Thrift shopping is a fun way to find affordable and vintage clothes. My love of thrifting was born out of practicality. Also, having my children took my thrifting game to a whole new level. In case you haven’t heard, buying children’s necessities are expensive. And as much as I would love to spend hundreds of dollars on clothing, it is just not going to happen (have you seen those prices?!).
If you have never thrift shopped before, it can be overwhelming at first. There are several factors you have to consider when thrift shopping. I have narrowed it down to five of the most important things you should consider.
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5 Things to Consider When Thrift Shopping
- Your Body Measurements/ Shape
An easiest guide to not being disappointed while thrift shopping (especially when shopping online) is to know your body measurements to determine whether dresses will be a good fit for you.
Beyond knowing your measurements, it is also helpful to know your body shape. Knowing if you are an apple, pear, rectangle or hourglass shape can also help you find clothes that would look good on you.
- Search Through Every Section
People will usually pick up an item, carry it around, decide they don’t want it anymore and proceed to put it anywhere. This means that some of your best finds could even be mixed in with children’s clothes. If you have the time and the energy, don’t leave a section of the store unchecked.
Rummaging through multiple piles and racks of clothes is not for the faint at heart. To avoid wasting time and not missing out on clothing gems, you must master the art of scanning through clothing racks. This takes focus and is a skill you will develop over time. Practice makes perfect!
- Quality
While thrift shopping, you have to inspect an item before heading for the checkout.
Check for holes, stains, missing buttons, broken zips as all these can mean extra money for repairs. To avoid discovering defects too late, ensure you’re inspecting each piece very well.
It’s easy to miss a small hole here or a stain there amid the shopping excitement, so take your time going over your finds before making a purchase. Not skipping this step can save you unnecessary heartbreak.
- Know your fabrics.
Thrift stores pack their racks with various clothing items, many of which are not of great quality. Knowing good quality fabrics just by feel will make a massive difference when thrift shopping.
To quickly sift through the endless racks of items, I like to filter out the crappy stuff by touch and feel, and only pull out the clothes that interest them.
Designer and high-quality pieces typically are made of higher quality fabrics. When you’re shopping for quality and true vintage, look for natural fabrics like silks, wool, linens, 100% cotton and leathers.
- Wearability
Before buying thrifted clothes, ask yourself, ‘Will I actually wear this?’
There have been many times I’ve purchased great things from thrift shops only for them to sit in the back of the wardrobe because they aren’t my style or don’t fit.
Don’t buy something based on price alone – you should also consider if the item is your personal style if it fits well, is it a dress you can wear more than once, etc.
What are the factors you consider when thrift shopping? Please also share your favourite thrift shop spots in the comment section below.