Hannahlaneblogs

A majority of my wardrobe is thrifted. 75% might even be generous, 80-90% of my outfits are thrifted. Headwear all the way down to shoes- I have thrifted it all! My favorite thing to say when someone asks about an article of clothing I am wearing is that it is thrifted. Thrifting an amazing outfit is such a gratifying feeling.

Becoming a successful thrifter can require lots of patience and many failed trips. Every single trip can be different and can be different among people. While one person will strike gold at one Goodwill, someone else may find nothing but succeed at another thrift down the road. Thrifting also requires patience sifting through item after item in an aisle and across the store. Some of the best pieces are hiding in plain sight! Another challenge of thrifting can be disorganization across stores. Women’s items may be in the men’s aisles or items may be sorted by color not size. That is the fun in the journey!! Explore everything, don’t lose patience or give up!

Lilly Pulitzer thrifted dress

Every member of my family is committed to thrifting and enjoys the adventure of a thrift event! We have traveled to different states and across Massachusetts for the sole purpose of unlocking a new thrift. The Goodwill Bins are a unique and scrappy experience. Items that haven’t sold or haven’t been sifted through yet go into giant rolling bins that fill up a warehouse building. Shoppers must wait behind tapped lines and are instructed by employees to “go” at which point chaos ensues and shoppers run towards bins and rummage through all of the items. Although the experience can be for lack of a better term a bit gross, combative, and chaotic I have had some amazing thrift finds from the bins. Some of my best items from the bins include an authentic Longchamp bag, Brandy Melville joggers, Lululemon sports bras, one of my favorite bikinis, and light blue Nike Air Max sneakers. 

As for regular thrifts and Goodwills my favorites are the Goodwill on Comm Ave in Boston, Goodwill Worcester and  Local Colors Resale Boutique in Orleans. Honestly, some days when I am thrifting I feel like I need to “warm up” meaning that it takes me ten to fifteen minutes to get in the mindset to thrift and hunt for good items. Some of my favorite regularly thrifted items include Lilly Pulitzer dresses, Free People Jean shorts, Zara bodysuits, an Abercrombie striped sweater, American Eagle jeans, and my current favorite sunglasses. Again, a majority of my outfits or parts of my outfit every day are thrifted. The only items I pay full price for now are “luxury” or more expensive items that I really want or struggle to find thrifting. My sorority recruitment dresses were ordered online, most of my black leggings and flares were purchased from LuluLemon or Aerie, and my favorite Tory Burch shoes were a Christmas gift! As for jewelry, I have thrifted a few pairs of earrings, but often my jewelry is purchased or gifted. My current jewelry that I am wearing is from Pura Vida, Caitlyn Minimalist, Northern Nautical, Cape Cod, Claddagh, or from Jack. 

Church thrift stores are also gold mines and shouldn’t be counted out! Many local or small churches have small thrift stores. Two of our favorite church thrifts are on the Cape- Saint Joan of Arc (Orleans) and the Provincetown United Methodist Church Thrift (P-Town). They often have cheaper prices, rare and unique items, and lots of household items, books, decorations, and jewelry. We have purchased some of our favorite mugs, household decorations, my favorite Free People light green flowy top, dog accessories, and books from Church thrift stores. A lot of upscale items often end up being donated by local residents and are sold for prices cheaper than Goodwill.

Another Lilly Pulitzer thrifted dress

The bottom line is thrifting can sometimes be grimy, a grind, and sometimes a shocking experience. Some of the clientele you experience, items you find (yes sometimes the thrift is NOT where the heat is as the meme goes), or bad trips you have may not be perfect or may deter you from thrifting again. However it is a patience game and it is truly worth continuing to try again and again, time and time again! Thrifting is also amazing for the environment because it helps eliminate the poor effects on fast fashion and the textile industry. Since it is another form of recycling it prevents so many items from filling up landfills and polluting our air and water. So before you go to toss your clothes or books away, consider donating them to your local Goodwill or church if they participate in receiving donations. One man’s trash truly is one man’s treasure!!! 

Xoxo,

Hannahlane