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What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds

March 30, 2024

Explore what have been your best thrift store finds with key online shopping tips in the UK, ensuring safe and authentic transactions.

 

Since fashion always references the past, shopping for vintage items from thrift stores is just like going directly to the source of fashion.

 

Discovering what have been your best thrift store finds gets trickier with new fashion trends emerging, making vintage pieces a rare gem in thrift stores. However, you can still spot a few of these pieces in online stores over the net, especially here in the UK.

 

In this article, you’ll find six key tips to keep in mind if you want to shop thrift items like a pro!

Key Things To Note When Getting Clothes Online in The UK

1.   Size and Body Type

Starla Sterling, bodysuit look

Starla Sterling, bodysuit look.
Author: Luke Ford.
CC BY-SA 2.5

For a lot of people, especially women, their body changes throughout their lifetime because body shapes are not homogenous in any given population. This is to say that one of the key things to note before choosing cloth is your size and body type1.

 

There are three known body types (or somatotypes) based on yame, composition and muscles; Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph. The Ectomorph body type is characterised by a lean and slender body having less fat and muscle mass. The Mesomorph body, on the other hand, is characterised by an average distribution of muscles and body fat usually found in Athletes.

 

Finally, the Endomorph body type has more stored fats and muscle mass; this body type usually gains weight faster than the Ectomorph and Mesomorph body types. However, some changes in diet and exercise can alter a person’s body shape.

 

To accurately measure your body size, it is important to take the proper measurements of the following body areas to determine what size of the dress you would wear: The bust, centre back, neck to wrist, back waist length, cross back, arm length, waist, etc.

 

The results gotten from this measurement are then scrutinised under the lens of a standardised measurement scale. A good example of these charts is the European standard size chart. However, you do not need to measure all these parts depending on the type of clothing you want to buy.

 

2. Personal Style – What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds

Girl in body stocking. 1970

Girl in body stocking. 1970.
Author: JaneArt [CC BY-SA 3.0 ]

Developing your unique style is one of the most powerful known communication tools today. It is an expressive way of speaking a voice without words. Contrary to popular belief, personal style has less to do with how expensive an item costs but more with how perfect it complements you and feels like your skin.

 

Your style reflects your interests, fashion opinion and lifestyle and this is why people often say you are what you wear. You should bear in mind that although you are shopping for the real deal from a thrift store, your choice of outfits should carry on the impression you want people to have about you. Therefore, you have to be very detailed and picky to choose nothing less than your set standards.

 

Developing your style is not arduous at all. You can begin by finding a style inspiration you resonate well with to define your style to that inspiration. Don’t forget that you don’t need to have everything figured out at first, so you can always try again till you find your match.

3.  Budget

 

Rebecca - view from balcony

Rebecca.
Phot credit: Thomas Morgan

Your overall shopping budget when looking for the best thrift store finds is just as important as your size, shape and any other thing. When thrift shopping, you should always bear in mind the cost of each item you select to check if it fits into your budget list.

 

This doesn’t suggest you break the bank or set unrealistic goals and expectations for yourself. You can still get good the real deal with quality items for cheap if you search thoroughly and check old batches and collections.

4. Authenticity

What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds - Vintage Adidas jackets and hoodie - Blue17 black leather shorts and black 80s jumper

Vintage Adidas jackets and hoodie

The authenticity of the clothes you pick is the real deal here. If you find a vintage piece,  ensure it’s the original of its category. Look out for imitations of designer brands2 (e.g. Kalvin Clein instead of Calvin Klein).

There is no point in thrift shopping fake designer items when you can get original items from some not-so-popular brands.

 

Also, It is crucial that you verify the authenticity of the store you are shopping from to reduce the chances of getting scammed online. Always be on the lookout, and don’t share your details with websites that aren’t secure and safe to use.

5. Quality over Quantity

Choosing quality over quantity with your best thrift store finds doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank to get quality items. One of the benefits of getting a thrift store find over brand-new clothes is because of the massive price reduction. The durability and sustainability of materials used should be considered before selecting any clothing item for purchase.

 

But how is quality measured?

What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds - Close up of Black Waxed Cotton Barbour Hardy Peacoat

Close up of Black Waxed Cotton Barbour Hardy Peacoat

Some of the features of quality products are; High functionality, cost-saving advantage, High sustainability, Uniqueness, etc.

 

If you keep quality in mind as one of your standards when searching out your best thrift store finds , you’ll eventually reach a peak where your life is filled with quality. From quality materials3 to household items, friendship and relationships, having a mindset of excellence will help declutter your mind from toxicity and build things that truly last.

6. Uniqueness – What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds

What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds - Side profile Unique 80s Winter Wool Dress

Side profile Unique 80s Winter Wool Dress

Many of us like to own rare items. There’s indeed beauty in owning a rare piece of vintage clothing. The best bet to get the real deal with a really rare and unique pieces is to shop from new batches. However, this can be very hard to find at thrift shops but not impossible.

 

You can check through different sections to find your desired piece. Also, don’t forget to look through really dated collections because you are very likely to find just what your best thrift store finds you need there.

Exploring unique items in thrift stores often leads to remarkable discoveries. Think back on what have been your best thrift store finds whether you shop at thrift stores in North carolina or Lewisham, and use that as inspiration to uncover more rare and unique pieces.

Finally – What Have Been Your Best Thrift Store Finds

Selecting what have been your best thrift store finds in an online UK store isn’t too challenging once you know what to look for. You should ensure you look through every catalogue to find what suits your body and style most. You should also consider your budget target before adding any item to your cart.

 

Don’t make the mistake of shopping for pleasure. Only get the pieces that you need.

Ever tried thrift shopping before? Reflecting on what have been your best thrift store finds can guide you in future thrift shopping endeavors whether is’t in North carolina or London, UK.

 

  1. https://blog.nasm.org/fitness/body-types-how-to-train-diet-for-your-body-type
  2. https://www.blue17.co.uk/vintage-blog/2000s-fashion-brands/
  3. https://dempseyuniform.com/check-fabric-quality/

 

 

 

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