If you’ve never been to a thrift store fearing you will be perceived as cheap or poor, change your way of thinking! There are so many treasures in thrift stores if you spend time searching for them. By that I mean, really spend time searching. Bring some comfy shoes, headphones or your best friend to help with the hunt.
There are many clothing racks and sections, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start. The first thing I encourage you to do is to not go looking for something specific because you may not find it. We’re not talking about a retail store that carries specific items.
Be open minded and take this opportunity to be adventurous, to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Experiment with sizes and even genders. I find great tee shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets in the men’s and kids sections.
Always scope out sales times. Most thrift stores have features tags that range from 30 to 50 percent off for the day or the week. Ask about when they have their 50 percent storewide sale to score even more.
Name brand and designer clothing are sure to pop up with careful searching. I’ve purchased great quality items from designers Ann Taylor, Kenneth Kole, Betsy Johnson, and Cynthia Rowley to name of few. Brands such as Nike, Adidas, Forever 21, American Eagle Outfitters, and the Gap are a sure find on almost every trip.
When thrifting, make sure that you try the clothes on. Check for broken zippers, missing buttons, rips, and stains that may be difficult to remove. No matter how inexpensive an item is, these issues make them not worth the money. Lastly, make sure you wash all items before you wear them.
The best items to look for are leather goods, sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans, trousers, blazers, and tops. I don’t normally shop for shoes but I always take a look. If something seems like it’s not been worn, I’ll try it on and maybe even purchase it.
Other items are silk scarves, hats, purses, and jewelry. I once scored a great Coach bag for about 15 bucks! In great condition too. I also picked up a Chanel silk scarf which is nearly an impossible thrift store find.
In Colorado, the thrift stores I prefer are:
Salvation Army. They have the best prices and sales regardless of the featured colored tag.
Goodwill. Quality items, 50 percent off weekly colored tags which help you save even more.
ARC. Quality items but you’ll need to watch out for colored tag sales as items can be a bit pricey.
Savers. I find this thrift store to be the priciest. but as the others, feature great quality items. I wold make sure you look for items on sale for the week.
Well, there you have it. A concise summary to thrifting. Give it a try and let me know what one-of-a-kind items and deals you find.