By Delaney Galvin

There is nothing quite like the exhilarating feeling of finding a stunning piece at a thrift store.

You pick it out and immediately think, “Wow, this would be $60 and Urban Outfitters, but I got it here for $3.” Just like the rest of the world, I’ve gotten pretty obsessed with thrifting. I love the little game of shopping around to see what you can find, whether that be something really cute or something so outrageous you can’t help but laugh. 

This brings me right into my first thrift tip: Lean into the ugly.

Thrifting is the perfect way to step out of your comfort zone and experiment with new styles; if you buy something you don’t end up liking, there’s no harm done. At most, you’re losing five or six bucks, and if you’re buying from a charity store, that money is going to good use. Thrift stores are notorious for having some really weird grandma clothing, and that style, surprisingly, is really in right now. Vintage grandpa sweaters or old blouses with shoulder pads can actually be styled really well with a simple pair of mom jeans and some converse. When I challenge myself to pick out “ugly” clothes and style them, I find some really fun outfits just by playing around with other basic pieces I already own. Last weekend I went to a PTA thrift store in my neighborhood and kept a lookout for some sweater vests. These are all the rage right now, and I wanted to see what I could pull together. I found a forest green one, and I paired it with a white t-shirt underneath, brown jeans, and some Air Force 1’s, and boom, I have an outfit right out of Pinterest.

Tip number two: make a Pinterest board, mood board, or color palette.

This is pretty self-explanatory, but finding inspiration from the internet is a really helpful way to get a sense of what you’re looking for. I like to use Pinterest as a type of checklist. Once I’ve made my basic style board, I set a goal for three or four pieces on my list, and I try to find those specifically. This gives you a sense of direction while you’re shopping and also ensures that your pieces fit into a cohesive wardrobe. Pieces are easier to style when you can pair them up with multiple tops, bottoms, jackets, etc., in your collection. During my last thrift trip, I wanted to find a sweater vest (see above), a few tank tops to crop, and a short sleeve button up. With this mission in mind, I was able to find all three plus a fun pair of jeans that coincidentally matched all of the tops I bought. 

Tip number three: plan ahead.

When browsing through clothes, you can already start to think about how you would style the pieces you find. Sometimes I get carried away by exciting tops, and I don’t even realize that I have no way to style them. I have a ton of items like this that just don’t go with anything I already own, so I never end up wearing them. Unfortunately, it might be better just to leave these pieces for someone else. Sub tip: Be realistic. Are you really going to flip that dress into something actually wearable, or are you lying to yourself? If it’s the latter, which it often is for me, you should probably walk away from it now. As sad as that is, piling up clothes that you won’t be able to do anything with isn’t helping anyone, and it’ll just end up stressing you out every time you look at that mountain of ill-fitting clothes in the corner of your closet. I’m sure I’m not alone on that one.

Thrifting can be such a great way to let off steam and have fun with friends. It has all the perks of retail therapy without any of the bankruptcy. I’d say at this point, about 50% of my wardrobe is thrifted, and that percentage just keeps going up. Thrifting isn’t only affordable— It’s also a really great sustainable choice. There are already so many clothes in the world, so there’s no need to give a ton of money to huge corporations when you can find the same sweater down the road for a great price. Just remember, wash before you wear, and happy thrifting!