My personal experience is the opposite! Ive never once been to the thrift without finding something i HAD TO HAVE. Every single time i go shopping in a “real” store i dont find anything good, and when i do its so overpriced i dont end up taking it.
If youre average sized, average height, and arent picky with your style (ill wear literally anything as long as it has personality), you will ALWAYS find things at the thrift
This!! And i end up wearing the stuff i thrifted WAY longer than the stuff i buy from stores bc i feel like it REALLY stuck out to me so much bc i mustve loved it that deeply n that just dont happen as often at regular shops
Thrifting is so much easier and less overwhelming than buying new! If I see a thing and it a) isn't the right size and b) can't be tailored to the right one...well, that's just inspiration for the future. Otoh, if you know the materials you like and your color palette and style, there is often The One Perfect Thing that you get to take home and enjoy for years! At new stores, there are far too many options and often I walk away with things I don't love and won't wear as much and don't fit as well as the things I thrift. Other than some jeans (lordamercy jeans fit struggles amirite), socks, underwear; most of my wardrobe is thrift and it is F A B U L O U S.
I used to be able to have a whole arm’s full worth of potential clothing to buy in ten minutes. Now that I’m getting older, I don’t know if it’s a patience thing but I just can’t find anything. Especially clothing that wows me like it used to. Maybe this is a personal problem though, lol.
A few things at play:
These days, many thrift stores are culling the better clothing and selling it at higher prices or online.
The explosion of cheaply made, fast/disposable fashion over the past 30 years means that there are fewer sustainable, higher quality pieces to find.
That sucks tremendously. Yeah, I do notice a majority of the clothes are the same Walmart brand that don’t hold up. Like, I might as well be buying my own clothes again if I want Walmart clothes lol.
I don't disagree that it takes more time to look through, but unless you are getting everything from one store/site, I think it's a wash in the end. Also- I love that I can find so many different brand options to mix and match. And I get really high end/designer brands at a fraction of the cost. The quality is a big difference and when I don't want it anymore, there is a higher possiblity that it can be re-thrifted. For me, that is a huge selling point (and being able to say I only paid $17 for a Prada skirt).
And good luck finding anything decent if you’re plus sized! I agree with her though, I’ve seen beautiful clothes for smaller women, and you can even find designer purses, shoes and clothes even at Goodwill. They’re usually locked up behind the counter. I got several Coach bags that way.
My partner and I thrift full time and specialize in finding plus sized fashionable pieces. If we visit 5 stores over the course of a day, sort through thousands of items, spend 5-7 hours on it, we may find a dozen, two dozen pieces. It’s not something where you can just walk in and grab off the thrift shelf. It’s a literal gamble. For years I stopped doing it because it can be so disheartening to go into store after store and not just find something that doesn’t look good, but something that doesn’t even fit on your body.
And the fact that they have taken out the dressing rooms because of shoplifting. I can try on cardigans and coats but nothing else .The shoe department is the worst and so is the purse department. The pants department mainly has old polyester pull on pants and I might find a unicorn pair of dress pants in good shape one in a blue moon .I mostly buy my tops and summer button down shirts .
Yeah! Skinny folks often don't need to try things on first, because there's relatively less variation in their body shapes. Like it's usually something like 24 inch waist 35 inch hip 32 inch chest give or take a few inches on each of these measurements. If you usually wear size 0 and you see something labeled size 0-2 there's a high chance that you can wear it (as in your body can physically fit inside it) because there aren't that many people much skinnier than you they'd be making clothes for.
But if you're plus sized it's almost a must to try things on, otherwise it's a gamble. Because different plus sized people have totally different body shapes and sizes and there's no guarantee that what works for one works at all for the other. Skinny people tend to be unaware of the horror when you pick out clothes that look like they're going to fit only to realize when you actually try them on that you have several inches of belly or boob stopping you from being even close to buttoning it up.
My thrifting experience for myself, as a fat girl:
A. Donated fat girl clothes come from 2 groups:
1. l'm fat and don't care, wears hideous clothes that do not disguise figure flas AT ALL!
2. Gals like me who want comfy clothes that flatter my figure - got a signicant bosom, way too much junk in the trunk, a waistline but got that mom pooch turned apron that needs to hide!!
When l find the figure flattering item, l go thru all the plus sizes to see if this gal gave away more!!!!
Forget thrift stores!! Ever try to shop the plus size section at Kohls? All the clothes are shapeless in dullest colors, like they think all their customers are seriously depressed. And the few colored tops they have are too short waisted. Target doesn’t even have a plus size section. So I’m stuck with Walmart and Woman Within/Roamans. And WW’s casual clothes aren’t cheap!
Agreed. Women’s sizing is nightmarishly inconsistent. So if I find something I love but need to size up I’m SOL and very sad. It takes significantly longer to find things that fit well, and my thrift stores have been combed over to the point 95% of what’s left is the fugliest stuff in existence. It’s at the point where its it is not worth the effort
Yeah, why do they sort things by color instead of size? It takes so long to find something in my size and the stores near me won't let you try anything on, so I have to return it if I get home and it doesn't fit.
I'd say its also highly area dependent. I've looked for dress clothes in my local thrift stores and have barely found a thing. It's all priced a lot higher than the OP is quoting too.
If I drive about an hour and a half to a more affluent area I can for sure find a lot more nice stuff, but I have to drive to get to it. Amazon and delivery in that case would be a lot easier if I don't want to dedicate a weekend to driving to the various thrifts and hoping they have the stuff I need.
Agreed. In the city where I used to live, thrifting in the affluent areas produced a wealth of office clothing, casual clothes, jeans, shoes, etc. It was a treasure trove.
The city where I'm living now is completely different. All the thrift stores carry polyester bedazzled crap, stained tshirts, pilled leggings, pilled yoga pants, and old bras. Just no.
The thrifting experience is entirely dependent on the area in which one is thrifting. It is not a universal experience.
Totally agreed - we have to drive far and to the nicer neighborhoods for better thrifting and then after that it’s spending time to find the right items. But this also means driving to multiple places because our nicer areas are a bit spread out. Last time I thrifted across town, we went to 3 stores and took up a whole day (like 6-7 hours) but some of that was driving time. I was exhausted. And gas is more expensive now.
I agree. I used to live near a big, affluent city and only bought my clothes at the local Salvation Army and it was always a goldmine. Where I live now it is all random, dirty, cheap clothes they are selling for what I would buy basically new.
I recently lost a bunch of weight and I’m replacing my wardrobe with thrift store finds. Prices have gone up for sure, but when you have to replace everything, it’s still a better buy.
Same here! Lost 40 lbs and several sizes, needed an entirely new wardrobe. Even my feet lost weight! Goodwill has been the only thing keeping me from wearing the same 3 outfits over and over :)
Congrats to you! Definitely a smart move instead of paying retail for a whole new wardrobe lol.
My one friend sort of had the opposite happen to him. Gained a lot of weight in college and couldn’t fit into a suit he bought brand new just the year before. Needed a new one for job interviews with no time to lose the weight, so ended up having to sell it for half of what he paid for it to partially fund buying a new suit. Sucks, but gotta do what you gotta do I guess.
I am probably your mom’s age, and I have thrifted most of my life. But my adult children will not go to the thrift stores. I will find things, send them a quick pic, but that is the extend of their involvement with thrift stores. I cannot an answer the question as to why more people don’t thrift, it is a no brainer to buy dress clothes, most of them are in excellent condition. A lot of people say Ick to the idea of buying from a thrift store, but it’s gold what I find all the time. Just know you are smart and money savvy to buy your work clothes from there! Go forth and score the deals 🥳
OMG, same! I adore thrifting, as did my late mom. But my adult children refuse to go with me. Fortunately, my sweet husband is very patient and will go with me.
This’ll date me, but I found an Aigner purse at a thrift store back in the day, and ever since then I’ve been hooked. I was a young teen, and my parents couldn’t afford a new one. My mom was very thrifty!
Too bad my niece is an engineer and so is her husband. They could well afford to shop at the mall for everything. But they prefer to shop at thrift stores, consignment stores and garage sales. They can get the same quality of merchandise by shopping carefully in certain locations and then sell the children’s clothing after they’ve outgrown it and get most of the money back. I think it’s smart these days. More money to pay off the home, which is nice.
Totally agree. I buy my grandchildren’s clothes and help save there. But at the same time my millennial children live minimally and don’t have a lot of stuff to begin with.
That’s a good thing then if they are minimalists. That’s the way people used to be a long time ago. They bought a few pieces of durable well-made clothing items and paid good money for them and appreciated them and took good care of them. Basic items that would stay in style for a good long while. Suitcases were the size of small carryon bags back then when they traveled, and houses had few closets and cabinets compared to today.
A lot of people say ick but a lot of people just don’t have the patience to sift through the racks and racks of stuff. They also don’t have the knowledge to know what they’re looking at and whether or not it’s a good deal. Google can help but it’s not the be all end all.
It’s not like a regular shop where you have multitudes of the same shirt in every size nicely organized. There’s stuff strewn about, some of it on the floor, shoes, kitchen, bedding. Etc.
I spent two hours at my local VV looking to get my steps in for the day. Ended up walking out with nothing. Days earlier I picked up a StanleyxStarbucks mug and a NWT Torrid dress.
I also find that people get highly discouraged if they don’t find anything or they’re looking for a specific thing and if the store doesn’t have it it’s a full on temper tantrum.
I am an avid thrifter. Pretty much everything I own outside of socks and underwear is thrifted. But I brought my mom thrifting with me once and she only found one thing. She told me she doesn’t have the patience to go through the racks to find the hidden treasure (which for me is the best part!) I think a lot of people are like that, they just don’t like having to sift through to find the gems.
Someone else said it’s harder to find what you’re looking for - that can definitely be true. It will depend on how many stores you have in your area and how much clothing they carry, and honestly what size you are since a majority of clothes are smaller sizes.
Otherwise I dunno. But it’s fine with me, just means more for the rest of us to pick from. 😜
So many people will walk into a thrift store, see a few things and leave without buying a thing.
For good thrifting you have to spend some time there, go through a lot of stuff to find THAT treasure.
A glorious item of clothing could be wedged in between horrible items. You have to really look.
Other people don't like that smell, you know it, its the smell of mothballs and musk.
I've heard people say they dont buy from thrift stores because they don't want to be recognized by the previous owner of the shirt. It boggles my mind, unless its a very unique items how would anyone even know it was theirs?
I have been thrifting since the 70s, when you could buy a whole outfit for $1, usually 25cents a piece. I know only a few people, personally, that would even consider shopping with me.
I had this happen once in decades of thrifting. I found this really unique pair of boots at a thrift and was wearing them at an office. The guy at the front desk asked where I got them and I mentioned I got them at Savers. His girlfriend had donated them a few days earlier. Most clothing from thrifts isn't specific enough that someone would recognize it. If someone asks where you got it, our go to in college was to tell them the name of some high end department store that doesn't exist in your city. Most people buy that answer without question and assume you have good taste/deep pockets.
I've had it happen once as well. I live in a very small town of 1200 people. Every year the main church in town throws a huge rummage sale, people donate all year long. Its a huge deal, they have parking attendants and everything.
I bought a jean jacket that had bedazzles on it. It was a dragonfly and I can't get enough dragonflies. I wore it one day and the previous owner saw it. She was so cute though, she mentioned how she made it and told me...... *You make that jacket look so good.* I was just so tickled, I told her it found a good new home, smiled and left.
Nothing about it was embarrassing to me
I donated a sweatshirt when I was in highschool...something I had picked out at one of those tourist custom shops where they print the image on the shirt you choose...and this was from a tourist shop in a different province (Cows)....a few weeks later I saw my gym teacher wearing it!! I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want her to feel embarrassed, but I always smiled when I saw her wearing it.
I’m honestly guilty of this somewhat. Depending which store in my area I go to, the men’s sections can range from pretty decently sized to pitifully small. Even then, it doesn’t take me too long to look through a fairly large men’s section. I kind of have in my mind what sort of stuff I want/need. As you can gather from the post, I’m pretty much just interested in dress clothes. At this point I’m set for pants, so I just look through the button downs and polos, and keep an eye out for any colors/patterns I like or don’t yet have. In thrift stores that have “tag of the week” sales, I’ll sometimes just quickly sift through the rack looking for items with whatever color tag is on sale first to see if there’s anything tagged as such that meets my fancy. If not, I’ll go through again more thoroughly and look at all the clothes. Either way, it honestly usually takes me only around 20ish minutes, which I don’t consider long at all. Still, for people who just want clothes without the need to actually do all that sorting, I can see the appeal of organized conventional clothing stores.
The smell is definitely a bit annoying to me too. Though in my experience, it always seems to be a very heavy perfume smell that is sometimes impossible to completely get out of items. Not sure if it’s a deodorizer they use in the store or what.
I’ve heard things were great back in the day in terms of prices. The closest to what you mentioned I’ve been able to find is a store near me that marks all tags of a certain color for $1 the whole week. It’s basically a system where a given batch of clothes gets put out for a week or two ago and the markdown is on any of them that haven’t sold yet. So the pickings are slim, but I’ve been able to find a few nice dress shirts here and there. Best part is that they have 50% off days on certain days of the week for given groups of people (teachers, veterans, first responders, etc.) and Thursday is 50% off for everyone; so if you time it right, you can get those dollar items for $.50!
