There is no doubt about it: thrifting is an art. It consumes a lot of patience, time, and dedication in order to score those special treasures.
As I have been building the
Lazybones Vintage brand over the past couple of months, I have picked up a few tips and tricks when it comes to shopping at second-hand stores and in the spirit of the holidays, I want to share them with you. Consider it an early Christmas present ;)
1. Go early
The die-hard thrift-store hounds (including those pesky trendster gals that also sell vintage online) are up and caffeinated just in time for the stores to open. Get there early to a) ensure that the racks haven't been picked over yet and b) bypass the crowds.
2. Go often
Thrift-stores like the Salvation Army and Goodwill are restocking the racks daily. At Amvets, they are constantly replenishing the shelves with new (old) items and knick-knacks throughout the day. Incorporate thrifting into your weekly schedule. You don't want to miss anything!
3. Bring cash
Many places do not accept plastic. Although ATM's are usually nearby, avoid those transaction fees and come prepared with some cheddar.
4. Wear tight-fitting clothes
Leggings and a t-shirt - my thrifting uniform. Many second-hand stores do not have dressing rooms. Even though I'm pretty good at knowing if something will fit me just by eyeballing it, sometimes you just have to try things on.
5. Bring hand-sanitizer
Shit gets nasty sometimes.
6. Brush up on your parallel parking skills
For whatever reason, no matter how early I arrive, the parking situation at the stores I frequent are disastrous. Be prepared to parallel park.
7. Always keep an eye on your cart
If you can get away with it, don't use a cart. It's very difficult when it's crowded at thrift stores to maneuver your way down the aisles. However, if you have to resort to using a cart, do not, I repeat: DO NOT, leave your shopping cart unattended at any time. Sometimes it is tempting to park your cart while you traverse the aisles. Yes, you can cover more ground in less time if you do this, but it's a big risk. Employees could mistake it for an abandoned cart and proceed to return the items inside back to the racks, thereby undoing all of the tedious sifting you did to find that perfect leather motorcycle jacket. Or, other shoppers can swipe your shit. Straight from your cart when you aren't looking. Yep. They're savage beasts. It's happened to me.
8. Be aggressive
By no means do I think it's right to steal things from other people's carts. That is a little too aggressive. But feel free to do a little pushing (accompanied by an assertive, yet polite "excuse me"). Also, when you first arrive at the store, keep an eye out for the aforementioned trendy hipster girls. These are the girls that are wearing any (or all of) the following: cut-offs, feathers in their hair, platform shoes paired with contrasting socks, old rock-and-roll t-shirts, a fox-tail clipped onto their belt-loop, and/or excessive amounts of jewelry. Determine their "store strategy" (are they moving methodically up and down each aisle, for example?). Try to decipher where they are going next, then beat them there. Just saying.
9. Stay calm
If you aren't a seasoned veteran, thrifting can seem chaotic and stressful. There is a lot to look through. A small handful of thrift-stores take the liberty of sorting their clothes by color, others are not so organized. If you are completely overwhelmed, you don't have to look through absolutely everything. Keep your eyes peeled for attractive colors, patterns, and fabrics. Let yourself be drawn to them. And if you don't do well with crowds, consider bringing your I-pod along so that you can tune out to your favorite jams while you shop.
10. Have fun!
Bring a friend or a date (or a flask)!
