Secondhand clothes can be a great way to save money and find fun, unique items. I haven’t always had great experiences with secondhand clothes. Growing up I often received hand-me-down clothes from cousins that didn’t fit and were way out of style (most of my cousins are 15+ years older than me). Or I would go to thrift stores expecting to find a whole wardrobe of clothes that fit perfectly and were my style. But, over the years, I’ve developed ways to make the most of secondhand shopping and I’m here to share these tips with you.
Why You Should Buy Secondhand Clothes
Before we get to the ‘how’ of shopping for secondhand clothes lets go over a few of the benefits.
Buy secondhand clothes to save money
Everyone likes to save money, right!? If you love finding bargains or you’re on a tight budget, consider buying secondhand clothes. You’re going to pay way less than retail prices. Plus, you are likely supporting a local business or charity. You can also take your clothes that you don’t wear anymore to a consignment shop to be sold. Every consignment shop is different but typically you will earn a percentage of the sale.
Reduce your environmental impact by buying secondhand clothes
I could list a bunch of statistics about how many tons of clothing we throw away each year, but I don’t think that’s news to anyone. When you buy secondhand clothes you are extending the life cycle of those pieces and keeping them out of the landfill for a bit longer. New clothes take a lot of water to manufacture, particularly jeans. By buying a pre-owned pair of jeans it means there is more water for other things.
Find unique pieces
As they say “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”. Secondhand clothes shops can be a treasure trove of unique items you can’t find anywhere else. While most shops like to have up-to-date fashions you can also find vintage clothes. Recently, my favorite cream-colored moto jacket bit the dust and I wasn’t sure that many stores would carry one like it. I turned to an online consignment store to find a replacement and was not disappointed. The new-to-me jacket is pictured below. It might not be a “unique” item, but I was glad to give it a new home.
Tips For Secondhand Clothes Shopping
Be picky
If you wouldn’t buy it brand new at retail prices, don’t buy it secondhand. I fell in to this trap many times before. Not just with thrifting, but clearance racks, too. The slashed price is oh so tempting but if you don’t truly love it, it’s still wasted money. If you’re on the fence, use the tips in my How To Stop Wasting Money On Clothes post to decide if you really want to purchase it. You can also consider if it’s worth having the clothing item altered. Since you are paying less than you would for a brand new item, you could spend the extra money on a tailor to get the perfect fit.
It’s ok to leave empty-handed
Thrift stores and consignment shops can be hit or miss so don’t feel bad if you don’t make a purchase. This can be applied to any kind of shopping but if you’re in a small shop with one or two attendants, you may feel pressured to buy something to support them (or am I the only one that feels that way?!). But the best part of thrift stores is that they constantly get new inventory. You can check back in another week or month and have a whole new set of items to choose from. The shop owner wants your return business and if you buy something you end up not liking, you probably won’t go back to that store. You can even visit multiple shops since each one is unique.
Manage your expectations
If you think you’re going to find a diamond in the rough every time you visit a thrift store, you will be sorely disappointed. Unless you happen to visit a store right after someone donated all of their Gucci bags, don’t expect to find many luxury brands. You can try to find a store in a more well-off area for a better chance of finding high-end pieces, but don’t get your hopes up. As stated above, you might leave without buying anything, but don’t let that get you down after only one visit.
Dress comfortably when shopping for secondhand clothes
Most shops have a dressing room but not all, and during a pandemic they might not let you use them. One way to get around this is to wear a tight tank top and leggings which allow you to try on clothes without removing all of yours. It’s important to try on items at the store because most places do not offer returns. This could also help you with that “icky” feeling you might have the first time you go thrifting. Yes, you’re trying on someone else’s clothes but how many people have tried on clothes before you at your favorite retail store? I doubt the store at the mall is washing clothes in between try-ons.
Buy secondhand clothes online
If you want to avoid the pressure of shopping in person, try a site like ThredUp or Poshmark. ThredUp has literally thousands of new and used clothing. It can seem overwhelming at first but with their easy to use filters you can narrow down to exactly the types of clothes you like. And they do carry many luxury brands. I’m sure there are other online consignment/thrift stores but I’m most familiar with ThredUp. They offer returns on most items so it’s a great way to try on something at home. (This is not sponsored, I just really like them!)
I really hope this post has helped you discover that secondhand clothes are a great option when shopping for your wardrobe. Whether you are on a budget or are interested in reducing the number of fast fashion pieces you buy, shopping secondhand is always a good idea! Let me know in the comments if you love or hate shopping secondhand.
Here are a few items that I’ve purchased secondhand:
While you’re here, check out some of my recent posts
- Striped Shirt Styled 4 Ways
- Fall Wardrobe Essentials for An Everyday Style
- Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021
- Dress For Your Lifestyle – Wardrobe Revamp Part 2
- Summer Wedding Guest Outfit for Outdoor Wedding
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