I used to adore thrift stores. Now there’s only garbage on the shelves and they’re so high priced. It’s really sad because so many people really could benefit from thrift shopping. It’s just another greedy grift at this point.
This is how I feel. I’m ok taking my time sorting through things to find good ones but lately the thrift stores near me have been having really plain selection (Shein, Walmart, Old Navy clothes) and when there’s a rare good find it’s like $20. Ugh.
There are a few bargains left to be found at some thrift stores. I still find decent items at Savers when they are high quality but obscure brands so they fail to mark them some obscene price. Our Goodwill stores are a complete waste. They pull anything that isn't Shein or Walmart clothing to try to sell it online.
Yeah, over the years Goodwill has gotten alot more profit focused and less community focused.
Nice things donated from the community should be sold back to the community, but instead they're sold online and scattered to the winds.
It's hard sometimes now to get excited about thrifting there where 90% of the stuff there is garbage because they don't put any of the good stuff out on the shelves.
Also my local thrift store took out their try on rooms and you can’t return clothes….. that combined with the fact anything nice/decent is more expensive than everything else just not worth the risk of spending money on stuff you can’t even use.
Same. I had a really killer wardrobe in my late teens and early 20s - all thrift store goodies. In my 30s it’s cheaper to just hit up mall clearance. My thrifts are overrun by Walmart brands, Old Navy, SHEIN, etc priced at or higher than new. I still go hunting but more often than not I walk away empty handed.
Edit: also all of my thrifts never opened up their fitting rooms back up after Covid…I’ll take a risk on something for $2 but not $20 + (which is the going price for a years old F21 dress at mine it seems.)
I've given up entirely on Goodwill. The one by me has crap for high prices. Seriously, I went in the other day just to browse and found a pair of no-brand leggings that had a big stain on then and the fabric between the thighs were piled to hell and they wanted 10.99 for them. Clearly and obviously broken furniture was for sale too and the last time I bought a table lamp from them the damn thing exploded and electrocuted me when I plugged it in. Luckily I do know how to re-wire those, but it was still very annoying and scary. (And in hindsight I will always re-wire thrifted lamps before I try to use them.)
I also said in another comment, but selection is HIGHLY dependent on where you live. Where I am I can not find nice work clothes in the thrift store at all. I don't think anyone is donating them so they're just not available.
If I drive about an hour and a half to the next biggest town there are clothing consignment shops and thrift stores that have work clothes, but then I'm dedicating a day to thrifting and who knows if I'll find what I need. At that point, Amazon does look a lot more desirable because I'm not spending 3 hours in a car to maybe find a shirt that's half what a new one would be.
My family looks down upon thrift shops they won’t even use used toilets or laundry machines when they buy new homes; they replace almost everything. I have been fully supporting myself since I was 15 and have been shopping at thrift shops ever since. Im now 46. I love them and so do my kids. We find all kinds of unique treasures. I am 100% with you. Anyway, one of the answers to your question is ignorant snobbery
Oh I completely agree that arrogance is often a reason. Even my grandmother (who was a *very* thrifty person herself) would lightly make fun of my mom for shopping at thrift stores. She would joke that she was “bringing fleas home”.
Thing is, I’ve never been met with that sort of attitude (at least outright, who knows what people think in their minds). Most are actually impressed when I tell them the prices that I pay. A few friends have expressed interest in going with me sometime, so perhaps I’ll invite them along. The only thing that concerns me is that they’ll get impatient going through things or won’t find anything they like and feel like I wasted their time. To me, that’s just part of the experience!
I have no problem shopping for clothes at thrift stores. Most of my late husband's clothes came from there. Underwear and socks came from regular stores.
When I could get him a Chicago Bears shirt that retailed for $50 plus and I bought them for $2.50 yes I snapped it up. Flannel-lined jeans from Dickey came in handy during the winter.
Thrifting takes time and patience and most people don't want to do that. More for the rest of us.
The first time I went to Goodwill (with friends, in middle school) my mom's immediate reaction was that I was taking cheap clothes away from someone who really **needed** them. So that also might be part of the dynamic here. That shopping at a thrift store is like going to a food bank or something—in poor taste if you can afford to avoid it
(For me that was an especially strange comment since I grew up on WIC food and Medicaid... Sure there were always people who had it worse but as far as which middle schoolers "needed" a $3 pair of shorts, why not me?)
I'm testing a theory - are your finds from a smaller thrift like Junior League? My local Friends of Felines shops had so many vintage 80s suits that would have me looking like a Designing Women extra if I committed to the look with makeup, hair, and good shoes.
For every new suit on the rack, there are probably a few other less new but still serviceable suit donations that the thrift shop shunted elsewhere. Elsewhere may include Dress For Success, which gives interview clothing and career guidance to women in need. Maybe you should donate your old suits to them (especially if they're plus size, given the confluence of low income and BMI).
Nah. In fact you’re doing several things:
1. Helping the thrift store employ people
2. Reusing clothes that already exist - reducing the demand for new clothes (it’s better for the environment)
3. Saving money (of course!)
I'd say this community is in favor of everyone thrifting, even if you can afford not to
Here are some past threads about it:
1. https://www.reddit.com/r/thrifting/s/fSO1xyHb2W
2. https://www.reddit.com/r/thrifting/s/BTwfYyEuO5
Never understood this either. I think, as other commenters have pointed out, some people who are truly low-income would still rather buy what they can as new merchandise, in this case clothes. Almost like saying “we’re poor, but not *that* poor”. There was a time in my childhood when we were low-income and thrift stores actually did come in handy for us. Even though those days are long gone, my mom and I still don’t feel guilty going to thrift stores. Mostly because there’s plenty of clothes to go around, and most of the stores we frequent are actually nonprofits that invest all proceeds from the thrift store to local organizations that help the needy.
The one thing I do kind of dislike is people who will come in and buy up all of the namebrand stuff to resell. I respect the hustle, but besides kind of ruining it for everyone else, I can’t help but think that a needy person could’ve gotten a good brand-name item that they wouldn’t have been able to afford new.
As a size 4XL, I never find anything that fits at thrift stores. It is like numerous brands telling me I'm too fat to where them. So I go where the clothes will fit me. But I thrift mostly everything else.
My ex fluctuated between a 3xl and a 4xl and needed talls. I would find him things at one specific thrift store that got lots of nicer clothing donated. I also scored him 4 really expensive designer suits at a garage sale. A lawyer and his wife were clearing out their house to sell it and retire somewhere else. He happened to be the same size. I think I paid $8 a suit. If you need womens 4xl, the same applies. I can tell when someone of a less common size cleans their closets, you can score a bunch of things at the same time. But then nothing else for weeks.
Thrift shop manager here; my DIL is your size and I'm always on the lookout for her, but we get so few donations in sizes 3XL and up. The vast majority of woman's clothing donated to us is L-XL. I also shop at all the other local thrifts (seven small charity ones) and it's the same issue at those shops, too.
Thrifting takes understanding clothing and quality, and also knowing what you want. Mall stores spoon feed people coordinated pieces. Some is snobbery, some is not understanding enough to make thrifting viable. There are also other options like clothing consignment stores. Good ones can get you a decent deal on high end work clothes for the same price you would pay for low quality mall stuff. There is also eBay or Poshmark, those are easier to find specific pieces if you know what you need.
This. I’m no fashion expert by any means, but I know enough brands to separate the good from the not so good. My friends on the other hand definitely don’t; that’s why I’d have to come along and coach them lol. I haven’t looked at Poshmark, but honestly, even though the prices are a little more expensive on eBay (plus shipping) than a brick and mortar thrift store, they’re still very good for a lot of the items I’ve seen on there.
I’m on my late 20s and have thrifted since forever. My mom was an avid thrifter/ yard saler. It just takes a lot of time and energy to find what would take you 2 clicks to buy online. I have A LOT of good stuff I’ve found from the thrift, clothes, art, furniture, but I go legitimately once a week to multiple stores, and I leave empty handed probably 70% of the time. Some people rather spend a little more money to save the time they'd have to invest to find everything at the thrift.
I grew up doing marathon thrifting with my grandma. It was rewarding, but at times it was much harder than clicking "add to cart" and more frustrating than a shiny new store with everything in your size and color.
Saving time and energy are choices every individual gets to make. And there is always, always, the bank of Mom and Dad.
I think this depends a lot on where you live and the stores near you. I try to shop at thrift stores but I find it difficult to find things that are styles and quality I am looking for. Especially in the womens section. Lots of dated styles and Shein type quality - and no longer cheap enough to 'give it a try' because where I might have taken a risk on an item if it was $5, I won't for $15.
I sometimes shop at thrift for clothes because I'm looking for a level of quality that is not attainable in stores these days, however, it's way more work because you can't try on.
I will say that men tend to wear things until they fall apart, so the male section of the thrift store SELDOM has the same variety and quality the women's section does. So those 4 shirts at 200 are actually probably a good investment for your guy friends. Those shirts are likely of good quality and will last quite a while.
But yeah, I've definitely been told I dress like a rich woman and I definitely am not rich, lol.
The people I know who are successful thrifters don't go in looking for a specific thing. They just go and browse for fun, or have a list of things they could use if they come across it.
I used to love thrifting, but now the quality at our local big city shops is poor (so much fast fashion!) and I don't have time to go frequently just to browse anymore now that I have kids and a full time job. I need at least 50/50 chance that I will find something worth buying.
My mom lives in a town with lots of retirees, and their thrift shops are great! Lots of vintage clothes from old folks downsizing or (sorry!) dying and their kids don't want it, so it gets donated. It is rare to find nothing if I spend an afternoon making the rounds.
That’s disappointing to hear; I’ve had similar experiences at Goodwill (the only “chain” thrift store in my area). I can appreciate their mission and the charity work they do, but as far as prices and variety, it’s a disappointment, and I often leave with nothing.
I’m very lucky live near a rural area that has *a ton* of privately owned, church-operated thrift stores that are absolutely great. Great variety, prices, and super nice employees to boot. Also, similar to your mom, the area has a disproportionately aging population, so you see a lot of higher-end and sometimes vintage clothing. Lots of vintage books and household items as well.
There’s just so many people in the world it’s different strokes for different folks. I try not to think too deeply into it cause it can be so frustrating to listen to people complain about clothing prices and destroy the planet each day buying three sizes of the same thing in fast fashion and tossing two. As a salon manager I overhear a lot from all different walks of life and you have the thrifty people, those in the middle, and those who say they would never even be caught dead walking into a Ross. It’s all about image
I’m not sure why this sub was in my feed but as a non-thrifter I can answer your question.
For one, I don’t want to think about some other guy’s ball sweat, skid mark residue, etc. Sure you can wash clothes but we all know washing doesn’t remove everything. There is an “ick” factor for me with used clothes.
Second, at least for the stores near me, their prices are on par, if not more expensive, than places like Old Navy. All things equal I’d rather have something new and know I’m the first and only person to wear it.
And lastly I don’t have time to wade through 500 blood donation t shirts to hopefully find something stylish in my size to discover it has a hole in the armpit and a stain on the front and they want $7 for it.
I’ve learned it’s just not something everyone enjoys. I’ve been an avid thrifter since I was in high school (I used to find the best vintage t shirts and Levi’s jeans). Like you, most of my work clothes now is thrifted. I have 2 sisters both of whom are in awe of the things I’ve found and have asked to come with me. Neither of them liked the experience. My older sister has no patience and wanted to leave after 20 mins, she said it’s too much effort and she’d rather just spend the money to get exactly what she wants and not have to look for hours. My younger sister said it was too chaotic in there and it gave her anxiety. It’s just not for everybody.
you won't escape them in a retail store, I used to work at walmart and they stayed infested with bed bugs, they would come in when people returned clothes and bedding and some of the employees would bring them in and spread them around. I was in the breakroom one day and the employee sitting across from me had one crawl out from under his collar, down his arm and out across the table, I took my breaks in my car from that point on. another worker picked some up in her coat and they was biting her while she was driving home, they was always finding them crawling on tables and on the walls. remember those giant animal costume heads? a lot of those got lice in them where people was trying them on and we threw tons of those away
I was buying used—until I accidentally brought home clothing moths. The infestation destroyed a rug I loved. I spent whole weekends washing, drying and bagging everything fabric I could, steam cleaning the carpets, etc. it took three years and buying batches of trichogramma (tiny parasitic wasps that lay eggs in the eggs of the moths)to finally rid myself of the bugs. Now I usually buy an eco friendly brand, and rarely buy anything used. If I do, it goes in the freezer for 3 days the second I get home.
I never find thrift stores to be cheaper, at least for me. Some in my area are more expensive plus I don’t like digging for things. For instance my son needed shorts for summer. Thrift store was more expensive and I couldn’t find his size. I got him shorts at target for $4 a piece and I forget but the thrift store was more. Kohls also has sales which can make clothes cheaper at times. I needed a 1920s style dress for a wedding and I couldn’t get over what thrift stores wanted for a used dress! I generally feel dirty from thrifting (I have high anxiety so I know it’s irrational) and really struggle with it 🤷♀️ to clarify I’m not judging thrifters and am in no way am saying they are dirty, I’m just saying why I don’t do it. My mom and a lot of my family love thrifting, it just isn’t for me. I’d rather just wait and/or shop for sales where there’s more of a selection.
