing yourself an individual wardrobe.
- Look for designer labels: since most thrift shops don't focus on designer labels (unlike consignment and vintage stores), you might find some super cheap designer items just hanging on the rack - be warned, though, you may have to dig.
- Focus on basics: thrift stores are a great place to find basic collared shirts, t-shirts, and blazers quite cheaply. These items are simply and don't change too much in style over the years.
- Get crafty: again, since these items are so cheap (I once bought a $3 sweater), you can play around with altering the clothes, whether it be shortening the hemline of a dress, or cutting a pair of jeans up to make a skirt.
- Don't just look at clothes! Thrift stores often have a great house ware section, and you can find dishes, picture frames, and jewellery holders very cheaply.
You're all set! Good luck!
Caroline Garrod - Caroline is currently working on her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History from Queen's University in Kingston, ON. An avid reader and ...
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