reduce, reuse, recycle, rihanna.
A deep dive into why buying used is always better than buying new…(except underwear!)
There are a multitude of reasons why I love to thrift. I’ve touched on this in past posts but I will always buy used before I purchase something thats brand new. Sometimes I get lucky and find pieces that still have tags on from the newest season or collection which always feels like life handed me a deep discount. Maybe it really does pay to shop second hand?
Buying from thrift stores like Wasteland, Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, Beacons Closet (NYC), Goodwill, and online spots like Poshmark, Depop, Ebay, and The Real Real, can all be homes to amazing fashion. I once found a Tom Ford cashmere knit dress for $120 (that once retailed for $3k+). Whoever priced that dress , I still thank you for doing that to this day. For this post, I’m bestowing upon you my pro-thrifter tips for you to use in your everyday adventures in thrifting.
DISCOUNTED CASHMERE: Pro-tip, buy cashmere in the Summer! I have 4 cashmere sweaters. One was a gift and three were found at my favorite thrift store. It might not be super fun to try on cashmere in July (who knows if we’ll ever be allowed to try on clothes in store again tbh) but it is so worth it. I also peruse the men’s section for gently worn cashmere. It its pilled, not to worry. Heres a nifty little tool you can use to fix it which I often do when Im bored on a Saturday night. If its stained but it originally costs $600, buy it and dry clean it. It’ll be worth the cost to clean it it its priced wayyyyyy under what it retails for.
NEW WITH TAGS: People drop off new and unworn items to thrift stores. Its crazy but true. I have found so many cute (expensive) pieces with tags still attached. I’ve seen what the style and print name of a Reformation dress is and how much the previous owner paid for it. Now it’s mine for $37. This is how I treat myself and cut down on contributing toward fast fashion at the same time.
VINTAGE ONE-OF-A-KIND GOODS: Pre-fast fashion, the fashion world seemed to be so creative. Even the kookiness of the 90’s (when I was born) was a moment, albeit not a great one. The Juicy Tracksuits seemed to have made a strong and welcomed comeback but I hope the jeans under a dress outfit stays dead forever. The 60’s and 70’s seemed so fashionable to me, mostly because of Cher, Studio 54, Jerry Hall, and the late great rock and roll bands. I love when I find a piece of history that seems to have time traveled to the present somehow. Everyday there are small unique pieces of history waiting to be found again at thrift and consignment stores. Holding a vintage long sleeve sequined mini dress, that seems to have faded from the sun a bit but is still so glamorous and delicate, are moments that are rare and special to me. Go find your lil vintage slice of heaven!
DESIGNER FINDS: I’ve seen so many designer labels along the racks at my favorite thrifting spots. Side note - I always wondered why Halston was unbelievably discounted. What did Halston Heritage do to deserve a second hand price of $28.99? Designers I gravitate toward and try to manifest showing up in whatever store I pop into include Isabel Marant, Mara Hoffman, Tom Ford, Missoni, Gucci, Dior, Alexander Wang, to name a few. I’ve seen all of them at various spots and occasionally find a piece I like in my size. Again, I was lucky enough to score Tom Ford gently used Mary Janes in my large size 10 foot. Moments like those are well worth the time it takes to sift through the racks.
SAMPLES BABY: A long long time ago, I used to work for a brand that always had the coolest samples. Pre to my working there, whenever I attended their group branded sample sales with a few other brands I still love and shop at to this day, I’d seek out the samples first. Silhouettes I loved in prints I’d never seen and vice versa, were the pieces I was always excited to walk away with. Samples seem to be the unloved children of brands. For some reason, this one of a kind piece never went on to be produced. Maybe it involved recent sales data that said it wouldn’t sell well or maybe the fabric was too expensive or time consuming to produce. Whatever it was this odd little piece of a collection never had a chance to be loved…until I found it.
Long story short: Buy used and second hand. Its great for the environment (unlike any fast fashion brands - looking at you BooHoo and Fashion Nova) and your closet will begin to take on a style of your own. There are so many cool little treasures waiting to be found at a thrift store near you!
