Some people may find shopping therapeutic. An escape from their daily hustle. A way to detox. But, there are moments that we are just an impulsive buyer and sometimes it could hurt your purse. One of my to-gos shopping place is a thrift shop because if ever I see a good item and impulsively buy it, the guilt is lesser since it is way cheaper than in the mall.
Here are the 13 reasons why I love buying preloved stuff (you might also consider becoming one *wink*).
- Saves a lot of money
The number one reason why I love thrift shopping is that you try to get what you want without breaking the bank. I found a Zara white polo which I really really love to wear because its material is linen and I got it for PhP 50! It was a steal because I think that would cost me around PhP 700 above in the store.
2. Unique pieces
Looking for a retro, modern, minimalist outfit? The thrift shop gotchu! Let’s admit it, some stuff in the mall have lots of copy you’d sometimes end up getting a seatmate with the same outfit. There are a thousand unique items you can find in any big thrift stores and it is rare that someone might also be wearing that style.
3. Excitement of finding a treasure
Going to a thrift shop is like entering a mining site to find a gold. Several racks and shelves are places you’d want to explore. You might also enjoy digging in a pile of clothes. Regardless of brand, if you found an item that sparks joy, wouldn’t you consider it a treasure worth finding for?
4. Finding luxury item at a cheaper price
Are a fan of high end brands like Burberry, LV, Prada, Dior, Chanel? Or mid brands? We all know these pretty things will definitely hurt our savings. No worries. You can still enjoy these stuff at a lower cost. Go to your favorite thrift shop! Comment down if you experienced finding an authentic high brand you really liked in a thrift shop.
5. Bargaining challenge
I know. I know. Thrift shops offer cheaper stuff. Let me tell you a hack…some of these stores will allow you to bargain or get high discounts from the original price of the item you want. Just make sure to double check for flaws before you ask the seller.
6. Lots of old stuff (for those sucker for vintage items)
I am a sucker for vintage. Old style of clothes, watch and shoes should get out of my way if I am on a budget ‘cos I won’t hesitate to add them in my cart. If you’re like me who loves anything vintage, then let’s head on to a thrift store.
7. Shop til you drop
Thrift stores are so big you’ll literally drop your energy spending a hours finding good stuff. Aside from getting tired from shopping, the low price of the items would allow you to shop more stuff than when you do your shopping in the mall. So prepare your body and wallet. LOL.
8. The story behind the item
You know at this moment that I love anything vintage and it is because getting an old thing allows my mind to wander through time. For instance, I got a fully functional vintage watch produced 30 years ago; I had been imagining the story of the watch from the time it was bought by the original owner up to the time I acquired the item. Isn’t it interesting?
9. Quality stuff
I mentioned before that you have a chance to get a high end brands in a thrift store which are usually of high quality. But aside from the high end brands, there are also thousands high quality clothing there if you know how to spot one. There are a lot of cheap brand new goods in the market but have you considered the quality of those items?
10. Rare finds
Unique and luxury items are the things you could anticipate when you are going to do thrift shopping. There are brands that produce limited number of certain items and if you are lucky enough, you might be able to find these rare treasures. You might be one of the 20 people who have that kind of piece.
11. Unleashes your creativity
Because the thrift shop is a house for a lot of preloved items, you can do mix and match with all the pieces you found. With your creativity, you could get less than 10 nice and unique stuff to create a week or two of outfits.
12. You help people
You basically help the sales people and business owners of the thrift shop. I watched a documentary about some garment and textile industries that shows how people there are being exploited just to produce cheaper goods. And choosing preloved goods could be your little way to bring a message to those exploiting people for money from that industry.
13. Favorable to the environment
Thousands of clothes goes to landfill. To produce a t-shirt you will need gallons of water. These are just some facts about the possible impacts of fast fashion. Choose sustainable fashion instead. You are expressing yourself through your clothes without compromising the environment of the future generation.
Agriwanderist PH 