Out With The New, In With The Old
Some things just need a little extra love, you know? There is no way to describe what it feels like to bring home a bag of pieces that found YOU, carefully cleaning them, and putting them on for the first time. You simply have to try it for yourself!
The last few years of thrift shopping have been so much fun, but it really started when I was 12 years old.
Picture this — family road trip in the middle of Florida, me rolling my eyes in the back seat when my mother asked me to stop texting my bestie for one minute (shoutout to Olivia — our friendship is still going strong), and nothing but the occasional gas station for miles. Out of nowhere my mom started shouting, “Pull over!” to my Grandpa. And if you knew my Grandpa, you wouldn’t be surprised to know he said, “Alright, alright, I’m turning in”.
I took out my bright pink and yellow headphones, and turned my head out the window to see a tiny little shack in front of us. It was basically falling apart but the sign was still standing strong — THRIFT STORE. At this point, I had never been to a thrift store before, but here we were; and I must say: what a great first experience it was.
It was one of those stores where nothing made sense, but it all made sense at the same time? I digress. Before I knew it, a little old lady came out of the back room and said, “Hello. I think I have the perfect set of dresses for you.” I’m not joking (!!!) She disappeared for one minute and came back with a grocery bag filled with beautiful dresses that she had set aside for someone my size. And get this — she charged me a whopping ONE DOLLAR.
I still have one of those dresses in my closet. And since then, I’ve gone on the hunt to find the perfect pre-loved pieces.
We’re going to walk through how to find the best pieces, how to care for them, and how to incorporate them into your wardrobe. Let’s dive in!
Search (in-store specific)
First things first, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find the best thrift stores, but you simply cannot. The perfect pieces find YOU. There may be a Salvation Army location that the first time you went you had to choose what to buy so you didn’t drain your bank account (we’ve all been there), and then the next time you went you couldn’t find one piece.
Trust the process.
My favorite types of stores are the ones you stumble upon. There’s one in my hometown that used to be owned by this tiny old woman who takes photos of customers with her dog. When you walked in you would see a wall of the same photo but of different people, haha. She’s retired now — bless her heart.
Go for the things you know you are going to wear. The biggest mistakes I’ve made are buying something just because it is a great find. If you aren’t going to wear it, don’t buy it. Let that piece find the right owner!
The easiest way to shop sustainably is to go for high-quality basics (things that can be mixed and matched) and staple pieces. Stick to the colors you wear most, pieces that aren’t itchy (a scratchy wool sweater sometimes isn’t worth it), and high-quality materials (cashmere or leather are always great options).
Side note: staple pieces are so fun because when you’re shopping vintage, you usually can’t find that piece anywhere else.
Care
In no way am I an expert on how to care for vintage clothing, but everything I know I learned from my grandma (love her). Here are a few tips:
Read the care labels. You will be surprised how many items are labeled “wash cold separately”. I always use a gentle detergent, just in case. And for the pieces that say “hand wash only,” I fill up my bathtub with a bit of detergent and let them soak for 30 min-1 hour. Easy peasey!
Do not waste money on dry cleaning! I promise you will find so many pieces that say “dry cleaning only,” but not only is it expensive over time, you can easily clean these items at home using Woolite. Target lovers, you can find it here. I simply fill the kitchen sink with water, add a few drops of Woolite, and as my grandma tells me dunk the piece a few times. Hang it to dry and you’re good to go.
One thing I will say to look out for — guys this is so important. Inspect your pieces for mothballs. I have tragically ruined loads of laundry not realizing that one pesky piece had them. An easy way to spot them is to look for tiny holes in the lining of the piece, or white “weblike” spots. If you do find one of those pieces, simply air it out on your patio for a few days and then wash it separately by hand.
Welcome
This may seem like an easy step, but make sure to “welcome” your new pieces into your wardrobe. It is so easy to bring home new pieces and instead, stick to the same things you’ve been wearing for weeks. Truly “welcome” them into your wardrobe by starting off strong and rocking them like you would that brand new pair of boots from ZARA. Before you know it, your 50 year old leather jacket will be your favorite and most-loved piece.
Again, trust the process.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from my thrift journey is — some things just need a little extra love, you know? There is no way to describe what it feels like to bring home a bag of pieces that found YOU, carefully cleaning them, and putting them on for the first time. You simply have to try it for yourself!
Happy Thrifting!
- M
Madison King
Madison is a writer & creative strategist based in Charlotte, NC. She forms and nourishes relationships through artistic drive, and loves to share stories over coffee (!!!) Madison values the uniqueness found in the collaboration of written and visual arts, which lead her to a career in content creation and brand management. And her most important skill? Recommending the addition of a blazer; every time.
