We would like to offer you the confession of a girl who often buys things at second-hand stores and always looks stylish.
Unexpected things that interest children much more than toys
Meet Marina, 35 years old. Lives and works in Kyiv.
“I really love fashionable and stylish things, so going to these kinds of stores gives me great pleasure. As practice shows, you can really find first-class, branded outfits of good quality in second-hand stores. I don’t see anything wrong with visiting economy class stores from time to time. After all, all over the world people use second-hand goods. And many simply do not want to spend a lot of money on a wardrobe that will lose its relevance in a short period of time. I belong precisely to this category of people. I’ll be honest: not all of my things were bought at a second-hand store, but if I have a need to complement my image with a bright and stylish detail, then I’m happy to go there.”
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There are several rules that I use when choosing clothes at a second-hand store:
- Never expect that when you come to a second-hand store, you will immediately find what you need. It's like a lottery here.
- It’s better if you know specifically why you came. If you need a dress, then go to the department where they hang.
- If you are not comfortable with a sewing machine, then it is better not to take things that require alteration or adjustment to the figure. Believe me, it's not worth it.
- Personally, I don’t like going to a second-hand store when there are a huge number of people there (this happens on the first day of importing new things). Firstly: you will have to push around and you won’t have time to examine the purchase in detail. Secondly: huge queues in the fitting room. Thirdly: you can simply succumb to the “herd instinct” and take what you absolutely do not need.
- Always pay attention to the quality of the product, because that’s what you came for. Look at the seams, pay attention to how the thing looks as a whole.
- We can talk about color separately. As a rule, if a thing is of good quality, it will not fade over time. Fashion brands have taken care of the quality of the fabric. It is very difficult to find perfectly white things in a second-hand store, so it is better to buy white in a store.
Some people believe that you have to leave a second-hand store with a purchase - a big misconception. Low prices are not a reason to buy unnecessary things.
Buying things second-hand: the main advantages of second-hand shopping
Why do many shopaholics and fashionistas prefer to dress second-hand? Certainly not from poverty. There are many advantages of such shopping that many are not aware of. Let's list the main and most obvious ones.
- Second-hand stores are full of branded items. It just so happens that many Europeans hand over their items that they have worn a couple of times or have outgrown, and the item may be from the coolest brand. That's how you find a Tommy Hilfiger T-shirt or Adidas sneakers for a ridiculous amount of money.
- Cheap! Of course, the price for such things is many times lower. Yes, things can be worn, but often this even gives them a special charm. Why pay more if you can spend minimal money on clothes and spend the money saved on something useful and pleasant?
- Quality. Thrift stores have really high-quality items that you can wear for years. The same cannot be said about clothes from most of our simple stores and shopping centers: T-shirts quickly wash out, jeans lose their shape, shoes wear out over the course of a season. And second-hand items are wearable, durable and of really high quality.
- Unusual things. Very often, it is in a second-hand store that you can find a handbag, belt or jeans of a design that you cannot find in stores. There are some very original things here!
- Exclusivity. Every item here is in a single copy, and, quite possibly, no one in your entire city will have one like it!
Second is cheap, cheerful and sometimes it gives you real jackpots. In recent years, more and more people have become accustomed to shopping in such stores, and they are gradually no longer disdainful and shy away from them.
But not many people know that you need to look for “treasures” correctly, otherwise the search will lead to disappointment and wasted time.
Underwear
In this case, the stumbling block is not the quality of things, but personal hygiene. Of course, all clothes supplied to second-hand stores are subject to mandatory treatment with disinfectants, but no one can give you a complete guarantee, so it is better not to neglect your own health and comfort and refuse to buy used underwear.
How to buy at second-hand stores: all the life hacks and tips
Any shopping is an art, and second-hand shopping is also roulette. There is never a guarantee that you will get lucky and find a really cool thing.
So, here are the main and most valuable recommendations for those who have decided to master the art of second-hand shopping.
Have some free time
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/flea-market-doll-vintage-market-467729/
Ideally, choose a day off for your “hunt” when you don’t need to rush anywhere. Here you need free time and a special spirit of excitement, a desire to rummage through things and look for your treasure. You won’t be able to run in and grab something right away! So tune in and get ready.
Whether to go alone or with a friend – it’s all individual. Some people like to rummage through things on their own, others like to do it in a group. You decide.
Go to new deliveries
Choose a second-hand store where new deliveries of goods occur frequently. As a rule, now large stores make deliveries every week, and even on certain days. It is very comfortable. On the day of a new delivery, you can open a real “gold mine” and find things that everyone will be delighted with.
Buy what you like
Don't plan what exactly you need to buy: it's useless. If you urgently need jeans, be mentally prepared that you will probably buy a couple of dresses, a T-shirt and a fur vest.
The laws of “correct” shopping do not apply here: at a second-hand store you have to buy what you come across and like, and not what you need.
