Shopping for “ new ” clothes can be quite an adventure if you are shopping at a thrift store . Buying clothes from thrift stores has quickly become the latest trend in the fashion world . You can go in and find nothing , or you can go in and find exactly what you are looking for and I have tips on how to find exactly what you are looking for every time .
By : Noel Fontaine The first step to finding that perfect piece is preparation . Preparation entails finding the thrift store that best suits your needs . Mine is Goodwill , since they carry more clothing than other things . After you have found your store of choice you need to have a list in mind of what you want . I find that physically writing down what you are looking for on piece of paper is helpful so that when you are in the store you have reference material . One of my tricks is , when I see something I like in a magazine or online , I write it down and look for it at a thrift store before I purchase it in a retail store . If you go in with a list you can stick to what you have written instead of buying things you don ’ t need .
Shopping is always better with a friend . Shopping with a friend at a thrift store is helpful when it comes time to try things on and get opinions . When planning a thrifting day you should always wear something that is easy to take off and put back on because you will be trying lots of clothes on .
Trying clothes on when thrifting is very important . When planning a thrifting day you should always wear something that is easy to take off and put back on because you will be trying lots of clothes on . Trying things on helps you realize if it is cute on , or if it is cute on the hanger . When trying things on it also helps you see if there is any damage on the item of clothing , such as rips , stains , or bleach spots . Most of these things can be fixed but if you get it home and then realize it has these problems , you will most likely not wear it .
When shopping at a thrift store , you should always shop for the opposite season than it currently is . So if it is winter I will be shopping for summer . Everyone donates all their winter clothes during the summer , so that is the best time to buy coats and sweaters and boots , where as in the winter everyone is donating their summer things ! I always find great shirts and shorts during the winter .
My number one rule for thrift shopping is , if you cant see your self in at least three outfits with the item in question , then you should not buy it . I only say this because I always find myself looking at things and thinking maybe I can find something to go with this , when in reality I wont . It is also a money saving tip .
You should always go into a thrifting trip with a budget . When I go thrifting I always allow my self a twenty dollar budget , that way I can only get the items I know I will wear again and again , instead of the shirt I might wear once . It is also a good idea to find out when your store has their sale days . Some stores have fifty percent off days , some have ninetynine cent days , and some have certain color tag days ! They are not the same for every store so it is a good idea to make a list .
You should check up on your store often because they are putting out new clothes and accessories everyday . I go to my stores weekly and depending on when there sale days maybe twice a week . If you put a decent amount of time into looking you will come out with a greater reward . Looking at the first rack , not finding anything and getting frustrated wont help . You have to be patient and look thoroughly through everything to find the good stuff .
These tips are tried and true and hopefully they will help you all become frugal fashionistas !
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