How to Find High-Quality Items at Thrift Stores and Consignment Shops

Do you love the thrill of discovering hidden gems in thrift stores and consignment shops? With a bit of strategy, you can find high-quality, stylish pieces that elevate your wardrobe without spending a fortune. Personally, I am slightly obsessed with the “hunt” of finding my next best deal. Knowing that I scored a designer item for pennies on the dollar brings me such joy!

Let’s explore my best tips for shopping secondhand like a pro.

Know What You’re Looking For

Always have a plan, especially if you’re new to thrift or consignment shopping. Otherwise, it can feel overwhelming. My plan is twofold: I’m usually looking for some classic wardrobe staples that I want to add to my wardrobe and/or I am looking for quality pieces.

What do I mean when I say quality? Feel the fabrics. I have discovered countless brands this way. You know when you touch something that it feels luxurious or it doesn’t And if it doesn’t, back it goes. I have a pretty extensive designer closet; however, very few of my purchases were full retail prices. I would estimate that 85% is all thrifted or consigned.

Focus on investment staples like handbags, cashmere, wool, leather and designer shoes (always look at the sole and check for creasing). One other thing I like to purchase if the price is right is LBDs (Little Black Dresses). You can never have too many of these, unless you rarely need one. In which case, you can bypass this.

Another great staple to look for is designer jeans.

Look for brands like:

• Paige
• Frame
• Mother
• Seven
• Alice + Olivia
• AG
• Citizens of Humanity

I do tend to spurge on denim when I cannot find them on consignment, but I typically wear denim a ton and so my cost per use over time decreases, making it a good investment for me, especially when I decide to consign my closet.

Learn to Spot Quality Fabrics and Materials

People probably think I am a nut when I am shopping because I touch and feel everything! Look for quality, natural fabrics like cashmere, silk and wool. These will become such staples for your closet for years to come. Don’t worry if you don’t know the brand; you can always tell quality by the feel. And sometimes higher end brands feel less luxurious and I pass. Fabric to me will always outweigh the label.

Pro tip: be sure to check care instructions before purchasing. No sense in purchasing something that has to be dry cleaned if that isn’t your thing. Personally, I only go to the dry cleaner 3-4 times a year. Usually after the season has ended. If i need to freshen something up, I toss it in the dryer on the lowest wetting with a dryer sheet for 30-60 seconds. It always works.

Check for Designer and High-End Brands

This is my absolute favorite part. And even if you don’t know all the designers yet, I am breaking down exactly which designers I look for when shopping consignment. And if you feel overwhelmed, bring a friend who knows or revert back to “feel the garments for quality,” which is 9 times out of 10 not going to steer you wrong.

Here are the brands I routinely look for. And don’t be afraid to ask someone in the shop if they carry these designers and/or currently have any inventory.

• Burberry
• St. John
• Alice + Olivia
• Veronica Beard
• Vince
• Tory Burch
• Kate Spade
• Frank & Eileen
• Gucci
• Prada
• Theory
• Rebecca Minkoff
• Diane Von Furstenberg
• Max Mara
• Ferragamo

Of course there are plenty more, but these are my favorite high end brands to search for. On occasion, I will find something from Chicos, J Crew or Talbot that I cannot pass up.

Shopping Online and Inspecting Items

Some of the online places I love to shop the above mentioned brands are The Real Real (not for handbags), Fashionphile and Vestiaire Collective. I have heard some reports that The Real Real has been sloppy on authenticating handbags. But I have bought several from Fashionphile and Vestiaire Collective who both stand behind their authentication policies. And did you know you can have any handbag authenticated online by providing details and photos? That is SUPER helpful and I always double check my purchases.

Shopping in person makes it way easier to feel quality and inspect items. However, I have bought things online that stated “like new” and it clearly wasn’t when it arrived and the company refunded my money, and that was with The Real Real. Don’t be afraid to shop online because you can’t inspect items. These three companies have never let me down when I have had a complaint.

Things to look for: are the zippers working? Any missing buttons? Are seams all in tact? Any stains, rips or tears? If you discover any of these, that isn’t to say I would pass on it, but I have to think about at what price will it cost to fix an item. I typically pass on stains and tears. But if the label is missing or a button that I know I can easily add is missing, I typically still make the purchase, assuming the price is really good then.

Be Patient and Persistent

I can’t tell you how many times I have shopped consignment only to come home empty handed. You may not win every time you go, but over time, you will find pieces that make sense to add to your wardrobe. I have a friend who says she never finds anything on consignment. BUT, she doesn’t shop routinely. I typically check out my local shops 1-2 times a month when I am in the area. So if I don’t find something on several trips, I am sure to find something eventually.

Pro tip: If shopping online, favorite your items to keep an eye on them if the price point is still a tad higher than you want to spend. I do this all the time.

By following these tips, you can master the art of thrift shopping and build a chic, high-quality wardrobe without breaking the bank. Ready to start your secondhand shopping journey? Head to your local thrift store or consignment shop and see what treasures you can find. And let us know in the comments where you like to shop or shops you have recently discovered.

Until next time,