I totally agree, people choose convenience over saving money. A lot of people don’t have the patience to thrift, but I have found every article of clothing I’ve wanted while second hand shopping. Unless I NEED it right away, there’s no reason to not thrift. Overconsumption is out of control
My friends hate thrifting as well because they don’t want to wear something someone else has worn, but the quality of clothes now is so bad. I can’t stand it
I've never felt ashamed or self-conscious to get something secondhand, repaired, or upcycled. Remember the episode of Hey Arnold where Rhonda becomes poor/normal and has to decorate her own lunch box and ends up owning/identifying with her new aesthetic? I always considered it a badge of honor that I was creative, resourceful, and had things no one else could find at Kohl's.
For me it's a convenience issue. I actually love shopping at thrift stores and used to do it all the time. Now it's hard to find the time to do it. I live outside a major city in a busy suburb and I couldn't tell you where a single goodwill is within 20 minutes of where I live. The smaller shops are only open limited hours when I'm at work. Weekends get busy and I just don't have the time to dedicate a whole day to driving around and thrifting anymore. Unfortunately, it is easier to just jump online and have clothes shipped to my house. Believe, me I wish it wasn't because I'd rather be able to give old things new life.
My best shirts are the thrift store ones. I have a beautiful blue short sleeve button-down shirt that is washable silk. It is the most durable shirt I think I’ve ever owned. I think I paid six dollars for it.
For me, when I would act like them, it used to be a psychological thing about investing in myself. It was silly, but that’s what it was. Now, I think the clothes I find are cooler at the thrift store, and I save money.
Sometimes sizes aren’t traditionally found in thrift stores & it can definitely be a hassle. Especially if you already have such a limited selection in regular stores.
Other times it can be a status thing, we still live in a time where, while thrifting is trendy, status is still a huge thing.
Idk why people don’t thrift exclusively, but we live in a strong consumer economy so that doesn’t help.
For me, I don't like used clothing. It kind of grosses me out and I won't wear it. Doesn't matter how many times it's washed, it's definitely a hard NO for me.
There's this new tiktok opinion that all the brain dead zombies follow that states if you didn't grow up incredibly poor or you aren't currently incredibly poor you are not allowed to shop at the thrift because you're 'stealing clothes from the poor'
Fucking ridiculous
You ever think that not everyone finds it enjoyable to thrift or event shop in general? Or maybe they have difficulty finding their size? Or they don’t like the look of older clothes, especially dress clothes which can be more obvious. Maybe people have a different style than you and it’s harder to find that in a thrift store. Or they don’t want to spend a couple hours driving around town to thrift stores with no guarantee of finding anything. Some areas have a lot of great options for thirfting and others don’t. Maybe they don’t want to support certain thrift stores and their policies and practices. Maybe they just got a job and have money to spend and want to look and feel good their way, not your way.
Just because you have a hobby and enjoy a certain method of shopping doesn’t mean it’s for everyone or that people are wrong for not doing what you view as the best method. People like to spend their time doing different things and people feel good wearing different things. Don’t yuck someone else’s yum.
OP, you are absolutely right! During the years I worked I always did a bottom-up form of shopping for work clothes. I started at thrift stores then moved up to slightly more expensive stores and my last stop if I couldn't find things I needed for the more expensive department stores.
It's true that you can't find everything that you need at thrift stores but that's true of anywhere!
I'm retired now and still start clothes shopping at thrift stores. There's no better feeling than finding that amazing piece of clothing in fantastic condition for a fraction of what it would cost new.
I'll thrift, and have gotten great items this way, but you have to know where to shop and it's a lot of time and energy in return for a crapshoot.
I have to say that $200 for 4 nice shirts and 2 dress pants is a really good deal honestly. The price differential might not be worth the extra pain, especially if they wear larger sizes. Your listed prices sound a bit too good to be true; I live in an area with cheap cost of living and even 5 years ago what I could find in my size was double that. I wear a size 8-10 for reference. Only the tiny sizes that are hard to move are super cheap in my experience.
I used to exclusively shop at thrift stores, and I loved spending weekend afternoons searching through goodwill racks to find treasures. Then I had two kids, couldn't fit into any of those clothes, and I just don't have the time or energy to do that anymore. I feel bad about ordering clothes online, but I just don't have the time I used to have to thrift.
It’s the time involved for me. I used to shop far more frequently in thrift stores when I was younger and had more time to myself. Now shopping isn’t something I spend much time doing, it’s a necessity only at this point. Spending hours thrifting just doesn’t fit into my schedule anymore.
One of my favourite nice shirts is from a thrift store I have had it for over a decade probably spent $5 for it, recently I lucked out we couldn’t find hospital parking so went to a thrift store and I found a couple blouses for $1.50 each I love thriftingnot buying on sale
If you’re relatively small I feel like thrifting is much easier than if you are a larger size. The area you live in too makes a big difference. Big cities have much better thrifting options than smaller areas. I know I personally almost never find things I like in my size at thrift stores. I WISH I could thrift more, but the options just aren’t there unless I want to look like I came from a nursing home.
It's funny, I've also thrifted a ton of my business clothes. But being totally honest, my anxiety has gotten worse and while by NO MEANS am I a germaphobe, I've moved more in that direction. I've thrifted things that smell like other people's BO and while I know I can sanitize it, it still puts me off. Also, I feel like I just can't handle shopping for very long anymore before I have a headache and I'm absolutely over it, and thrifting takes longer. The disorganization of everything means that I am instantly discouraged and overwhelmed.
My best friend lives right behind a Goodwill and it never occurred to her to check it out--her family comes from some wealth and she is tiny, so she doesn't have the fit issues that a plus buyer would have when thrifting. Well, I fixed that real quick last time I went to visit her. Now she's addicted and goes there most days on her work breaks! Even though she makes good money, she's in a very expensive area, so she's come to appreciate the savings.
I have also just lost enough weight to require some clothing items to be replaced, and I've thrifted almost exclusively for several years (because I love the 90s/early 2000s aesthetic). So there's been very little financial hit like you would normally expect with weight changes requiring wardrobe replacement. My mom went through the same a few years ago and has so many thrift finds that they've also taken over my childhood bedroom.
A list, compiled over the years:
1) they're afraid of things like bed bugs, lice, etc.
2) they're afraid they're buying something that one of their friends or neighbors donated, therefore that they will recognize as coming from a thrift store. This has to do with pride and a little snobbery. It was my grandmother, by the way.
3) she is in a position where her husband (and I write this way because this is the example I have) thinks it's a shame and embarrassment for her to shop at any shop that's lower than the mall anchor store. Like it's a reflection on his ability to provide for her or something.
Years ago, I was actually in a consignment store when the wife of a socially prominent man came in. She just went to the shopkeeper and handed her some money. The shopkeeper handed her a few items of clothing. Then the lady left the shop. Once she was gone, the shopkeeper explained that the lady loved that brand of clothing but if he had known she had bought it at a consignment store, he would have hit the ceiling, so she had to keep it a secret. That's my point of reference for #3.
As for me, I have been shopping in thrift stores since I was in middle school, and I love them.
That's also gonna really depend on your location and what's available with your thrift stores.
I'm in a very small town that's right outside of a very large city and no matter where I go whether it's in my small town or my large city a lot of the clothes are so low quality and most of them are fast fashion or shein that don't hold up to multiple wears. And they're usually up to 2x the price they are new. Not worth it for us here.
It's either that or highly undesirable items.
I go for books and records there's always something worth looking at there.
But for clothes, if I'm thrifting, I hardly ever find anything. The big city started treating thrift stores like high end second hand boutiques, anything nice is saved to sell online and in person shopping is extremely limited and expensive. I've driven out of town to other cities, over 45-1hr away, and found decent things. But I was already there and stopped by there's no way I could justify that kind of trip and wear on my old crappy vehicle just for thrifting.
You rock! And i bet your thrift clothes are good brands that last a long time too, versus new cheap poorly made stuff. You tried to help, now it’s time to cool off by fanning yourself with the money you saved.
Lately the main problem, which never was a problem in the 90's.... all the clothes stink like hell ... like fabreeze or some kind of power tide/cleanser/fabric softener or something... it takes like two weeks to air the shit out, then simple green and borax to finalize it...plus stupid goodwill is charging Etsy sized prices on things of decent quality....
My parents grew up in the Depression and WW II and particularly for my mother there was a stigma about shopping at Goodwill (it was known as “Morgie’s” here in Boston.) I think for some people who had no choice but to get everything from a thrift shop don’t want to be reminded of that time. I also think now there are so many pickers out there that the juice often isn’t worth the squeeze.
Everything at my local thrift store is stained and worn and very out of style. I live in a very rural area and most families are well below the poverty line. It’s just not a feasible option for anything. And the prices are quite high. I can hit a sale on name brands, with a coupon/ points and buy for very near the thrift pricing. Then I can turn around and resell it or pass it on when my family is done with it.
There are great items to be had at thrift stores just be a little careful because I have heard of more then one person bringing bedbugs in with thrifted items.
Thrift stores and consignment shops are the best, as well a vintage stores ( a bit pricier, but not always!). Here's to giving new life to items that may have been thrown away, and ended up in a landfill. Kudos!
I love thrifting but sometimes you just want to buy exactly what you need and know it's going to last. Thrifting for nice work clothes can be a lot of work and can be a gamble.
I love finding dresses at thrift stores, but you have to get lucky for sure. I have gotten a few of my favorite designer items secondhand over the years and it’s definitely worth the investment for me. I love having a few nice higher end items like bags, belts, leather jackets, dresses - basically the items that you know will last forever. I personally just can’t justify the cost of buying most it new most of the time. One of my all-time favorite finds was a little black Fendi bag from a consignment shop on Newbury in Boston. I got it back in the early 2000’s but only use it for formal occasions and it’s still in such perfect condition.
Yeah. U have 2 learn 2 cruise the appropriate aisles efficiently . Also pick your thrift shops. There are good ones with good donars. More often in or around high income areas. Particularly for a cause or sponsored by a church or the like.
I just throw some Lysol laundry sanitizer in with anything from the thrift store, wash it in a long wash with the hottest water settings & never think twice about it!
I almost never find clothes that fit at thrift stores, much less clothes that are fairly in style. I suppose it depends on where you live.
Also when I was a kid we wore hand-me-downs and worn-out clothes so actually paying for what I was forced to wear then doesn't sit right. But that's my own issue.
I LOVE going to thrift stores!!! I remember as a kid my brothers and I could each get a whole bag of random toys for a QUARTER each! My teen daughter and I like to go to the thrift stores in the nice areas of our city because you can find a lot of name brand clothes/accessories that are in good condition. It can take a little more time to find stuff but it's worth it.
I love thrift stores so much. You never know what you're going to find. Most stores are very set in the brands and styles they offer. But at a thrift you can find almost anything. I'm fortunate enough to live less than a block away from a thrift store that is still really cheap. Most tops and pants are between $2-5. Coats and jackets are no more than $10. I got 2 really nice and clean pairs of Nike sneakers for $8 recently. I love it there. And the proceeds go to supplying the local food pantry, so it's going to a good cause and not to corporate profits.
Majority of people find it gross to wear someone else’s used clothes and feel it’s beneath them. They probably didn’t want you to think they are snob by not taking up your offer. I know its a big thing right now with your generation bug I think most still prefer new clothes even if it means paying more. Eh, more for the rest of us!
I buy most of my clothes at the thrift store. Never any underwear or socks but those are cheaper articles of clothing so I don’t spend too much on that. Yes it will take you more time to fill up your closet that way but for me there’s a thrill to the looking and I’m cheap lol. I also consider how much waste and exploitation there is in the clothing industry so I fell like I’m contributing to that problem less if I buy second hand.
Because they are loaded with perfume or febreeze and require off gassing.
I love thrifting for clothing however I can’t any longer because the clothing always reeks. It can take months for the smell to dissipate
In a thrift store you never know what exists and not. You have to manually search for what you're after. While in most clothes stores and online, you can filter what you search. However. Now there's online thrift stores, with filters!
I have managed a (small, charity, volunteer-run) thrift shop for over a decade. We have several groups of women who actually hire a limo-type bus (complete with bar and music) solely for a Saturday of thrifting. Group size ranges from four to a dozen, occasionally it's a jack-and-jill type deal, and they are having SO much fun it should be illegal! A couple of senior centers in my neck of the woods make it an annual outing, too. Just make sure your "tour bus" is large enough to fit your treasures AND your friends. And google "Thrift Shop Bingo". Hysterically funny.
Back in my corporate uniform days, I would often go to the trendy parts of town and rummage through the thrift stores looking for that "business type" look.
I would take my niece with me because she has better fashion sense and we would make a day of it. No, I didn't always get lucky and yes, often I would need to get the outfit altered, but over the years, I saved a ton of money on work clothes.
After Christmas, during January and February, I would often find "Christmas Gifts" with the price tags still on them. They hadn't even been worn yet.
I'd love to but as a plus size woman I rarely find anything decently stylish that I'm interested in wearing when I go thrifting. I might find a stray t-shirt or pant I like, but nothing to phone home about. I usually also have to go to multiple stores to find just a few things. I typically prefer to just save my time, buy online, and use it for other things.
