If you’ve ever been to a thrift store, you’ve probably noticed that the racks are usually overflowing with clothes, shoes, handbags, books, or whatever else that store happens to accept. It can be quite time consuming trying to sort out the good from the, well… not so good. A cardigan could be stretched out in the shoulders, a coat missing a button, or shoes scuffed up and too worn in. Sometimes you’ll find something great and then realize it was actually placed in the wrong section and is several sizes too large for you. There are definitely also treasures hidden in the forest of handed down items. Most of the things I’ve bought at thrift stores looked practically brand new and held up well for years. But in the process of looking for these treasures I’ve run into some consistently problematic items.
To save myself from the hassle of buying these things only to be disappointed yet again, I have a small list of the things I steer clear of when shopping secondhand.
Some items that, for me, are better when bought new:
Shoes:
The image I’ve used for this blog post is a picture of a pair of shoes I bought at a consignment store less than a year ago.
When I picked them out they looked in perfect condition and may never have been worn at all. I thought, great! I’m getting such a deal on a vintage pair of shoes that have never been worn. Unfortunately, after the first time I wore the shoes the heel fell apart. I can only guess at why they fell apart so quickly but I wonder if because the shoes had been sitting for so long, they simply weren’t as strong as when they were first constructed. I’ve had a similar experience with another pair of shoes bought from a thrift store where the heel literally broke off the first time they were worn out of the store.
Another reason I don’t buy used shoes is because shoes that have been worn before shape to the wearer’s feet. I feel like I have somewhat strangely shaped feet. They’re narrow and long and most secondhand shoes have been stretched in width.
Shoes are something I’m not afraid to spend more money on. A good pair of shoes can last me years and in my eyes, completes an outfit.
Fast fashion brands:
These are already so cheap and poorly made. While I do own a couple things from fast fashion brands that have held up well over the years (a jean jacket from forever 21 that is surprisingly sturdy), I generally find these types of brands don’t make clothing that withstands the tests of time. A lot of fast fashion is made of flimsy, poor quality material.
I like to look for clothing that is made of 100% cotton, wool, linen, or silk. I avoid polyester blends unless the item stands out to me as something very special.
Damaged clothing:
This one is a bit nitpicky and depending on the damage we’re talking about, could be debatable. A coat could be beautiful except for a missing clasp or a small discoloration but I’ll still pass on it. If you are confiden t in your mending skills, go for it! Or you could take it to a seamstress or other professional to get it back to its original glory. Personally though, I don’t like to bother with things that I know I’ll have to go out of my way to restore.
On that same note, I wouldn’t buy an item brand new that’s damaged, either. I also wouldn’t donate damaged clothing to a thrift store, instead I would try to either mend it myself or turn it into a cleaning rag if beyond repair or not worth the trouble of mending.
I do feel different about purchasing damaged furniture. A few scratches on a piece of furniture wouldn’t deter me because these items generally are more expensive and harder to come across in thrift stores.
That’s it! Hope this little list may help you in your pursuit of treasures at the thrift store.
Good advice!
Thanks! 🙂