Buy or Bye: What to Look For While Thrifting

Thrifting is like a maze. You navigate your way through the stores looking for a timeless blouse or a chic 2000s purse, only to find a pile of generic graphic tees after scrambling through several aisles. But although puzzling, there is a method to the madness in finding the right pieces and, most importantly, what to primarily look for when going to a thrift store. Finding the best secondhand clothes is by far the most difficult task in a store oversaturated with varying styles, but the first step starts with a goal: What are you looking for?

From embroidered sandals to acid-wash jeans to a torn pair of Ed Hardy jeans, the options at a thrift store for your style are endless, but what should you buy?

What to Buy (4)

Natural Fabric Clothing: Now, this was first for a reason, and not to state the obvious, but duh, natural-fabric clothing is a must when thrifting. Though this may seem hard to find, this is by far one of the most significant investments you can acquire from your local thrift store. Helps our planet in the environment sector. Check. Looks good and lasts long. Check. Costs a fraction of the original prices, which is often insanely expensive. Check. Check. Check!

Books: Books are one of the lowest-risk items to purchase at a thrift store because you can see what you're buying before you invest your money into the item. Though books at the thrift store may often be outdated or not in like-new condition, the book prices averaging from $2-10 make the purchase worth investing in.

T-shirts: You might find a lot of graphic tees at your local thrift shop for the cheapest prices ever! And the best thing about t-shirts is that you can style them whichever way you like. The versatile convenience that comes with t-shirts is an absolute must for a fashion keepsake, as they can be utilized for many uses ranging from loungewear to going-out attire.

Purses: If you've ever been on FashionTok, you've probably seen a heap of influencers with the most chic 2000s purses, and 9 times out of 10, they probably got them from a thrift store. Remember what I said about thrift stores: timeless and an endless amount of styles; well, that same phrase applies to purses as well. With purses at the thrift store, there's a variety of styles to choose from, varying from vintage and extravagant to something simple and minimalist.

What to Bye (4)

Fast Fashion: This one is quite obvious, but fast fashion at a thrift store is completely counterintuitive. Not only is this not a smart investment, but usually thrift store prices for fast fashion items are nearly as close to the original prices. Moreover, the quality is dumbed down, and the point of thrift stores is to NOT promote the use of low-quality textiles but to encourage shoppers to invest in secondhand clothing to provide environmental benefits to our planet. So, the next time you see SHEIN, Romwe, or any other similar brands, turn the other cheek!

Polyester clothes: Deriving from what I reiterated earlier about clothing that looks low quality, polyester clothes are exactly that. At a thrift store, the point is to select from a variety of styles, textiles, or designs that are all at affordable prices. Though it may seem like a pain to look for cotton clothes over nylon and polyester, choosing the right fabric will not only look better but also last longer in the long run.

Mattresses and pillows: If you're not a big fan of bugs, then this is an absolute NO. Mattresses and pillows are often infiltrated with bed bugs and heaps of germs, and this problem is always inevitable when going to a thrift store.

Old electronics: From experience, I would tell you that old electronics may be a high risk when it comes to thrift stores because it's hard to "preview" or get a glimpse of what you're buying before you completely invest. A majority of thrift stores do not operate a return policy, and old electronics prices can still be a hefty amount of money, depending on the item.

A thrift store is almost heaven-sent for people who want to save money and invest in a specific style of their choosing, but it can also be hell if you don't choose the right selections. Still, like a maze, there's always a prize at the end if you navigate through the piles and heaps of things that pose as obstacles to your final destination. All you need is a little perseverance, and if you can withstand the struggles along your way, you might end up with a Birkin bag for the price of $2.00.

Edited by reux z. qualm