How to thrift: find good clothes secondhand
In this guide
Your friend always seems to come back from the thrift store with a perfect leather jacket or a wool coat for the price of lunch, while you walk out after an hour with nothing but tired arms. Thrifting is not luck. It is a set of habits: knowing what you are looking for, when to go, how to scan hundreds of hangers quickly, and what to check before you pay.
This guide walks through how to thrift from the first visit: planning, shopping the racks, inspecting and trying on, what can and cannot be fixed, how to clean thrift clothes and shoes, the unwritten rules of the store, and the honest downsides.
Before you go: a list, your sizes and good timing
The biggest thrifting mistake is going with no idea what you need. Look through your closet first and write a short list of real gaps, such as a wool overcoat, a pair of wide trousers or a plain white oxford shirt. Note your key measurements too, like waist, inseam and chest, because sizes in secondhand stores come from decades of different brands and eras, and older pieces in particular often run smaller than today's labels. Our guide to measuring yourself for clothes shows how, and a soft tape measure in your bag lets you check a waistband without the fitting room line.
Then choose the right stores and time. Large charity thrift stores have the most volume and lowest prices; consignment and buy sell trade shops are more selective and pricier; vintage shops pick their stock by hand and price it accordingly. Many stores restock on a set schedule and rotate colored sale tags each week, so the newest items and the best discounts both have a rhythm you can learn by asking staff. Shopping off season also helps, such as coats and cashmere in summer and linen in winter, and college towns fill with donations when students move out.
How to shop the racks quickly
Thrift racks are usually sorted by type and size, sometimes by color. Start with your size, but check the sections on either side and the other department too, because labels vary widely and many great pieces are simply misfiled; a men's wool sweater or oxford shirt can look wonderful on anyone. Do not read every tag. Run your hand along the rack and stop only at fabrics that feel good, such as wool, cashmere, silk, linen, heavy cotton, leather and good denim. Texture is faster than eyes, and quality fibers are what make thrifting worth it.
When something catches your attention, check the fiber content and care label, look at the color in natural light if you can, and put it in the cart without committing yet. Most regular thrifters grab generously, then edit hard at the end. It also helps to know the details that signal quality: thick, smooth seams, patterned fabric that matches at the seams, real horn or metal buttons, lined wool trousers and jackets, and heavy zippers. Our guide to cashmere explains how to recognize one of the best finds.
Inspect everything before you buy
Most thrift stores sell items as is, and many do not accept returns, so a thirty second inspection saves money. Check the underarms and collar for yellowing and sweat stains, hold knits up to the light to find moth holes, and look at the seams, hems and cuffs for fraying. Try every zipper and button, look at the crotch and inner thighs of trousers for wear, and check the lining of jackets. Small pills and a missing button are easy to fix; our guides to removing pilling and sewing a button cover both.
Smell matters too. Most mustiness and a faint closet smell wash out, but strong smoke and mildew can be stubborn, and a mold spot on a fabric that cannot be washed hot is often not worth the risk. For shoes, check that the soles are not cracked or worn through at the heel, that the insole is intact, and that both shoes are the same size. Leather that is dry but not cracked can usually be revived with cleaning and conditioner.
| Check | Look for | Usually fixable? |
|---|---|---|
| Underarms and collar | Yellowing, sweat stains, frayed collar edges | Light stains often; deep yellowing rarely |
| Knits | Moth holes against the light, pilling | Pilling yes; small holes with darning |
| Zippers and buttons | Working zipper, missing or cracked buttons | Buttons easily; zippers need a tailor |
| Seams and hems | Fraying, open seams, worn crotch | Open seams yes; worn through fabric no |
| Smell | Mustiness, smoke, mildew | Mustiness yes; strong smoke or mildew is hard |
| Shoes | Soles, heels, insoles, matching sizes | Insoles and heels yes; cracked leather no |
Try it on, and know what a tailor can fix
Always try things on, even when the size tag looks right. If the store has no fitting room, wear a thin, close fitting outfit so you can try jackets and knits over it in the aisle, and bring your tape measure for trousers. Look at the shoulders first on shirts, jackets and coats, because shoulders are the hardest and most expensive part to alter. If the shoulder seam sits at the edge of your shoulder, almost everything else can be adjusted.