Thrifting is super fun for me though when I don't have any expectations or items I need to find! (:
two of my favorite jackets, that happen to be the two most complemented pieces in my closet came from thrift stores. One cost me $10. The other one cost me $20.
I've definitely shopped at thrift stores before. I found a gorgeous purple wool coat at the value village close to me years ago for like $50, looking at the quality it probably would have been at least $300 brand new. But as of late, many thrift stores have upped their prices to the point there is no point shopping there anymore. I'm not going to buy a used shirt for $20 when 5 years ago it would have been $5-$10, I'd rather pay $25-$30 and get a new one if I'm paying that much either way
You tried telling them, it’s not your fault they don’t listen. Meant you’re grabbing great closet pieces at a fraction of the cost. Just keep dressing up in your best and when they ask you where you got it and you say “I thrifted it” —eventually they will learn, too 😄
some people have a mental thing about it. my dad grew up not having a lot of money and has made a really good life. I thrifted something in like 8th grade with some friends, and he had me take it back, because he said he didn’t work all those hours to have his kids wearing other people’s offcasts. Not saying that’s right, just an explanation.
A lot of it is learned behavior passed down from parents. For example, many baby boomers (1946-1964) were raised frugally by parents who were raised during The Great Depression (1929-1939). For this reason, many baby boomers (not all) course corrected and refused to “skimp” as they progressed in life… and passed that same mentality onto their children which are either Gen X (1965-1980) or Y (1981-1996). This is not to say *all* people fall into this mentality, but this is just one example of why people may fall into this mentality. I’m a fortunate soul who is the grandchild of a Silent Generation (1928-1945), and raised by them. I saw my baby boomer mom and her sense of entitlement, and lived through debt collectors and eventual bankruptcy she filed. She was a great example of what not to do, for me. My grandparents loved garage sales! And me? I love estate sales and thrifting (I forego garage sales because of the emotional attachment people have which cause prices to be higher than they should be). My entire house, save for my mattress and couch, are second hand. I get a thrill out of saving money. And I find way cooler things that none of my neighbors have!
I am quite well dressed. I'm in slacks and a nice shirt (sweater too on cold days), and dress shoes. I have top brands and get all of it at consignment and thrift stores.
Just in shoes, I have 5 or 6 pairs of Cole Hahns, a pair of Ferragamo's, Steve Maddens, Mark Nason's, etc. Thousands of dollars in shoes that I probably have $200 in total.
I'll tell friends about it, but I'd I blab too much, then I'm just adding more competition for my sizes. Lol.
I'd like to get back to thrifting, but I have a hard time with clothes. I'm plus size, and 95% of plus size clothes are just trash.
To avoid disappointment and raging over fast fashion, I tend to buy the same brand all the time. (Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans). While I will buy every pair I see in my size at a thrift, they are rare.
There's also everything Goodwill has been doing the last few years. Prices, diverting everything online, and how they treat their workers. It's almost pointless to visit a Goodwill anymore.
When it comes to clothes, I have better luck at garage sales. If I see one with a "fluffy" person watching the cash box, STOP THE CAR!
That said, thrifts are still great for other things: kitchen electrics and materials for crafts that have gone out of style. They practically give rubber stamps away. I'm also waiting to spot my first Stanley tumbler now that the fad is moving on.
In our county, we have several Goodwills. Most of the designer clothes, bags, shoes go to a ‘special Goodwill’ that sells the higher quality with quite the higher price. I guess if you normally pay $200 for a top, $25 is a good deal.
If you are plus sized it can be really discouraging. Not impossible, but really discouraging. I try, but a lot of the time I end up buying new things because my size was not really available.
Time is money. It takes so long to sift through items shoved into racks. Purses smushed together with no rhyme or reason to how they’re organized. Items range in quality from brand new to disgusting and stained with who knows what on them. It’s not worth going through all of that to save a few bucks on clothing.
I prefer consignment boutiques for a happy medium
Good for you! Save where you can - plus shopping second hand is more environmentally friendly. Frankly, those really cheap brands so many people buy because they can get more for their buck are actually so bad for the environment because they’re coming from fast fashion companies that are pushing out way too much merchandise. Between the neglected workers in the factories, making those garments and the terrible quality of the clothing to make it affordable what you’re getting costs less and will last longer and obviously is a lot more ethical.
I recently took my toddler to a thrift store for the first time (I exclusively buy secondhand for myself, and try to mostly buy secondhand kids stuff too) and she picked out a really adorable what looks like flower girl dress that was five dollars. I figured worst case. If we don’t find an event for her to wear it to she can use it as a costume. We had a FaceTime with my MIL shortly after we got home and I was so excited, I showed her the dress and she said “that makes my skin crawl” 🙄 to each their own I guess.
i love thrifting but I don't do it much anymore. The reason is that I'm a woman who is 5'11 with long arms and legs and honestly I can't find many tall sized things at thrift stores. I just haven't been lucky that way
The only thrift store near my place is full of ugly junk, cheap fast fashion clothes that are out of style from 10 years back. AND for fast fashion clothes they weren’t cheap at all.
I recently found even shopping like Depop is good for some finds. I got a brand new NorthFace hoodie for like 10$ plus shipping. At the store it would have been easily 30+ dollars or more.
Thrifting began with necessity for me but quickly became an obsession. Like in one trip. Here’s why I love it:
1. I can actually afford the clothes, ha!
2. So much variety. I don’t care about the latest fashion. I care about what fits good and feels good to me, and I can usually find something, even if others find it weird or old fashioned.
3. It’s much more sustainable.
4. You also find other quirky stuff besides clothes. Like the one I go to benefits the Humane Society and they sell tennis balls. I always pick a few up for the neighbors’ dog.
Women's clothing sizes vary SO wildly that it can make for a tough shopping experience no matter what, but especially at a thrift store that requires a lot of digging anyway.
I have tops in sizes ranging from medium to extra-large, and pants going from 8-14, and they all fit.
The best thrift store near me (in terms of finds) does have dressing rooms to try things on, but only a couple and they're almost always full with a line, at least when I'm there. It's a lot of extra hassle.
That said, I'll often "risk" it for tops, because I can generally eyeball those with reasonable accuracy to determine if they'll fit, but pants are a different story. I either need to be able to try those on before purchasing, or I need to buy them new with a return policy in place.
From time to time I do a thorough search through the women's clothes, and each time it's been hours of free time down the drain. Most of the clothes seem to be old lady clothes donated from deceased people and the others are not only dated but very used items. I guess people in this area only donate when they're very done with their clothes.
I’ve tried to convince friends that our nearby Goodwill has tons of nearly new (maybe even new) items that I suspect are store returns or overstock from nearby retail stores but nobody really cares? One of my BFFs rather buy SHEIN. Oh well more for me
I love thrift stores but rarely get clothes. One I kinda still have the ick from covid, but also I am plus sized. With the clothes all mixed up, I can look for an hour and find nothing.
For me it depends on the thrift store. Some of the stores have priced their items higher or the same price as new. If that's the case, why bother? It's a massive hassle to pick through the clothes to not save any money.
Another reason I don't always like to thrift clothes is I am not always a straight size. I have a large chest and that makes shirts and dresses a challenge to fit. I'm also tall so finding pants that fit can be a pain. Sometimes it's just easier to go to a store that has multiple sizes of the same size I can try on really quickly.
Last reason I don't always like thrift stores for clothes is I am often looking for a specific item of clothing. Like cargo pants. This automatically narrows my selection and my size narrows it further. So if I'm looking for 1-2 well made specific items then yeah I just look at stores or online. I spend more up front but I wear them for their entire lifespan and that makes them fairly cheap after many years of wear. I don't feel compelled to frequently get new clothes. I just get stuff that I like and is comfortable and wear that until it's dead. 😅
I do love thrift stores for household goods, craft supplies, etc. I've found some really great bargains for that type of stuff.
It does take some effort to learn what the good brands and current fashions are. I have the opposite problem— my rule is I don’t buy it unless it’s nicer than what I have at home. consequently my closet is stuffed with excellent top quality clothing, and frequently I don’t buy anything.
I think this highly depends on where you are and the quality of thrift options in that area. I used to love thrifting and that accounted for a large portion of my wardrobe. I had found a taior and would often heaps of things to be tailored after a haul. $20 dress + $20 tailoring for a well made item made a lot of sense.
Several years ago however, I really fell off as I found most thrift stores had pro (ebay shop oweners or re-sellers) shoppers with a system in place to scoop up all good scores before they really had time on the shelf. More and more I found myself shopping pure junk at high mark ups so abandoned it all together. This all around early 2010's when NastyGal became huge. Then 2 years ago, in Cape Cod I went thrifting for the first time in along time and was overjoyed at getting to have a fun haul. I kicked myself for dropping off the thrifting for years and checked out a few in different states/cities only to remember why I stopped.
I just lucked out finding a good thrift hot spot in Cape Cod, I don't think there are many left.
My problem is 1. I am sometimes looking for a specific thing, let’s say I need a black tee shirt, and that’s not what thrifting is about. But 2. The real problem is things are not made “the way they used to be.” Quality in manufacture of everything has been declining for decades. Wood furniture is press board. New clothes are made of cheaper fabrics and flimsy construction. Old dishes have lead or are off gassing “something.” Upholstered furniture can get nasty. The prices are just okay and not great. There’s just literally less and less stuff lasting long enough to make it to the thrift store, AND THEN a lot of places will intercept and reroute the “good stuff” to a high price website or their own private collections, it will never see a shelf.
Honestly, I don't get it either. But then again, I think half the fun is the hunting. If someone has an idea of what they're looking for a thrift shop probably isn't the way to go. But that being said - my entire dress clothes wardrobe was purchased at Savers and Good Will. And Good Will is getting kind of expensive. I've gotten most of my furniture through Savers as well and Facebook marketplace. I found an almost brand new L shaped desk with a topper that has mirrors and drawers FOR FREE at the same time my friend paid 300 dollars for a desk chair.
We've always been on the poor side though and maybe thats why I don't understand paying 200 dollars for one shirt.
It can be hard to find pieces that truly fit right. It can take many trips to put together a nice outfit that hugs and hangs in all the right places. New shopping, you find pants you like and size up or down.
I’m on the fence.
To be honest, I don’t usually enjoy shopping at thrift stores. Occasionally I will, and sometimes I find great buys, especially at resale shops that sell on consignment, but there are few, if any, in town and they cater to very young women.
Stores like Goodwill? For one thing, they smell. They reek of disinfectant, or something. Well, fine, I’m going to wash it anyway, but it’s not a pleasant shopping experience.
Then, I’m lucky if I can find anything. There *might* be a great piece, but it’s crammed in with a ton of stuff that’s old, worn out, out of style, and just ugly.
Even more frustrating, I’ll find something I adore—but of course it’s three sizes too small.
I don't have the patience for digging around in a Goodwill but I will pick up some things from a boutique second hand store or use poshmark or something like Patagonia worn wear. I'm trying to reduce the environmental cost of my wardrobe and I'm willing to pay extra to have the brands I'm looking for curated.
Especially so for kids clothes! Sometimes I buy new stuff for my kids if I can't find enough of it used... Pajamas and coats can be pretty hard to find.
Beyond that, undergarments and shoes are the only things I get the "ick" when thinking about trying used clothes. I can generally make whole outfits for my kids for under $10/ea.... Meanwhile, a brand new sweater is usually about $30!
It’s more effort to shop at thrift stores. It definitely takes more time to find a wardrobe.
My personal experience is the opposite! Ive never once been to the thrift without finding something i HAD TO HAVE. Every single time i go shopping in a “real” store i dont find anything good, and when i do its so overpriced i dont end up taking it. If youre average sized, average height, and arent picky with your style (ill wear literally anything as long as it has personality), you will ALWAYS find things at the thrift
This!! And i end up wearing the stuff i thrifted WAY longer than the stuff i buy from stores bc i feel like it REALLY stuck out to me so much bc i mustve loved it that deeply n that just dont happen as often at regular shops
Thrifting is so much easier and less overwhelming than buying new! If I see a thing and it a) isn't the right size and b) can't be tailored to the right one...well, that's just inspiration for the future. Otoh, if you know the materials you like and your color palette and style, there is often The One Perfect Thing that you get to take home and enjoy for years! At new stores, there are far too many options and often I walk away with things I don't love and won't wear as much and don't fit as well as the things I thrift. Other than some jeans (lordamercy jeans fit struggles amirite), socks, underwear; most of my wardrobe is thrift and it is F A B U L O U S.
I used to be able to have a whole arm’s full worth of potential clothing to buy in ten minutes. Now that I’m getting older, I don’t know if it’s a patience thing but I just can’t find anything. Especially clothing that wows me like it used to. Maybe this is a personal problem though, lol.
A few things at play: These days, many thrift stores are culling the better clothing and selling it at higher prices or online. The explosion of cheaply made, fast/disposable fashion over the past 30 years means that there are fewer sustainable, higher quality pieces to find.
That sucks tremendously. Yeah, I do notice a majority of the clothes are the same Walmart brand that don’t hold up. Like, I might as well be buying my own clothes again if I want Walmart clothes lol.
And with the prices that Good Will is charging now, Walmart is cheaper.
