I love thrifting. Buying good quality clothes at discounted prices, sign me up. I feel just like Macklemore in his "Thrift Store" video when I find something great- I too be popping tags. I have been thrifting since before it became a "thing", almost ashamed of being caught at a second hand store. But, times have definitely changed and mother has bills.
I mostly thrift for my kids because they grow out of their clothes at such an exponential rate. It's even better when you shop at a consignment store that will buy back your old clothes and give you a store credit (or cash). Last school year I was able to buy both my kids 3 outfits each and I only had to come out of my pocket about $20.
I thrift for myself whenever I need a particular clothing item to complete a look. For instance, my church choir doesn't wear robes so we choose a different uniform that we will wear each time we sing. I don't always have the complete look hanging in my closet, so for those items, thriftying becomes my best friend. Just in the last couple months I have had to obtain the following items: a bow tie, a blue dress, khaki pants, a purple top and a blue blazer. I don't think I paid over $3 for any of those items.
The only thing about thrifting is that you have to have time to shop. Whether the clothes are hung up or in a bin, you have to take your time to find want you want, and they may not even have your size. And speaking of size, you have to be realistic about your needs. If you wear a 12- buy a 12, or maybe even a 14 because these are gently used clothes and they have been washed and possibly shrunken. And depending on the stores' policy, you just may be stuck with the item. I bought a pain of silky pants that claimed to be a size above mine and I thought I would be able to turn them into harem pants. My thighs however, didn't cooperate so they are now pajama bottoms.
So, here are my top 3 thrift stores in the Southeastern Michigan area:
1. Once Upon a Child (multiple locations- Nation Wide)- They carry clothes, shoes, toys, books and equipment for kids from newborn to size 10 in boys. They are also a consignment store and buy gently used clothes. They are very choosy with what they except- no off brands, faded clothes, holes, etc.
2. Value World (multiple locations- Nation Wide)- Carrying kids, women and men's clothing, household goods, toys, accessories and shoes, the stores are huge and you can get a whole outfit for about $10- $15. But, buyer beware, look for missing buttons, undone hems and the like as their clothes are donated.
3. Thrift on the Ave- This resale/ consignment store is so classy and cute, located in the Midtown area in Detroit. I found them on Instagram and was hooked after I went to a clothing swap they hosted a couple months ago.
Thrift stores I have yet to enjoy:
1. Goodwill (multiple locations- Nation Wide)- I've heard good things about Goodwill (especially the one in Dearborn), so I can't wait until I can get my cardio on and get some great finds. Goodwill Industries has been around for a long time and has done a lot for our communities.
2. Hips (2 locations in Michigan)- Geared for the plus sized woman, I pass by Hips everyday on my morning commute and want to see what kind of clothes they have.
3. Whoo U R Upscale Resale For a Cause- Located in Rochester, I found this store during an Internet search and they seem to have a lot of high quality merchandise. I just hope the high quality product doesn't equal high price. I'll let you know, though as I plan to hit up each one before the summer's out.
Where's your favorite place for resale? If you need help finding a resale store in your area, you should check out thethriftshopper.com. Let me know if you discover some good finds.
Forever loving my B.A.D.D. kids,
Rhonda
