My Best Tips and Tricks for Thrift Shopping
/Sweater: Uniqlo thrifted c/o thredUp | Jeans: levi’s | boots: hunter boots
You probably already know this, but secondhand shopping is second nature to me. Considering how many thrifted outfits I’ve worn on this blog over the years (linking to poor substitute Similar here: s time and again- sorryy!), a post serving to make you an ardent secondhand shopper too seems long overdue.
I’ve been thrifting for a decade now since moving to the US in 2010, so practiced is one word to describe my skill at it. It was entirely budget-driven at first, affording me the opportunity to keep my closet fresh and seasonal on the small scholarly wallet of a graduate student. In fact, I could credit my entire blogging venture to thrifting; my Instagram channel was born in 2013 of the desire to document my fun finds and my blog soon followed from a writer-at-heart’s natural logic. In recent years, however, my love of thrifting has been unattached to my purse strings. I do it now for the genuine thrill of the find, for the chance to wear something with character and history as opposed to something mass produced. Importantly, this very thing also allows my fashion consumption to step into line with the low-waste lifestyle I strive for in other aspects of my life- after all, to shop secondhand is the most sustainable way to shop if done responsibly and consciously.
Tee: c/o femme Luxe | Skirt: Zara thrifted c/o thredup (love in the current brown shade!)| Bag: Thrifted | Shoes: c/o Reebok
I’ve had so many requests over recent months to share how I thrift shop. As I remember it, and as some of you tell me, it can be quite daunting as a novice. I list some of my top tips below, but first, I should share where I like to thrift.
If you prefer online shopping, you might want to check out thredUP. When I discovered thredUP, I was immediately taken with the absolute luxury of running filtered searches from my couch after years of physically browsing through often poorly organized thrift stores! More recently, I’ve been lucky enough to count thredUP among my long-term brand partnerships on Instagram (see this post for the milestone this recently led to!) and trust when I say that they have a killer inventory at all times. For thrift/consignment shopping in store, Bay Area friends should check out Thrift Center in San Carlos, Pick of the Litter in Burlingame, Moon Zooom in San Jose, Nearly New in Sunnyvale and Community Thrift in SF’s Mission District. I also never hesitate to stop by a Goodwill, Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul thrift store… several of my early thrifting years were at these stores in LA and Buffalo! Needless to say, this is not an exhaustive list by any means and on my own wish list are so many vintage/thrift stores in San Francisco, where neighborhoods like the Haight, Nob Hill and the Mission are well-known bastions of vintage shoppers.
dress: zara thrifted c/o thredup (on poshmark in large)| sandals: amazon
Now, onto those tips!
Where and when you shop matters.
More likely than not, the more affluent the neighborhood, the better the inventory and the more frequently refreshed it is. And just as with grocery stores, thrift stores restock at the beginning of the week, so pick a Tuesday or Wednesday over the weekend if possible for first dibs on the week’s inventory. Lots of thrift stores also have sale days. For example, my local fave Thrift Center has 50% off the whole store on select/holiday weekends! All it takes is a chat with a friendly representative to find out. :) Some stores including Goodwills have tiered tag sales nearly everyday, so it’s worth asking if there’s a system to it.
Have a plan.
Thrift shopping can be a huge time sink without a plan of action. I pick one of two strategies depending on why I’m shopping on that particular excursion. If I’m shopping with a focused list of items in mind, I tackle the respective departments with a timer set on my phone for an hour or so. Alternatively, if I’m shopping ‘for fun’ with time to kill, I usually plan to browse the entire store. However, to keep my patience (and arms!) from wearing down, I’ve developed a quick first-pass filtering process based on indicators of quality such as fabric and condition. I will typically scan an aisle as I go by eye for gently-used or good-as-new quality fabrics like cotton and wool, steering clear of synthetic blends. I do a cart clean-up at the end of each section before moving on to the next.
Know what to look for.
Because fashion trends are so cyclical, it’s almost always possible to find a few of the latest trends while thrifting. But if you’re looking to set your expectations, there are some things that can be safely assumed as find-able. Vintage leather bags (so many Dooney & Bourkes imo!), retro strappy and platform sandals, slip dresses, plaid and silk shirts, classic coats (I’ve collected a rainbow of thrifted pea-coats over the years), leather/ fur jackets, vintage denim styles (I’ve DIY cropped many a pair of Levi’s over the years!) and chunky vintage gold jewelry are all common finds in my experience. On the home front, look for vintage glassware, silver dinnerware & quality china for the kitchen, special little touches of vintage decor to strew across the home such as candlesticks & wicker baskets & vases & vinyl records & photo frames, and don’t forget to peek in the furniture aisles if you’re in the market- I’ve often spotted antique mirrors and vintage wood pieces. Fun fact- the very first piece of furniture that I bought for our apartment is the low weathered wood table (in the below photo) that we still love.
Inspect your selects carefully.
Part of my process with thrift shopping is confirming that I truly want what I’ve found. In the early years when my consumption, albeit secondhand, was less conscious than it is now, I definitely took home items that didn’t last very long in my closet. They were a passing trend or had flaws that I missed or were not durable fabrics and so on. Nowadays, I’m a hawk for stains and tears and pilling and other signs of wear that are sometimes hard to catch. As with any purchase, I also carefully evaluate if every item in my cart is something I will treasure for a while to come. It’s harder to dissuade myself from purchasing when the cost-per-wear is low, but I make the strongest possible arguments to myself anyways.
Do it often.
As with anything, practice makes perfect. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know my thrift stores and that’s informed how and where I spend my time. I’ve also built patience, a virtue without which thrifting can feel like the most agonizing of activities! Doing it more makes you a smarter thrifter who gets.👏🏽all.👏🏽the.👏🏽good.👏🏽stuff.👏🏽
Be as specific in your search as possible.
And finally- a bonus trick in the book that comes in especially clutch when online thrifting aka pandemic thrift shopping. If possible, typing in a super specific search is really helpful. For example, for the below images, my thredUP searches in respective order looked like: white cableknit sweater, puff-sleeved dress, multicolor stripes and Senreve bag. Add size and color preferences, check the like-new box, and you’re being efficient as can be.💯
When I don’t have a particular wishlist, I often search by brand. Lately, I’ve been stalking the Revive collection in collaboration with Rent the Runway, which is chock-full of gently used designer pieces. See below for just some of my most recent finds!
sweater: ulla johnson thrifted c/o thredup
cardigan: brown allan thrifted c/o thredup | tee: a&F | denim: uniqlo | bag: thrifted | boots: old c/o alloy apparel
I hope that was a helpful rundown of where and how I thrift! Please feel free to shoot me a note if you have any questions. If I’d like to influence you to do anything, it would be to adopt this sustainable and rewarding way of shopping.😊
Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead!
XO Sushmitha :)
