Secondhand Shopping Rules Everyone Should Know

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Today I'm sharing secondhand shopping tips that nobody tells you but that everyone should know!

Ciao everyone! Today I'm talking about easy and timeless summer outfit formulas everyone can copy. These summer outfit ideas feature a lot of summer wardrobe essentials and styling tips to elevate any look. Let me know which look is your favourite in the comments!

On this channel, I share #slowfashion​​​​​ and #sustainablefashion​​​​​ tips that center around how to shop your closet, and restyling pieces you already own. I also spotlight brands that I believe in every now and then. I believe in #creativityoverconsumption​​​​​, and that we all have the power to be conscious consumers.

Slow fashion looks different for everyone, and I'm so grateful you share this space with me!

Alyssa
xx

✨MY CONSCIOUS EARRINGS: (Co-designed with Ana Luisa):

✨FIND ME:

✨WATCH NEXT:
CHANGE YOUR STYLE WITHOUT SHOPPING: FRENCH & ITALIAN STYLE

THE ONE STYLE HABIT EVERY STYLISH PERSON USES:

✨FAVOURITE THINGS & DISCOUNT CODES:
MY CONSCIOUS NECKLACE! (Co-designed with Ana Luisa):

[lisinbondi]

As a drycleaner I would like you to all be extremely careful about assuming stains and marks will come out because there is a very very high probability that they won't.Second hand clothes are sold clean so if a mark is there it has been through that process and possibly also been there a long time and oxidised. We had many customers get upset when told this and we are EXTREMELY good and knowledgable about what works. If it is linen or cotton and white, then yes - bleach (unless it was turmeric, then only a pair of scissors will remove the stain)

[simplysuelou]

Been thrift shopping since I was a teenager. New Retail shops overwhelm me, but thrifting keeps me focused.
One thing I alway do when thrifting is to fully hang any item (usually a top) that has slipped off (usually from a careless customer). When I’m done with a rack it looks better than when I arrived, PLUS I believe it gives me good-thrifting karma because usually I find great items.
Thank you for your content and preaching mindful shopping no matter the platform.

[emilydinunzio]

Another big tip that I use a lot is shopping while wearing layers, and especially having a fitted base layer. In Toronto, a lot of the larger thrift shops got rid of their change rooms during COVID and added a return policy. While this gives you the option to try at home and then bring things back, my thrifting style is typically to pull a lot of items in the spirit of openmindedness and try them on to help me cull the contenders. Having on leggings and a tank or a tight romper is really helpful for trying things on when there isn't a fitting room available!

[catherinecarterartstudio]

As a long-time thrifting fanatic, online thrift shopping doesn't make sense to me. The whole joy of the experience is savoring the colors and textures of the racks of clothing, not to mention the ambience of the shop or being able to try the garments on right then and there. Staring at a computer screen doesn't provide that aesthetic pleasure. Am I the only one who feels this way?

[beatereese]

The overconsumption is really a trap of secondhand-shopping. Thanks for mentioning this point.

[deborahmichele]

Thank you so much for admitting that finding great pieces of clothing that look/fit wonderfully on you and are of high quality is actually a time consuming process! Even shopping new is time consuming if you're being particular and trying to make long lasting choices.

[jessicahavens]

I feel very fortunate that a local Goodwill seems to have at least one lady my exact same size who always donates designer clothes and shoes, so I’m always finding full outfits when I go in. That being said, it took a lot of hunting for me to find the right store. My advice is to also scout out the Goodwills, Miracle Hills, Salvation Army, or what ever chain of thrift stores is in your state, and make sure they are located in or very close to a wealthy part of town. It is amazing what those in the upper income bracket will toss in donation bins.

[lynnfox]

As a volunteer at a local charity/ thrift shop I would ask people to be realistic about the condition of items, shabby, washed up, torn, poor quality and those requiring lot of mending and should be bagged separately for rags. Make sure what you donate is clean- we don't have washing facilities so have to send anything dirty for rags whatever the label or value. Also carry out any small mending, volunteers often don't have the skills or time for mending. Finally, try to give seasonally appropriately as many shops don't have much space to store out of season stuff.

[toosense]

I have four Goodwill shops within 25 minutes of my house. I’ve purchased several designer items, including household items, but my favorite items to buy are winter clothes, merino wool and cashmere sweaters and coats. Earlier today I bought a really cool oversized black bomber jacket ($6.99) which is trending this fall/winter season. I truly appreciate the peoples that make these donations and I hope others appreciate my donations just the same. TFS!

