Thrifting high-quality and sometimes designer clothing is quickly becoming a new favorite pastime for me. I will regularly keep track of new items from my favorite brands and scour online thrift stores to find the same or often an even better item!
Don’t get me wrong, I still make purchases here and there from my favorite sustainable clothing brands, but more often than not, I’ll check for a secondhand version first.
These are the tips that have enabled me to dress 1000x better while simultaneously keeping clothes out of landfills and saving money in the process.
1. Get outfit "pin"-spiration
I don’t know about you, but fashion is not one of those things that comes naturally to me. However, saving ideas here and there on Pinterest has really helped me up my style game.
After collecting inspiration, it’s much easier to know what to look for in building an outfit.
Pro tip: Take note of the recurring trends in your inspiration boards. You might realize you really have a thing for floral blouses, square-toe sandals, or chunky jewelry!
2. Try to keep to a color palette
I love a lot of colors, so I’m still working on this one! Having a baseline color palette makes it much easier to build a versatile wardrobe. And who doesn’t want to do more with less?
One of my favorite creators, Audrey Coyne, covers tips on how to create your own color palette on her blog and YouTube channel.
Here’s the palette I keep in mind when shopping vintage and secondhand:
3. Create a closet wishlist
This is another a tip I picked up from the lovely Audrey Coyne. Not only does creating a wishlist help me plan my wardrobe, but it also makes it easier for me to thrift exactly what I need and avoid distractions.
Keeping a closet wishlist helps me avoid mindless browsing and impulse buying!
4. Keep a running list of brands you love
Once you know what you’re looking for, having a list of brands you love (and that fit you well) will majorly streamline your thrift hunt.
If you aren’t really sure what brands fit your style, try browsing curated clothing stores (like Maison de Mode, Shopbop, GALERIE.LA), magazines, or other fashion blogs for ideas.
You can find more sustainable clothing brands by your style type here.
Pro tip: try to find a few lesser-known brands you love. This way, demand is much lower on Poshmark, Thredup, etc. and you’ll be more likely to find what you like at a lower price point.
5. Look for eco-friendly, durable fabrics
Since high-quality, durable clothing materials tend to be more expensive, thrifting is a great option to save money.
Check out this guide to eco-friendly fabrics to look for when shopping vintage and secondhand.
6. Make sure the clothes fit your lifestyle
Don’t fall into the trap of buying something stunning and then never wearing it because it doesn’t make sense for your everyday lifestyle.
One mistake I’ve made is purchasing way too many “dry clean only” tops, for example. And then when I ignore the labels, wash those tops by hand, and shrink them all to hell, I’m disappointed and my thrifted purchases were all for naught.
Since then, I do try to take better care of the higher maintenance clothes I have. However, I’m more mindful of choosing clothes I’ll actually wear and take care of responsibly.
7. Know your measurements
I know this is obvious, but you aren’t going to wear clothes that don’t fit you well!
If you’re shopping for secondhand clothing online, make sure you know your measurements and keep some measuring tape on hand.
Don’t be afraid to ask sellers for sizing info before making a purchase!
8. Get to know your tailor!
If you find a vintage or secondhand item that you just have to have and the fit isn’t quite right, a tailor is going to be your best friend here!
Recently, I bought a great pair of vintage jeans on Poshmark. They were a little too roomy in a few spots, so I took them to a tailor to get the fit 110% right.
Because they now fit so well, I wear these more often than the newer jeans in my closet!
If you don’t believe me, take it from Tan France, who swears that tailoring your clothes will make you look more expensive. (He’s right!)
Have tips for finding perfect vintage or secondhand items? Please share in the comments!
