Thrifting 101.

I remember the first time I went thrifting, my freshman year of college with my mom. She was acting completely bougie at the first Salvation Army we went to; "I don't wanna wear something someone else wore!" I think that's the first thought that pops into people's head when thrifting is brought up. However, by the second store we went to, she was purchasing a nice red blazer. I know it's cliche to say, but one (wo)man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure.  Once you get over the initial fear of purchasing previously worn clothes you'll begin to love thrifting as much as do. Especially if you're a college student or anyone who has a tight budget/just loves the thought of getting great finds.

So here's some tips to follow when thrifting:

Wear comfortable/easily changeable clothes.

I think the worst thing when shopping is wearing clothes that are hard to get out of/put back on. I hate having to struggle in small dressing rooms. When I go thrifting I usually opt to wear leggings with a tank and a jacket. You can even wear tights; this way you can easily try on pants over the tights/leggings. As well, wearing tanks make it easier to try on blazers and jackets without having to haul everything into the dressing room. As well, whenever I am trying on something I make sure to grab a belt from their belt section. A belt can make the world of a difference to an item. I also try to carry a purse that goes over my shoulders. This way you're completely hands-free to grab as many great finds as you can!

Getting the most for your money.

A lot of thrift stores have sales that occur on certain days/times. Especially Salvation Army stores, I've been there numerous times where all items in the store were just $0.50! Stores do this to remove items off the floor in order to have room for new donated items. So if your local thrifting store has an email list, sign up for it. Or ask an associate when they have sales, I'm sure they would be able to tell you. As well, if you're a college student, bring your student ID, some stores have discounts for students. Goodwill actually has a web site, allowing you to thrift from home and save on gas. The web site is: shopgoodwill.com.

Weeding out the good and bad.

Whenever I go thrifting I try to steer away from purchasing whites. They become dingy quick, as well, they may often have yellow deodorant stains that are impossible to get out. Other colored items may have small stains that can easily come out. Take some Shout wipes with you, because you'd hate to miss out on a great piece that just needs washing. Sometimes items are missing buttons, but don't be discouraged; get it! You can easily go out and buy new buttons and create a piece that's unique to yourself. If an item has a weird smell, put it back. Some smells can be permanent from the environment in which they were kept. It's also always good to have some sort of idea of what exactly you're looking for. You can get lost in the maze of clothes and end up buying way too much just because it was cheap.

Arriving home.

Once I get home I immediately go through all of my purchases and decide what needs to be dry cleaned and what can just be thrown in the washer. In some cases where I don't want to hassle with the cleaners, I use Dryel. I think it's such a fabulous invention. I bought the starter kit a year or two ago and now I just have to buy refill sheets. It doesn't run you much and you can find it in about any pharmacy or discount store. Lastly, have your own fashion show & try on all your pieces with items in your closet!