Save money and embrace creativity with thrifting

 

Nowadays, you don’t have to break the bank to buy cute clothes. Shopping at thrift stores in Destin, FL is a way to get super cheap second-hand clothes that are still cute! 

When I was younger, I used to cringe when my mom brought me to thrift stores because all I wanted were clothes from the mall. Now, I go to those same stores with my friends to buy my clothes.

There isn’t a right or a wrong way to thrift, but there are some tricks to finding the cutest clothes for cheap. My first tip is to be patient. You’re going to have to rummage through lots of ugly clothes before you find anything good, but you have to remember that you’re shopping people’s second-hand items, usually from the early 2000s, so you’re bound to come across some unfavorable items.

If you only stay in the thrift shop for 30 minutes, you’re not looking hard enough. I find a rack, push all the hangers to one side, and then go through each item individually. It’s time-consuming, but it helps to make sure I look at everything. 

Another tip is to alter your thrifted items. You can buy oversized tops and cut them, or take in pants that are too big. Don’t just count out clothes because they look like they won’t fit! 

You can also find a lot of good stuff in the men’s section. The men’s section is full of t-shirts and sweatshirts, as well as good-quality denim. All of the high-waisted Levi’s are in the men’s section; these usually retail for upwards of $50, but I’ve gotten a pair for $12 before.

However, if you don’t feel like investing the time or gas money, or if you just haven’t had any luck at physical thrift stores, you can always try out online thrifting.

Depop is an app that lets you shop second-hand, or sometimes brand-new, clothing, accessories, and more. People sell a lot of designer brands on Depop for way cheaper than what they retail for, and you can check the seller’s reviews/ratings to make sure you aren’t getting scammed. You can also private message sellers to ask questions or raise any concerns. On Depop, you can use filters to look specifically for certain items, brands, or sizes.Poshmark and Mercari are very similar to Depop, though I’ve only ever used Depop.

Aside from being financially-friendly, thrifting is sustainable! By buying second-hand clothes, you are reducing the amount of clothing that is mass-manufactured, which is extremely harmful to the environment. You are also inherently not contributing to the unethical practices of many mass-manufacturers including, but not limited to, unlivable wages and poor working conditions. 

Happy thrifting and remember to boycott fast fashion whenever you can!