By Clinton Duncan

Getting the ‘Champagne’ look on a ‘Lemonade’ budget

SO, TODAY we’re going to talk about one of my favourite things: thrift stores. I consider myself a true patron of the thrift; a master connoisseur of the bargain. I didn’t really set out to become such a person, but when I realised that it was going to cost me thousands of dollars to dress the way I envisioned myself and coupled that with my student budget, I was caught between a place of “I can’t take a photo at this event because I want to wear this blazer two days from now” and figuring out whether or not “repeat wear” really is a sign of ownership, or just a lack of options, creativity and budget. Nonetheless, I decided to make the best of the situation. So, my exposition of thrifting began.

At first it was difficult because I could never find anything I thought was fashionable enough to match the budget I wanted to spend, or rather, the budget I had available to me. But, just like Dory in Finding Nemo I “Just kept swimming” and eventually got the hang of it. And now, my closet is full of an eclectic mix of vintage, authentically branded thrift store finds. How did I do it? Well, I learned from my mistakes and discovered a few tricks and tips along the way. And today, in the words of Oprah Winfrey “You get some tips, you get some tips, he gets some tips, EVERYBODY GETS SOME TIPS!”

1 – Closet – Before thrifting, I examine my closet to note what pieces I haven’t worn yet that I could potentially use as a base to build an entire outfit. I’ll take photos of some on my phone so that when I’m thrifting, I’ll be inspired to pick up a particular item to match the unworn piece — and finally wear it!
2 – Trends – I browse the sites of mainstream brands like Forever 21, H&M and Zara to see what these fast-fashion chains are selling and watch the latest international runway shows on youtube to give me an idea of the top trends to look for when I’m in the thrift store.

3 – Pack – Pack a goodie bag of necessary rations and emergency supplies like tissues, hand sanitiser and stain remover (to test spots) as well as snacks, water and a sports drink as thrifting is very exhausting.

4 – Try on – Wear the equivalent of a “catsuit” while thrifting so that you can try on clothing in the aisle without having to wait in line for a fitting room. I love wearing a vest, loose shorts and flip-flops when I thrift so that it’s easy to slip in and out of items if I want to try them on, and well, most thrift stores for some odd reason are usually hot and humid.

5 – Separate Piles – Always take a “time out” from thrifting to evaluate your goods based on initial gut reactions (yes, no, maybe). Put all of your “nos” back on the rack and decide which “maybes” are truly keepers! Also, to whittle down your purchases before hitting the cash register, ask yourself a few key questions to decide whether you’re making the best buying decisions for you: “Do I own similar pieces already?”, “Can I wear this immediately, or do I need to wait for a special event?” and “Is this something I’d actually wear or just wish I could wear?” Remember, honesty is the best policy — especially to your wallet!

6 – Inspect all angles – Give the surface level of each garment a serious eyeball for stains, tears, snags, pill balls, signs of damage or over-wear and to ensure the surface appliques are intact. Turn your piece inside out to examine its interior for lining tears or stains, loose threading along the hem, missing tags and other hard-to-see issues. Is your piece clean? Check pockets for tissues, dirt and grime. Whiff thrift shoes and hand-knitted pieces that tend to reek of musty odours. If the garment smells old or has any sort of smell, pass on it! It’s not worth taking the chance, even if you do have a bottle of Febreze at home, because, like really, ain’t nobody got time for that!

7 – Union Labels – Look for union tags that are marked by a scalloped circle with a threaded needle diagonally behind it. In the centre are the large letters ILGWU crossed with the smaller acronym AFL–CIO. Around the edge is printed “Int’l Ladies Garment Workers Union.” Note whether the piece has a “Made in USA” tag or as text printed on the tag stating where the piece was produced, for example “Boston, Mass.” or “Madison, Wisconsin.” Use google! If you spot a garment that says it’s from Moschino, snap a pic and use google-images and see if it pops up.

8 – Don’ts – Don’t buy makeup because expiration and best-used-by dates aren’t legally required on the bottles, so you’ll never know how old that makeup is! Don’t buy underwear … unless you really don’t mind (In which case, I’m judging you- hard! My personal tip is to buy it new -and cheap!- if you have to versus used and second hand at a thrift store).

AND FINALLY
9 – HAVE FUN! Buy pieces you wouldn’t normally but, the more unique it is the more versatile it is because if it isn’t something that belongs nowhere then it belongs anywhere. So, buy those pieces, the ones that will make a memory when you wear them.
Until next time!