Thrift store virgin

[kweenovharts]

So I said it.. I'm a thrift store virgin. I'm not sure why exactly, I stop by a thrift shop every 6 months or so and drop off a bag of clothes I don't wear anymore but I am never curious to go shop there. Maybe the places look kind of miserable and I never think I will find anything there. HOWEVER; after I saw the great deals many tpf members are getting from there I decided to admit that I need to start thrift shopping.
Any advice will be appreciated! Like which places are the best? What to look for? Are there new with tag stuff? How do you handle the clothing when you get it? (i.e. do you just wash and wear it?) How are their refund or exchange policies in case an item is damaged?
Thank you

[DreamingBeauty]

You just have to dig around and find things you like. Be open minded, if you go in looking for something specific you never find it (I guess that's true for all shopping, actually). I wash used stuff sometimes if it looks like it needs it, most of the time I don't wash it though especially if it doesn't appear to be worn or still has tags on it. Refunds/exchanges are going to vary depending on the store, most things are as is since this is used stuff we are talking about.

[Miss 2 A]

It gets better with practice. Wear comfy shoes, be prepared to go regularly (even to the same store) .. for example do rounds in your area once or twice a week.

You can wear gloves if you want, normally I just don't bother and then I wash my hands with alcohol hand sanitizer on my way out.
Go through the racks, start with what you're looking for.

I usually cover the racks in a specific order (under my size) then I go through the larger sizes too just to see because sometimes things are misplaced and I found so many good things in random areas.
So dresses - shoes - coats - suits - blazers - skirts - pants.
Most people I find these days don't wear a lot of dresses, so I'm able to find a lot of pretty vintage things so I hit that rack first.

You really have to take a good look at the stuff, don't just scan through quickly, sometimes even taking pieces that have been folded and hung on the hanger to get a better look.

When you find an item look at it well, check for tears or tags, odors, stains, determine if you want it through it's condition. They say mothball and body odors don't usually come out so it's best to leave those behind, and some stains can be removed so there could be hope there.
Certain things can be washed at home, I washed a lot of 70's pieces no problem, the fabric is really durable. Other things might need dry cleaning. Read the tags and they should tell you.
Certain things have tags, I haven't seen a lot myself and I mostly vintage shop.

Don't get overwhelmed and don't give up are the most important rules. Have fun and keep at it. I hope you find something great because once you do it's like a little glimpse of hope and it carries you through until you find your next find.

[LulaMaeBarnes]

It depends on the store you go to. I believe Goodwill washes all their clothing but you can wash it just in case your not comfortable. Some days you wont find anything and some you'll hit the jackpot. Keep an open mind on things. You'll mostly find separates, a skirt, jacket, etc. but rarely outfits. Also make sure to check things over before you get them and look for rips, stains and so forth.

Most of those stores have tag sales that start at the beginning of the week. If you have a ton of stores in your area you can try looking them up online for ratings to find the best ones, or just go to them and see for yourself. I'm sure you'll have fun. It's a fun, relaxing way to find good deals.

[ColdSteel]

It takes a lot of patience to go through the racks. Don't get discouraged if you don't find something right away. Where I go there are some items with tags still attached (like my $4 gucci scarf with a Saks tag!) and sometimes there are shoes that have been worn once... or not at all!

Be open about what you're looking for. I ended up finding a great Yves Saint Laurent jacket this way!

[kweenovharts]

Thank you all for your help. I will keep all the things you said in mind and maybe hit up a couple of stores this week or next week. I will let you know how it goes. keep your fingers crossed! btw what's your favorite thrift store? I heard buffalo exchange is great, but not that cheap.

[Miss 2 A]

I do my thrifting at places like Goodwill, salvation army (both have great prices), value village (more expensive and sometimes a bit of a ripoff but with vintage they can be cheap)
Occasionally a private thrift store, or consignment store.

