Why you should shop secondhand + my tips
In an effort to shop more sustainably, I have recently come to love secondhand shopping over the past few years. I have found so many benefits to shopping secondhand; here are some of the great reasons I love thrifting, or shopping secondhand.
It allows you to cultivate a really unique and curated wardrobe full of pieces that are unique to you. A wardrobe with such pieces really stands out — and is more fun!
Secondhand shopping helps you to really save money. I often like purchasing some of my favorite brands that are higher price points, such as Free People, Anthropologie, and different denim brands at secondhand shops. And, because these retailers are not the best in terms of sustainability, I can have these beautiful pieces while not feeling badly about supporting a brand that doesn’t have the best values.
It can be a great hobby! I really enjoy looking for pieces online, as well as exploring in person for really special items for my wardrobe. The hunt is almost as much fun!
It is a great way to contribute to a more sustainable shopping practice. By reducing the amount of clothing in the product life cycle, we can really make a big impact on the global environment — as much of the clothing consumed actually ends up in landfills.
Now that you know some of my favorite reasons for secondhand shopping, here are a few of my tips for successful secondhand shopping!
Find a method that works for you. There are so many options of secondhand shopping — from thrift or consignment stores, vintage shopping — not to mention online options like eBay, Poshmark, Etsy, and more. I have found that shopping at curated online shops works well for me, and I can typically find what I am looking for easily!
2. Keep a list of items you are looking for. Sometimes when shopping second hand, it can be easy to get drawn in by great deals (something that our current trends in consumerism have trained us to recognize!) However, just because it is affordable doesn’t mean you need it. I keep a list of key items I am looking for (such as a cream blazer, linen wrap dress, black heeled sandals, etc.) and search for those items when shopping.
3. Be willing to walk away and keep looking! This is the most difficult thing for me — I like to be successful when it comes to a thrift or vintage shopping trip. However, if you don’t find exactly what you are looking for (or if you can’t alter or upcycle something to fit what you need) be willing to try again next time, or keep your eye out for what you really want or need.
I hope you found this helpful — and happy thrifting!
— Kenzie
