
Cheap but Chic’s Guide to Thrifting
Hi everyone! My name is Tabitha from Cheap but Chic, and I was excited to be asked by Lisa to stop through and give you a few of the guidelines that I follow when I thrift. Thirfting gives me an adrenaline rush because I love the challenge of finding unique items that no one has and turning them into something amazing. Before you decide that you want to read on, please be advised: THRIFTING IS ADDICTING!!!! Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 😉
Take Your Time
Thrift Stores are a bit overwhelming to those that are new to this arena. They aren’t as clean as your typical department stores, the lighting isn’t as bright, and isn’t as organized as most stores that you’ve shopped at. When you walk into the store, glance around the store to see where everything is. Prepare yourself to be looking through a lot of items.
Be Open-Minded
Obviously, the thrift store is filled with stuff from your mother’s era, grandmother’s era, and even your great grandmother’s era. But they even have plenty of items that are current and even brand new. When looking through clothes, DO NOT look for name brands. Who cares?! Look at the article of clothing as a piece of art. Can you fit it into your style? Are you bold enough to wear it? Usually the pieces that I buy, no one would wear it, but many women love the idea that I actually would wear it. A lot of men and women are even surprised at how well my “strange” items look when I put them together in an outfit.
Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Katy Perry have really opened doors for people to express themselves through fashion. Don’t worry about what another person has to say about what you wear. Ignore the stares and snares. More than likely, you’ll get more compliments than negative remarks about your style. Trust me. I do!
Be Creative
When you see something that you like, but it may have too much pizazz or maybe not have enough, try to imagine recreating it. Jean jackets for instance; you can add fabric, cut off the sleeves, or add some studs. Another example is pants; cut them and make your own distressed shorts. Add some studs and they’ll look like you bought them for much more than what you really paid for them. If a pair of pants or a skirt is too long, get them hemmed.
Basically, get creative and make the item more interesting. You’ll have fun doing it and trust me, people will ask where you got it from or how did you do that?
Stay Away from Heavily Stained Items
Although there may be stains on some items that you find, take a look at it closely. Can the stain be removed? Stains are gross anyway, but if you really like the item, invest in a great stain remover (my favorite is Resolve) and try to remove it that way. You can maybe dye the item an entirely different color to mask the stain. If all of this is too much for you, stay away from it.
Don’t Always Shop Your Size

Look for the CLEARANCE
I know what you’re saying in your head, “What!? The thrift store has a clearance section?” The answer is YES! Ask the cashier where it is and head on over for your biggest savings. You never know what they may have in that section. There may be some hidden gems, so don’t forget to take a gander.
MUST SEE in Thrift Stores
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Pic of me in a thrifted outfit |
If the thrift store is a new environment for you, and you have no clue what to look for when you go into one, here are a few of my “must see” areas in every thrift store. You are sure to find something if you visit these areas:
Have fun! Bring your friends along and make it a challenge for everyone. Clothing doesn’t have to be expensive to have the best quality. The best feeling is walking around town looking like a million dollars when in reality, your outfit was only a few bucks. But ofcourse, no one would ever know right. Visit me on my official blog, Facebook, and YouTube Channel. See you there!
Hey, Boo! My name is Lisa and you’ve stumbled upon my own little corner of the world. I’m a 30 something-year-old writer/mother/wife who happens to love lipstick, high heels, blackness, and the truth. You’ll find a mix of everything on this site, so I won’t bore you by trying to define this space. I hope you stay awhile!
I love Those kind of stores and i shop there often .. Really great posts i enjoyed Reading it:-)
http://www.fashionwithaprize.bloggersdelight.dk
Thanks for stopping by! Tabitha is an AMAZING thrifter! Be sure to check out her blog, too!
Great tips:) I’m following you now 🙂
http://anna-and-klaudia.blogspot.com/
Awesome! xoxo
thanks for posting this. i love to go thrift shopping as well and i get so exicted when i find something really nice for cheap, its like a rush of good feeling. hahaha. although i am afraid to look at the stuff that is out of my comfort zone, i just need to put that aside and go for it. thanks lisa and thank you tabitha!
Thaanks for stopping by! I’m still working on trying thrifting again. my first time wasn’t so hot, lol..but Tabitha is so creative and artistic that she can find almost anything and make it work. I swear she’s going to be the next Martha Stewart of DIY on the cheap! lol
Hello my dear,
Great post! You have lovely blog.
And we can follow each other via gfc and
social networks if you want 🙂
Kisses,
Nicole
http://www.nicoleta.me
Every time I go thrift store shopping, I never find anything I like! I only seem to find elastic-waist mom-jeans and stretched out sweaters! I’m always shocked when I someone tells me they find cute clothes at a thrift store-the cute clothes must hide every time I walk in. I’m going to follow your blog so that I can get some advanced tips! 🙂
Thanks, Leah. Tabitha is DEF the pro thrifter. I haven’t had much luck either..lol