open your mind 44 phone a friend

Jittipun prefers calling up a friend. “It’s nice to have their opinion on clothes, and it’s a good, easy, hangout idea that you could do any time,” Jittipun says. Ressi prefers the freedom of going alone. “I’ve spent like three hours in a thrift store just individually going through all the racks by myself and listening to music,” she said.

Casing The Joint

Planning creates a smooth trip. For people who thrift frequently, there may be certain times that offer better finds than others. “You can also choose specific days, like if you find the days where they restock,” Ressi says. “Find times where there aren’t going to be a lot of people there and make sure you get in before other people get in.” Once inside, she typically creates a budget to avoid going overboard.

Shirts First

When arriving, a good place to start is the shirts aisle, Jittipun says, “You can always find the most shirts or jackets,” these are a sought item, “you can wear an ugly outfit or not put a lot of effort, and it[a jacket]will just make look better.”

The next step is keeping an open mind. Because thrift stores contain a morass of miscellany, it’s difficult to find specific things. Both Ressi and Jittipun stress the importance of imagination. “Go through everything,” Ressi says. “Things might be cuter, they might have a better cut than you thought they did, you just need to actually look at it.” Having the ability to see potential in an item is integral, “You can also have a vision for stuff, you can always fix things.” Jittipun confirms, “Anything that you think is slightly cute, just try it on and see how you feel because you never know if you’ll like it,” She says, “you might end up liking it even if you’re skeptical.”

hidden treasure who’s ed hardy?

Go through every item.“You have to look through it in detail because you never know what you can find,” Jittipun said.

Look out for vintage brands, and know them! On one particular trip, Jittipun struck gold: A vintage Ed Hardy bag. Ed Hardy is a brand popularized in the 2000s, known for clothing inspired by American-style tattoos. The bejeweled blue and purple bag, stitched with the words ‘Love forever spirit,’ hangs proudly in her room, “It just gives you a rush of happiness when you see something that’s so unique and couldn’t find anywhere else,” Jittipun says.

mind your p's and w's

Keep other shoppers in mind. If thrifting is not a necessity for you, try to avoid pricier items, Ressi says, “When I’m thrifting I try to avoid things like prom dresses and wedding dresses because people can’t afford that at full price sometimes.” Another example is winter essentials, “Little hypocritical right here but jackets too. I’ve only thrifted one jacket and I’m trying to keep it at that.” Ressi reiterates that being mindful is important.