[greygirl]

^^Goodwill? Hmmm. . .I've gone there for stuff--found some bookshelves for my daughter's apartment and I used to go sometimes to pick up LP's (trying to relive my lost youth with a turntable and LPs hahaha) but I've never really looked for clothes for me.

Where I live you have to drive 2 hours (or mail order) to find anything "designer"--it just doesn't seem like I see much of that around town. I wonder how much of that I could find at Goodwill? I guess it wouldn't hurt to go and take a look.

I know that at Goodwill and most consignment shops the stuff is not returnable--however there are generally dressing rooms, so you can make sure you like it before you buy it!

[LinaFelina]

Originally Posted by greygirl

^^Goodwill? Hmmm. . .I've gone there for stuff--found some bookshelves for my daughter's apartment and I used to go sometimes to pick up LP's (trying to relive my lost youth with a turntable and LPs hahaha) but I've never really looked for clothes for me.

I've found several very rare LP's over the years at thrift stores (it's my other obsession).

I find the best things at Goodwills that are in a "good" area of town, not in the nicest areas, but a good area. Some stores have become a bit aggressive in their pricing thanks to Ebay; I found a pair of vintage Chanel sunglasses at one, but they wanted $60!!! Another trick is to go in on a holiday, many times they'll have a "half off everything in the store" on those weekends.

I go often and dig through everything. Many times I'll find nice women's clothes that accidentally found their way into the men's section, and vice versa.
I got a pair of True Religions just last week for $20 and it still had the Saks tag.

[annemerrick]

Great tips here!!!

Go thrit store shopping with no expectations! If you find something fabulous....wonderful. If not....you got to spend some time hunting for treasure!! Thrift shopping is my "spa". I can totally zone out while combing the racks.

[dmitchell15]

Note what the thrift store is known for. Like in the area that I work, that goodwill has the best selection of paperback and hardback books. The clothing section is not that great. In the area that I live, the clothing is great, but the book section is horrible. Also, check out consignment stores and look online for ratings. Thrift store shopping is alot of fun because most people will not have the same items you will.

[LinaFelina]

Originally Posted by dmitchell15

Note what the thrift store is known for .

That's great advice, the one I frequent most often ALWAYS has great dress shirts. It's also helpful to get to know the employees, we know several of them by name. We don't try to get any special treatment out of it, but if something's missing a tag or you need some assistance, they're much more friendly.

[p3bbz]

Ladies, if you ever buy anything from a thrift store, goodwill, etc., please, please be careful with how you handle them. In NYC, I've heard horror stories of people bringing bedbugs to their apartments if they are not careful. These thrifters are clean people who shop at "known" thrift shops. Transport your purchases from the store in a disposable plastic bag - don't use a canvas bag unless you plan on washing it right away. Wash the clothes right away, if not, store them in a tied up plastic bag. Heat kills these nasties so use heat to wash if possible!

Sorry but this thread brought out the paranoia in me! I love thrifting just as much as the next person but please be very careful. A fun experience could easily turn into a long winded nightmare.

[shoulderache]

since you are a thrifting virgin, you may want to have your first venture be to a consignment store. Those are kinda thrift-y, but more expensive but almost always have cool stuff.

If all you really want is designer stuff for a great deal, sit down and think about where in your area you would go and drop off a designer item when you are done with it. Then, when you have a list of places, visit them. Odds are if you would drop off something nice there then others probably would too.

As far as thrifting, you can seldom return stuff. So, before you leave take your items to a well-lit area of the store and closely examine them for flaws, stains, etc... Then, take them to be laundered whether it is the cleaners or straight to your washing machine. Who knows what people have done with stuff before you got it and who touched it with what in the thrift store, so best to clean it. Also, don't go to a thrift when you are crunched for time because you'll have to spend a good amount of time rummaging around. Look on racks that seem like you might not find anything because people hide things, put them away wrong or just leave stuff wherever. And, HAVE FUN!!!

[Miss 2 A]

Bedbugs? EWE! I will definitely be careful, thank you.

I found good things at goodwill, they have a dressing room, and the ones here allow an exchange within 7 days.