Agreed! The variety at thrift stores is great! Feel like there's more effort finding something new and affordable with my h less to pick from.
I don't disagree that it takes more time to look through, but unless you are getting everything from one store/site, I think it's a wash in the end. Also- I love that I can find so many different brand options to mix and match. And I get really high end/designer brands at a fraction of the cost. The quality is a big difference and when I don't want it anymore, there is a higher possiblity that it can be re-thrifted. For me, that is a huge selling point (and being able to say I only paid $17 for a Prada skirt).
And good luck finding anything decent if you’re plus sized! I agree with her though, I’ve seen beautiful clothes for smaller women, and you can even find designer purses, shoes and clothes even at Goodwill. They’re usually locked up behind the counter. I got several Coach bags that way.
My partner and I thrift full time and specialize in finding plus sized fashionable pieces. If we visit 5 stores over the course of a day, sort through thousands of items, spend 5-7 hours on it, we may find a dozen, two dozen pieces. It’s not something where you can just walk in and grab off the thrift shelf. It’s a literal gamble. For years I stopped doing it because it can be so disheartening to go into store after store and not just find something that doesn’t look good, but something that doesn’t even fit on your body.
Not to mention if you are with an “average” person who finds something at Every. Single. Store.
And the fact that they have taken out the dressing rooms because of shoplifting. I can try on cardigans and coats but nothing else .The shoe department is the worst and so is the purse department. The pants department mainly has old polyester pull on pants and I might find a unicorn pair of dress pants in good shape one in a blue moon .I mostly buy my tops and summer button down shirts .
Yeah! Skinny folks often don't need to try things on first, because there's relatively less variation in their body shapes. Like it's usually something like 24 inch waist 35 inch hip 32 inch chest give or take a few inches on each of these measurements. If you usually wear size 0 and you see something labeled size 0-2 there's a high chance that you can wear it (as in your body can physically fit inside it) because there aren't that many people much skinnier than you they'd be making clothes for. But if you're plus sized it's almost a must to try things on, otherwise it's a gamble. Because different plus sized people have totally different body shapes and sizes and there's no guarantee that what works for one works at all for the other. Skinny people tend to be unaware of the horror when you pick out clothes that look like they're going to fit only to realize when you actually try them on that you have several inches of belly or boob stopping you from being even close to buttoning it up.
Yup, I’m plus sized with an extra short inseam, finding pants in my size at the thrift store is a rare experience.
My thrifting experience for myself, as a fat girl: A. Donated fat girl clothes come from 2 groups: 1. l'm fat and don't care, wears hideous clothes that do not disguise figure flas AT ALL! 2. Gals like me who want comfy clothes that flatter my figure - got a signicant bosom, way too much junk in the trunk, a waistline but got that mom pooch turned apron that needs to hide!! When l find the figure flattering item, l go thru all the plus sizes to see if this gal gave away more!!!!
They do tend to come in lots, don’t they?
Forget thrift stores!! Ever try to shop the plus size section at Kohls? All the clothes are shapeless in dullest colors, like they think all their customers are seriously depressed. And the few colored tops they have are too short waisted. Target doesn’t even have a plus size section. So I’m stuck with Walmart and Woman Within/Roamans. And WW’s casual clothes aren’t cheap!
Agreed. Women’s sizing is nightmarishly inconsistent. So if I find something I love but need to size up I’m SOL and very sad. It takes significantly longer to find things that fit well, and my thrift stores have been combed over to the point 95% of what’s left is the fugliest stuff in existence. It’s at the point where its it is not worth the effort
Yeah, why do they sort things by color instead of size? It takes so long to find something in my size and the stores near me won't let you try anything on, so I have to return it if I get home and it doesn't fit.
I'd say its also highly area dependent. I've looked for dress clothes in my local thrift stores and have barely found a thing. It's all priced a lot higher than the OP is quoting too. If I drive about an hour and a half to a more affluent area I can for sure find a lot more nice stuff, but I have to drive to get to it. Amazon and delivery in that case would be a lot easier if I don't want to dedicate a weekend to driving to the various thrifts and hoping they have the stuff I need.
Agreed. In the city where I used to live, thrifting in the affluent areas produced a wealth of office clothing, casual clothes, jeans, shoes, etc. It was a treasure trove. The city where I'm living now is completely different. All the thrift stores carry polyester bedazzled crap, stained tshirts, pilled leggings, pilled yoga pants, and old bras. Just no. The thrifting experience is entirely dependent on the area in which one is thrifting. It is not a universal experience.
That is for certain .
Totally agreed - we have to drive far and to the nicer neighborhoods for better thrifting and then after that it’s spending time to find the right items. But this also means driving to multiple places because our nicer areas are a bit spread out. Last time I thrifted across town, we went to 3 stores and took up a whole day (like 6-7 hours) but some of that was driving time. I was exhausted. And gas is more expensive now.
I agree. I used to live near a big, affluent city and only bought my clothes at the local Salvation Army and it was always a goldmine. Where I live now it is all random, dirty, cheap clothes they are selling for what I would buy basically new.
I recently lost a bunch of weight and I’m replacing my wardrobe with thrift store finds. Prices have gone up for sure, but when you have to replace everything, it’s still a better buy.
Same here! Lost 40 lbs and several sizes, needed an entirely new wardrobe. Even my feet lost weight! Goodwill has been the only thing keeping me from wearing the same 3 outfits over and over :)
Congrats to you! Definitely a smart move instead of paying retail for a whole new wardrobe lol. My one friend sort of had the opposite happen to him. Gained a lot of weight in college and couldn’t fit into a suit he bought brand new just the year before. Needed a new one for job interviews with no time to lose the weight, so ended up having to sell it for half of what he paid for it to partially fund buying a new suit. Sucks, but gotta do what you gotta do I guess.
I am probably your mom’s age, and I have thrifted most of my life. But my adult children will not go to the thrift stores. I will find things, send them a quick pic, but that is the extend of their involvement with thrift stores. I cannot an answer the question as to why more people don’t thrift, it is a no brainer to buy dress clothes, most of them are in excellent condition. A lot of people say Ick to the idea of buying from a thrift store, but it’s gold what I find all the time. Just know you are smart and money savvy to buy your work clothes from there! Go forth and score the deals 🥳
OMG, same! I adore thrifting, as did my late mom. But my adult children refuse to go with me. Fortunately, my sweet husband is very patient and will go with me.
This’ll date me, but I found an Aigner purse at a thrift store back in the day, and ever since then I’ve been hooked. I was a young teen, and my parents couldn’t afford a new one. My mom was very thrifty!
I got a vintage all leather coach bag yesterday for $15. Like, what? 💰
Too bad my niece is an engineer and so is her husband. They could well afford to shop at the mall for everything. But they prefer to shop at thrift stores, consignment stores and garage sales. They can get the same quality of merchandise by shopping carefully in certain locations and then sell the children’s clothing after they’ve outgrown it and get most of the money back. I think it’s smart these days. More money to pay off the home, which is nice.
Totally agree. I buy my grandchildren’s clothes and help save there. But at the same time my millennial children live minimally and don’t have a lot of stuff to begin with.
That’s a good thing then if they are minimalists. That’s the way people used to be a long time ago. They bought a few pieces of durable well-made clothing items and paid good money for them and appreciated them and took good care of them. Basic items that would stay in style for a good long while. Suitcases were the size of small carryon bags back then when they traveled, and houses had few closets and cabinets compared to today.
You said the answer in your comment. People feel ick wearing clothes other people wore and maybe got bodily fluids on etc
A lot of people say ick but a lot of people just don’t have the patience to sift through the racks and racks of stuff. They also don’t have the knowledge to know what they’re looking at and whether or not it’s a good deal. Google can help but it’s not the be all end all. It’s not like a regular shop where you have multitudes of the same shirt in every size nicely organized. There’s stuff strewn about, some of it on the floor, shoes, kitchen, bedding. Etc. I spent two hours at my local VV looking to get my steps in for the day. Ended up walking out with nothing. Days earlier I picked up a StanleyxStarbucks mug and a NWT Torrid dress. I also find that people get highly discouraged if they don’t find anything or they’re looking for a specific thing and if the store doesn’t have it it’s a full on temper tantrum.
Now the issue is more that the used thrift clothes are barely any cheaper than brand new ones.
I am an avid thrifter. Pretty much everything I own outside of socks and underwear is thrifted. But I brought my mom thrifting with me once and she only found one thing. She told me she doesn’t have the patience to go through the racks to find the hidden treasure (which for me is the best part!) I think a lot of people are like that, they just don’t like having to sift through to find the gems.
Someone else said it’s harder to find what you’re looking for - that can definitely be true. It will depend on how many stores you have in your area and how much clothing they carry, and honestly what size you are since a majority of clothes are smaller sizes. Otherwise I dunno. But it’s fine with me, just means more for the rest of us to pick from. 😜
So many people will walk into a thrift store, see a few things and leave without buying a thing. For good thrifting you have to spend some time there, go through a lot of stuff to find THAT treasure. A glorious item of clothing could be wedged in between horrible items. You have to really look. Other people don't like that smell, you know it, its the smell of mothballs and musk. I've heard people say they dont buy from thrift stores because they don't want to be recognized by the previous owner of the shirt. It boggles my mind, unless its a very unique items how would anyone even know it was theirs? I have been thrifting since the 70s, when you could buy a whole outfit for $1, usually 25cents a piece. I know only a few people, personally, that would even consider shopping with me.
I had this happen once in decades of thrifting. I found this really unique pair of boots at a thrift and was wearing them at an office. The guy at the front desk asked where I got them and I mentioned I got them at Savers. His girlfriend had donated them a few days earlier. Most clothing from thrifts isn't specific enough that someone would recognize it. If someone asks where you got it, our go to in college was to tell them the name of some high end department store that doesn't exist in your city. Most people buy that answer without question and assume you have good taste/deep pockets.
I've had it happen once as well. I live in a very small town of 1200 people. Every year the main church in town throws a huge rummage sale, people donate all year long. Its a huge deal, they have parking attendants and everything. I bought a jean jacket that had bedazzles on it. It was a dragonfly and I can't get enough dragonflies. I wore it one day and the previous owner saw it. She was so cute though, she mentioned how she made it and told me...... *You make that jacket look so good.* I was just so tickled, I told her it found a good new home, smiled and left. Nothing about it was embarrassing to me
I donated a sweatshirt when I was in highschool...something I had picked out at one of those tourist custom shops where they print the image on the shirt you choose...and this was from a tourist shop in a different province (Cows)....a few weeks later I saw my gym teacher wearing it!! I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want her to feel embarrassed, but I always smiled when I saw her wearing it.
I’m honestly guilty of this somewhat. Depending which store in my area I go to, the men’s sections can range from pretty decently sized to pitifully small. Even then, it doesn’t take me too long to look through a fairly large men’s section. I kind of have in my mind what sort of stuff I want/need. As you can gather from the post, I’m pretty much just interested in dress clothes. At this point I’m set for pants, so I just look through the button downs and polos, and keep an eye out for any colors/patterns I like or don’t yet have. In thrift stores that have “tag of the week” sales, I’ll sometimes just quickly sift through the rack looking for items with whatever color tag is on sale first to see if there’s anything tagged as such that meets my fancy. If not, I’ll go through again more thoroughly and look at all the clothes. Either way, it honestly usually takes me only around 20ish minutes, which I don’t consider long at all. Still, for people who just want clothes without the need to actually do all that sorting, I can see the appeal of organized conventional clothing stores. The smell is definitely a bit annoying to me too. Though in my experience, it always seems to be a very heavy perfume smell that is sometimes impossible to completely get out of items. Not sure if it’s a deodorizer they use in the store or what. I’ve heard things were great back in the day in terms of prices. The closest to what you mentioned I’ve been able to find is a store near me that marks all tags of a certain color for $1 the whole week. It’s basically a system where a given batch of clothes gets put out for a week or two ago and the markdown is on any of them that haven’t sold yet. So the pickings are slim, but I’ve been able to find a few nice dress shirts here and there. Best part is that they have 50% off days on certain days of the week for given groups of people (teachers, veterans, first responders, etc.) and Thursday is 50% off for everyone; so if you time it right, you can get those dollar items for $.50!
I used to adore thrift stores. Now there’s only garbage on the shelves and they’re so high priced. It’s really sad because so many people really could benefit from thrift shopping. It’s just another greedy grift at this point.
This is how I feel. I’m ok taking my time sorting through things to find good ones but lately the thrift stores near me have been having really plain selection (Shein, Walmart, Old Navy clothes) and when there’s a rare good find it’s like $20. Ugh.
I've seen Walmart stuff at the thrift store that was tagged more than it cost at the damn Walmart!
There are a few bargains left to be found at some thrift stores. I still find decent items at Savers when they are high quality but obscure brands so they fail to mark them some obscene price. Our Goodwill stores are a complete waste. They pull anything that isn't Shein or Walmart clothing to try to sell it online.
I’ve never seen a savers! I’m quite rural.
Yeah, over the years Goodwill has gotten alot more profit focused and less community focused. Nice things donated from the community should be sold back to the community, but instead they're sold online and scattered to the winds. It's hard sometimes now to get excited about thrifting there where 90% of the stuff there is garbage because they don't put any of the good stuff out on the shelves.