[kimjohnson]

I thrift shop for the sheer fun of it. It's the only time I specifically look for designer names. If I find a hidden treasure, great! If I don't. I'll be back next week.

[katem]

I love second hand shopping, yes overconsumption is an issue. I have become much more strict in that area now. Best buy, Mulberry brand, beautiful black leather cross body bag in the softest buttery leather, in mint condition, $8 (Australian). I think it is actually a man bag but it is the absolute best for me being petite. I use it so much, cost per wear 0 😊 I priced it online and it's valued at over $500.00 second hand! What a find 🖤

[elizabetholson]

I love it and actually am quiet addicted. I find good stuff all the time. I have over the years found some unbelievable treasures. most of my home is second hand. If i take something home and it doesnt suit i just re donate. its the bomb.

[cinemaocd]

I loved the vinegar/baking soda tip. I hate that "thrift store" smell that is an amalgem of everyone's old detergent and mildew. The fit thing is so tricky sometimes. I really wanted a vintage wedding dress and I went to every antique/vintage store in town and tried on dozens of dresses. Nothing fit. Luckily one of the vintage sellers also made new dresses from vintage patterns and I hired her to make my dream dress. I think it's really important to develop a relationship with second hand stores and sellers online. I have done this over the years and people appreciate it and look things out for me and hold them, they give me discounts or shipping deals. I think it's definitely mutually beneficial because when I find something great and get complements I always tell people where I got it and tag the sellers if I wear them on insta.

[marylhere]

I found a DKNY black velvet dress with buttons up the front hanging in a tree at a garage sale. $4. Have had that dress/coat for more than ten years. It’s one of the few pieces I own that I have professionally cleaned.

[jessmcg]

I sell vintage clothes online and will very occasionally get a comment about why I'm charging so much for "used clothes". So thank you so much for pointing out the difference between curated vintage shops and thrift shops. I usually respond with "If you've ever gone thrifting, imagine the time it takes for you to just happen upon an actual vintage item. Imagine the time I've spend stocking a whole shop of those." (Not to mention the time cleaning, repairing, steaming, photographing, posting online...)

[prosie]

I have a rule to try on one thing that I think I won’t like or wouldn’t normally grab. I have often been surprised that the item becomes a favorite. I do try to be very selective because it’s easy to come home with items due to price that don’t work. It’s a balancing act for sure!

[carlamorris]

Sound advice, Alyssa!
I’m a long-term fan of secondhand shopping. Finding the gem in among the clutter of things that don’t fit or suit me makes it more of a treasure hunt, but you need to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince. I try on lots of stuff but am prepared that it might look ghastly. The giggles at the misfits are part of the fun. As much as I can, I return clothing I try on to the racks myself because most op shops here are staffed by volunteers.
I have learned to check everything carefully for stains or tears, inside and out. If I am not confident I can repair or clean it, I don’t risk the purchase. I am a confident sewer, which helps, but I avoid buying anything that might be a ‘project’.
My main criteria: fabric quality, fit and whether I would still buy the item if it were new and full price.

[jeanwhite]

Alyssa, This was such a very excellent video. I am a senior 🇨🇦 lady who raised her family on thrift shopping almost exclusively. Our family of 6 learned very early( in utero) to appreciate twice loved clothes, toys, furnishings, vehicles. Our way of living thru necessity and therefore thru choice. Second hand shopping does take much more time, patience and ingenuity to capitalize on the not quite perfect or find a way to adapt and make it work. It’s part of the price you pay for the reduced $s. It is most often the way to better quality items even if they’ve been previously owned by someone else.
Thank you from this Canadian lady for naming the game in this type of shopping. It is also So So satisfying when you score something you’ve been looking for, fo some time. Makes one appreciate our things much more than being able to spend our labour in a retail outlet of first choice.

[zaidanewton]

You are SO right about over consumption in the Second Hand shopping world!! I caught myself headed down that road just a few years ago and luckily realized it fairly quickly. You can't simply ask yourself "Would I have ever paid full price for this?" Simply because it's a phenomenal once in a lifetime price...that's not a reason to purchase. Ending up with things you don't LOVE just because they were incredibly priced..over consumption. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and am always inspired by your content!

[janicevin]

All good points that I have discovered by experience as I have shopped 2nd hand way before it became a trend! My own main problem with 2nd hand shopping is really overconsumption and I realized that with the reflections, restrictions and self discovery brought by the pandemy!! and my main pet peave is the overpricing in 2nd hand big box store like Value Village! If one reason to shop 2nd hand is to deter us from slow fashion: don't sell cheap brands like H&M almost the same price as new! also overpricing means it goes back to the landfill as customers cannot afford it!