Thrifting 101: How to thrift the best vintage sh*t.

Going thrifting for the first time? In a rut and can’t find any good vintage? This is the list for you! I’ve owned a vintage clothing shop for over five years and I’ve learned a thing or two from the hundreds of hours spent choking on moth-balls in the depths of dusty thrift stores. Hopefully this gives you a better thrifting strategy and you come away with some amazing sh*t in your next thrift haul!

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Get there early y’all. Odds are, most new inventory will go out early in the morning before the shop opens - especially on big sale days! I used to get to my local Salvation Army on their $2 days BEFORE opening and wait in line so I could snag the best items - people would literally run into the store & start grabbing things!

Create a BOLO List/Pinterest Mood-Board

It always helps to know what you’re looking for. Create a Pinterest mood-board of your favorite trends and a list of your BOLO (be on the look out) items, so you’ll be extra on alert to spot them in the chaos of the thrift store. This helps you get less overwhelmed, plus you can start developing your style & know what vintage items fit best into your personal closet.

Learn Your Basic Fabrics & Vintage Tags

Vintage fabric just hits different. A good amount of the time you can tell if something’s vintage just by touching the fabric and seeing how high-quality it feels. Look for cotton, linen, silk, rayon, wool, etc. ALWAYS check the tags - vintage ones are usually more detailed, with embroidery and brand names stitched into the tag, not printed. They also often have a paper tag with the sizing and fabric care instead of a slick fabric one.

Look Through the Whole Store

Yes, the womens, mens AND even little kids racks. You never know where you’ll find an incredible piece that someone put back in the wrong section. Look through ALL sizes - vintage sizing is so all over the place that items in your size range will often be sorted into the wrong section by modern sizing standards. Also gender is a social construct anyway, so wear whatever you want from any section!

Hit the Go-Back Rack

People put amazing sh*t back on the racks all the time! Maybe it didn’t fit them, but it’s your exact size. Look at the racks by the dressing rooms and the ends of every clothing rack for discarded items. I’ve found a lot of my best stuff this way, because someone already did the searching for you.

Don’t Be Afraid to Dig

Hitting up the local bins (Goodwill, Red Racks, etc), where they sell clothing by the pound, is a great way to sift through a lot of vintage at an affordable price. If your local thrift has any random bins or otherwise incredibly un-organized merchandise, put on those gloves & mask and get digging! Not many other people are willing to, and you just might be rewarded with some “oh sh*t” worthy finds.

Shop in Smaller Cities

Smaller towns, away from big cities, are almost always less picked through. There’s less people shopping & typically different styles that are in demand. I usually find the best vintage in small towns at least half an hour away from my city.

Hit Up the Mom ‘n Pop Shops

Especially the ones you REALLY have to dig through. These stores are usually way cheaper and less picked through. Plus, you’re supporting a local store and usually a great cause. Don’t even get me started on Goodwill…

Shop Off-Season Clothes

Yes, this means shopping wool sweaters when its 90+ degrees out... Trust me, no one else will be (other than the pro thrifters) and you’ll find incredible items no one else is thinking to look through!

Go During the Week

Thrift stores are less busy during the week and that means less people picking through the good stuff as well. I love going in the middle of the week because it’s so chill and I can truly enjoy sifting through all the fun crap thrift stores have to offer.

Pay Attention to the Sale Tags

Don’t sleep on the sale tags! Even though it’s typically inventory that’s sat for a while, your style is so different from everyone else’s! You’d be surprised what other people pass up.

Follow Thrift Shops on Social Media

If your local or favorite thrift is on social media follow them stat! Usually they’ll post their sales there and it saves you from showing up to a store the day before their 50% off sale (talking from experience).

Ask Employees for Details About Upcoming Sales

Get the insider info! Ask employees if their store has any loyalty programs or sales you don’t know about. Sometimes they have discounts for students or seniors, or for donating a bag. My favorite stores have stamp cards you can fill up to get a big discount too!

Go to Wealthier Areas for Designer Items

If you’re on the hunt for more expensive items and designer clothing, you’ll typically find more of it wealthier neighborhoods. Also, look behind the glass cases for extra special pieces.

Word of Mouth

It always pays to chat up your fellow thrift friends. Although there may be a lot of gate-keeping in the thrift world, many people are still willing to give you a heads up on upcoming thrift store sales, estate sales, or even their favorite places to shop. There’s enough vintage clothing for everyone!

Create a Thrift Store Map

Once you’ve started exploring thrift stores, map them out and note if they’re particularly stocked up in certain items, like vintage furniture or leather belts. I like to do this in my Google Maps so I can easily route to them in the future.

Go, Go & Go Some More

Honestly the best way to find amazing vintage sh*t while thrifting is to go often. The more you go, the better chance you have at finding more. It’s that simple.

Photo by Max Rottersman