CTFCU Blog

How To Thrift Shop Like a Pro

Written by August | Jul 23, 2021 1:12:24 PM

As said by the famous Carrie Bradshaw, “a closet full of clothes, nothing to wear.” If you’re like me, you may run into this dilemma far more often than you should. Luckily, I’ve found the perfect solution, thrift shopping. When you’re able to find trendy outfits for cheap at your local thrift store or Goodwill, you can feel a lot less guilty about overfilling your closet.

On a recent segment of Living Local Carolina Financial Friday, I headed to a local Goodwill store to find a few trendy outfits for a deal. I was able to find two work outfits and two casual outfits for around $40.00.

The key to finding stylish outfits among various clothes is following a few thrift shopping tips.

1. Shop in Every Department of the Store

Instead of heading directly to your regular department and size, shop every department. By shopping in other sections, you may find something that can be repurposed. Oversized coats and shirts are super in right now, so try looking at items a few sizes larger than you usually would. Graphic tees are also super in and gender-neutral, so you may find trendy options in multiple departments.

2. Look for More Than Just Vintage Pieces

You don’t have to find a super unique vintage piece to have a successful day of thrift shopping; keep your eyes peeled for good essential pieces too. You can find lots of brand-name clothing that may be just a season or two old or just didn’t fit the previous owner. People get rid of clothing for many reasons, and you know what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

3. Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Unlike department store shopping, where everything is organized and categorized, thrift store items are one of a kind and all mixed together. You may need to give yourself more time to look through the racks of clothing to find some really great pieces.

4.Try Everything On

Since you’ll be shopping in every department and trying on lots of different brands, you’ll want to make sure everything fits well. Unfortunately, the dressing rooms were closed when I went thrift shopping; however, they did have a return/exchange policy, so I was able to return the items that didn’t fit the way I wanted them to.

I hope you’re able to use these tips and find great outfits the next time you go thrift shopping. Below are the four outfits that I picked out. Hopefully, they’ll give you some inspiration. Now, it’s your turn. I can’t wait to see all of your great finds.