Hey, mom! Can we go thrift shopping?
Momma gonna pop some tags
Only got $20 in my pocket (diapers are expensive!)
I’m so pumped about these finds from the thrift shop
Savin’ my money and I’m hella happy that’s a bargain, kids
{inspired by Macklemore’s song “Thrift Shop}
So, I am a thrifter. I am building a baby business, and every last penny is saved to either go back into the business or spent to put food in the fridge and diapers on the babies. I enjoy the thrill of the “hunt”. I like nice things but don’t like to spend money on buying clothes in the retail shops for full price or even clearance price. There is nothing like a little bit of retail therapy, it can go a little bit further when you score a designer hand bag for one fifth of the retail price!
Like Macklemore put it, I got $20 in my pocket. What can $20 get you when you put a little time and effort into sifting, trying on, and closely examining clothes for wear and tear? Let me show you some of my all time favorite $20 thrifted finds!
From left to right; Ann Taylor Loft statement necklace, LuLaRoe Julia dress, Lucky Brand dress, American Eagle Co. jean jacket, Lucky Brand booties, Toms wedges.
These pieces have been my summer staples! Each piece was well under $20 and I will easily get my money’s worth in wear out of each piece.
A few tips for the aspiring thrifter:
– Don’t settle for ripped, stained or over-worn. There are high quality pieces out there, and they are worth finding; keep looking.
– Look in a wide range of sizes. I shop from XS to XL. Depending on brand and cut, you can find things that are flattering by looking a few sizes up and down from where you think you should shop.
– Know what brands you are looking for. You can save time by looking at the tags versus actually looking at each piece. Brands I gravitate towards are: Loft, Lucky, BKE, Gap.
– Plan ahead. Have outfits or even specific pieces of outfits in mind. Using Pinterest to drum up inspiration is helpful. You can save those images to your phone and use them while you are sifting to find pieces that will complete your look.
– Patience and perseverance is key. You will not likely hit a huge haul your first time or in a single stop. My entire wardrobe is thrifted but I got to that point by stopping frequently and rotating where I shop.
Where I have my best luck in Rochester:
Goodwill (the new one by Costco on the NW side of town)
Savers
Clothes Mentor
Don’t be discouraged or overwhelmed by the thought of thrift shopping. It can be fun and rewarding! I am a huge believer in self care. Sometimes my self care looks like shopping. It doesn’t really count as self care if it is going to stress me out thinking about how much money “I am wasting” on myself buying new clothes. The best thing I decided to do this postpartum period was to purge all my ill-fitting pre-pregnancy clothes and find thrifted looks I loved to get me through the summer.
Happy thrift shopping, Rochester Moms!
