I am an impecunious, penurious, parsimonious (dictionary-reading) fashion-fiend. It helps that my sense of style is, er, a little off the norm, but I got everything in this picture (combined!!!) FOR LESS THAN FIFTEEN DOLLARS. That is the art of thrift store shopping, and also the reason that when someone shows me their really “cheap” $20 bag I just think, “Oh.”
TIPS!
Go to Salvation Armies and other charity-run thrift stores. Yes, it does help to go thrifting in a cool-town (ie Brooklyn), but I’ve found lots of success in towns with populations in the higher age range. That’s how you find things like a part-striped, part-solid, zipped-pocket T-shirt for ONE dollar. The elderly have a sick sense of style and get rid of stuff they once wore in the 80s. They don’t know what’s cool, so they price everything low. For example, I recently happened into Hendersonville, North Carolina. It is one hour south of Ashville, has a big retirement community, and TONS of thrift stores (really!).
Go to ethnically diverse areas. You will find new styles you would never find at GAP.
Find a place to exchange your stuff. The other day I went to a store called Buffalo Exchange in Manhattan (there are also stores in Brooklyn, Chicago, etc). They’ll look through your stuff you buy pieces from you. You’ll get 30% of their selling price in cash or 50% in-store credit. The Buffalo Exchange is pretty hipster and picky (ie I brought 20 things and they took 3 — but I got a bright blue & orange button down in exchange!), so I recommend bringing a bunch of stuff and also calling ahead to see if their are particular things they really need or don’t need. They usually buy only for whatever season it happens to be. They’ll take some stuff from H&M (but price it low), things that are weirdly vintage, and a lot of stuff from other labels like Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters. It’s a good way to clean out your closet.
Go shopping in your closet. Or your mom’s closet. Girl Scout shirts from age 10 become hip T-shirts and what your mom wore in college, if she still has it, is probably cool again.
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