Eight Rules For Being A Thrifting Fashionista!

Who doesn’t like being fashionable without paying the price for looking fabulous?

SheRea DelSol of My Thrifted Closet

Thrifting gives you this freedom. Thrifting is usually the purchasing of second hand clothing, but many times thrift stores carry brand new items and MANY vintage pieces for little or nothing. I discovered thrifting in Spring 2010 of my freshmen year of college. Now going into my junior year, I haven’t looked back since. I LOVE THRIFTING. I must say that I am in an obsessive love affair and I have no regrets. Imagine buying a vintage Dooney & Bourke satchel for $10, or a vintage Coach across-the-body small purse for $3. What about Guess? Michael Kors? Places such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, Unique Thrift, and other thrift stores all around the world are outlets for being a thriftshionista/o. A thriftshionista/o is a term that I coined to describe persons who embrace thrifted fashion through the purchase, collection, and showcase of thrifted items.

Guess what? Not only is thrifting good for your pocket, it is also GREAT for the environment. In a time when the world is moving towards being green, buying second hand clothes is a great way to play your part and join the global society in trying to keep this world for generations to come. Many people have misconception that thrifted clothes are dirty and that thrift shopping strips persons of their dignity. Well, when has there been anything wrong with bargains? I personally wash or dry clean everything that I purchase. As my mom used to say, “Soap and water cleans EVERYTHING!” You have to be open and willing to take that leap. Trust me, it’s worth it! That is all for now. I hope you too discover the thriftshionista/o in all of you! Here’s some tips to get you started!

To be a moderately successful thriftshionista, there are rules by which you must abide:

Rule One

Have patience. (You are going to have to go through the trash to find the treasure; it is NO walk in the park)

Rule Two

Set Aside an Entire Thrifting Day (It takes time to sort through everything)

Rule Three

Think Outside the Box (Thrifting is an opportunity to buy things you can’t find in regular stores. Don’t be frightened by items that look outrageous on the rack/hanger. THINK BIG)

Rule Four

Shop with a Buddy (It helps to pass the time, but be WARNED..if you have the same style, you may have to fight for pieces)

Rule Five

Never Expect Anything! Don’t go into a thrift store looking for a “light wash jean jacket, “oversized trench coat,” etc. That is going to leave you disappointed. Instead, go in with an open mind and be willing to search through the racks.

Rule Six

Try Things On! You should try on things that aren’t your normal size. If you wear a XL, try on a Large, you never know. Vintage clothes have different cuts, silhouettes etc.

Rule Seven

Don’t forget the bigger picture. (Some things need alterations, snips here and there, etc. However, don’t give up a good piece of clothing because of minor details.)

Rule Eight

WORK (Have fun and enjoy the moments of creating a new closet, with inexpensive, dope pieces)

For help, advice, etc. email me @ mythriftedcloset@gmail.com or check out my blog: mythriftedcloset@blogspot.com

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About The Author: SheRea DelSol of My Thrifted Closet is a self-proclaimed thriftshionista (Thrift Fashionista.) She hails from the beautiful St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, but currently lives in Winston-Salem, NC where her love of thrifting began. Her style has drastically changed since her high school days and most of the clothes in her closet have been replaced by thrifting in mostly Goodwill or MegaThrift (a thrift store indigenous to Winston Salem, North Carolina.)