Easy and affordable fixes include hemming trousers and sleeves, taking in a waist slightly, shortening a skirt and replacing buttons. Hard or costly fixes include resizing shoulders, making something much bigger, lengthening trousers without enough spare fabric and repairing worn leather. Our guides to hemming pants and how a suit should fit help you decide. A useful habit: if a piece needs more than one alteration, or you cannot picture three outfits with it, leave it for someone else.
How to wash and clean thrift clothes and shoes
Thrift stores generally do not wash donations before putting them out, so wash or clean everything before you wear it. Keep new finds in a closed bag until then rather than hanging them in your closet. For washable pieces, follow the care label, and if the fabric can take it, a loosely filled dryer on high heat for 30 minutes is enough to kill all life stages of bed bugs, according to Virginia Tech entomologists. Delicate wool, silk and structured jackets that cannot be tumbled hot should go to a dry cleaner or be steamed thoroughly.
To get the thrift store smell out of clothes, air the pieces outdoors in shade for a day, then wash with a normal dose of detergent; a soak with baking soda or a cup of white vinegar in the rinse helps with lingering odors. Never mix vinegar with chlorine bleach. Our guide to removing smells from clothes goes further. To clean thrift store shoes, remove and wash or replace the insoles, clean the uppers according to the material, and let them dry fully away from direct heat.
The unwritten rules of thrifting
Thrift stores are shared spaces with volunteers, staff and shoppers on tight budgets, so a few habits keep them pleasant. Hang back up anything you pull out, or hand it to the fitting room staff rather than leaving it on the floor. Do not hide items around the store to buy later, and do not fill a cart with pieces you do not intend to buy. Prices at charity stores are set to fund their work, so haggling is usually not appropriate there, although flea markets and some vintage sellers expect it.
Be thoughtful about what you take. Large and small sizes, children's clothes and warm winter coats are often scarce, and the people who depend on thrift stores need them most. If you resell, many shoppers think it is fair to leave basics for people who need them and to focus on true finds. And when you donate, give clothes in wearable, clean condition; our guide on where to donate clothes explains the options.
Why thrift, and the downsides
Young shoppers thrift for three main reasons: price, originality and waste. Well made older clothes often cost less than new fast fashion, no one else will be wearing the same piece, and each purchase keeps a garment in use. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimated that Americans generated 17 million tons of textile waste in 2018 and that landfills received 11.3 million tons of it, so every good piece that finds a second owner matters a little.
The downsides are real. Thrifting takes time and patience, sizes are unpredictable, most sales are final, and the best stores in popular neighborhoods get picked over quickly. There is also a debate about whether heavy buying by wealthier shoppers and resellers raises prices for people who rely on thrift stores. The best answer is to thrift the way this guide suggests: with a list, buying only what you will wear often.
Common mistakes
Buying it because it is cheap
A low price makes almost anything tempting. If it does not fit, does not go with what you own or needs several repairs, it will sit unworn. Ask whether you would buy it at full price.
Skipping the inspection
Most thrift sales are final. Check armpits, seams, zippers and holes in the light before you pay, not at home.
Wearing it before washing
Thrift stock is generally not cleaned before sale. Keep new finds bagged and wash or dry clean them before they meet the rest of your closet.
Questions people ask
How do I start thrifting?
Start with one large charity thrift store and a short list of two or three things you need. Go on a weekday morning, give yourself an hour, shop by fabric rather than tags and try everything on.
What are the unwritten rules of thrifting?
Put back what you pull out, do not hide items to buy later, do not haggle at charity stores, be kind to staff and volunteers, and leave scarce basics like winter coats and hard to find sizes for people who need them.
Why does Gen Z like thrifting?
Thrifting is cheaper than buying new, it gives a look no one else has, it fits the love of vintage styles like Y2K and 90s fashion, and it keeps clothes out of landfill. For many young people it is also a fun social outing.
What is a major downside to thrifting?
It takes time, sizes are inconsistent and sales are usually final, so it is easy to waste an afternoon or buy something that does not fit. Planning and careful inspection reduce both problems.
Should I wash thrift store clothes before wearing them?
Yes. Donations are generally not cleaned before they go on sale. Wash per the care label, use a hot dryer where the fabric allows, and dry clean or steam delicate pieces.
Sources and further reading
References used for this guide. Each opens the original page in a new tab.
- How to thrift like a pro, MIT Office of Graduate Education Opens in a new tab
- Using heat to kill bed bugs, Dini M. Miller, Virginia Tech, via Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Opens in a new tab
- Textiles: material specific data, US Environmental Protection Agency Opens in a new tab
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