“I’m gonna pop some tags, only got 20 dollars in my pocket…”
Have you ever heard of the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”? Well, after my friend took me thrifting for the very first time last year, I can now fully understand and appreciate this quote. For those who have no idea what thrifting is, it is essentially searching for and buying inexpensive and unconventional items from vintage, consignment or second-hand stores. After making my first thrift-store purchase (an H&M animal print dress for only $2.00!), I’ve become hooked! Some of my favourite pieces of clothing in my closet have come from thrift stores. Even with a job, I can honestly say that I love to thrift, and definitely recommend it as a fun and fulfilling way to create a unique and fashionable wardrobe for cheap!
If you are new to thrifting, or are an experienced thrifter looking for another fellow thrifter’s perspective, here are a few tips and tricks that I go by:
1) Keep an open mind
Face it, clothes at thrift stores and vintage shops are going to be old and sometimes not in the best of conditions (random stains, rips, holes, interesting smells, etc.) I remember cringing when searching through the racks at Value Village, thinking “Am I actually even going to find anything decent here?” But if you maintain a positive outlook and just aim to have fun, you never know just what you might find.
2) Dig, dig, dig!
When thrifting, look through ALL of the sections in the store. That includes childrens’ wear, menswear if you are a girl, or the women’s department if you are a boy. Browse through the jewelry section, check out the shoes, and definitely look through the sales section if you see one. Something that I like to do is look through the “rejects” pile in the change rooms; they are basically the items that are left behind on the rack by people who have already tried them on. My logic here is that if someone put the item here, they must have liked it enough to try it at one point. Last month, someone left behind a pair of high waisted light blue denim shorts that they didn’t want, but after going through the rejects pile and trying them on, I fell in love with them. So don’t hesitate to look anywhere and everywhere!
3) Try on everything, and take your time
Seriously. If something even remotely catches your eye or looks good to you, put it in your basket! You never know if something is going to look amazing or atrocious on you until you’re actually wearing it. Take your time when trying on different clothes or picking out specific accessories and items, because although most of these pieces are cheap, it is easy to get carried away with buying a pile of items that you might not actually wear much in the future. The key is to pick out a few key pieces that you genuinely like, and to go for quality over quantity. Sometimes, you might not even end up with anything and that’s okay!
4) Shop at different places
Going to new stores and shops to go thrifting is refreshing because every store has something special to offer. Often, there are different types of styles, brands and trends available depending on the places you go to. Shops like The Salvation Army, Value Village, The Front and Company, and Army Navy are great places to explore for inexpensive clothing, home décor items, and accessories. Going to different areas of the city can also help you in your search for that amazing, one of a kind item. Main Street, downtown Vancouver, and West 4th are some places to start.
Good luck and happy thrifting!
by Eva Chan