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I recently posted why I think everyone should shop secondhand at least some of the time. To make that easier I’ve created this guide to show you how to use secondhand shopping to help create a curated wardrobe. As an added bonus, if you can master these skills for thrift shopping or consignment stores, you can use them when you’re shopping everywhere!

So how do we go about shopping secondhand? If you can remember Style (color, shape, details), Quality, Feel and Fit then you’re well on your way to being a pro secondhand shopper!

Style:

The first step in effective clothes shopping begins before you enter any store. Spend some time defining your style. What color palette is your wardrobe made up of? What shapes of clothing look good on you and embody the look you like? What aesthetic details give off the the vibe you’re looking for? As an example: Alexander Wang is all about monochromatic color schemes, drapey tees, skinny jeans, and minimalist detailing with pops of metal and leather.

Color Palette:

Starting your thrift store search by utilizing your wardrobe color palette is a great tool. When you’re presented with an overwhelming amount of items all jammed together the thing that is easiest to see is what color each item is. By doing this you don’t have to look at every item so you don’t end up wasting time on things that would never work in your wardrobe.

Shape:

Once you’ve selected an item in a color that works for you can decide whether that item fits into any of your silhouettes. My silhouettes include leggings with tunics or mini-dresses, boyfriend jeans with a loose top, and a peplum blouse with a wide leg pant. A long cardigan with a short top can look very odd where the same cardigan would go great with a tunic.Keeping this in mind will help you get the most out of your thrift shopping experience and your daily dressing.

Aesthetic Details:

Ask yourself if the details or lack of details fits the overall look you’re going for. Does it have zippers or an asymmetrical hem to fit your edgy look? Is it perfectly faded and torn to fit your grunge look? Does it have a peter pan collar or high waist to fit your proper look? Is it simple and unadorned to fit your minimalist look? If so, Great!

Quality:

You may think that having an item that fits your color scheme, one of your silhouettes, and your aesthetic would mean that you should try it on but before you even take it to the dressing room, do a quality control check. Examine the garment for any:

stains, tears, pinholes, seams that are coming apart, buttons that are missing, lining that is coming out, zippers that don’t zip, ornamentation that is falling off or missing pieces, etc.

If it has any flaws decide if it’s something you are capable of fixing or willing to pay to fix. For the most part if it is flawed it’s best to leave it behind.

Fit and Feel:

The last check before trying on the garment should be the way the fabric feels against your skin. If you don’t like the way it feels when you place the fabric against the inside of your wrist, you probably won’t like wearing it and you may want to put it back on the rack.

The final step is to try it on if at all possible. I like to wear a black tank top and leggings when I go thrifting so that I can try on clothes even if there is no fitting room. What are you looking for when you try it on?:

Is there any immediate discomfort associated with wearing it? If so it will only get worse as you wear it.

Does it highlight parts of your body that you’re not comfortable with? Then it probably won’t work for you.

Again, if either of these things are a yes, just put it back. If you ignore fit you’ll end up with a piece that looks great on a hanger but just takes up space in your wardrobe because you won’t like wearing it.

Now get a little more in depth with examining the fit:

The shoulder of a garment should fall on your actual shoulder.

The crotch should neither be digging in nor extra baggy.

Sleeves on a jacket shouldn’t go past your wrist.

The waistline should fall at your navel unless it is low rise or high rise.

Buttons on a top shouldn’t pull at all.

Pants hems should be just above the ground unless they are ankle pants or you will only wear them with heels.

The waist shouldn’t be baggy at all and it shouldn’t create a “muffin top”

A shirt should hit at your hip and not past the crotch.

A tunic should fall past your hips.

Consider these things when shopping. Some are deal breakers, there is no way to alter the fit in the crotch and it’s very expensive to alter a shoulder seam. On the other hand a pair of pants that are slightly too large in the waist can be taken in by a tailor and a dress that’s slightly too long can be hemmed.

If you’ve got an item on and it feels great and the fit is spot on, you’ll likely know it. You’ll suddenly feel like a million bucks and you won’t want to take it off. It will fit seamlessly into your existing wardrobe and make you happy every time you wear it. A garment like this can become one of the most well loved items in your wardrobe!

This guide may sound like a lot to remember but it will get easier the more you do it, eventually it will be second nature. You’ll be able to curate a perfectly personal wardrobe at a fraction of the time and cost if you can master these skills!