In honor of Earth Day, enjoy HawkEye’s guide to thrifting and vintage shopping.

Thrifting and vintage shopping is not only good for the environment but also for your closet. Every item in a thrift store or vintage store can be distinct and special. Vintage shopping is awesome, but it can be daunting. Not everyone knows how to thrift. Not everyone knows where to start. Don’t worry we got your back here’s the top tips you should know before your first thrifting trip.

1. Know your Aesthetic and what era you like the most:

Like what was said before shopping secondhand can be daunting. To make the process easier, we have to know what to

shop for. When you think of vintage or thrifting, what decades come to your mind? Is it the 80s, 60s, 40s, or maybe even the Victorian era? You have to know what era is suited for your style. Are you a 90s or y2k lover or do you like more hippie and boho vibes? You may also like the 80s and is a Stranger Things fan and like the clothes that they are wearing in the show, or you are probably a Harry Potter fan and want to dress like you’re in a Victorian boarding school. Looking on Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok can be a great help for finding your aesthetic and the decade you admire the most. Your style is unique and knowing what your aesthetic is will defiantly help your shopping experience way easier.

2. Know the difference between thrifting and vintage shopping:

It’s a big difference between thrifting and vintage shopping. Knowing the difference will help you find your style and what you’re looking for more easily. Thrift stores are more suitable for someone in search of clothes from more recent decades (1970s-present-day) whereas, vintage shopping is more suitable for some shopping for items of the past eras (the 1900s-1960s). There are different shops suited for this, places like Goodwill and Salvation Army are great places for thrifting. Vintage stores are a little harder to find since vintage stores are typically local businesses, but that’s what the internet is for. With a quick look on Google of vintage stores in your area, you’ll find a store just right for you.

3. Look in all sections

Now that we got our decade and aesthetic we can now get into the stores and when I say get into the store, I mean GET INTO THE STORE. Look up and down. Look left and right and left and right again. Look in every aisle, size, and gender too. For instance, as I’m typing this, I’m wearing a shirt from the Male section, anyone who likes a more oversized look definitely get a kick out of this. You may also find great room decor, as well.

4. Choose the right location

The next tip is a little interesting and maybe a little sneaky. Rather you live again a busy city or suburban area this tip will work beautifully. On your trusted internet browser, look up your favorite house-hunting site, like Zillow, or just look up expensive stores and restaurants in your area. I know it sounds crazy but hear me out. Once you’re on these house hunting websites of your choice, search for high-priced homes and the area where they’re located. Google the area where these places are. Vintage and secondhand stores get donated to all the time. People who live in these high-priced areas donate to thrift and vintage stores. These are great tips for anyone looking for second-hand designer items
Places, where there’s lots of cultural value, are great places too. Like Time Square, Georgetown dc, or Burbank, Cl. There are a lot of vintage stores with collectors’ items.

5. Shop vintage online

And if you’re more of a homebody and hate shopping. Online vintage and second-hand stores are for you. Anything you find in store you can find online. There are many different stores for vintage and thrift shopping. I recommend Depop and Macari for people who looking for the late 70s to late 2000s fashion. Stores like eBay and Etsy are gems for people who are shopping for eras like the 50s or early 70s, you may even find items from the Victorian era.

6. Be specific with search words

You know what your aesthetic is and what decades you want. You know where to shop. Now it’s time to get specific. I know I said search every section earlier, which is great, but this is online shopping. It can be a pain when you’re judging an item’s size from a picture or searching for an era and then seeing results for hundreds of different items. Being specific with what you want to buy is how you get what you want. Use keywords to find what you want. Are you looking for trousers or dresses? What’s the price you’re looking for? What year era? Typing specific keywords will help you find what you’re looking for much faster

8. Shop the sales

I know some of these items can get a little pricey, especially for college students like us. That is why we have the Holiday sales. Secondhand items are generally affordable but if you’re a vintage shopper or looking for high-end items, it’ll definitely set you back. So, look for the sales, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or holiday sales. So, mark your calendar. Set your phone and stay alert.