Long time readers of the blog will be aware that I am a fan of “thrifting” or “bargain hunting”. I occasionally post my finds on the blog and have already discussed how I avoided the high street for a while, in favour of handmade & vintage/thrifted items. After writing a mini-guide on the topic for my AS english coursework, it occurred to me the other day, that I could adapt & share the information with my fabulous readers on the blog. Specifically, those who may want to “thrift”, but feel a little overwhelmed and have no idea where to begin.

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What is “thrifting”?

“Thrifting” is, I do believe, the best word to sum up what bargain hunting essentially is. Wikipedia defines it as:

Thrifting refers to the act of shopping at a thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or a shop of a charitable organization, usually with the intent of finding interesting items at a cheap price.

A larger philosophy permeates the act of thrifting which celebrates the recycling of formerly-owned items, finding new use and new love for vintage material goods which had been thrown out, and the thrill of imagining what the former life of the item was like.

So… in a boiled down sense of the word, thrifting is acquiring an item/items for little money.  To add my little bias to the term, “thrifting” for me is the hunting down of vintage treasures for little cost.

Why would I want to thrift?

People have a variety of different reasons as to why they like to thrift. Whilst knowing why you personally want to opt for thrifting may be important, ultimately, the reason is irrelevant if you enjoy it! Some of the reasons I can think of are:

• Environmental or ethical – tons of textile waste ends up in landfill each and every year, by thrifting you are reusing items which means less ends up in landfill! In terms of ethics, think of who/how new items are likely to be made…
• “Uniqueness” – this one comes with a pinch of salt because of course, there is no guarantee that your item will be completely unique, but it’s certainly less likely that you’ll pass someone else wearing exactly the same thing
• Challenge – humans used to hunt for food, similarly, there may be a certain thrill for some people in hunting down these treasured possessions in a sea of mediocre items!
• Save money – fairly self explanatory, you’re looking for bargains and cheapness is the nature of thrifting!
• Enjoyment – possibly the most important reason on my little list, thrifting is no fun unless you actually like to do it!

Thrifting does require wading through used items, most of which will be utter tat. Think of your reasons yes, but really, the only way to see if thrifting is for you, is to try it out!

What should I look for?

Here is where we get to the personal aspect of thrifting – there really is no right or wrong item to get. Simply put: if you like it, get it! However, because I am biased in my idea of “thrifting”, I tend to look out for vintage items.

Whether you want to get something “vintage” or not, the key to a successful thrift is knowing what you like. Inspiration can – and should – come from anywhere. Books, magazines, films, television, art, nature, fashion, friends, random people you see on the street… the list is endless. The joy of thrifting comes from finding something you think is amazing for a fraction of the cost! If you know what you might like to find, you’ll be keeping an eye out whilst on your search.

Whilst I say that, it is worth remembering that sometimes the best thrift hauls occur when you go with a completely open mind! Basically, you’ll need to strike a balance – know what you want but don’t let that overtake you.

Where should I go?

There are an array of places that I consider thrift destinations. Some you’ll prefer to others, but it’s worth checking anything and everything out because you never know what will appear.

• Charity shops: they do require a little bit of rummaging to find the good stuff, but charity shops are an excellent place to start!
• Car boot sales: these are occasionally brilliant as they throw up all kinds of weird and wacky items. As with all thrift places, they can be a little hit & miss. Most open in the morning, so it’s worth getting there early!
• Fairs: community fair or larger exhibitions, these are yet another place to get a bargain or two.
• Jumble sales: this is one of the few places you are almost guaranteed to find something. With prices usually under a few £ (or whatever your currency is), it’s worth keeping an eye out for ones in your local area!
• Markets: flea markets, vintage markets… whatever kind of market are worth having a look at. Traders are likely to be independent folk just trying to sell their stuff. Sometimes they may only be there for that day, other times, they may be regulars… but as with all places, the quality varies and one week you may find wonders, whilst another, nothing.
• Vintage shops: this is for the folks who like vintage but aren’t really in the mood for wading through the other “rubbish”. Vintage shops are full of pre-picked items which are actually vintage (usually 25 years and older). Prices can vary according to the type of vintage shop, but definitely worth having a look!
• Auctions: we’re in the domain of really old items now! I’m talking antiques and other rare objects, so prices can go sky high. Probably not all that “thrifty” because of prices, but again, keep a lookout just in case.
• The internet: ebay, etsy and a whole host of independent vintage boutiques on the net can fulfil your vintage wants (we’ve got links to a few places on our links page!). Again, items have been picked out but, especially for places like ebay, bargains can surface at any time! Of course, be wary of who you buy from – check the seller’s policies, shipping costs and feedback. The internet is unfortunately home to many fraudsters, so whilst most of the time you’ll be fairly safe, just buy with caution!

I’m sure there are a few other places I haven’t mentioned. US folk may speak of “yard sales” or “garage sales” which don’t happen all that much here in the UK (at least where I’m from), but like I say with every place, they are all worth checking out! Go to as many places as you possibly can because things will surface when you least expect them to.

Tips & tricks

These are just a few ‘words of wisdom’ I’ve picked up during my short time as a “thrifter”. Feel free to add your tips in the comments section to share with everyone else!

• Don’t be afraid to haggle – especially at car boots or market type places because you never know, you may just get a discount. There is a definite method to haggling though – I’ve yet to grasp it, but my dad is wonderful at haggling! (would some hints from him be worthwhile?)
• Don’t buy for the sake of it – get something because you like it, not because it’s cheap! (Exception to this rule: if it’s super duper fab and in excellent condition, but you don’t think it’s quite ‘you’, you could consider buying and then selling it on… someone else may adore it! Or if you are a vintage seller on the net or in a boutique – in which case you probably already know all of this!)
• HAVE FUN – you have to enjoy it because it’s really not worth getting aggravated.
• Do research – knowing some fashion history definitely helps, especially if your specifically looking for vintage clothing!
• Avoid places you find awful – if there is somewhere you know never throws up anything you like, what is the point of wasting time there? Go less often or don’t go at all – it’s really not worth the effort!
• Stick to your budget – because things are often very cheap, you can often end up in the mind frame of “oh that’s only xxx cost, I’ll get it” and it accumulates.
• HAVE FUN – simply the most important thing I can ever say to you!

Thrifting won’t be every-one’s cup of tea, but just try it out, even if it’s just as a one time change from high street shopping. Hopefully, this mini guide hasn’t freaked you out completely because really, it’s so much fun to find something great at a steal. All that’s left for me to say is – go forth and thrift my chums! Oh and if you have any tips, please let us all in on the secrets…