Sort through all products
Here, every thing is unique and inimitable, so it all depends on your luck and patience. Go through everything carefully, look at every little thing: perhaps your find is waiting for you in a pile of real trash.
Take a closer look at the accessories
Always pay attention to accessories, they can be simply unique in thrift stores. Sometimes you can even come across a handmade item that is completely exclusive! The main thing here is attentiveness. Check out bags, hats, belts and other small items. Surely there is something very interesting!
Search everywhere
Experienced second-hand shoppers have their favorite places, but first it’s better to really look in each department to understand the difference at a minimum. Almost every store has a section with newer and more expensive items - there you will find clothes at inflated prices (by second-hand standards), but in good condition.
But the most interesting things are usually hidden under rubble in ordinary departments. There may be things there that are not very intact, or with defects, but sometimes you can find a super stylish little thing among them!
be careful
How to shop at second-hand stores? Very carefully and scrupulously. A beautiful branded item may turn out to be wrinkled or even turned inside out, and you will not notice it. You need to keep your eyes open and not be lazy! But also carefully examine the item you like. It may end up in pellets, with holes and scuffs.
Be prepared to take without trying on
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/used-clothing-second-hand-2nd-hand-3779497/
Fitting rooms in such places are quite inconvenient, and there are often queues there. If you see that a T-shirt will suit you, but it costs a penny, take it without trying it on. For what? Experienced shopaholics don’t even try on jeans, but simply take a centimeter with them and measure their waist.
Well, if you’re trying on, then a lot: load a whole trolley with things and then go to the fitting room to do it once.
In general, second-hand shopping should be treated as an adventure. If you like a thing, take it immediately, without hesitation, because tomorrow it will no longer be here! Search boldly and actively, rummage through all the shelves and look into the department of things by weight, sometimes you come across real treasures there.
Buy bed linen
Don’t be afraid to buy bed linen, it’s really cheap, of excellent European quality and beautiful, just wash it thoroughly before use and rinse in your favorite conditioner. And, of course, don't forget about shoes!
How to buy things at a second-hand store to be in trend and not get infected with anything
Do you still refuse to visit second-hand stores because they are “inferior” stores? Times have changed, now people rush to the nearest flea market for a CHANEL handbag, not to the Central Department Store. This concept, which literally translates as “second hand,” came to us from England - from those times when kings rewarded their subjects for good service with items from their wardrobe. The one who received such a royal gift was called second hand.
A little later, in European countries, this phenomenon appeared again, although now wealthier people donated used clothes as humanitarian aid for the poor. In this way, two issues were resolved at once: helping the poor and “cleansing” unnecessary things from the wardrobe.
Very soon, resourceful citizens turned this into a business: they began to buy and resell clothes for a small price. Now this is a whole industry - many clothing collection points, sorting factories and processing and disinfection enterprises have appeared.
Don't confuse stock and second hand!
Stock stores sell remnants of collections from European stores. Usually, prices are not the lowest there and there is a wide range of sizes, while in second-hand stores each item is in a single copy.
In Russia, this trend took root for a long time and with difficulty. In the minds of our people, “second-hand” is heaps of dirty, used clothes with a specific smell. And such clothes will only fit as floor rags. We hasten to dispel these myths!
Dirty clothes. As we have already said, before sale, all items are sorted and thoroughly treated to remove viruses and parasites. They will even be able to provide you with a certificate of quality and disinfection if you ask. The smell that you feel when entering such a store is not the smell of worn items, but on the contrary, well-treated with a disinfectant. As a rule, the amber disappears after the first wash with a refreshing conditioner.
Only homeless people go to Apparently, you haven’t been to second-hand stores for a long time, so you haven’t yet run into crowds of teenagers who are hunting for “hype clothes” (branded clothing - editor's note). Do you know where all the fashionistas in your city hang out? On the porch of a popular thrift store on the day of delivery!
All the clothes in the store are used. This is also a well-known misconception, because very often things with labels end up on the shelves. Why do things end up in such stores? In addition to used clothes, people also donate items that they have never worn. Well, you don’t like a thing or simply go out of fashion, anything can happen.
Using simple calculations, we come to the conclusion that you should not avoid second-hand stores. There you can easily find things from famous brands, for example, Acne, Tommy Hilfiger, Max Mara, Tom Ford, The North Face, ZARA, H&M, Benneton, Puma, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Marks & Spencer or even CHANEL. Still think it's a shame to shop secondhand? Hmm, rather profitable. However, experienced buyers note that it is almost impossible to stumble upon items in the luxury segment: they are intercepted while on the road.
Branded items are distinguished by high quality and often excellent composition. Cashmere sweaters, wool coats or real denim pants are not uncommon there, you just need to know where and how to look.
