Thrift stores are best appreciated by shoppers who enjoy the treasure hunt aspect of the whole experience. The key is to be able to separate the trash from the treasure. Here are some savvy shopping tips for thrift store shopping.
Check for smells and stains. There is no guarantee you will be able to get rid of either one of these, so it's better to hold out for clean looking odor free items.
Look for excessive amount of pills on the fabric. This indicates the item has been worn frequently.
Look for fabrics that aren't ripped, puckered at the seams or extremely limp. Faded or extremely limp clothing has probably been washed and worn frequently so it's better to ignore these pieces and focus on finding lesser worn items.
Look at the care label. If the care instructions are printed, not embroidered on the label and the label is crisp with sharp printing that shows no signs of fading this suggest that the item has probably hardly if ever been washed and worn.
The whole ick factor of wearing used shoes shouldn't prevent you from at least looking at the shoe rack. Some shoes are donated without ever being worn. Check for shoes that have no odor. Also see if their shape is distorted in any way from being worn or if they look like they just came out of a shoe box. It's a good sign if there are no signs of wear on the bottom of the shoe at all.
When looking at handbags check inside lining for tears, check the outside for scratches and rips in thematerial. Set the bag on something flat, like a shelf or table an see the shape of the bag has been distorted through use.
Be sure you are able to try on clothes without a dressing room. in the summertime wear a long dress or skirt to try onl pants or skirt on under long skirt. Or you can wear something fitted to try on things over your clothing.
Not all thrift stores accept credit cards so be prepared to pay in cash. Happy hunting!
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