The Truth About My Thrifting Journey
The Truth About My Thrifting JourneyA comment I hear most from my online audience is how in awe they are of what I thrift, how I thrift, where I thrift, or my colorful thrifted outfits in general.
I don’t claim to have any magical powers when it comes to thrifting (though the thrift gods do bless me on occasion).
I’m just a regular gal on a budget living in the Midwest who uses thrifting as a creative outlet and to help reduce my environmental footprint.
So what makes my thrift finds so different or my outfits so unique?
To answer that question, I had to do some digging into my shopping habits and peek into my closet for some insight.
So what’s the truth about my thrifting journey? Read on to find out!
My Thrifting Journey: In My Cart
I shop at a variety of stores every month from the recognizable chains down to volunteer-run shops that are off the beaten path.
I used to favor one over the other but have come to appreciate the offerings of both.
My outfit in this post is a mix of Goodwill finds and no-name stores.
The only big rule I follow is that if it’s too expensive, I don’t buy it. Simple as that. Life’s too short to complain about thrift store prices or speculate why they’re on the rise. ٭eye roll٭ Plus, I’ve been thrifting long enough to know that if I can’t afford something right now, it will come back around at another time.
Which brings me to my first big piece of advice – BE PATIENT!
Thrifting the perfect wardrobe doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years to find the clothes that speak to you, your body, and your budget. Be patient and keep searching. One store is not going to have it all, and you shouldn’t expect it to.
My Thrifting Journey: In My Closet
Since my closet wasn’t thrifted overnight (nor is it finished now!), sometimes that means my outfits are lacking certain pieces to finish them.
It can be frustrating but I remain patient. That was a trait I picked up many years ago when, in 2012, I went through an extreme health-related weight loss and had to give up 95% of my wardrobe in under a year. I was left with the bare bones of a closet and had to start over.
I was always a savvy thrifter and saw potential in everything I bought, but that became even more important than ever.
I cannot stress enough that you need to see potential in everything. If you disregard everything as being too frumpy, old, outdated, or small; you’ll wind up with nothing. (And likely write off a lot of thrift stores without giving them a fair chance!)
Everything can be refashioned into something new or styled to look different. My social media feed is full of Gen Z thrifters buying clothes I’d only imagine my grandma wearing but they have a way of modifying the pieces to look trendy. They’re definitely on to something!
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WHAT I’M WEARING
Old ASOS pork pie hat | Thrifted tee, cardigan, and skirt, $5 | We Love Colors tights | Old Walmart ballet flats
In Clothes-ing
So how long did this outfit take to thrift?
- The skirt was bought in 2013
- The graphic tee was thrifted in 2017
- I found the cardigan last year, in 2023
Isn’t that wild to think it took me 11 years to wear this outfit?!
I hope this post encourages you to be patient and see potential in every thrift store and item you pick up. The result is SO worth it to your closet and the planet!
Please Pin this post or pass it along to a friend who could use some outfit inspo. (Or one who’s a fan of X-files!)
