Behold, the laws of thrift shopping according to Susan:
Try on Everything Before You Buy
Even if you are absolutely sure that pair of orange corduroy
bell bottoms will fit you just like they did when you were in college, try them
on. I cannot tell you how many times I couldn’t get a pair of jeans over my
hips even though they were “my size.” The same goes for shirts. You may be a
medium, but that medium blouse in your hand might have been shrunk in the wash
and that’s why it’s at the thrift store. You also may think you will look great
in something—until you see yourself wearing it. You will save a lot of money
and closet space by not buying clothes that don’t look good on you, even if
they are really cheap. This tip brings me to the next one…
Wear Simple Clothing and Shoes
Because you will want to try on everything before you buy
(see tip #1), wear clothes that you can easily slip out of. This means slip-on
shoes, not lace ups, and a t-shirt and pants that you can whip off in seconds.
(Better yet, opt for a skirt that you can leave on while you try on pants.) Tie
your hair back so it doesn’t get all static-y from putting on and taking off
shirts. Please don’t try to accessorize. You are on a serious mission to find
bargains. This is not the time to look cute--unless of course you’re on a date,
in which case you can wear earrings. Studs, not hoops.
Leave the Purse and the Coat at Home
Admittedly, I don’t follow this rule very well. But when I
do remember to wrap my driver’s license and credit cards in a rubber band and
stick it in my pocket rather than carry a purse, it makes the shopping trip all
the easier. Ditto on the coat. The less you have to haul around and drag into
the dressing rooms, the quicker you can get in and out.
Check for Stains
A lot of thrift-store clothing ended up there for a reason,
most often not a good one. The most common reason for clothing abandonment is
yellow armpit stains. I’ve had some success brightening white shirts by soaking
them overnight in Oxy Clean and hanging them to dry in the sun. But this
doesn’t work on dark yellow stains that look as if they’ve been there for
years. No matter how cute the shirt, if the pits look like dog tinkle in the
snow, pass it up.
Also check for rips, moth holes, bleach spots, and makeup stains
on the collar, sleeves, cuffs, and arm pits.
People don’t always donate clothing because it’s damaged.
Sometimes people gain or lose weight and change sizes, then donate the clothes
to make room for their new purchases. You can find some great deals in this
scenario, sometimes even new stuff. However, even if the heavens part and a ray
of sunlight illuminates a mother load of Eddie Bauer jeans in your size, don’t
rejoice just yet. Remember, try everything on before you buy!
Look in the Men’s Department
When I was shopping for a new pair of snow pants, all I
could find in the women’s section was a one-piece number that looked like
something you’d wear on a Seventies sitcom. So I headed over to the men’s
department and found just what I needed. There are other unisex items you can
find in the men’s department, say sweatshirts and jackets. Plus, it’s usually
not as crowded there. Most of the men sit on the furniture or rifle through the
bikes and broken vacuums while the women in their life shop.
Try the Men’s Dressing Rooms
Saturdays are busy at thrift shops and lines for dressing
rooms can get long. If you don’t want to wait, mosey over to the men’s
department. Their dressing rooms are always open.
Take a Shopping Nazi with You
If you have a sibling or a friend who isn’t afraid to give
you an honest opinion, take her with you. That way when you slip on that
one-piece snowsuit and ask, “How does this look?” you can count on your
companion to be honest and say, “You look like Chrissie on Three’s Company.
Except you don’t have a chest.”
Many times my own sister has prevented me from making
foolish purchases, like the time I almost bought an ankle length black dress
that did nothing for my figure except cover it. She has also gently pointed out
that my house cannot accommodate many more purchases.
Thrift Shopping Can Be Addictive
Last week as I browsed old China sets at Deseret Industries,
our local church thrift store, a woman came barreling down the aisle, her
basket full of who knows what.
“I buy all my dishes from Deseret Industries,” the woman
told me as she clattered through a pile of dessert plates. “But you know what?”
She stopped rummaging and leaned in close. “It can become addictive. Like you
can’t stop buying even though you have enough,” she said in a conspiratorial
whisper. With that, she stepped
back and resumed shopping.
Because everything’s so cheap you might be tempted to buy
everything in sight. This is fine if you also plan to get rid of a bunch of
stuff before you even set foot in the thrift store. If, like me, you find
yourself buying seven teacups and saucers
when the day before you had no use for such things, step back and ask
yourself if you’d be willing to pay full price. If things get really bad and you find yourself at Deseret
Industries every day, you might need to start bringing cash to limit your
spending. Or go to the library instead!
Do Not Go Every Day, But Do Go Often
As I said, you should not go thrifting every day. If you do, soon your house will get too
cluttered and you’ll wind up with a house that looks like a perpetual yard
sale. That said, you do need to go often. People donate to thrift stores every
day. It’s worth your while to stop by frequently even if just for a few
minutes. For example, last week I decided to buy a pizza pan with holes in the
bottom. But the local cooking store wanted fifteen dollars for it, which I was
not in the mood to pay. So I stopped by Deseret Industries on my way to All
Seasons Market with the sole purpose of browsing the kitchenware. Lo, I found
the exact pizza pan I wanted for one dollar. And it looked good as new.
Dig It
Think of yourself as an archaeologist on a major excavation.
From my years of thrifting I have learned that it’s impossible to find what
you’re looking for with a cursory glance at the shelves. You must move things
around. You must look under things. You must look twice. Just when you think
you’re never going to find something, you’ll dig through a pile of tea trays
and find a perfectly good pizza pan.
When in Doubt Don’t Buy It
Nothing’s a bargain if you get home and decide that it
really doesn’t fit and puce is really not your color after all. Listen to your
shopping Nazi if she’s with you. If you’re alone, listen to the little doubting
nag who sits on your shoulder while you try things on or put things in your
cart. If you find yourself saying things like “I don’t really need this” or
“All I have to do is lose a few more pounds and this will look great on me” are
warning signs that whatever you are about to buy will feel like a mistake when
you get home.
Also remind yourself to refrain from panic-purchasing. One
of the problems of thrift shopping is the deep fear that you will never find a
treasure to match the one that you should pass up. Trust that if you forego
buying something that is not absolutely right for you now, something better
will come along in the future.
Now that you are well armed with the tools of thrifting, I
suggest you practice using them this weekend. Shop strong, Sisters.