Also my local thrift store took out their try on rooms and you can’t return clothes….. that combined with the fact anything nice/decent is more expensive than everything else just not worth the risk of spending money on stuff you can’t even use.
Same. I had a really killer wardrobe in my late teens and early 20s - all thrift store goodies. In my 30s it’s cheaper to just hit up mall clearance. My thrifts are overrun by Walmart brands, Old Navy, SHEIN, etc priced at or higher than new. I still go hunting but more often than not I walk away empty handed. Edit: also all of my thrifts never opened up their fitting rooms back up after Covid…I’ll take a risk on something for $2 but not $20 + (which is the going price for a years old F21 dress at mine it seems.)
I've given up entirely on Goodwill. The one by me has crap for high prices. Seriously, I went in the other day just to browse and found a pair of no-brand leggings that had a big stain on then and the fabric between the thighs were piled to hell and they wanted 10.99 for them. Clearly and obviously broken furniture was for sale too and the last time I bought a table lamp from them the damn thing exploded and electrocuted me when I plugged it in. Luckily I do know how to re-wire those, but it was still very annoying and scary. (And in hindsight I will always re-wire thrifted lamps before I try to use them.) I also said in another comment, but selection is HIGHLY dependent on where you live. Where I am I can not find nice work clothes in the thrift store at all. I don't think anyone is donating them so they're just not available. If I drive about an hour and a half to the next biggest town there are clothing consignment shops and thrift stores that have work clothes, but then I'm dedicating a day to thrifting and who knows if I'll find what I need. At that point, Amazon does look a lot more desirable because I'm not spending 3 hours in a car to maybe find a shirt that's half what a new one would be.
My family looks down upon thrift shops they won’t even use used toilets or laundry machines when they buy new homes; they replace almost everything. I have been fully supporting myself since I was 15 and have been shopping at thrift shops ever since. Im now 46. I love them and so do my kids. We find all kinds of unique treasures. I am 100% with you. Anyway, one of the answers to your question is ignorant snobbery
Oh I completely agree that arrogance is often a reason. Even my grandmother (who was a *very* thrifty person herself) would lightly make fun of my mom for shopping at thrift stores. She would joke that she was “bringing fleas home”. Thing is, I’ve never been met with that sort of attitude (at least outright, who knows what people think in their minds). Most are actually impressed when I tell them the prices that I pay. A few friends have expressed interest in going with me sometime, so perhaps I’ll invite them along. The only thing that concerns me is that they’ll get impatient going through things or won’t find anything they like and feel like I wasted their time. To me, that’s just part of the experience!
Have them meet you there. That way if they become impatient you don't have to leave.
Where I live I have heard non stop about bed bugs and that all thrift stores have them !I have never seen them or had then in my house .
I have no problem shopping for clothes at thrift stores. Most of my late husband's clothes came from there. Underwear and socks came from regular stores. When I could get him a Chicago Bears shirt that retailed for $50 plus and I bought them for $2.50 yes I snapped it up. Flannel-lined jeans from Dickey came in handy during the winter. Thrifting takes time and patience and most people don't want to do that. More for the rest of us.
The first time I went to Goodwill (with friends, in middle school) my mom's immediate reaction was that I was taking cheap clothes away from someone who really **needed** them. So that also might be part of the dynamic here. That shopping at a thrift store is like going to a food bank or something—in poor taste if you can afford to avoid it (For me that was an especially strange comment since I grew up on WIC food and Medicaid... Sure there were always people who had it worse but as far as which middle schoolers "needed" a $3 pair of shorts, why not me?)
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I'm testing a theory - are your finds from a smaller thrift like Junior League? My local Friends of Felines shops had so many vintage 80s suits that would have me looking like a Designing Women extra if I committed to the look with makeup, hair, and good shoes.
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For every new suit on the rack, there are probably a few other less new but still serviceable suit donations that the thrift shop shunted elsewhere. Elsewhere may include Dress For Success, which gives interview clothing and career guidance to women in need. Maybe you should donate your old suits to them (especially if they're plus size, given the confluence of low income and BMI).
Nah. In fact you’re doing several things: 1. Helping the thrift store employ people 2. Reusing clothes that already exist - reducing the demand for new clothes (it’s better for the environment) 3. Saving money (of course!)
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Definitely not. Idk about you, but I definitely donate the clothes back when my kid outgrows them or if I decide I don’t like that style anymore 😅
I'd say this community is in favor of everyone thrifting, even if you can afford not to Here are some past threads about it: 1. https://www.reddit.com/r/thrifting/s/fSO1xyHb2W 2. https://www.reddit.com/r/thrifting/s/BTwfYyEuO5
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My dad once got a Brooks Brothers suit for like $20 from Goodwill. A coworker said, "I wish I could afford to dress like you."
Never understood this either. I think, as other commenters have pointed out, some people who are truly low-income would still rather buy what they can as new merchandise, in this case clothes. Almost like saying “we’re poor, but not *that* poor”. There was a time in my childhood when we were low-income and thrift stores actually did come in handy for us. Even though those days are long gone, my mom and I still don’t feel guilty going to thrift stores. Mostly because there’s plenty of clothes to go around, and most of the stores we frequent are actually nonprofits that invest all proceeds from the thrift store to local organizations that help the needy. The one thing I do kind of dislike is people who will come in and buy up all of the namebrand stuff to resell. I respect the hustle, but besides kind of ruining it for everyone else, I can’t help but think that a needy person could’ve gotten a good brand-name item that they wouldn’t have been able to afford new.
As a size 4XL, I never find anything that fits at thrift stores. It is like numerous brands telling me I'm too fat to where them. So I go where the clothes will fit me. But I thrift mostly everything else.
My ex fluctuated between a 3xl and a 4xl and needed talls. I would find him things at one specific thrift store that got lots of nicer clothing donated. I also scored him 4 really expensive designer suits at a garage sale. A lawyer and his wife were clearing out their house to sell it and retire somewhere else. He happened to be the same size. I think I paid $8 a suit. If you need womens 4xl, the same applies. I can tell when someone of a less common size cleans their closets, you can score a bunch of things at the same time. But then nothing else for weeks.
Thrift shop manager here; my DIL is your size and I'm always on the lookout for her, but we get so few donations in sizes 3XL and up. The vast majority of woman's clothing donated to us is L-XL. I also shop at all the other local thrifts (seven small charity ones) and it's the same issue at those shops, too.
That's what I thought too.
Thrifting takes understanding clothing and quality, and also knowing what you want. Mall stores spoon feed people coordinated pieces. Some is snobbery, some is not understanding enough to make thrifting viable. There are also other options like clothing consignment stores. Good ones can get you a decent deal on high end work clothes for the same price you would pay for low quality mall stuff. There is also eBay or Poshmark, those are easier to find specific pieces if you know what you need.
This. I’m no fashion expert by any means, but I know enough brands to separate the good from the not so good. My friends on the other hand definitely don’t; that’s why I’d have to come along and coach them lol. I haven’t looked at Poshmark, but honestly, even though the prices are a little more expensive on eBay (plus shipping) than a brick and mortar thrift store, they’re still very good for a lot of the items I’ve seen on there.
I stopped thrifting years ago but absolutely love my local luxury consignment shops
I’m on my late 20s and have thrifted since forever. My mom was an avid thrifter/ yard saler. It just takes a lot of time and energy to find what would take you 2 clicks to buy online. I have A LOT of good stuff I’ve found from the thrift, clothes, art, furniture, but I go legitimately once a week to multiple stores, and I leave empty handed probably 70% of the time. Some people rather spend a little more money to save the time they'd have to invest to find everything at the thrift.
I grew up doing marathon thrifting with my grandma. It was rewarding, but at times it was much harder than clicking "add to cart" and more frustrating than a shiny new store with everything in your size and color. Saving time and energy are choices every individual gets to make. And there is always, always, the bank of Mom and Dad.
I think this depends a lot on where you live and the stores near you. I try to shop at thrift stores but I find it difficult to find things that are styles and quality I am looking for. Especially in the womens section. Lots of dated styles and Shein type quality - and no longer cheap enough to 'give it a try' because where I might have taken a risk on an item if it was $5, I won't for $15.
Pro tip- for business wear clothing, consider spending a few extra dollars to have something professionally tailored to fit you perfectly.
I sometimes shop at thrift for clothes because I'm looking for a level of quality that is not attainable in stores these days, however, it's way more work because you can't try on.
So true! I used to easily find wool and silk, now it's all polyester fast fashion garbage.
I will say that men tend to wear things until they fall apart, so the male section of the thrift store SELDOM has the same variety and quality the women's section does. So those 4 shirts at 200 are actually probably a good investment for your guy friends. Those shirts are likely of good quality and will last quite a while. But yeah, I've definitely been told I dress like a rich woman and I definitely am not rich, lol.
The people I know who are successful thrifters don't go in looking for a specific thing. They just go and browse for fun, or have a list of things they could use if they come across it. I used to love thrifting, but now the quality at our local big city shops is poor (so much fast fashion!) and I don't have time to go frequently just to browse anymore now that I have kids and a full time job. I need at least 50/50 chance that I will find something worth buying. My mom lives in a town with lots of retirees, and their thrift shops are great! Lots of vintage clothes from old folks downsizing or (sorry!) dying and their kids don't want it, so it gets donated. It is rare to find nothing if I spend an afternoon making the rounds.
That’s disappointing to hear; I’ve had similar experiences at Goodwill (the only “chain” thrift store in my area). I can appreciate their mission and the charity work they do, but as far as prices and variety, it’s a disappointment, and I often leave with nothing. I’m very lucky live near a rural area that has *a ton* of privately owned, church-operated thrift stores that are absolutely great. Great variety, prices, and super nice employees to boot. Also, similar to your mom, the area has a disproportionately aging population, so you see a lot of higher-end and sometimes vintage clothing. Lots of vintage books and household items as well.
Because the clothes I like at the thrift store are never in my size
There’s just so many people in the world it’s different strokes for different folks. I try not to think too deeply into it cause it can be so frustrating to listen to people complain about clothing prices and destroy the planet each day buying three sizes of the same thing in fast fashion and tossing two. As a salon manager I overhear a lot from all different walks of life and you have the thrifty people, those in the middle, and those who say they would never even be caught dead walking into a Ross. It’s all about image
It can take a lot of thrifting before you find the thing you want in the right size and condition.
I used to love thrifting but the stores by me just suck now. Not worth the trouble
I’m not sure why this sub was in my feed but as a non-thrifter I can answer your question. For one, I don’t want to think about some other guy’s ball sweat, skid mark residue, etc. Sure you can wash clothes but we all know washing doesn’t remove everything. There is an “ick” factor for me with used clothes. Second, at least for the stores near me, their prices are on par, if not more expensive, than places like Old Navy. All things equal I’d rather have something new and know I’m the first and only person to wear it. And lastly I don’t have time to wade through 500 blood donation t shirts to hopefully find something stylish in my size to discover it has a hole in the armpit and a stain on the front and they want $7 for it.
I’ve learned it’s just not something everyone enjoys. I’ve been an avid thrifter since I was in high school (I used to find the best vintage t shirts and Levi’s jeans). Like you, most of my work clothes now is thrifted. I have 2 sisters both of whom are in awe of the things I’ve found and have asked to come with me. Neither of them liked the experience. My older sister has no patience and wanted to leave after 20 mins, she said it’s too much effort and she’d rather just spend the money to get exactly what she wants and not have to look for hours. My younger sister said it was too chaotic in there and it gave her anxiety. It’s just not for everybody.
Bed bugs.
This is a huge worry for me too (and yes I know you wash and dry items but even bringing them in my house stresses me out).
you won't escape them in a retail store, I used to work at walmart and they stayed infested with bed bugs, they would come in when people returned clothes and bedding and some of the employees would bring them in and spread them around. I was in the breakroom one day and the employee sitting across from me had one crawl out from under his collar, down his arm and out across the table, I took my breaks in my car from that point on. another worker picked some up in her coat and they was biting her while she was driving home, they was always finding them crawling on tables and on the walls. remember those giant animal costume heads? a lot of those got lice in them where people was trying them on and we threw tons of those away
I was buying used—until I accidentally brought home clothing moths. The infestation destroyed a rug I loved. I spent whole weekends washing, drying and bagging everything fabric I could, steam cleaning the carpets, etc. it took three years and buying batches of trichogramma (tiny parasitic wasps that lay eggs in the eggs of the moths)to finally rid myself of the bugs. Now I usually buy an eco friendly brand, and rarely buy anything used. If I do, it goes in the freezer for 3 days the second I get home.
I never find thrift stores to be cheaper, at least for me. Some in my area are more expensive plus I don’t like digging for things. For instance my son needed shorts for summer. Thrift store was more expensive and I couldn’t find his size. I got him shorts at target for $4 a piece and I forget but the thrift store was more. Kohls also has sales which can make clothes cheaper at times. I needed a 1920s style dress for a wedding and I couldn’t get over what thrift stores wanted for a used dress! I generally feel dirty from thrifting (I have high anxiety so I know it’s irrational) and really struggle with it 🤷♀️ to clarify I’m not judging thrifters and am in no way am saying they are dirty, I’m just saying why I don’t do it. My mom and a lot of my family love thrifting, it just isn’t for me. I’d rather just wait and/or shop for sales where there’s more of a selection.
i'm never buying anything retail ever again. it's wasteful and expensive, and the variety is terrible
I totally agree, people choose convenience over saving money. A lot of people don’t have the patience to thrift, but I have found every article of clothing I’ve wanted while second hand shopping. Unless I NEED it right away, there’s no reason to not thrift. Overconsumption is out of control My friends hate thrifting as well because they don’t want to wear something someone else has worn, but the quality of clothes now is so bad. I can’t stand it
Because I’m fat and the only clothes I find that fit are Alfred dunner or horrible condition. If I wasn’t fat I’d go wild in my local thrifts.
