When Macklemore released his 2012 hit song "thrift shop" all I could think was: Who in their right mind would wanna purchase dubious-smelling clothes and even better write a song about it?!
See, my problem with this concept of "wearing your granddad's clothes" was that it took away from the only thing I truly enjoyed about the shopping experience, which is buying new things that have not been touched, worn, or most importantly RUINED by others.
You know how some people like the smell of a new car? Well, I like the smell of unworn shimmery velvet jackets (Yeah I’m a little weird but you knew that already). New clothes just give me the perception of freshness and novelty and I was not about to give that up!!
That until I moved to the unashamedly hipster city of Seattle and lost my thrift shopping virginity. Seattleites take a lot of pride in purchasing used goods not only because thrift shops offer pieces that are the literal definition of unique, but also because the people of Seattle recognize that by shopping in secondhand stores, they are saving the earth!!
Yup, you read that right. Re-wearing clothes reduces waste and pollution in more ways than one. Here is a more detailed article for your reading pleasure: Why thrift?: The environmental, social, and personal impact of second-hand shopping. So, if you're sold on the idea of saving the world and you want to start thrift shopping, here are some tips that will help you out:
1- Wear comfortable clothes
I personally like to think of thrift shopping as being equivalent to treasure hunting and as any treasure hunter worth his/her salt would tell you, being comfortable while doing this physical activity is key! There is a range of things that could be worn to make one feel comfortable, pictured below is just my is my idea of that:
2- Music on - world off
Any decision making task requires a fair amount of time and patience and thrift shopping is no exception. So in order to keep yourself entertained make sure to listen to your favorite music. Now I don't mean to dictate your musical choices, but may I suggest listening to Family Affair by Mary J. Blige? For only then will my awkward dance moves make sense.
3- If you think you kinda sorta maybe like it, pick it up!!
I can't stress this pro tip enough!! I once made the mistake of putting down a vintage Christian Dior jacket thinking that I could come back to it later. Within 30 minutes of doing that, the jacket was sold to a smarter, better-prepared shopper than I was. So if you see something that piques your interest even a little make sure you keep it with you until you have come to a definite verdict on the article of clothing in question.
4- Garment inspection is a must
Say you've just found the vintage-inspired wrap top styled with layered ruffles of your dreams!! (or really of my dreams) Don't go rushing to the cashier just yet! You first must inspect whatever it is that you found and make sure it's free of holes, tears, impossible-to-remove stains, or anything of this nature. While thrift shopping is for sure more gentle on your bank account than buying things from a high-end retail store, you still want to be responsible with how you spend your money.
5- Have an open mind
The sweet thing about going to Red Light Vintage or Goodwill is that they're inexpensive enough that you could afford (no pun intended) to live your wildest outfit fantasies. And even if for some reason you looked around the store and didn't find a single thing that you liked, you are still a winner because now you have a better idea of what you don't like. For example, on my last thrift shop trip I picked out a sheer floral skirt and the second I put it on I knew it was just not me!! This experience taught me more about myself and how sheer sheer skirts really are!!
Bonus tip!!
Bring your own bag, also known as byob, (pronounced like boob but with an accent) cause nothing feels better than saving Mother Earth twice on the same day (suck it batman!!)
Congrats!!! Now you are ready to go out there and purchase your first secondhand item of clothing like a pro!! (but only if you really really need it)
By @alaamead
Photography by @feistysauce, @melodyxu, and @alaamead
Thrift shopping
for dummies!!
