Many people think that thrift stores are dark, grungy, smelly and cluttered places, but that’s not entirely true (just look at Front and Company)! There might be a few like that in every town, but for the most part, thrift stores are fairly clean, bright, and well organized. Thrifting can be great fun, and if you’re into vintage stuff, you can find some really cool stuff for cheap. So here I’m sharing a few tips with you on some basics to thrift shopping!

1. BE OPEN MINDED

To me, the most important thing before and after entering a thrift store, is to keep an open mind. You never know what you can find! Don’t be afraid of used, the majority of items that end up on the racks are in perfectly good condition.

2. TAKE YOUR TIME

Look through every rack. Sometimes thrift stores can be a bit overwhelming, but you just might find that perfect blouse buried in piles of stuff you’d never consider buying. Think of it as a journey, be patient.

3. CARRY A BASKET

Get a basket when you enter the store, pile on the maybes’ as you sift through the racks. Decide later if you want to keep them all. A lot of the times when you want to go back to find that sweater you saw 10 minutes ago, it’s long gone.

4. BE CREATIVE

Think alteration, repurpose, and ways to wear it! Look beyond the surface. A long skirt can be cut short for a different look, shoulder pads can be removed,  and scarves can be worn as headbands.

5. GO OFTEN

It’s hit or miss with thrift stores. The good thing is that the inventory changes all the time, so if you don’t find anything this time, try again in a few weeks.

6. GO WITH A FRIEND… OR NOT

I like going to the thrift store with a friend who knows my taste. Two set of eyes are better than one. But I find that I pick out unique items when I visit the stores by myself. I guess if you have been thrifting for awhile and know your stuff, then it’s perfectly fine to tackle it alone.

7. TRY EVERYTHING ON… OR NOT

Unless you know for sure something will look good on you, TRY IT ON. If you know me you know that I hate trying clothes on in the stores (just can’t be bothered). So I made the mistake of not trying things on when I first started shopping at thrift stores and ended up with several items that looked cute on the racks but ridiculous on me!

Ledbetter – Thrift Store Queen

Okay so I think that’s it for now. I will probably write more about thrift store shopping in the future as I really enjoy the experience. I’d like to think that the pieces I find at thrift stores traveled through time and space, to become one-of-a-kind, fated-to-be mine items. How romantic?

Let me know if you found this helpful, and if you have any tips on thrift store shopping I’d love to hear them x



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