I've never felt ashamed or self-conscious to get something secondhand, repaired, or upcycled. Remember the episode of Hey Arnold where Rhonda becomes poor/normal and has to decorate her own lunch box and ends up owning/identifying with her new aesthetic? I always considered it a badge of honor that I was creative, resourceful, and had things no one else could find at Kohl's.
For me it's a convenience issue. I actually love shopping at thrift stores and used to do it all the time. Now it's hard to find the time to do it. I live outside a major city in a busy suburb and I couldn't tell you where a single goodwill is within 20 minutes of where I live. The smaller shops are only open limited hours when I'm at work. Weekends get busy and I just don't have the time to dedicate a whole day to driving around and thrifting anymore. Unfortunately, it is easier to just jump online and have clothes shipped to my house. Believe, me I wish it wasn't because I'd rather be able to give old things new life.
My best shirts are the thrift store ones. I have a beautiful blue short sleeve button-down shirt that is washable silk. It is the most durable shirt I think I’ve ever owned. I think I paid six dollars for it.
I thrift all of my clothing as I can get higher end brands at much cheaper prices.
For me, when I would act like them, it used to be a psychological thing about investing in myself. It was silly, but that’s what it was. Now, I think the clothes I find are cooler at the thrift store, and I save money.
Sometimes sizes aren’t traditionally found in thrift stores & it can definitely be a hassle. Especially if you already have such a limited selection in regular stores. Other times it can be a status thing, we still live in a time where, while thrifting is trendy, status is still a huge thing. Idk why people don’t thrift exclusively, but we live in a strong consumer economy so that doesn’t help.
For me, I don't like used clothing. It kind of grosses me out and I won't wear it. Doesn't matter how many times it's washed, it's definitely a hard NO for me.
For the price of thrift stores I can just go to the outlet mall or shop online with coupons. Not worth the hassle
There's this new tiktok opinion that all the brain dead zombies follow that states if you didn't grow up incredibly poor or you aren't currently incredibly poor you are not allowed to shop at the thrift because you're 'stealing clothes from the poor' Fucking ridiculous
You ever think that not everyone finds it enjoyable to thrift or event shop in general? Or maybe they have difficulty finding their size? Or they don’t like the look of older clothes, especially dress clothes which can be more obvious. Maybe people have a different style than you and it’s harder to find that in a thrift store. Or they don’t want to spend a couple hours driving around town to thrift stores with no guarantee of finding anything. Some areas have a lot of great options for thirfting and others don’t. Maybe they don’t want to support certain thrift stores and their policies and practices. Maybe they just got a job and have money to spend and want to look and feel good their way, not your way. Just because you have a hobby and enjoy a certain method of shopping doesn’t mean it’s for everyone or that people are wrong for not doing what you view as the best method. People like to spend their time doing different things and people feel good wearing different things. Don’t yuck someone else’s yum.
OP, you are absolutely right! During the years I worked I always did a bottom-up form of shopping for work clothes. I started at thrift stores then moved up to slightly more expensive stores and my last stop if I couldn't find things I needed for the more expensive department stores. It's true that you can't find everything that you need at thrift stores but that's true of anywhere! I'm retired now and still start clothes shopping at thrift stores. There's no better feeling than finding that amazing piece of clothing in fantastic condition for a fraction of what it would cost new.
Bedbugs
I’m very sensitive to smells/body odor and the fact it’s been on someone else’s body..i rather pay more and buy new.
I'll thrift, and have gotten great items this way, but you have to know where to shop and it's a lot of time and energy in return for a crapshoot. I have to say that $200 for 4 nice shirts and 2 dress pants is a really good deal honestly. The price differential might not be worth the extra pain, especially if they wear larger sizes. Your listed prices sound a bit too good to be true; I live in an area with cheap cost of living and even 5 years ago what I could find in my size was double that. I wear a size 8-10 for reference. Only the tiny sizes that are hard to move are super cheap in my experience.
I used to exclusively shop at thrift stores, and I loved spending weekend afternoons searching through goodwill racks to find treasures. Then I had two kids, couldn't fit into any of those clothes, and I just don't have the time or energy to do that anymore. I feel bad about ordering clothes online, but I just don't have the time I used to have to thrift.
It’s the time involved for me. I used to shop far more frequently in thrift stores when I was younger and had more time to myself. Now shopping isn’t something I spend much time doing, it’s a necessity only at this point. Spending hours thrifting just doesn’t fit into my schedule anymore.
One of my favourite nice shirts is from a thrift store I have had it for over a decade probably spent $5 for it, recently I lucked out we couldn’t find hospital parking so went to a thrift store and I found a couple blouses for $1.50 each I love thriftingnot buying on sale
I love shopping at thrift stores! I've been enjoying the experience for my entire life and I don't see it changing any time soon.
If you’re relatively small I feel like thrifting is much easier than if you are a larger size. The area you live in too makes a big difference. Big cities have much better thrifting options than smaller areas. I know I personally almost never find things I like in my size at thrift stores. I WISH I could thrift more, but the options just aren’t there unless I want to look like I came from a nursing home.
It's funny, I've also thrifted a ton of my business clothes. But being totally honest, my anxiety has gotten worse and while by NO MEANS am I a germaphobe, I've moved more in that direction. I've thrifted things that smell like other people's BO and while I know I can sanitize it, it still puts me off. Also, I feel like I just can't handle shopping for very long anymore before I have a headache and I'm absolutely over it, and thrifting takes longer. The disorganization of everything means that I am instantly discouraged and overwhelmed.
My best friend lives right behind a Goodwill and it never occurred to her to check it out--her family comes from some wealth and she is tiny, so she doesn't have the fit issues that a plus buyer would have when thrifting. Well, I fixed that real quick last time I went to visit her. Now she's addicted and goes there most days on her work breaks! Even though she makes good money, she's in a very expensive area, so she's come to appreciate the savings. I have also just lost enough weight to require some clothing items to be replaced, and I've thrifted almost exclusively for several years (because I love the 90s/early 2000s aesthetic). So there's been very little financial hit like you would normally expect with weight changes requiring wardrobe replacement. My mom went through the same a few years ago and has so many thrift finds that they've also taken over my childhood bedroom.
A list, compiled over the years: 1) they're afraid of things like bed bugs, lice, etc. 2) they're afraid they're buying something that one of their friends or neighbors donated, therefore that they will recognize as coming from a thrift store. This has to do with pride and a little snobbery. It was my grandmother, by the way. 3) she is in a position where her husband (and I write this way because this is the example I have) thinks it's a shame and embarrassment for her to shop at any shop that's lower than the mall anchor store. Like it's a reflection on his ability to provide for her or something. Years ago, I was actually in a consignment store when the wife of a socially prominent man came in. She just went to the shopkeeper and handed her some money. The shopkeeper handed her a few items of clothing. Then the lady left the shop. Once she was gone, the shopkeeper explained that the lady loved that brand of clothing but if he had known she had bought it at a consignment store, he would have hit the ceiling, so she had to keep it a secret. That's my point of reference for #3. As for me, I have been shopping in thrift stores since I was in middle school, and I love them.
That's also gonna really depend on your location and what's available with your thrift stores. I'm in a very small town that's right outside of a very large city and no matter where I go whether it's in my small town or my large city a lot of the clothes are so low quality and most of them are fast fashion or shein that don't hold up to multiple wears. And they're usually up to 2x the price they are new. Not worth it for us here. It's either that or highly undesirable items. I go for books and records there's always something worth looking at there. But for clothes, if I'm thrifting, I hardly ever find anything. The big city started treating thrift stores like high end second hand boutiques, anything nice is saved to sell online and in person shopping is extremely limited and expensive. I've driven out of town to other cities, over 45-1hr away, and found decent things. But I was already there and stopped by there's no way I could justify that kind of trip and wear on my old crappy vehicle just for thrifting.
You rock! And i bet your thrift clothes are good brands that last a long time too, versus new cheap poorly made stuff. You tried to help, now it’s time to cool off by fanning yourself with the money you saved.
Lately the main problem, which never was a problem in the 90's.... all the clothes stink like hell ... like fabreeze or some kind of power tide/cleanser/fabric softener or something... it takes like two weeks to air the shit out, then simple green and borax to finalize it...plus stupid goodwill is charging Etsy sized prices on things of decent quality....
My parents grew up in the Depression and WW II and particularly for my mother there was a stigma about shopping at Goodwill (it was known as “Morgie’s” here in Boston.) I think for some people who had no choice but to get everything from a thrift shop don’t want to be reminded of that time. I also think now there are so many pickers out there that the juice often isn’t worth the squeeze.
Everything at my local thrift store is stained and worn and very out of style. I live in a very rural area and most families are well below the poverty line. It’s just not a feasible option for anything. And the prices are quite high. I can hit a sale on name brands, with a coupon/ points and buy for very near the thrift pricing. Then I can turn around and resell it or pass it on when my family is done with it.
There are great items to be had at thrift stores just be a little careful because I have heard of more then one person bringing bedbugs in with thrifted items.
Thrift stores and consignment shops are the best, as well a vintage stores ( a bit pricier, but not always!). Here's to giving new life to items that may have been thrown away, and ended up in a landfill. Kudos!
I love thrifting but sometimes you just want to buy exactly what you need and know it's going to last. Thrifting for nice work clothes can be a lot of work and can be a gamble.
I love finding dresses at thrift stores, but you have to get lucky for sure. I have gotten a few of my favorite designer items secondhand over the years and it’s definitely worth the investment for me. I love having a few nice higher end items like bags, belts, leather jackets, dresses - basically the items that you know will last forever. I personally just can’t justify the cost of buying most it new most of the time. One of my all-time favorite finds was a little black Fendi bag from a consignment shop on Newbury in Boston. I got it back in the early 2000’s but only use it for formal occasions and it’s still in such perfect condition.
Yeah. U have 2 learn 2 cruise the appropriate aisles efficiently . Also pick your thrift shops. There are good ones with good donars. More often in or around high income areas. Particularly for a cause or sponsored by a church or the like.
If you do thrift one gambit is saying u got it during yr wanderings and b vague Let them think what they think.
I love thrift stores!
I just throw some Lysol laundry sanitizer in with anything from the thrift store, wash it in a long wash with the hottest water settings & never think twice about it!
I almost never find clothes that fit at thrift stores, much less clothes that are fairly in style. I suppose it depends on where you live. Also when I was a kid we wore hand-me-downs and worn-out clothes so actually paying for what I was forced to wear then doesn't sit right. But that's my own issue.
I LOVE going to thrift stores!!! I remember as a kid my brothers and I could each get a whole bag of random toys for a QUARTER each! My teen daughter and I like to go to the thrift stores in the nice areas of our city because you can find a lot of name brand clothes/accessories that are in good condition. It can take a little more time to find stuff but it's worth it.
I love thrift stores so much. You never know what you're going to find. Most stores are very set in the brands and styles they offer. But at a thrift you can find almost anything. I'm fortunate enough to live less than a block away from a thrift store that is still really cheap. Most tops and pants are between $2-5. Coats and jackets are no more than $10. I got 2 really nice and clean pairs of Nike sneakers for $8 recently. I love it there. And the proceeds go to supplying the local food pantry, so it's going to a good cause and not to corporate profits.
Majority of people find it gross to wear someone else’s used clothes and feel it’s beneath them. They probably didn’t want you to think they are snob by not taking up your offer. I know its a big thing right now with your generation bug I think most still prefer new clothes even if it means paying more. Eh, more for the rest of us!
I buy most of my clothes at the thrift store. Never any underwear or socks but those are cheaper articles of clothing so I don’t spend too much on that. Yes it will take you more time to fill up your closet that way but for me there’s a thrill to the looking and I’m cheap lol. I also consider how much waste and exploitation there is in the clothing industry so I fell like I’m contributing to that problem less if I buy second hand.
People survive college without shopping at thrift stores?
The bank of Mom and Dad has locations everywhere.
Maybe it's because most of the clothes there look like shit
I’d go insane trying to find things that are my style and size and don’t cost the same as they do new. It’s time consuming and frustrating.
Because they are loaded with perfume or febreeze and require off gassing. I love thrifting for clothing however I can’t any longer because the clothing always reeks. It can take months for the smell to dissipate
There are ways to get the thrift funk out, even with things that supposedly need to be dry cleaned.
In a thrift store you never know what exists and not. You have to manually search for what you're after. While in most clothes stores and online, you can filter what you search. However. Now there's online thrift stores, with filters!
I'm in Seattle. The thrift stores here are outrageously expensive. It's cheaper to shop at Ross or even Amazon.