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How to find a cool thing
In our country, there are two types of second-hand stores: chain stores (for example, Vo!va or MegaHand), where goods are presented in even rows, divided by type of clothing or even colors, and prices are fixed, and stores where goods are sold by weight. That is, for a kilogram of any things you pay a set N amount. It’s up to you to decide where to go on your first “brand hunt,” but rumor has it that in stores with the “by weight” system, more cool products go unnoticed because visitors are too lazy to carefully rummage through the mountain of clothes.
So, when going to the store, you should think about your wardrobe. It’s better if you wear some basic jeans and a T-shirt - this will make it much easier to select and combine things in the store, and you won’t buy a bunch of extra junk that only fits one thing in your wardrobe.
In order not to miss out on cool clothes, set aside a few hours of free time to go to a thrift store. It's a good idea to make a list of what you're looking for today, like a velvet top or new jeans. If you decide exactly what things you need, you are more likely to buy something of high quality and really necessary, and not just anything.
When is the best time to come to the store? The ideal time to visit is the morning of delivery. You can find out about the delivery date of fresh goods directly from the sellers. But be prepared for a large line of buyers, consisting of grannies (now we know where they go in the morning on minibuses), grown men and a bunch of teenagers. Sometimes such excitement resembles a scene from an American film during the Christmas sale!
In fact, you can end up in a second-hand store at any time, but there are fewer and fewer guarantees of finding a really good item. Although there are advantages to this: many stores over time make large markdowns on goods, even up to 90%.
When searching, don't limit yourself to just the women's department, look into both the men's and teenagers' departments. A man's wardrobe always consists of quality blouses, basic t-shirts or unisex sweatshirts. The teenage hall will also delight you with goods, especially for petite girls.
www.istockphoto.com
Choose a product taking into account the following criteria:
- attractive appearance or trendy item;
- composition - a cute polyester sweater will not warm you in winter, unlike the same cashmere one. In addition, the smell of disinfection can be removed the first time only from natural fabrics;
- brands - if you come across an expensive branded item, do not spare money on it and do not wait for a sale: it will be taken away before your need overcomes greed.
When you have a mountain of clothes, rush to the fitting room to try on yourself and inspect each item. Second-hand goods cannot be exchanged or returned, so it’s better to notice the defect in the store.
Another important point when choosing is to learn to see the potential in clothes. If you like the dress, but the length doesn’t suit you, you can always shorten it - give the dress a chance. By the way, this rule also applies to those who do handicrafts. In such stores you can easily find an inexpensive leather raincoat and use it for your design purposes. In second-hand stores you will find not only clothes, but also shoes and accessories, which are also disinfected and arrive at the store in suitable condition. The only question that remains is, is it possible to buy cosmetics in such places? Despite the fact that we often practice reselling cosmetics, as they say, from hand to hand, it is better not to buy them at second-hand stores: the hygiene of cosmetics there is usually lame, and God knows what may get into opened tubes during transportation. Do you want to save money on branded cosmetics or buy inexpensive ones at an even lower price? Search forums or sales sites like Avito to buy without intermediaries.
How to make money on second hand goods
The question that probably worries our readers to this day is where did such excitement around second-hand goods come from lately? Indeed, stores have existed for decades, but they have been “hyping” (from the English hype - a synonym for “hype”) only recently. The thing is that with the advent of social networks, and in particular Instagram, many resellers appeared on the Internet.
A reseller is a person who resells things. The scheme here is simple: inexpensive but cool clothes are bought at thrift stores at one price, and then sold online at a premium. Not only adult aunts and uncles, but also schoolchildren want to make money on resales. Let's be honest: today, not everyone likes to go shopping and look for that very jacket among a bunch of other clothes. And reviews of the work of resellers indicate that even with a markup, people are ready to take what they like.
To start earning income, you just need to create an account for your online store on Instagram or a VKontakte group and post your products. Sometimes the things in the photo look so presentable and stylish that there is no doubt - you have to take it! And even the most squeamish people already forget that “this thing was worn before me.”
ru.depositphotos.com
Nowadays, such online stores are found at every step, so in order to stand out from the “rag” mass, you have to resort to promotion methods: order advertising from bloggers, learn targeting, hold giveaways (roughly speaking, gift contests) and, of course, conduct a beautiful and informative account.
For those who don’t have time to go shopping, such accounts are a real salvation. But there is a special charm in finding a cool thing yourself among the mountains of ordinary rags. And as one famous blogger says: “Whoever digs deep, dresses fashionably.”
To summarize: dressing second-hand is not dangerous, there is no need to be afraid of infection, and buying things at exorbitant prices if they can be purchased at an unprecedented discount is simply stupid. Write in the comments how you feel about such stores?
