How to look Expensive without Expenses

Today I am taking y'all thrift shopping. Yes, I said thrifting. I am always getting questions from people who are not thrifters and want to become thrifters. "What do I look for?" Thrifting is like a hundred people having a garage sale all at once. Thrifting just makes so much sense, because you have someone else pay full retail price for something and then you come to buy it for much cheaper. Am I really that cheap or am I so boogie that I have other people break in my clothes for me. Thrift stores are kind of like Target, you go in maybe looking for one thing and then you walk out with 25 things, a project or 2 and a blog LOL. The thought of thrifting to some people is scary and gross but I personally really love it. Some of my favorite items are items that I have thrifted. I like the idea of having a unique vintage piece that not everybody else has. Typical, I know, but finding steals at thrifts is genuine happiness for a thrifter. Thrifting can be very overwhelming if you don't know what you are looking for, but I am here to share a few tips and tricks that I have picked up over the years.

First step to going thrifting is finding local thrifts. Some thrift stores are better than others depending on location and sometimes even depending on the organization. It took me some time before I found my favorite spots. It also took me a few tries before I got comfortable with the smell and sifting through racks and racks. I do remember feeling very discouraged when I wasn't having any luck the first few times I attempted. I usually try to spend a while at each store sifting through sections and touching every item is I go to make sure I am not passing over anything good. Personally for me, the messier the store the better. Seasons like winter and fall are my favorite times to thrift because of the selection variety. A great tip that I came across was finding out which local thrift stores have deals on certain days of the week. Everything is already cheap but now it is 50% off on Wednesdays at the Salvation Army!

Thrifting is about having an open mind and an optimistic attitude! When I decide to go thrifting I like to have something to start with, a couple of ideas in mind for sure. How to get lucky and what to look for all depends on what your style is. The thrift store is a nice place to look for oversized pieces in the men's section but I don't just stop there. When I discovered the women's side my world changed. Items to look out for are staple pieces like sweatshirts, pants, and purses. I like to know what I am looking for because it makes it a lot easier to go into that section and touch every single item to get lucky. I like to pick up things that I might even be iffy about and try them on because everything looks different on. However, I do not buy anything I do not love at the store. That goes for any kind of shopping. If I don't love it at the store, I know I am not going to enjoy it at home. I also like to keep in mind how much wear I think I'll get out of an item before deciding to purchase it.

The best thing about buying cheap clothes is that I can do whatever I want to the items. For example, I can cut jeans or crop shirts and hoodies. Items at the thrift store are usually very versatile and can be worn in different ways. Everything is ugly until you roll the sleeves up. A couple of things I always like to be on the lookout for at thrift stores are jeans and purses because those are 2 staples that are everyday wear. A thrift store is also a great place for anything denim. I always have to remind myself to make sure that I inspect the item completely. I usually think something is cute and then turn around and find a tear or a stain on the back. I have to remember to look at the item holistically before falling in love with it, but if it is something that does not bother me or something I can fix, then usually I'll ask the register for discounts if the item is damaged. It ends up being a win-win situation. Thrift stores are also the perfect place for antiques and wall art! I always have to remember that I am not always going to get lucky thrifting and that I should not give up, because there are really good days and days where everything is garbage. Thrifting is not for everyone but it is a great way to look expensive without too many expenses.

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#thrifting

#thriftstores

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