I haven’t bought any brand-new clothing since the summer because I took the Secondhand September challenge. Since then, I’ve learned a few things about thrifting and developed some strategies to be successful. I wanted to share them in a post in order to make thrift shopping more accessible for everyone! (Also, I’m taking a break before I get back to studying and writing papers).

Tip #1: Go to the right thrift store!

If you’re new to thrifting, you should check out several different stores in your area, but not all thrift shops are equal. I have a few personal favourites. The closest one to my house is the Salvation Army at Cedar Hill Cross. Not only is its location ideal, but they have regular sales (every other Friday, they have some kind of 50% off deal). On regular days, you could spend $10 on a sweater or top, but I prefer to get them for $5 of course! Even more awesome is the fact that there is no sales tax – Salvation Army is a non-profit organization. When you buy from them, the money goes right back into the community to feed, clothe, and shelter people who are in need. Another great organization is Women in Need, or WIN, which is located downtown on Pandora Avenue. They specifically support women in the community. You can often find great brands downtown as well!

I used to go to Value Village quite often when I lived in Abbotsford, but I find that the one in Victoria can be quite overpriced. Tops can be $12-20 depending on the brand, and they rarely have good sales. They are a for-profit organization so naturally they charge more; plus you’ll be paying sales tax.

Tip #2: Look in all the sections. 

I don’t mean literally all the sections. But say you’re usually a size small in tops. Go through all the sizes! Items that end up in the thrift store are often marked incorrectly, put back on the wrong rack, or you can just go for the oversized look which is so popular right now. If you’re a larger size, don’t be afraid to skim through all the racks because things can definitely be misplaced. Another place you can look is the men’s section. I find so many soft cotton flannels – some that I bought for my husband, and one or two that I kept for myself! To be honest, these tips kind of only apply to tops, because so far I have been shockingly unsuccessful at thrifting pants. I wear an uncommon size and so far haven’t had any luck finding it. However, I have heard that you can sometimes find vintage Levi’s in the men’s section, so if they fit you, definitely give that a try!

Tip #3: Look for natural fibres. 

I never used to care what my clothes were made of; only how they looked. But last winter I pretty much froze my butt off every single morning when I walked to the bus stop in -10 weather at 6 AM. That made me realize that polyester and acrylic simply aren’t warmenough for winter! I have had amazing luck thrifting outerwear – most notably, a coat made in Italy that’s 80% wool, and another one made in Poland that is 55% wool. Both of these will be so much warmer than the one I got off the sale rack at Guess. And, they were both right around $12 (I love those 50% off sales). More recently, I picked up a 100% lambswool sweater made in Scotland, a 100% silk blouse ($3.50), and a black turtleneck with a nylon/polyester/merino blend. It doesn’t have to be 100% natural to be good. Even if you have some wool content, it will keep you MUCH warmer than synthetic fibres. Also, this is stuff that I’d never be able to afford brand-new. A wool sweater would be over $100 and a silk shirt would be at least $50!

Tip #4: Check the items REALLY carefully (and don’t be afraid to ask for a discount). 

I’m guilty of not following the first part of this rule. When it’s the sale day, I don’t care that much if the item isn’t perfect, because I can get out tiny stains or stitch up tiny holes. But if it’s a full-price item, then I’ll ask for a discount. They’ve been really good about that at Salvation Army – I got some black leather ankle boots that were scratched, and they gave me about 30% off (originally $15 down to $10). Definitely inspect as carefully as possible, especially if you aren’t willing or able to fix the item. If the jeans have a big rip in the crotch or the white shirt has gross pit stains, it’s better for that item to just get recycled. (That’s what thrift stores do with the clothing they can’t sell).

Tip #5: Get out of your comfort zone. 

The best thing about thrifting is that you can find totally unique items that no one else has. You can put those items together in all sorts of creative ways. Sure, some of those items are butt-ugly, but that’s why you have to go on a treasure hunt. Try on some stuff that you’ve never tried before and see if it looks good on you! Maybe you would have never considered buying an item at full price, but then you try it on and end up loving it. Skim the racks with your eyes and see what jumps out at you: prints, patterns, fabrics, details… this is an opportunity to develop your personal style.

Those are my top 5 tips, but above all, make sure to leave yourself enough time so that you can be relaxed, try stuff on, and most importantly have fun! Thrifting is a good habit for so many reasons. You can minimize your carbon footprint while saving money and finding unique items all at the same time! I highly recommend thrift shopping and I hope these tips were helpful! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments section.