Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Questions From the Audience - Thrifting 101

Halston Balthorp of Southern Limit asked,

How do you find such great deals?

Persistence. Unbelievable amounts of persistence. Just as it takes time to build a wardrobe by conventional methods, it takes even more time to build up your collection when much of it comes from thrift shops.

Visit every thrift shop in your area at least once a week. You shop more, you'll get more stuff.
Don't be discouraged when nothing turns up. You'll be lucky to find one truly great piece per store.
Learn to recognize quality when you see and feel it. You won't be familiar with every defunct brand.
When you find something like a designer jacket or shirt, there's likely to be more than one. 
Therefore, always look at every piece of clothing on every rack. Don't just skim through.
Also, peruse the women's section on occasion for misplaced ties, scarves, pocket squares, etc. 
When you find something worthwhile, buy it. Don't walk away and expect it to be there in a week.
However, examine every potential purchase under optimal lighting for stains and holes.
Even if something needs slight repair or cleaning, buy it anyway. Worst case, you're out a few bucks.

In addition, most thrifts are non-profits, so donate extra items and money when you can.
If you do, a salesperson's more likely to let you in on upcoming deals - new merchandise, tag sales, etc.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the advise!
    I'll do my best to keep an eye out for any awesome finds.

    ReplyDelete