Primer: Thrift Shopping

The big 2

Thrift shopping is one of the most debated topics I've run into on the blogo-tubes.  There are entire blogs (awesome ones I might add) that can give you some excellent advice.  But I also think thrift shopping is one of the most wrongly approached topics out there.  There are numerous advantages to thrift shopping, but essentially the only one that gets any play is that you can score top tier brands for a bargain basement bottom line.

Now, this is a very nice thing, but it eliminates what I think is the true crux of thrift shopping.  It's the only absolutely democratic shopping you can do, where Old Navy and Oxxford hold equal sway.

Not that I think I'm the greatest or anything, but I will try and give you the best advice that's ever been given on the subject.  This primer will help you grasp the basics so you can thrift not only like a pro, but like the forward thinking visionary you know you are (or aspire to be) in 5 easy steps after the jump...

Step 1: Get acclimated

Thrift shopping can be scary.  Some (the Warren Ave. Salvation Army in Portland springs to mind) are huge warehouses filled with junk, dirty clothes, somewhat sketchy employees, very sketchy clientele, and some of the absolutely, bar none, best deals I've ever gotten (mostly shoes, check out my other blog for more details).

This may not be the best place to start

If you're new to thrifting, start slow.  Find a nice vintage or consignment shop (In Portland, think Material Objects or Find).  These are virtually always clean and fairly well curated.  See what you see.  Look at the shoes.  Decent?  Moderately worn Allen Edmonds Brogues for $13?  Alright, how about the shirts?  Whoa is that a RL Polo for $10?  Brooks Bros. for $14?    Not bad.

After that, find a solid thrift shop.  Start looking at Goodwills, Salvation Army's, church run thrift shops, wherever.  But try and find one that's nice.  Well lit, well laid out, not filled with meth addicts, you know, nice.  (In Portland the Mill Creek Plaza Goodwill and Forest Ave. Goodwill are probably my favorites.)  Then you can begin in earnest.  Plus, if you know the places that aren't picked over you'll have better luck finding things.

Bonus Tip: Always wear appropriate under layers to thrift shop.  If you're already wearing a well fitting button down shirt, and neutral pants it's much easier to see what jackets/sweaters/boots/ties/etc... will actually look like.

Step 2:  Keep a List

Know what you need, but keep it general.  I can't stress this enough.  If you go in with nothing in mind, you'll never find anything because you won't know what to look for.  If you go in with something too specific you'll never find what you want because it's not there.

A theme emerges...

If you go in expecting all designer brands and organized items you'll end up disappointed.  If you are able to take what comes your way and know how it fits into what your needs are you'll be much more successful.

     2a:  Learn to look with Soft Eyes

This isn't necessarily it's own step, but it's critical to successfully filling out your wardrobe.  You have to be able to pick things that might not be exactly what you want, but are what you need.

Take this tweed jacket.

I knew I wanted a herringbone tweed.  But initially I had thought brown or bluish, 2 button sack, heftier lapels, leather buttons, maybe with a throat latch.  This one, a 3 button semi-roll (don't know the actual term for a lapel that meets at the middle button but doesn't quite "roll" to it), slim lapels, nipped waist, black and white herringbone, is not only more my style, but I wouldn't have thought of it if I was making a list.

If I lost the forest (my initially conceived tweed) for the trees (there were at least 20 tweed jackets I looked at over a few weeks) I would never have bought one of my absolute favorite pieces.

Step 3: Embrace the chase

Thrift shopping isn't like regular shopping except in the buying of things.  It's more like a hobby.  You have to go a lot.  I generally go to at least 2 shops at least 3 times a week.  How often to I buy something?  Maybe once a week?  Sometimes less.  But I know my spots.  I'm in and out in 15 minutes, it's fun (wait... nope, nothing wrong with that sentence).  You have to get down with the mindset.  At the beginning you may have trouble getting what you want, but you need to get in there and see what's available.

All thrifted everything.

Eventually it becomes a game.  Some days you go and you hit it big (A week after I thought about buying some knit ties I found 5 at once, all silk or wool.  I found wholecut black oxfords made in USA by Sebago the same day as my made in USA by LL Bean white bucks).  Some days you get nothing (I'm still looking for a plain mid-gray suit).

But when you do score it's the sweetest feeling.  (another totally non-misconstruable sentence)

Bonus Tip: While some reputable sources claim the beginning of the year is the best time for thrifting (and this may be true in SoCal).  In the northeast it is the second nice day of the spring and the second terrible day of the winter.  Right after the seasons change is when people give away the stuff they didn't use over the last season and the things that come out of storage and they realize they don't want.  At least that's my experience.

Step 4: Watch your wallet

Thrifting is cheap.  Really cheap compared to retail shopping.  But there's temptation to buy something that you think you might be able to use even though it doesn't fit/isn't a color you wear/doesn't go with anything you own.  I promise this will just stuff your closet with junk.

Remember: The most expensive thing you can buy is something you never wear.

     4a:  This is where the democratic aspect comes into play.  Take that tweed from earlier.  It's not a harris tweed.  There's no union label (or really any tag past the store label).  The lining seems to have been shoddily repaired at one point.  But the jacket itself is in great condition.  The wool is rugged.  The cut is near perfect.  Why would I pass it up?  If I was caught up in label chasing there's an excellent chance I would have passed as a curio from a defunct dept. store.

Whereas the houndstooth Oxxford jacket I bought that was a little too big in the chest... meh... I don't like it so much.  That means I never feel like getting it tailored and probably will never wear it.  (anyone interested in buying a jacket)

Oxxford on left.  Yes I know the lapel is cockeyed.  Like I said
too lazy to fix it.

Bonus (not necessarily a tip): When you assemble a thrifted wardrobe you also know it's absolutely unique.  Because the whole process is so democratic and equalized you can stumble onto the most perfect pieces (my turnbull and asser tie) and put them together with things that would send the landed gentry into apoplexy (my surprisingly excellent Old Navy argyle sweater vest and a pair of banged up Wolverine work boots)

This tie is pendleton, but don't think I'm not
tasteless enough to wear this with a silk tie.

Bonus Tip: If something fits and is in good shape, buy it.  That's all.  Off store brand fits better than Brooks Bros?  Buy that one.  Bass Loafers in your size, Allen Edmonds 1 size up?  Buy the Bass ones.  It's all $5 so the cost/value ratio is much more forgiving.  Then, if you go back and find those Alden's you've been desperate for... well... your last pair was only $5, so go for it.

5.  Learn when to take risks

After you're comfortable with the basics, take a few risks.  Buy things you wouldn't otherwise buy.  I know this flies in the face of watching your wallet, but hear me out.

I wasn't sure about getting white bucks.  They seemed... I dunno... not quite me.  I wouldn't ever have bought them at retail.  I would have passed them on the store shelf.  But then I found a pair in my size.  Ashley loved them and told me I should get them.  I waffled thinking "why should I spend $7 on a pair of shoes I'll never wear."  But then figured if I found one occasion to wear them, even in a costume or other ridiculous situation, it'd be worth it.

Now I actively try to find new things to wear them with they're so awesome.

I did a blog post about them for crissakes!

If I hadn't learned to thrift smart, I wouldn't have even weighed my options and ended up with some great shoes.

Now if you believe it, I can't close with a picture as I don't have a single photo of me wearing an entirely thrifted outfit.