Thrifting 101: How I Find the Good Stuff

About half my wardrobe is secondhand. People always ask how I find good pieces, usually while touching the sleeve of whatever I’m wearing and saying, “Wait, this was thrifted?” It’s less about luck and more about a few simple habits. I’ve been thrifting since college, when it was the only way I could afford anything with real wool in it, and over the years I’ve developed a routine that turns up treasures far more often than it turns up disappointment. Here is everything I know, from when to go to what to check before you head to the register.

Go often, stay short

Twenty minutes every week beats three hours once a month. This is the single most important thrifting habit I have. Thrift stores restock constantly, often daily, and the best pieces get snapped up quickly. If you go once a month, you only see a tiny slice of what passes through. If you pop in every week, you see far more of it.

Short trips also keep you sharp. After about forty-five minutes in a thrift store, my eyes glaze over and everything starts to look the same. I either leave with nothing or, worse, I leave with a pile of things I don’t really love because I felt like I had to justify the time. Twenty focused minutes keeps me picky.