We all love a good shopping spree while getting the most bang for our hard earned buck. A sure way to do just that is by considering second hand or thrift stores to make your style shine. In San Antonio, we have such an amazing array of shopping options from luxury, to outlet, to high street all the way to the pulgas. I have become so fond of thrift stores, I find myself recommending them to anyone who remotely comments on my outfits.
Let me preface by saying that thrift store shopping is not for everyone. It is messy, unorganized, unpredictable and time consuming. You have to be a bit more open to finding pieces that are vintage to recreate a more current style, which will require that you flex your fashion sense muscle. I will be giving you a plan for WHAT styles to look for and which ones to leave to major retailers as well as naming some of my favorite thrift shops here in town.
So, what should you looks for? I go for trendy wear. Purchasing basic pieces from a thrift store is not necessarily a great idea because those are building block pieces that will get a lot of wear and can be purchased brand new from Walmart, Old Navy or even Nordstrom Rack for a fairly low price. I am talking about crew neck shirts, basic jeans, sweaters and such. Opting to go for more trendy pieces you are not sure will last past this season or styles that are super Instagram trendy but that you feel uncertain about are always a good idea. You may not be able to find the EXACT items that you just saw in your latest fashion magazine or on your favorite celebrity but I always find that since fashion is cyclical and keeps recycling itself over the years, you can find an “old school” item that can replicate the look of a more trendy item. Be open minded when looking at the selection. I find that some “ugly” items can look AMAZING when styled properly. Taking an old, vintage dress from the 90’s and accessorizing it with more modern pieces is a great example. Some of my favorite spots for this are Buffalo Outlet and Plato’s Closet.
When it comes to Fall and Winter clothing, I am ALLLLL about buying second hand. As we all know, we do not have a very long cold season here in Texas but I want to look just as cool as my cold weather, fashionista counter-parts for those few weeks of chilly weather. It makes me and my wallet feel better when I load up on clothes that are inexpensive and will not get much wear time. I love looking for pants, coats, sweater dresses and boots. I love that I can show my personality by having a vast selection of items in my closet and having done so on a smaller budget. When it comes to Spring and Summer clothes, I love picking up dress after dress as well as skirts. Those items tend me be inexpensive, can be found in basic silhouettes and make me feel fabulous! Again, Buffalo Outlet is my go-to shop but Goodwill tends to keep me well stocked in that department as well
Lastly, luxury items. Yes, you read that correctly. I LOVE purchasing designer items from second-hand retailers. Unless you are someone who runs in the type of circles who would judge you for carrying last years Gucci, Fendi or Tory, you will be fine. For this, I rely on classic pieces that will stand the test of time and will elevate my otherwise inexpensive wardrobe. Also, I tend to veer more towards accessories rather than clothing as those will last longer and will be able to be mixed and matched with more outfits. It makes me feel special to combine a $1 dress with a cute pair of Tory Burch heels and cool, vintage Fendi purse. When it come to price, go with what you are comfortable with. Tory Burch, Kate Spade and Ted Backer are good introductions to the designer world that tend to be nicely cared for by their previous owners and will not break the bank in a way that Gucci, Louis Vuitton or Chanel will. To make those purchases, I rely on an online retailer called Poshmark. You can shop by item, brand, price. You can follow your favorite sellers and when purchasing items over $500, the Poshmark team certifies the authenticity of the items you are investing in!!! I have NEVER had bad luck while making purchases on this website and have even sold pieces out of my own closet with no fuss. If you prefer seeing items in person instead, check out Too Good to be Threw or Otra Vez Couture Consignment.
To see how I style some of my thrift store finds:
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