All it really takes to get you hooked on thrifting is one really good find. Once you’ve brought that treasure home and started to enjoy it, you’ll start to feel a pull to search for more treasures. But if you want to be consistently successful finding gems at the thrift store, you need to start paying attention to the details.
Here are a few more tips for when you want to go from casual browser to a serious hunter.
1. Pay Attention to Fabrics
One of the best parts about thrifting is that you can buy lightly used but very high quality clothes that you might not otherwise shell out for. Paying attention to fabrics is how you get the best bang for your buck. We don’t think very highly of spending $5 on something you can get new at Forever 21 for $8. But keeping an eye out for quality fabrics means you could get for $5 what might cost $60 at Banana Republic or $90 at Nordstrom.
Use your fingers to examine texture and pick up the item to gauge its overall weight (many higher quality fabrics are heavier). Look for natural fibers like cotton over synthetics. The shinier the fabric, the cheaper it looks. Keep an eye out for worn out fabric. It is possible to use a razor to freshen up pilled fabric, but it’s tedious, time-consuming work, so unless you’re in love, skip it.
