I’m a big fan of thifting. Be it Ebay, Goodwill, random consignment shops, or the dumpster behind Salvation Army (yeah that's happened)… I’m all over it.
I thrift for a few reasons:
I'm a college student: I love shopping, I love name brands, I love looking good - but alas cash is scarce.
Trends repeat themselves over time: Why go to Forever 21 to buy a newly made accordion pleated skirt when there are a million left over from the 80’s just sitting in resale shops?
Environmental reasons: Clothing production and waste is c-c-crazy.
Decreased spending tolerance: Once you’ve bought an Express shirt for 50 cents, it’s hard to buy the same shirt in the store for $50, thus my spending tolerance has decreased.
Entertainment & Adventure: Some people hunt ducks, I hunt BCBG.
This past year has been quite successful in the thrifting department, so I’m going to do a big “no-no” of the thrifting world and share some of my secrets favorite finds with you! I’ve also included my purchase price, along with the original retail price just for kicks, so you can see just how much money you can save by thrifting.
Let the fun begin!
Floral strapless sun dress
Brand: Free People (Commonly purchased at Urban Outfitters)
Thrifted from: Mormon Thrift Store in Kirksville
Price paid: $1
Estimated Retail Price: $50-70
Vintage Gray Accordion Pleat Skirt
Thrifted from: Salvation Army (Kirksville)
Purchase price: $3
Original retail price: $30 in 1980 dollars (original tag still on)
Red Tunic
Brand: French Connection UK (Commonly purchased at Nordstrom or speciality store)
Thrifted from: Ebay
Purchase price: $6
Estimated retail price: $50-60
Plaid button down with feminine detailing
Brand: Gap
Thrifted from: Mormon thrift store in Kirksville
Purchase price: $1
Estimated retail price: $30
Olive Dress Pants
Brand: The Limited
Thrifted from: Goodwill (O'Fallon, MO)
Purchase price: $3
Estimated retail price: $80
Pink and Cream Blazer
Brand: Old Navy
Thrifted from: Salvation Army (Kirksville)
Purchase price: $3
Estimated retail price: $30
Pink Dress Shirt (+ 3 others in the same style, different colors)
Brand: Express
Thrifted from: Mormon thrift store in Kirksville
Purchase price: $0.50
Estimated retail price: $50
Black Silk Tank Top
Brand: Express
Thrifted from: Mormon thrift store in Kirksville
Purchase price: $0.50
Estimated retail price: $50
Pink Ruffle Top
Brand: Express
Thrifted from: Goodwill on Manchester
Purchase price: $3
Estimated retail price: $30-40
Missoni for Target Clutch
Brand: Missoni for Target
Thrifted from: Goodwill (O'Fallon)
Purchase price: $3
Estimated retail price: $23
1 Liberty of London Pillow (I already had 2, but finding a lucky third one really rounded out the look!)
Brand: Liberty of London for Target
Thrifted from: Goodwill O'Fallon
Purchase price: $2
Estimated retail price: $40
Blue Patterned Sun Dress
Brand: Merona (Target)
Thrifted from: Goodwill on Manchester
Purchase price: $4
Estimated retail price: $40
And of course I found some shoes, in excellent condition! Jessica Simpson, Bandolino, Nine West, and Franco Sarto brands purchased from Ebay, Hidden Treasures Consignment, and Goodwill each for $3-$20 a piece.
...And that's only part of the damages I've done in the past year. Not pictured are 4 suit sets (Banana Republic, Benetton, The Limited, and Ann Taylor Loft) and 2 coats (Banana Republic and Kenneth Cole) courtesy of Ebay, as well as some more professional/career type clothes.
That being said, thrifting has been especially helpful as I build my professional wardrobe. This summer during my internship, I'll have to dress "business professional" 4 days a week, so it helps to find basic career staples at deeply discounted prices.
My biggest secret to successful thrifting is to have fun with it, allot a decent amount of time to your adventures, and most importantly to be smart. Don't buy anything that you don't need, just because it is cheap. Also, buy things that have high quality and that are in good condition. And lastly, WASH everything before you wear it or use it (duh).
Thrifting can be a fantastic way to expand your wardrobe, and can help you add newness and variety to your current wardrobe without breaking the bank. Then again, this post wasn't meant to be overly persuasive because the more thrifters there are, the more competition there is for me ;)
Stay fabulous!
Sarah
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