One bag, two bags, three bags…four. That’s the sound of an editor counting her finds after an entire weekend of thrifting. Was it a successful thrift? How do you come out with spectacular finds? Why should you even thrift in the first place? Here is an editor’s journey with thrifting: from being out of practice, jumping into the bin-craze, to finding success in sustainability.
A Return to Thrifting
Let’s go thrifting, my sister tells me one weekend. The word has left my vocabulary. I haven’t touched a bin since high school and I was almost always frequenting them. What do I tell her? A big, obvious, YES.
Was I entirely prepared? Perhaps not. When the bins welcomed me again, I realized that the teens with gloves, bags, and headphones were way less out of practice than I expected. Regardless, I was excited. Hunting for Y2K items? With the weather being warmer than usual for Chicago? I think more than anything—I was mentally ready.
Introducing the Bin-Diving Finds
So here comes the question we’re all eager to hear the answer to: was my thrifting any successful? One vintage purse, a London-esque cardigan, and a few hours later, I’m happy to report that my trip to the bins was way more successful than I anticipated it to be.
How is that successful? Two items and all that blood, sweat, and tears? In fact, it wasn’t actually just a purse and a cardigan that came from my thrift. Check out my haul below—Aaliyah inspired bucket hats, shirts that I’m certain the Winx Club wore, and many more things you can find in the bins near you!
All in all, my thrift haul cost me a whopping twenty dollars—that was after everything was weighed and price calculated per pound—totally unconventional and totally worth it. Talk about a steal!
Sustainability
Why should I thrift? I’m one click away from checking out my SHEIN shopping cart. Better yet, Target has that dress on sale. Completely understandable (I can’t stay away from Target, myself). But when it comes down to it, if you want to consider thrifting, you should also think about sustainability.
According to earth.org, 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills every year. That’s equivalent to a garbage truck full of clothes emptying its waste every second! Not to mention the global emissions that also soars because of fast fashion. The solution? Cut down on buying and wasting. A good thrift is also doing good for the planet. Might as well save our environment and look fabulous in vintage while doing it.
An Editor’s Guide to a Successful Thrift
So, how do I come out of the bins with heaps of success? Value quality over quantity. Even if that seems counter intuitive, finding staples that are way-too-well-worn probably aren’t going to last you too long. Aim for denim, linens, and cotton—sturdy materials are your closet’s best friends. Aside from that, look for pieces that you can incorporate into your daily wear. A wedding dress from the 80s? Not quite versatile. A 00s style denim miniskirt? Now we’re talking.
Once you’ve got the hang of maneuvering the bins and keeping these things in mind, you’re definitely walking out of the thrift with a cartload of chic finds. Happy thrifting, N Crowd!
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