Shopping vintage is & always has been one of my favorite pastimes. It’s a modern day hunt & gather, and it totally gets my adrenaline pumping (is that weird?).
Don’t get me wrong, I love my new/trendy/designer pieces just as much as the next guy, but there is just something super rad about getting a one of a kind piece with a story behind it.
Following up yesterday’s post featuring my latest #thriftscore, I wanted to share some legit vintage shopping tips that will help guarantee your next thrifting adventure is a succesful one::
1. Location, Location, Location: Finding the best vintage stores is always the hardest part. If you’re a “lazy” vintage shopper (totally chill), look up second hand stores in hipper/nicer areas, it will be pricier but a whole lot easier as the sift through all the fluff for you. If you’re really down for the hunt, hit up whatever thrift store you find! I do both, but usually have more success at the thrift stores in nicer parts of town.
2. Do your research: I know majority of the thrift stores around me, but when travelling & wanting to check out the vintage situation (one of my fave things to do on vacay!), I use The Thrift Shopper’s uber handy Thrift Store Directory. Just enter a zip code & it will pull up tons of different stores. Then, search on Yelp to see what the different stores have to offer/which ones you want to visit.
3. Best Time to Shop: Spring, because duh– everyone’s doing their annual “spring cleaning” mission.
4. Get Ready to Search: If your going to a larger thrift store like Goodwill, be ready to scrummage through a whole lot of ugly clothes. They aren’t called hidden gems for nothing! Example: I once found a brand new ACNE dress under a pile of go-backs for $7 (still online retailing for $550), pretty much peed myself over that one.
5. Fashion Education: Know your fabrics & study up on current trends so that you can spot a diamond in the rough.
6. Keep an Open Mind: Always be thinking of what can be up-cycled (such as home decor items) & what can be tailored to fit perfectly.
7. Don’t be a Germaphobe: YES, these things are second hand so there is a chance you may come across a stain or two, but majority of thrift stores wash & inspect the clothes before they hit the shelves so take off the plastic gloves & enjoy yourself.
8. Shoe Shopping: When buying shoes at a thrift store, don’t be deterred/grossed out if they are worn out, a cobbler can give a shoe new life in no time. I see my cobbler, Ray, more than most of my friends.
9. Know What you Want: Shopping vintage can be overwhelming, so it’s a good idea to have an item in mind that your looking for. My main squeezes are always vintage tees (nothing beats that softness), overalls, Levis, & pointed shoes of any kind, so when I go into a thrift store I typically have a pretty good plan of action.
10. Shop Online: Urban Outfitters (aka Urban Renewal), ASOS Reclaimed Vintage, The Vintage Twin, Free People, & Nasty Gal are just a few of my favorite online stores that offer “e-thrifting”. Yes, it’s all more pricey, but soooo easy as they weed through all the junk for you & bring you the best of the best.
That’s all! Cheers to your next vintage find!! x, E
P.S. If you want to go thrift shopping in my closet, follow me on Depop. It’s an app (download here) you can get on your phone that is JUST like Instagram, but for shopping other peoples stuff. Genius, right? I am compulsive when it comes to getting rid of clothes, so new stuff is being added on the reg!
Shop Vintage
Great tips! Thanks for sharing I love vintage shopping as well.
Thanks Adrian! Hope it helps you :) x, E
THAT FRINGE BAG IS EVERYTHING
I know, right?! I love it.