Meet my best friend Anna, ultimate style master and thrifting guru. If you have the choice of anyone to thrift with, you want to thrift with her. Her style pushes boundaries and when I shop with her she helps me to think outside of the box when it comes to my own closet. This past weekend I had the lovely opportunity to both thrift and do a photo shoot with her because she will be filling in for me this week. The photos we took are of her favorite thrifted pieces which will be featured in a post on Thursday. You won't want to miss it so definitely check back in ! Until then, her post today is about her top 7 thrifting tips, AKA Thrifting for Dummies (read after the break). Enjoy!
Greetings Cybernauts:
As you know, my name is Anna, and I've known Morgan for probably too long. When we both got into thrifting, it became a shared hobby. Now, most of my wardrobe is thrifted...and because its an inexpensive habit, my closet has gotten quite congested, not that I'm complaining. I think this is a great chance to help spread the message that personal style can be achieved on even the sparsest budget, and only requires personal flare and an eye for potential.
Thrifting for Dummies
1. Look Both Ways
Women, and even sometimes you boys, get so stuck on a size. When thrifting, throw numbers to the wind (don't follow this advice when doing math). Besides just shopping in your size, consider going for an oversized or slouchy look, which means looking for more unusual pieces, versus limiting yourself to more traditional fits.
2. Get Touchy Feely
Feeling fabrics can tell you a lot about a garment: when it was made, its quality, and more importantly whether wearing will make you feely itchy and make those around you think you have fleas. Knowing the historical contexts of certain fabrics can help you determine if that $2 item in your hand is a vintage, because lets face it, if its not vintage, why are you even looking at it?
3. Gender Bender
Cross dressing is no longer just for that creepy man who followed you into the bathroom. Gender roles have been a hot topic in these times, and why not make a statement yourself. Whether its little boy's shoes, ties, or even grungy tees, don't let anyone tell you you can't pull off something, even if that something is typically outside of your norm. Now Im not suggesting that you have to look like the other gender (unless that is you want to), but just that you can wear clothing that wasn't necessarily intended for you. Take that misogynists.
4. Test Before Driving (No this is NOT driver's ed)
This may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised the people who try thrifting and fail miserably because they think in the ideal, not the real. Finding sweet clothing is only half the battle, as these items are for you to wear, not to just look at on a hanger. Even though it may seem daunting, you should try on the clothing you find before you buy it. Thrifting can be affordable, but there is no use in paying for something you won't utilize. If it doesn't fit you right, you won't wear it, and then it will become another misplaced soul in the land of misfit toys, I mean clothing.
5. Slow and Steady Wins the Race:
Sometimes thriftitng seems like a mad dash, especially when you are shopping with that friend who happens to wear the same size as you. However, no mater the speed in which you thrift, there are safety precautions you should take so that you don't get heat stroke when you locate a pair of hot-pants. Bring plenty of water, wear comfortable shoes, and make sure to snack intermittently so you don't have to worry about shopping until you're dropping...on the floor.
6. What NOT to Wear
So you're thrifting to buy new clothes, who cares what you wear when you're doing it right? WRONG. When you're trying on clothes, you want to keep ease in mind. Wear a top and a bottom so that you can try on shirts and pants without being half-naked. Also, you want shoes you can slip on and off easily so removing them to try on extra skinny jeans won't be a hassle. Neutral undergarments ensure that you can focus on the garment you're trying on (no hot pink is not a natural skin color, even if you're like me and turn pink in the sun).
7. BFF
While this acronym could stand for "Biggest Fashion Fails" and yes, that would be super awesome, it in fact does not. While I hate to be cliche and middle school, keep you're best friends in mind/with you while you thrift. If Tiffany always tells you stripes are not your thing, don't buy stripes, unless she's dead wrong or jealous. Having a second/third/fourth opinion can help you decipher what you should buy and what you maybe should not.
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