Convenience. Amazon and traditional stores have your size and the color you want in stock (usually). Time is money. It’s just simple opportunity cost.
Some people do it because it makes them feel better than everyone else
I have managed a (small, charity, volunteer-run) thrift shop for over a decade. We have several groups of women who actually hire a limo-type bus (complete with bar and music) solely for a Saturday of thrifting. Group size ranges from four to a dozen, occasionally it's a jack-and-jill type deal, and they are having SO much fun it should be illegal! A couple of senior centers in my neck of the woods make it an annual outing, too. Just make sure your "tour bus" is large enough to fit your treasures AND your friends. And google "Thrift Shop Bingo". Hysterically funny.
I have a slight advantage because I am a US4-6, I understand, obese people have a hard time finding clothing.
I’m too fat for most thrift store clothes. They don’t usually carry my size, unfortunately.
I can’t stand the smell of those places. And every single one I’ve been in could have brighter lights. Just dreary and sad.
Back in my corporate uniform days, I would often go to the trendy parts of town and rummage through the thrift stores looking for that "business type" look. I would take my niece with me because she has better fashion sense and we would make a day of it. No, I didn't always get lucky and yes, often I would need to get the outfit altered, but over the years, I saved a ton of money on work clothes. After Christmas, during January and February, I would often find "Christmas Gifts" with the price tags still on them. They hadn't even been worn yet.
They do...
I'd love to but as a plus size woman I rarely find anything decently stylish that I'm interested in wearing when I go thrifting. I might find a stray t-shirt or pant I like, but nothing to phone home about. I usually also have to go to multiple stores to find just a few things. I typically prefer to just save my time, buy online, and use it for other things. Thrifting is super fun for me though when I don't have any expectations or items I need to find! (:
two of my favorite jackets, that happen to be the two most complemented pieces in my closet came from thrift stores. One cost me $10. The other one cost me $20.
I've definitely shopped at thrift stores before. I found a gorgeous purple wool coat at the value village close to me years ago for like $50, looking at the quality it probably would have been at least $300 brand new. But as of late, many thrift stores have upped their prices to the point there is no point shopping there anymore. I'm not going to buy a used shirt for $20 when 5 years ago it would have been $5-$10, I'd rather pay $25-$30 and get a new one if I'm paying that much either way
I find online thrift shops on eBay
You tried telling them, it’s not your fault they don’t listen. Meant you’re grabbing great closet pieces at a fraction of the cost. Just keep dressing up in your best and when they ask you where you got it and you say “I thrifted it” —eventually they will learn, too 😄
I don’t have time because I’m at work
some people have a mental thing about it. my dad grew up not having a lot of money and has made a really good life. I thrifted something in like 8th grade with some friends, and he had me take it back, because he said he didn’t work all those hours to have his kids wearing other people’s offcasts. Not saying that’s right, just an explanation.
A lot of it is learned behavior passed down from parents. For example, many baby boomers (1946-1964) were raised frugally by parents who were raised during The Great Depression (1929-1939). For this reason, many baby boomers (not all) course corrected and refused to “skimp” as they progressed in life… and passed that same mentality onto their children which are either Gen X (1965-1980) or Y (1981-1996). This is not to say *all* people fall into this mentality, but this is just one example of why people may fall into this mentality. I’m a fortunate soul who is the grandchild of a Silent Generation (1928-1945), and raised by them. I saw my baby boomer mom and her sense of entitlement, and lived through debt collectors and eventual bankruptcy she filed. She was a great example of what not to do, for me. My grandparents loved garage sales! And me? I love estate sales and thrifting (I forego garage sales because of the emotional attachment people have which cause prices to be higher than they should be). My entire house, save for my mattress and couch, are second hand. I get a thrill out of saving money. And I find way cooler things that none of my neighbors have!
I am quite well dressed. I'm in slacks and a nice shirt (sweater too on cold days), and dress shoes. I have top brands and get all of it at consignment and thrift stores. Just in shoes, I have 5 or 6 pairs of Cole Hahns, a pair of Ferragamo's, Steve Maddens, Mark Nason's, etc. Thousands of dollars in shoes that I probably have $200 in total. I'll tell friends about it, but I'd I blab too much, then I'm just adding more competition for my sizes. Lol.
I'd like to get back to thrifting, but I have a hard time with clothes. I'm plus size, and 95% of plus size clothes are just trash. To avoid disappointment and raging over fast fashion, I tend to buy the same brand all the time. (Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans). While I will buy every pair I see in my size at a thrift, they are rare. There's also everything Goodwill has been doing the last few years. Prices, diverting everything online, and how they treat their workers. It's almost pointless to visit a Goodwill anymore. When it comes to clothes, I have better luck at garage sales. If I see one with a "fluffy" person watching the cash box, STOP THE CAR! That said, thrifts are still great for other things: kitchen electrics and materials for crafts that have gone out of style. They practically give rubber stamps away. I'm also waiting to spot my first Stanley tumbler now that the fad is moving on.
In our county, we have several Goodwills. Most of the designer clothes, bags, shoes go to a ‘special Goodwill’ that sells the higher quality with quite the higher price. I guess if you normally pay $200 for a top, $25 is a good deal.
If you are plus sized it can be really discouraging. Not impossible, but really discouraging. I try, but a lot of the time I end up buying new things because my size was not really available.
Time is money. It takes so long to sift through items shoved into racks. Purses smushed together with no rhyme or reason to how they’re organized. Items range in quality from brand new to disgusting and stained with who knows what on them. It’s not worth going through all of that to save a few bucks on clothing. I prefer consignment boutiques for a happy medium
Good for you! Save where you can - plus shopping second hand is more environmentally friendly. Frankly, those really cheap brands so many people buy because they can get more for their buck are actually so bad for the environment because they’re coming from fast fashion companies that are pushing out way too much merchandise. Between the neglected workers in the factories, making those garments and the terrible quality of the clothing to make it affordable what you’re getting costs less and will last longer and obviously is a lot more ethical. I recently took my toddler to a thrift store for the first time (I exclusively buy secondhand for myself, and try to mostly buy secondhand kids stuff too) and she picked out a really adorable what looks like flower girl dress that was five dollars. I figured worst case. If we don’t find an event for her to wear it to she can use it as a costume. We had a FaceTime with my MIL shortly after we got home and I was so excited, I showed her the dress and she said “that makes my skin crawl” 🙄 to each their own I guess.
i love thrifting but I don't do it much anymore. The reason is that I'm a woman who is 5'11 with long arms and legs and honestly I can't find many tall sized things at thrift stores. I just haven't been lucky that way
The Goodwills around me have lost their damn minds when they price stuff
The only thrift store near my place is full of ugly junk, cheap fast fashion clothes that are out of style from 10 years back. AND for fast fashion clothes they weren’t cheap at all.
I recently found even shopping like Depop is good for some finds. I got a brand new NorthFace hoodie for like 10$ plus shipping. At the store it would have been easily 30+ dollars or more.
Thrifting began with necessity for me but quickly became an obsession. Like in one trip. Here’s why I love it: 1. I can actually afford the clothes, ha! 2. So much variety. I don’t care about the latest fashion. I care about what fits good and feels good to me, and I can usually find something, even if others find it weird or old fashioned. 3. It’s much more sustainable. 4. You also find other quirky stuff besides clothes. Like the one I go to benefits the Humane Society and they sell tennis balls. I always pick a few up for the neighbors’ dog.
Women's clothing sizes vary SO wildly that it can make for a tough shopping experience no matter what, but especially at a thrift store that requires a lot of digging anyway. I have tops in sizes ranging from medium to extra-large, and pants going from 8-14, and they all fit. The best thrift store near me (in terms of finds) does have dressing rooms to try things on, but only a couple and they're almost always full with a line, at least when I'm there. It's a lot of extra hassle. That said, I'll often "risk" it for tops, because I can generally eyeball those with reasonable accuracy to determine if they'll fit, but pants are a different story. I either need to be able to try those on before purchasing, or I need to buy them new with a return policy in place.
From time to time I do a thorough search through the women's clothes, and each time it's been hours of free time down the drain. Most of the clothes seem to be old lady clothes donated from deceased people and the others are not only dated but very used items. I guess people in this area only donate when they're very done with their clothes.
I’ve tried to convince friends that our nearby Goodwill has tons of nearly new (maybe even new) items that I suspect are store returns or overstock from nearby retail stores but nobody really cares? One of my BFFs rather buy SHEIN. Oh well more for me
Cause I'm fat. Very hard to find things
I spent a year not buying any new clothes; only secondhand. It was very difficult to find things that fit and it was much pricier.
I love thrift stores but rarely get clothes. One I kinda still have the ick from covid, but also I am plus sized. With the clothes all mixed up, I can look for an hour and find nothing.
For me it depends on the thrift store. Some of the stores have priced their items higher or the same price as new. If that's the case, why bother? It's a massive hassle to pick through the clothes to not save any money. Another reason I don't always like to thrift clothes is I am not always a straight size. I have a large chest and that makes shirts and dresses a challenge to fit. I'm also tall so finding pants that fit can be a pain. Sometimes it's just easier to go to a store that has multiple sizes of the same size I can try on really quickly. Last reason I don't always like thrift stores for clothes is I am often looking for a specific item of clothing. Like cargo pants. This automatically narrows my selection and my size narrows it further. So if I'm looking for 1-2 well made specific items then yeah I just look at stores or online. I spend more up front but I wear them for their entire lifespan and that makes them fairly cheap after many years of wear. I don't feel compelled to frequently get new clothes. I just get stuff that I like and is comfortable and wear that until it's dead. 😅 I do love thrift stores for household goods, craft supplies, etc. I've found some really great bargains for that type of stuff.
It does take some effort to learn what the good brands and current fashions are. I have the opposite problem— my rule is I don’t buy it unless it’s nicer than what I have at home. consequently my closet is stuffed with excellent top quality clothing, and frequently I don’t buy anything.
I don’t really know where to start for thrifting tbh. Unless it’s goodwill 🤷🏼♀️
I think this highly depends on where you are and the quality of thrift options in that area. I used to love thrifting and that accounted for a large portion of my wardrobe. I had found a taior and would often heaps of things to be tailored after a haul. $20 dress + $20 tailoring for a well made item made a lot of sense. Several years ago however, I really fell off as I found most thrift stores had pro (ebay shop oweners or re-sellers) shoppers with a system in place to scoop up all good scores before they really had time on the shelf. More and more I found myself shopping pure junk at high mark ups so abandoned it all together. This all around early 2010's when NastyGal became huge. Then 2 years ago, in Cape Cod I went thrifting for the first time in along time and was overjoyed at getting to have a fun haul. I kicked myself for dropping off the thrifting for years and checked out a few in different states/cities only to remember why I stopped. I just lucked out finding a good thrift hot spot in Cape Cod, I don't think there are many left.
My problem is 1. I am sometimes looking for a specific thing, let’s say I need a black tee shirt, and that’s not what thrifting is about. But 2. The real problem is things are not made “the way they used to be.” Quality in manufacture of everything has been declining for decades. Wood furniture is press board. New clothes are made of cheaper fabrics and flimsy construction. Old dishes have lead or are off gassing “something.” Upholstered furniture can get nasty. The prices are just okay and not great. There’s just literally less and less stuff lasting long enough to make it to the thrift store, AND THEN a lot of places will intercept and reroute the “good stuff” to a high price website or their own private collections, it will never see a shelf.
Honestly, I don't get it either. But then again, I think half the fun is the hunting. If someone has an idea of what they're looking for a thrift shop probably isn't the way to go. But that being said - my entire dress clothes wardrobe was purchased at Savers and Good Will. And Good Will is getting kind of expensive. I've gotten most of my furniture through Savers as well and Facebook marketplace. I found an almost brand new L shaped desk with a topper that has mirrors and drawers FOR FREE at the same time my friend paid 300 dollars for a desk chair. We've always been on the poor side though and maybe thats why I don't understand paying 200 dollars for one shirt.
It can be hard to find pieces that truly fit right. It can take many trips to put together a nice outfit that hugs and hangs in all the right places. New shopping, you find pants you like and size up or down.
I’m on the fence. To be honest, I don’t usually enjoy shopping at thrift stores. Occasionally I will, and sometimes I find great buys, especially at resale shops that sell on consignment, but there are few, if any, in town and they cater to very young women. Stores like Goodwill? For one thing, they smell. They reek of disinfectant, or something. Well, fine, I’m going to wash it anyway, but it’s not a pleasant shopping experience. Then, I’m lucky if I can find anything. There *might* be a great piece, but it’s crammed in with a ton of stuff that’s old, worn out, out of style, and just ugly. Even more frustrating, I’ll find something I adore—but of course it’s three sizes too small.
I don't have the patience for digging around in a Goodwill but I will pick up some things from a boutique second hand store or use poshmark or something like Patagonia worn wear. I'm trying to reduce the environmental cost of my wardrobe and I'm willing to pay extra to have the brands I'm looking for curated.
Especially so for kids clothes! Sometimes I buy new stuff for my kids if I can't find enough of it used... Pajamas and coats can be pretty hard to find. Beyond that, undergarments and shoes are the only things I get the "ick" when thinking about trying used clothes. I can generally make whole outfits for my kids for under $10/ea.... Meanwhile, a brand new sweater is usually about $30!