MAKE IT CUTE

Make a list

It is so, so easy to get carried away and end up with things you’ll never have any use for. (Totally not your fault by the way, for 98 cents each who wouldn’t snatch up all 12 baby bear teacups?!) But to save you from drowning in drinkware, make a list of things you’re looking for. If ya find ‘em? Great! If ya don’t? Move on. There are plenty of other second-hand shops in the sea!

Try it on

Whether you’re shopping for yourself or your BFF—have a size in mind. Try everything on to make sure you aren’t purchasing an item whose only use will be a pretty closet ornament. You wanna wear your awesome scores, right?! We can’t tell you how many times we’ve bought something way too big just because we thought we might be able to make it work with a belt (or a pair of scissors). It’s difficult, but sometimes you’ve gotta trust your gut and leave it on the rack.

Limit yourself

If you’re like us, you’ve got your eye on one item that you buy over and over again. Nothing beats adding a new piece to your collection. For us? It’s vintage glass bottles, but if we picked up all the glass bottles we saw every trip we made to the thrift shop, our rooms would be nothing but glass bottles (sorry, Mom!). So instead, we limit ourselves to one vintage bottle every few trips—it makes each addition that much more special, plus it allows you to focus on all of the other awesome finds you might miss if you just load up on your fave collectibles.

Have fun

Spot something that isn’t normally your style? Make it a habit to pick one item that you wouldn’t normally wear and try it on. It’s almost too much fun to think about the different outfits you could create with just a simple addition and your existing closet, and the best part? You won’t have to worry about anyone having the same stuff as you! Totally unique and completely you—after all, at the end of the day, what you wear should be what makes you feel comfortable and oh-so confident. Happy thrifting!

by Alexis Gavrelis | 2/1/2016