How to Get to Thrifting Level: Mastery

I was introduced to thrifting when I moved to the city, and like most other newly found hobbies in my life, I became incredibly focused on the best ways to achieve the greatest results. Somehow this led me to such fantastic luck in finding pieces that were not only in my size, but usually of good quality! Thrifting was part of my regular routine, it was a great way to get clothes that suited me while still staying in my budgeting abilities as I was a student when I started. I began to realize the rarity of these items to their locations, and how many limitations prevented people from shopping at thrift stores, be it a lack of accessibility, or time constraints. It was for these reasons that I started my own online thrifting business. But I’m not one to keep all the thrifting secrets to myself, so if you are excited by the prospect of thrifting your wardrobe and creating an aesthetic that is uniquely you, more sustainable than fast fashion outlets, and more financially accessible, here are some things I’ve learned.

Manifest

I know this may seem crazy, but one thing I do before I go out thrifting is brainstorm the things I want to add to my wardrobe. I think and daydream about the different colours, patterns, materials, articles, or silhouettes before going. Sometimes I build mood boards on Pinterest to help me visualize what I want to find the next time I’m out hunting for items. Go into your thrifting mission with a general idea of what you’re trying to bring out or display in your appearance too. That idea of “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” has subtle application here. Whether it’s colour or silhouette or comfort, your clothes make parts of your experience of the world more intense or highlighted. What are you hoping to capture in terms of feeling with your looks?

Why This Works

When you develop a clear visual of the item you want you will be subconsciously drawn to the items on the rack that display those characteristics. This can save you time and money because you’ve given yourself more emotionally tethered ground-rules for your thrifting process. Believe that you will find something that either matches or closely resembles the item you visualized. I have done this so many times and found exactly what I was hoping to find, plus a little extra. It is important to have an open mind when it comes to this method though. Go out with a few different things you want to find and then let your journey through the thrift store pull your attention. If something outside of the clear guidelines you’ve set for yourself sparks your interest, it may be a strong enough asset to your wardrobe to be worth consideration. (Some things may be even better than you imagined). Feeling confident in the items is what’s important.

Research

For some people it’s a matter of finding whatever thrift shop is close, but if you have the means to do a little bit of research before, it may give you an upper hand in finding items that are high quality, maybe even designer. So, how does one plan a thrift shopping journey, you may ask. Well, it starts where you least expect it. A real-estate website for your area. I know this seems odd, but stay with me. Go to whatever website you use regularly and search for the highest housing markets. Put the settings to the million-dollar-homes! When you have a display of where those houses are, pay attention to the areas of town they show up in. Once you have those areas noted down, then you can search the thrift store locations. Using your new knowledge, cross-reference to find which of the thrift shops are closest to high-income neighbourhoods. Provided they are easy to get to, I’d recommend spending your time browsing their selection.

Why This Works

High income living is usually not limited to housing. Generally people living in those neighbourhoods care about the quality of the products they buy and have the money to dispense more into their belongings. Those living in those areas, however, do cycle through clothes as the trends change or they outgrow things, just like you and me. When that time comes, in my experience, a large number of them drop off their old clothes to thrift shops.

In my years of thrifting I have come across so many well-taken-care-of pieces, some from designers, that are much more affordable than buying them first-hand. I will admit, sometimes these stores will have a slightly higher pricing range than a general thrift shop due to their location in a high-income neighbourhood. But, if you can, it is worth starting your shopping journey here.

Plan

Planning your trip takes a bit of research too, but it can be done relatively quickly through a phone call. I recommend calling and asking when the thrift store you’re going to shop at puts out its new donated items. Usually the staff there works with a weekly schedule where they have one or two days a week that they really push out new drop-offs. This may even be time-specific for some smaller second-hand boutiques. When you know the days and times that they shift their stock you can better optimize your search for that perfect new wardrobe item.

Why This Works

The planning factor ensures that you will get first dibs on items that are new to the shop. Not many people are aware of the schedule of the employees and often go whenever they have time to kill. Having the knowledge of when new items hit the racks is like a superpower for you when thrifting. It also means items are less likely to have been tried on several times, making them less likely to have small damages from overuse.

Measure

One thing I have come to learn in my experiences in thrifting is to bring a measuring tape. I also recommend noting down your measurements before going. Measure your shoulders, sleeves, bust, waist, torso, hips, thigh circumference, inseam, and outseam. When you have these noted down you can measure clothes you find in-store and skip the change rooms which tend to be time consuming or a lot of physical effort. It is important to note, however, that certain items may not be at their full potential in terms of space when you measure them flat.

Why This Works

This practice helps you to save time and energy by avoiding the change rooms, as I’ve mentioned before. I also recommend this as a practice because you don’t have to try on items that several other people have worn or touched. I love thrifting, but you do have to be mindful that you don’t know where the item is coming from, so it’s always a good idea to launder your purchases before wearing them (especially in light of the pandemic). Measuring the items reduces the amount you have to handle it before washing.

Item Checks & Potential for Repairs

When going thrifting on any occasion, I either go in with the idea that I want something I can wear right away (well, after a quick wash), or something that can be a fun project to alter or fix up. Be aware of what time you have to spare if you have a peaking desire to alter something. What tools do you have available? How much extra will it cost you? If you’re just going to look for something that’s basically ready-to-wear then I would recommend doing a check for the following.

- Holes

- Frays

- Stains

- Where things have already been altered (well or poorly)

- Colour (whether the dye of the item is bleached out in areas from sun exposure or something)

- Smell (in case it came from an owner who smokes or body odor is caught in the fabric)

- Fabric and any tag placements (some people have reactions to certain textures or irritants)

- Sheerness (stretch the fabric or just lay your hand under it to see if you can see through it)

- Check the armpits and thighs (these are the areas that chafe so it’s good to check and see what has worn-down or has some balling. With certain fabrics you can generate a lot of friction in the armpits which can accumulate your (or pets) hair and other random things)

Why This Works

This checklist helps you to narrow down your playing field and guarantee your best finds when thrifting. These items are built to last in your wardrobe and you will likely wear them more and feel generally comfortable in them. Plus it saves you the hassle of buying a new item, only to throw it out because you don’t have the time or tools to fix it.

Final Notes

If you are in lockdown and can’t go out to do the thrifting yourself, or you just prefer to do your shopping online, I highly encourage you to look for small businesses and really examine who you’re purchasing from. There are several people who are incredibly talented thrifters who dedicate their time and skills to finding the best pieces with some of the methods I’ve outlined above. Many people, like myself, have started small businesses for this kind of trade as a way to survive while others do it simply to flip and make a profit, despite not needing the money. Part of sustainability is making sure to research who you’re buying from. Sustainability is making sure that those small businesses run by students or those trying to make a living, are supported and their finances to live are sustained.

Another thing that I did in my university experience that I highly recommend is setting up or attending a clothing swap with people in your age group. It’s another great way to meet like-minded people while also getting some new items for your wardrobe.

There you have it, your keys to success! Your full lecture on how to thrift like a pro! Manifest. Research. Plan. Measure. Check. Support.