How to be a thrift queen (or king)

I hate to brag, but I like to consider myself a thrifty queen. The majority of my closet comes from thrift and consignment stores. From jeans and sweaters to shoes and designer clothing, to my homecoming dress senior year and spring formal dress, I have thrifted almost everything I own.

On this wonderful earth day, I thought I would share a non-travel related post, but one that saves this beautiful world so you can see more in the future. Thrifting is amazing for the environment because not only are you recycling clothing, but so much water is used to make a cotton shirt, and so many textile items end up in dumpsters.

Also, the money you are saving on clothes can be used towards travel! Do actually, this could be a travel related blog post :)

Real quick let me clarity one thing before we get started on my tips and tricks on how to find the best items. Thrift and consignment stores are very different. A thrift store is a place where all donated clothing is put on racks for you to dig though, where as a consignment store is hand selected by the store owners before being put on the racks. For consignment stores (listen closely because this is the big difference) the original owner gets payed for their item. This results in a slightly nicer quality, and usually more high end products. That being said, I have found many high end items at thrift stores as well.

Tip #1

go into it with an open mind

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Don't expect to find a designer bag or a perfectly worn in flannel. Just go in and check it out. Having low expectations for what you might find allows you to the true hidden gems.

Me (in the middle) wearing a second hand dress to my senior year homecoming

Tip #2

know what you like

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This may sound like the very opposite of my last tip, but trust me when I say "know your sense of style." I have left the thrift store one too many times with pieces I have never worn, but bought because they could be cool and they were cheap. Even if it is only a dollar, if you don't ever wear it it will be a waste of money. When you are looking at a piece, ask yourself "will I wear this?" If the answer if yes, go for it! If the answer is no, oh well... move on. Only buy things that you could see yourself wearing

My spring formal dress, also from a consignment store

Tip #3

don't be afraid to get dirty

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Thrift stores are dirty, but so much fun. Wear a comfy outfit and get ready to dig. Thrifting is not a clean activity, but what's more fun than getting your hands a little dirty. Also, please promise me that you will wash everything before you wear it, because most thrift stores do not clean the items before they sell them.

Yes another formal occasion (my sorority strong girls gala) and I am wearing a second hand top

Tip #4

wear a cross body bag

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You will want both hands for sifting through racks and bins, so having a cross body bag is perfect. You don't have to worry about where your bag is and you can get fully into the hunt!

This super cute jump suit came from a thrift store :)

Tip #5

look in every section (yes, even the little boys section)

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I know this one sounds crazy, but trust me... check the mens section and the kids section. You never know what you can find. Mens flannels are 100x better than women flannels, and if you want a jersey, check the mens section. As for the kids section, I can easily fit into a kids size 14, and sometimes they have amazing stuff at an even cheaper price. Thrift stores can be a disorganized mess, so be sure to check other sizes as well as your own. Also, since the store is not only selling one brand, some things might run small while others run big. It is always best to look through everything incase that perfect item is misplaced in the extra extra small section.

fetus me is wearing a 100% thrifted outfit

Tip #6

check for rips and stains

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Most thrift stores do not check quality control before putting items on the racks, and many do not offer returns, so be sure to check for stains, rips, and any other imperfections. This will ensure that you are getting only the best items!

Both my shirt and skirt were thrifted for this beachside look

Tip #6

start with consignment stores if you are scared

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I'm not gonna lie, thrift stores can be overwhelming. While I look at them and see fun, many of my friends don't know where to start, so they avoid them altogether. If you are scared (and thats ok) start with consignment stores. Many simply look like a boutique with clean organized racks. Start here and work your way up!

This Free People top was much cheaper at a thrift store!

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I hope you all saw this as inspiration and motivation to thrift shop. As I am writing this, I am wearing jeans that I thrifted (fun fact:) so get out there and save some money, save the world, and find some hidden gems.

xoxo,

Gracie