Fashionista Memo: Finding Fashion At The Thrift Store

My fashion journey has exposed me to a lot of places I probably wouldn’t have cared about. From Yaba market to high street to Eko market, Mente, fashion fairs, Asos, Thrift stores and even designer stores (well I’m still their window shopper/ customer ). The one place that still fascinates me every time is the Thrift Store.

The first encounter I had with the thrift store was through Irony of Ashi. A friend and colleague at my office 6 years ago introduced me to the site since I seemed to like fashion and all. I got hooked as you’ll expect and was always interested in the unique pieces she always wore,  and when I checked the stores she got them from, it would always be one thrift store or the other. Although we really didn’t have much of what you would call a thrift store in Nigeria, I knew if ever I come across one, I’ll definitely look out for fashion pieces there.

Fast forward to now, I’ve come to realize that the thrift store is not just another store but actually a fashion heaven for fashionistas. I mean where else can you get awesome pieces at such affordable rates if not heaven  (hehehe). And I’m not talking about high street/ mass produced pieces, I’m talking about limited edition, unique and high end pieces that one will probably not be able to afford on a limited budget.

As good as the thrift store sounds though, there’s what I’ll term the 411 of getting a great buy every time you step into any of them. These I learnt from my experience shopping there and a few acquaintances I know who do. I hope it helps if/ whenever you decide to shop at a thrift store.

• Vintage pieces

As much as there are unique/vintage pieces at the thrift store, there are also pieces you don’t want to take home. I have realized that having an eye for quality is key. The questions I always ask myself are: Is this a classic piece? Can it surpass the limitation of trends? The whole idea of going to the thrift store for me is to get unique and fabulous pieces at a reasonable price, so if the piece isn’t any of these, it’s definitely not worth buying.

• Affordable price

Who doesn’t love to save money every now and then? If there’s one thing one thing I get from the thrift store, it’s affordable pieces. So the second thing I look out for besides the look and feel of the fashion piece is the price. First I want to know if the piece is worth the price. And if the price falls on the high side, I want to be sure the piece is worth it. Whatever I do I make sure the any piece I take home is worth the money. Besides the everyday affordable there are also special day sales I take advantage of when I can. You should too!

• Wear & Tear

No matter how unique a piece is, if it is looking worn out, a button or zip is missing somewhere, the gold shade is already turning silver, stones are no where to be found. All I start to hear is ‘Drop it!’. It’s very important to ask these basic questions: Is the fashion piece in good shape? Can it still stand the test of time/ wear & tear? Attention to details can never be over emphasized.

• No Rush

My rule is this, if I have a plane to catch or any other appointment, the thrift store is the last place I will consider going. If you intend to get the best buy every the currency is ‘Time’. Yes you don’t have to break the bank to shop at a thrift store but you definitely have to put in the time to inspect the pieces and decide if you’re dropping the notes.

P.S: You may not get everything you want at thrift store but you’ll definitely see something you need/want every time you visit. I’m not just saying, I’m a witness  . Now let’s see if you’ll become one too.