My $50 Spring Wardrobe
This is how I developed a real appreciation for thrift store shopping.
Before you attempt to tell me that thrift stores are trashy and they only sell other people's junk, I'm going to jump right to my point and say "you're wrong." Like my mama always said "One person's trash is another person's treasure." But let me tell ya'll something, I just purchased my entire Spring wardrobe for $50 at a thrift and I'm looking posh and beauteous in my new Spring regalia.
Of course I'd enjoy shopping at high-end boutiques and over priced fashion stores if I could. However, I'm a college student who is working two jobs at fast food joints and trying to pay off my student loans all while trying to feed myself and attend school on a daily basis. The struggle is real!
While I have a few friends who receive routine funding from their well-off families, I am not so fortunate. This is how I developed a real appreciation for thrift store shopping. I discovered that I could find high-end, fashionable clothes absolutely dirt cheap. The best part of all is that nobody has to know where they came from or that I didn't just walk out of the Banana Republic.
Operation Spring Clothes: My mission was to supply myself with some attractive yet very affordable clothes to wear to class. College is kind of a big deal for me and when possible I like to look my best. I also needed some light weight formal clothing, gym clothes and of course "night out on the town" fun clothes. These are my campaign strategies and so far they haven't failed me.
Looking at every item is the easiest way to find awesome stuff. I flip through every single rack in the women’s section. You’ve really got to perfect your wrist flick motion to plow through the racks in a jiffy (Grammy? Is that you? Yeah, I just said jiffy. It was weird but I liked it.)
If you aren’t finding good stuff, then you’re doing it wrong. I never leave a thrift store empty-handed. At the very least I’ll leave the store with a 25 cent paperback book. Here’s how I do it.
Note: Buy every single book you think you might want to read. Do it. Paperbacks are between 25 cents and $1. This is exactly how I am well on my way to having a library that rivals Belle’s. I have even found $ dollar bills $ stuck between the pages.
- Shop at thrift stores in wealthy neighborhoods. One of the best things about thrift stores is they’re everywhere – including upscale neighborhoods where designer clothing tends to be donated more frequently. Even better, designer brands stay longer on the shelves in wealthier neighborhoods. This means you’re more likely to find an Anne Taylor skirt or Louis Vuitton shoes when you shop here.
- Plan to go shopping at on Mondays. People donate more on weekends – especially three-day-weekends. And most of these donations wind up on the shelves on Monday, making this the best time to shop. Thrift shoppers who shop on Monday know this is when to find more vintage outfits and designer labels! Make sure to come early on Monday, preferably when the store opens. Seasoned shoppers know this is the prime time to find something good.
- Get familiar with multiple designer brand label names. Everyone’s heard of Gucci and Prada. But do you know about Halogen – a popular house label from Nordstrom – or Maeve, an exclusive brand from Anthropologie? These lesser-known brand names are among the hundreds of brands that can be found every day at thrift stores. And because they aren’t as well known, they stay on the rack longer, waiting for the right customer to notice them. You can learn more about these popular brands by checking out boards on Pinterest devoted to promoting these brand tags. Not enough time to study all the tags? Just look closer at each label. If it’s an intricate design, odds are the clothing is made of quality fabric and assembled with care.
- Keep a List of What You Want to Find…Do you need a leather jacket? Some vintage shoes in your size? An evening gown? Write down all of these items in a list and refer back to it during your shopping trip. (You’ll be amazed by how easily those items slip from your mind when you see all the things to buy at thrift store!) Order your list by the items you want the most and plan your shopping route around it. If shoes are a must-have, hit the shoe section first and then work your way into the other clothing sections. You’ll save time and maximize the chances that you’ll find something on your list!
- Keep an open mind. Sometimes, the best part of shopping at thrift stores are the unexpected finds you come across. Because of this, it’s often a good idea to just shop with a basic idea of what you want to put together. You can then be open to the possibilities you come across. For instance, if you’re looking to cultivate a professional image, that nice grey blazer you spotted for $3 might add the perfect layer to the shirt you already own. Plus, you’ll save you enough money to add a pair of dress slacks and quality belt (usually on sale for as low as 99 cents!). Keeping an open mind is an excellent attitude to have when bargain hunting – with so many clothing options available to you, you’re practically guaranteed to put together a great looking outfit if you use a little creativity.
Like I mentioned, nobody has to know where you purchased your clothes at. This secret is yours to tell only if you feel the need to do so. Myself, well I do a enjoy a little opposite bragging.
Oh, these $150 Columbia snow pants? $5 . This adorable blush pink Loft sweater? $3.50 . This Gap v-neck t-shirt? $1.50. Oh and these fabulous white jeans? $3 Oh, you like my expensive Tory Burch hand bag? $4
I’m just not one of those people who would hide the fact that I bought something at a thrift store. In fact, I like to tell my friends and family how they can also save some big money. Wearing a brand name item that you bought for practically nothing doesn’t make you cheap or gross, it makes you smart. Though admittedly, I am cheap.
Contribute to the circle of life. A Disney reference? I’m killin’ it today! If you find good stuff at a thrift store, give good stuff back to the thrift store. It’s a great thing to do and it helps so many people. When I clean out my closet, those clothes go straight back to the thrift store. Often I’ll buy something, wear it for a year or two, and drop it back off.
Follow these tips and I’d be willing to bet you find some super cool stuff on your next trip to a thrift store. Hopefully you'll be as lucky as me and stuff your closet with some awesome, designer clothes to last you all season long for just $50. May the power of thrifting be with you!
About the Creator
Rebecca Lynn Ivey
I wield words to weave tales across genres, but my heart belongs to the shadows.
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