Despite the large space Savers thrift store occupies, every inch is covered with rows of clothing when Senior Owen Rice enters the store. Going through all of the clothing would occupy hours, but there are several tactics that can be used to make thrifting less overwhelming and more successful.
Rice said defining one’s personal style before walking into a store is important.
“Some thrift stores are kind of crowded and big, but you just have to know what you like,” Rice said.
Rice said, inspired by clothing brands and musicians he likes, he often buys oversized fitted clothes.
“I really like fashion that has to do with my interests, like outdoors fashion or repping a band that I like on a T-shirt,” Rice said.
Even after defining a personal style, knowing what specifically looks good can be difficult. To tackle this problem, sophomore Clare Antonow said she looks for color schemes.
“For me personally, I know neutral colors and greens look good,” Antonow said. “I kind of base it off of the season too, I feel like that also changes what looks good on me.”
Sophomore Clara Persson said, repeatedly flipping through rows of hangers can be a tiring job, so once someone discovers personal color scheme, forming a good agenda is the next step.
“Especially if I don’t want to look through all the clothes I go to the accessories,” Persson said. “I actually just got this beret hat from Buffalo Exchange which I love.”
Although most accessories will fit everyone, finding clothing that fits is another obstacle that thrift shoppers commonly experience, Persson said.
“A mens size medium blazer looks like a good oversized jacket until you try it on and it goes past your knees,” Persson said.
Antonow has a solution to this problem, which she keeps in mind while shopping for clothing in thrift stores.
“One thing I like to do is to memorize my own measurements,” Antonow said. “I keep my waist and inseam measurements in mind so I have an idea of what tends to fit me.”
But even for those who love shopping, taking measurements can feel like the extra mile that no one wants to venture.
Rice proposes another solution: belts.
“I own some pretty large pants, and I’ve seen people using different tactics like shoelaces as a belt, but honestly I just take my belt and scrunch it tight,” Rice said.
Once size is no longer a problem, Antonow recommends a shopping rule she likes to follow — making sure that what she buys will go with her current closet.
“I usually won’t buy something unless I can think of three things it can go with from my existing closet,” Antonow said. “You just have to make sure you’re spending your money on the right things.”
Antonow also said the results of thrift shopping can vary greatly. One day a thrift store may carry everything you want to purchase, while another may leave you empty handed — but one thing that exists at all thrift stores is staple basics.
“I recently got a pair of black, high waisted jeans from a vintage store downtown, and it’s so versatile that I can just wear it with anything on top,” Antonow said. “If you just take your time and look through everything, you’ll most likely find something you love that’s unique to you.”
