HOW TO GET STARTED

The world of secondhand fashion can be a bit of a scary one: the unorganized clothes laying around everywhere, the intense sweating due to the aggressive digging through the boxes, let alone the fact that running from one stand to the next is a workout on its own. :)

It can be a LOT, especially if you’ve never been before. Therefore, I want to share some of my favorite secondhand shopping hacks to make your hunt much easier. I personally have been thrifting for a really long time so these guidelines are naturally engraved in my mind. Nevertheless, I still follow them strictly every time I go second shopping – and they have shown a success! Because I want you to be just as successful while still enjoying the process of thrift shopping, I’ve gathered these hacks that I’ve acquired over the years. These little tips and tricks will hopefully bring some structure and clarity into your otherwise chaotic thrifting, whether or not you have loads of experience or you just want to get into it now. Enjoy!

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1. Go for brands you know you like

I cannot stress this enough. If you know of a brand or cut you really enjoy, stick to that. The whole concept of secondhand shopping can be, as mentioned before, an overwhelming one. When starting out, it will make your life so much easier if you can find something familiar to hold on to. I’m not saying that you have to be closed-minded towards other things just because they are different from what you are used to. Once you start getting used to this new lifestyle, you are going to want to stick out from the crowd and buy things you usually wouldn’t buy, because that’s the fun part about thrift shopping. In the beginning, however, try to make it as easy on yourself as you possibly can by going with what you know looks good on you.

2. Don’t be scared to talk to the sellers

This is something I recently discovered. It is so important to not be shy and start conversations with the people selling their things as soon as you want to know something about the clothing. Obviously, you don’t have to tell your life story to every second person you see, but don’t be scared to ask if you are interested in anything. Say you picked up a pair of jeans and you wanted to know how they fit, feel free to ask the person selling them if they used to wear them, what they look like on, if they think they would fit you, and so on. Most sellers will be very glad to answer your questions and will also be honest if they think they’ll be too small, etc. Don’t hesitate to ask if you can try something on

or even ask for their opinion. I used to simply shop for myself without talking to the people much but lately I’ve really been enjoying the conversations. It has helped me so much to have an impartial opinion, not to mention the fact that the sellers really know their clothes best and can tell you if there are any stains, rips or if they run rather small or big.

3. Ask for the price before you try anything on

This third point is key and often forgotten by many people. Before you try anything on, do yourself a favor and ask for the price first. This is so important because you want to know if the item is within your budget before you completely fall head over heels for it. There is absolutely nothing worse than trying something on with a specific price range in mind and then having to hear the seller say a number way over said range. By asking for the price before even trying the piece on you can make a rational decision whether or not you want spend that money instead of making an emotional decision based on how much you like it. And then also, do not hesitate to try everything on that interests you. Just because you are giving the piece of clothing a shot doesn't mean you are obliged to buy it, so don't feel like you are if the sellers try to put pressure on you.

4. Think of a plan B

When thrift shopping, you don’t have the possibility to see what the clothing looks like on someone else, let alone try it on like you would in a store. That being said, it can be extremely difficult to get the size right and imagine what it might look like on your body. With time, more experience and after loads of failed purchases you’ll start to get the feeling, so don’t worry about that. In my opinion it is more important to learn how to transform a piece in case it doesn’t end up fitting or you don’t like how it looks. If you like the pattern or the texture, you can use it as material or upcycle it to give it new life. Having some ideas in mind is always good, especially if you are new to this secondhand life and you have trouble imagining the outfits in your head, so that a failed purchase doesn’t end up in the trash.

5. Don’t be scared to negotiate – but know when to stop

I feel like this topic is rather touchy because most people naturally dread confrontation, especially when it concerns money. Something I’ve learned is that asking won’t do you any harm; the worst that can happen is that the seller rejects your offer. Some people hate being asked and will immediately make fun of you trying to lower the price, but so many other people will be happy if you can make an offer, since they often don’t really know what the piece is worth or they just want to get rid of it. On the other hand, it is also very important that you don’t get ahead of yourself and overdo it. Asking politely is very much within boundaries, whereas making stupidly low offers and being rude is not tolerated and will often insult the seller. With more and more experience, like with everything in life, you will get a hang of it.