Main photo: 1000sovetov.ru
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Down jackets
At this point, the emphasis is on down jackets, and not on all outerwear. The fact is that before entering the second-hand store, all goods are subject to heat treatment, which has an extremely negative effect on winter down jackets. After such exposure to high temperatures, the filler in them becomes lumpy, the item loses its shape and no longer has its original warming functions, which means it is not worth even a penny paid for it.
Some tips for choosing clothes in second-hand stores
If you want to have a successful shopping experience at a second-hand store, then listen to the following recommendations:
- Don’t be fooled by the low cost of the product, buy only those things that you need, otherwise your closet will add clothes that you will never wear;
- Visit stockists regularly, this will significantly increase the likelihood of finding a high-quality and new item for almost nothing;
- Don't buy clothes with defects. Even if you find the dress of your dreams or almost never worn jeans from a famous brand that have a small hole or fraying, then most likely this defect will not be corrected, and such a purchase will be a waste of money.
Shoes
First, the chances of you finding a new, unworn pair of shoes at a thrift store are virtually zero. Therefore, if you are considering buying already worn shoes or boots, then know that there is a huge risk that the shoes have already managed to adapt to someone else’s feet, and you will simply be uncomfortable wearing them. In addition, it is much more difficult to disinfect shoes than clothes, so there is a chance of contracting fungus and other diseases.
Madonna, Sharon Stone: which other stars dress second-hand?
Reasonable consumption is an undoubted global trend in recent years. Today, together with the online second-hand store Bramble,
we will tell you about famous people for whom second-hand stores have become a real find and an important shopping destination. Today we introduce you to 7 beautiful women, free from prejudice, who often prefer things “from someone else’s shoulder” and believe that the best elements of their wardrobe were found on second-hand shelves.
Madonna
Unexpected, right? Indeed, the pop diva periodically arranges a walk through local second-hand stores and, according to the singer, most often it goes very well.
Madonna has a few favorite second-hand stores in mind where you can buy unusual branded clothing. In addition to the fact that she gets things much cheaper than in a boutique, Madonna primarily chooses second-hand for its exclusivity: the uniqueness of things, rare and no longer available collections.
The singer herself is not against selling her things that she no longer uses, because for someone it will be a real discovery. Thus, at the auction, which was dedicated to rock and roll stars, a significant number of items from Madonna’s collection were sold for a large sum.
Sharon Stone
The heroine of “Casino” is also a devoted fan of branded second-hand stores. They say that the actress’s main weakness is cashmere sweaters, which she cannot resist, so she buys them in several styles, colors and sizes. Of course, Sharon goes to thrift stores for sweaters like these. Where else can you find something that combines both quality and an idea that you won’t find in any mass market store.
Avril lavigne
Let's remember the real star of the scene of the last decade, who conquered the hit parades, the pink-haired singer with a unique style - Avril Lavigne. Does everyone remember those famous black distressed jeans? Avril revealed a secret: she actively buys things at second-hand stores, which allows her to create unique images and be different from everyone else.
The artist looks for grunge style, things with a “time effect” and simply unusual things there. By the way, Avril even created her clothing collection in 2008 in the price range from 20 to 50 dollars, so that absolutely everyone could afford a special style and at the same time quality. Now Avril is 34 years old, but she still remains a regular visitor to branded second-hand stores and often updates her wardrobe there.
Winona Ryder
The famous actress and producer is also partial to shopping at second-hand stores. Winona prefers stylish and high-quality, but at the same time inexpensive branded clothing, which she easily finds in branded consignment stores.
The actress is sure that there you can find a branded item from your favorite designer that will be no worse than his latest collection. Moreover, Winona admitted that she once appeared at the Oscars ceremony in a dress from her favorite designer, which she bought at a thrift store for only $100.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore loves thrift shopping, so much so that in 2010 she wore a dress purchased from an online thrift store to the red carpet. Drew wowed everyone with her look, pairing a vintage Janine dress with YSL shoes. Imagine the amazement of the glossy magazines when they learned that the dress was bought for only... 50 dollars.
Zooey Deschanel
The star of the TV series “New Girl,” as well as a singer and composer, Zoe has repeatedly declared her love for second-hand items. Zoe loves quality designer items, but her unique style is key. Previously, in search of exclusive items, she had to spend a lot of time in offline thrift stores, but now Zoe buys things in services such as Vestiaire Collective, ThredUp and The Real Real.
Lara Spencer
Good Morning America host Lara Spencer is no stranger to thrift stores. Lara herself considers herself to be a person who promotes reasonable consumption and conscious choice.
The presenter’s favorite pastime is to look for unique and interesting bags from her favorite designers that cannot be found on store shelves. So, according to Lara, you can become a real owner of your own style and not worry about the fact that on the street you will meet at least 5 people with the same bag. And in general, the presenter even published a book called “I am for sales.” For all shopaholics - a must read.
At Bramble you can find unique designer items at prices significantly lower than in store. Be it bags, shoes, accessories or clothing.
