Thrifting is currently all the rage all over the place. I think it’s great! The fashion industry is the 2nd largest contributor to pollution and thrifting is one way to help the earth!

I actually started thrifting over 20 years with my nana. On weekends we would check our estate sales and thrift stores for unique and affordable fashion pieces.

Fashion and style are a huge part of my life and I LOVE to shop.. but the way finances were set up I couldn’t purchase the bougie brands I was used to buying myself.

I can admit I used to be the kind of girl with a $500 handbag and $3 inside… but I had to change my priorities as I began to have children, my handbag fund became diaper and milk money.. let’s be honest!

As I’ve gotten older and had more children I don’t have the budget I used to for fashion.

I still love dressing up so I started to dive back into thrifting. I missed being a fashion plate. I went back to what I love.. shopping and playing dress up and I’ve never been happier.

In doing so I’ve built the wardrobe of my dreams. 

I’ve thrifted all over Southern California with my family.

I’ve even collaborated with the Goodwill Southern California on a couple projects..

Thrifting is really something I love and I want to give you a few tips to thrift your own wardrobe!

It’s not as difficult as you think.. it’s actually a lot of fun and forces you to be creative.. and it saves you a few hundred on your overall fashion bill.

Who doesn’t want that!

Let’s dive into these tips shall we?

Make a vision board before you thrift

Yes, you read that right, make a vision board of what looks and styles you would like to try. Shopping is a lot easier when you have a plan.

 It’s very overwhelming to walk into any store and not know what you’re looking for so have a plan.

Typically I make a vision board for each season and I even include accessories. I use it as a way to decide what looks I want to try.

It’s like a vision board/ wish list.. how do I want to look.. who do I want to be today.

The vision board is your guide! USE IT!

Just like you attract abundance.. you can attract a great deal too. Trust me on this. Sounds wild but it’s true.

Don’t be afraid to try new looks. Find photos of your favorite celebrities and emulate the look.

It’s really fun and gets you really hyped about shopping.

Look for deal days at thrift stores

Every thrift store has days where items are on sale. I typically shop every Thursday at goodwill SoCal because they have this incredible deal every Thursday where certain color tags are $1!

I’ve found dresses, shoes, jackets, trousers! You name it I’ve found it for $1!

There was a black Friday “double dip” sale where I spent about $30 and I filled my closet and crossed so many items off my wishlist.

Check out the thrift stores in your area and get into those sales. I guarantee you’ll find something to spice up your closet.

Have a budget!

I honestly don’t spend that much thrifting. I go to the dollar sale and I typically give myself a budget of $10-$15 when I shop.. 10-15 new pieces is a lot of new pieces to style.

You don’t have to spend hundreds to be stylish.

Style comes with the way you piece items together and how you rock you look, style and fashion are about confidence.. if you don’t feel like the baddest in the room it doesn’t matter what the outfit cost.

style isn’t about the labels you can afford.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with shopping at the thrift store in order to stay within your means.

Many times you can find the labels you would spend hundreds for a few dollars.

It’s really amazing.

That’s my favorite thing about thrifting the money I save and the labels I find.

When you have a budget STICK TO IT! If your budget is $15 stick to that! You can always come back another time, the item you want maybe be gone but you might find something cheaper on a deal day.

Get in the mindset of purchasing pieces as opposed to a single outfit

I feel like people assume you have to buy one outfit..

WRONG!

You can style a basic white collared blouse several ways all year around!

You can style any outfit more than one way but the best thing to do is find the anchor pieces of your wardrobe.

A good pair of dark and light jeans, Good pair of trousers,flirty skirt, business skirt, a few blazers, cute shoes and BAM.. your are SET!

You have to remember… YOU HAVE CLOTHES AT HOME! Style them!

Shop your own closet and style the pieces you find with items already in your closet.

You have great style.. use the thrift store to simply elevate your look.

You want pieces that can be styled over and over. Pieces that are timeless give you more bang for your buck.

Brave the bins!

I’ve never done this.. the way my ocd and anxiety are set up I’m afraid 🤷🏾‍♀️ BUT I’ve seen people find some amazing things in the bins of the Goodwill donation centers.

I’ve seen the bins. I’ve done the tour and I plan to go and face my fears soon.

I want to see what the bins have to offer first hand.

Think outside the fashion box

You know that “emo” look you always wanted to try..

Collect the pieces and try it one day! I honestly use dressing each day as cosplay.

I find inspiration everywhere, TV, Twitter, IG. I see what I want to look like, I take $5 and try to find all the pieces until I have achieved the desired look.

It’s your chance to look like you’ve always wanted too!

How cool is that!  

To me the thrift store is like a giant closet just waiting for you to try it all on!

Be patient!

You’re not going to find everything in one trip. If you do.. you are a thrifting ninja and I’m secretly jealous of you!

I don’t shop outside of my budget so many times I have to wait months for items I want.

It took about 3 or 4 months for me to find the combat boots of my dreams on a dollar day but it happened.

I just kept going and searching for what I wanted within my price range.

When I finally got my hands on those boots it felt like Christmas! I don’t think I’ve taken them off since I found them🤷🏾‍♀️🤣

Don’t be afraid to be a “thrift store shopper”

Growing up there was so much stigma around shopping at thrift stores.

People assume those who shop at thrift stores don’t have the funds to shop elsewhere.. in my case it’s true 🤣🤣but there are a lot of people who have turned thrifting into a profitable business.

A lot of people take the end items they thrift and sell them on sites like Depop and Poshmark and thrifting is their job.

Some are just like you..looking to build a better wardrobe. 

Don’t let society and stigma stop you from finding cute clothes I’m just saying.

I hope these tip help you to branch out and do some thrift store shopping!

Can you believe I made endless looks and I spent less than $200 on fashion this year.. yeah.. THAT’S why I love thrifting and I had to share a few tips with you,

Be blessed!  Be happy and I hope you catch some good sales

Till next time ✌🏾