Full price pieces are great, but I’m a sucker for a good thrift, and lately I’ve been finding some really cool and unique pieces from all over Raleigh and beyond like this fun colorful top I’m wearing in this post. I LOVE THIS TOP. It has a Lisa Turtle/ Whitely from a Different World vibe to it and you know I love colors. Just so you know, anytime is always a good time to save on fashion. One of my fav things about thrifting is not just saving money, but finding unique pieces that nobody will have. The pieces I find are cute but they also tell a story, and I don’t mind paying a few bucks to update my pieces so I won’t look like I’m in a time warp stuck in the 80’s. For the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing all my thrifted finds, tips and tricks on styling them and how to get the most bang for your buck when you are balling on a budget. Below are a few first-time thrifter tips to get this thrift party started.

MY FIRST TIME THRIFTER TIPS

Take the Risk
Come on guys, lets be honest, everything is cheap so don’t be afraid to walk out with a few pieces. I even buy pieces for my friends if I find something ultra cute that’s unfortunately not in my size and everybody wins! 🙂

Road Trip
Perhaps your local thrift is not so local. I drive from one end of my city to the next in search of great deals. I often shop alone but I’m no stranger to taking my best friend Natalie along for the ride. In fact , Nat and I are having a huge yard sale to get rid of some things this week! I’m so excited. If you are in the area you should totally check it out.

Cheap to Expensive
The whole point of thrifting is to SAVE. You won’t be saving if you have to put in a lot of money to update the piece and make it look fresh. I’ve made this mistake in the past and ended up spending more money than I’d like just to make it look more modern. If you absolutely need to update the piece,  see if you can get a friend to hem it or take it in for you. That’s what friends are for right?

Easy Updates
Speaking of updates, some things you can do to update it on your own is take out the shoulder pads, hem a dress or jacket that’s very long. You can also add another piece of clothing like a blazer or jacket to layer it. I love adding a cute belt to dresses that are to big for me or jackets that are a bit bulky.

Don’t Get Stuck
Don’t try to get a complete outfit at one thrift shop. Lets be real, people are returning all kinds of pieces from all walks of life, and from many different decades. It’s very possible to do this, but branch out and hit up a few local thrifts, scope out your city so you can see all it has to offer. One thrift just won’t do. It’s better to have more options and make an outfit that way.

Saving
I know, how can you possibly get any cheaper at a thrift. Well, some thrift shops have $1 days. I go to one in my city that has a $1 day on Fridays. Any and everything in the store is $1! In fact, the top I’m wearing for this post was $1. Believe it or not, things do get cheaper. I take advantage of this day all the time. I look forward to Friday because I always find $1 deals. 🙂

A Piece For A Piece
I literally spent one whole weekend going to thrifts that take your gently used clothing and shoes for money or for trade in for something in their store. This is a great way to pocket some  extra change, declutter your life, and even switch out your clothes for someone else’s treasure. You know what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. I will be honest though, stores like Clothes Mentor and Plato’s are really looking for updated, trendy items that are literally gently used, so go through your clothes carefully, make sure there are no stains on them, and I highly recommend scoping out the store before hand to see what trends they are taking for the season. This will help you determine what to bring for trade off. Some stores have a reference card of the items they are currently accepting.

Work What Ya Got
Thrifting for clothing is always easier when you know what you can style your thrifted pieces with from the pieces you already own. I usually take a mental note of things I wear in my closet or if I’m on a serious mission, I take pics or jot down this info so when I go shopping I have an idea of how I’ll actually style and wear the pieces I wear at the thrift. It’s no fun buying a piece, taking it home, updating it and the finding out it can’t go with nothing you already own. Shop smarter, not harder is what I always say. Also, you have to be sure about your purchase, because you can’t return at most thrift shops.

I hope my first time thrifter tips help. Love starting off my Monday with a good thrift. 🙂 Top and sunnies are thrifted but I’ve linked similar Loft white denim and gold earrings at the top for your shopping pleasure. Happy Monday good people.

Sincerely

Deidra Marie