By making sure that you choose good pieces and take proper care of them, people may assume that you got your outfit from a high-end shop.<\/p>\n
The next time you go thrift shopping, here are five ways you can score truly stylish steals.<\/p>\n
1. Shop in the right place<\/h5>\n
As much as possible, scope out thrift stores in considerably more affluent areas because this increases your chances of finding items with better fabrics and big-name labels. But before visiting any shop, you should call ahead and ask these two important questions:<\/p>\n
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- Do you offer discounts on specific days?<\/li>\n
- When do you restock?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Remember that most thrift shops clear their racks at least once a month to make room for new arrivals, and that prices will be slashed on certain items. On the other hand, knowing when new stock is coming in will give you the opportunity to pick the higher-end merchandise coming through the doors.<\/p>\n
Whether you want huge discounts or surprising designer finds, shopping in affluent areas will give you better chances of finding high-quality goods at low prices.<\/p>\n
2. Know what to avoid<\/h5>\n
Smart thrift shoppers stay away from items that look too worn and cheap. If you know exactly what should be avoided when thrift shopping, you won\u2019t end up with clothing pieces that you wouldn\u2019t ultimately want to be seen wearing.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the items you should avoid:<\/p>\n
Damaged clothes<\/strong><\/p>\n
If you are handy with a needle and some thread, then fixing a hole might seem like no big deal. But if you don\u2019t have any idea how to repair damaged pieces yourself, then you should avoid buying things with holes, tears, missing buttons and the like<\/strong>. It would just be a waste of money if you are unable to to wear the item, regardless of how great the deal is.<\/p>\n
Heavy embellishments<\/strong><\/p>\n
Clothes with details like heavy contrast stitching, sequins and glitter<\/strong> may look cute. However, there will come a time when these embellishments can loosen and fall off. Moreover, you might not easily notice that some parts are missing when you grab the item.<\/p>\n
Smells and stains<\/strong><\/p>\n
Before buying clothes from a thrift store, check if there are stains or funny smells. Nasty odors and stains are two red flags pointing to a poor quality item.<\/strong> These are signs that previous owners did not take good care of the clothes.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.fashionwithaconscience.org\/consciousandchic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Thrift-Shopping-AgenC.jpg\")
<\/p>\n3. Hunt for quality fabrics and brands<\/h5>\n
Because thrift stores offer clothes at low prices, you may be tempted to fill up your shopping basket with a lot of clothes. However, keep in mind that high-quality clothes will always look better than cheaper fabrics.<\/p>\n
So look for items from a brand with a reputation for superb quality<\/strong>. This will ensure that your thrift store finds won\u2019t show as much wear or fall apart too soon.<\/p>\n
Clothes made from natural fibers may cost more, but they will always look better over time, so look for linen and cotton, if possible. Avoid materials like pleather, nylon and polyester because these will quickly look worn and cheap.<\/p>\n
4. See how the clothes fit<\/h5>\n
Some thrift stores may have a limited number of fitting rooms. If there are plenty of people shopping, you may need to wait a while for your turn in those rooms. So be prepared for your shopping trip and cut the time you spend in the store by wearing a simple tank top and leggings that you can easily slip other clothes over<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
If the fitting rooms are all taken, you can simply look for a mirror, stand in front of it, and slip the items you are considering to buy over your own clothes. This way, you\u2019ll still be able to see how the clothes look and you can be sure to buy the items that you really like.<\/p>\n
5. Check out the jewelry<\/h5>\n
If you have never gone thrift shopping before, you may be amazed by the abundance of jewelry pieces that thrift stores offer. And the good news is that such accessories don\u2019t often show much wear.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.fashionwithaconscience.org\/consciousandchic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/portrait-597173_1280-1-150x150.jpg\")
Jessicka Bell co-founded