‘We wear your grandad’s clothes’: Favorite thrifted, secondhand items
Mom jeans can easily be turned into high-waisted shorts, a summer staple.
In the last issue, we discussed some of our favorite local thrift stores and the charities that they support. However, having a great wardrobe full of thrifted clothes can often be overwhelming. Because thrifted items are usually more basic than trendy, coming up with modern outfits is a challenge. As regular patrons of thrift and secondhand stores, we are here to help.
While the prices at thrift stores can create the temptation to scoop up as many items as you can, the key is to stick to a few, favorite pieces that you can style with several different outfits.
A navy blazer is an example of a classic item that is available in all sizes in a thrift store. If you can’t find your size in the women’s department, a great alternative is trying either the men’s or boys’ sections. The men’s section will have plenty of options for an oversized, boyfriend fit, while the children’s department will provide a cropped, slimmer fitting option.
Navy blazers are found in abundance at thrift stores, which makes them an accessible piece to add into your own wardrobe.
Such a classic item can seem like a bland piece to base an outfit around. The key here is to throw on a navy blazer over an unexpected combination. The masculine piece goes great with a short, pleated scarf and a headband. All of the items that we’ve styled the navy blazer with are also easily found at thrift stores, but are classic enough to still be on trend this season.
A great trick to learn from thrifting is that, with a little handiwork, it is possible to take a rather unstylish item and make it fit into any wardrobe. This trick comes with a warning label, however – only buy something to alter/tailor if you have the skills and time to actually do it.
One age-old popular DIY project is the cut-off denim short. The denim shorts pictured in this article were once a rather unfortunate looking pair of “mom jeans.” One dollar, a pair of scissors and 20 minutes later, they were transformed into a pair of on-trend, high-waisted shorts. Similar shorts often sell in retail stores for around $30.
When you’ve thrifted enough, entire outfits can be based on the treasures you’ve found.
After becoming acquainted with the thrifting scene and it becomes a habit, you may find yourself wearing outfits completely comprised of your treasures. The cat sweater, navy shift dress, patent waist belt and tan shoes pictured in this article cost a grand total of $7, and all the items were found in local thrift shops. Thrifted items collected over time can often come together as everyday outfits that are completely unique.
We believe that thrift shopping can positively influence any wardrobe. You may find your basic items by thrifting and build around them, find inexpensive items and alter them to have something completely unique or you may even find your entire style becomes inspired by your one-of-a-kind thrifting finds.
These are just some of our own favorite thrifted pieces and how we style them. Do you have a favorite thrifted clothing item? How do you wear it? Tell us by commenting on this article on “The Highland Echo” website or Pinterest.