Shopping Tips To Live By: From A Self-Taught, Lifelong Thrifter

So I’m going to get some facts about me out of the way first: I was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico; i migrated with my mother to Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood in 1995. Shortly after, we moved to the Pilsen neighborhood, where we planted our feet and decided to grow.

As far as I can remember, I’ve always loved clothes; however, shopping was a luxury we didn’t always have. La Segunda, a thrift store on 18th street, was my heaven, even at the tender age of 6. My love for clothing, and thrifting specifically, grew and grew as the time went on. I’ve been collecting vintage clothing since I was as young as 13 years old; I started in 7th grade when I found a pair of tap dancing shoes that I couldn’t afford. I still think about those shoes to this day.

I am 25 years old today, and as I sit in this coffee shop, I look at the streets I've walked in search of clothes I love — and I’m so excited to tell y’all how I have been working on doing this successfully for 10 years.

I go to La Segunda at least twice during the week. I don’t enjoy going on weekends, as I am the queen of picking the defective shopping cart and discovering it can’t turn left until I’m maneuvering through the big crowd of people. So, my usual go-to thrift days are the slowest ones: Tuesday and Wednesday. You could say I’m missing out by not going on Mondays for the half-off specials, but here's my thing: I don’t do Unique (the prices are too high), and I especially do not do Salvation Army, as it has a long history of being anti-LGBTQ. So what's left? Village Discount. Village Discount has never let me down, from earrings to household items, jeans, I’ve gotten it all at Village. But there's no “best thrift store you go to,” ever. I often get asked if there is, and I always reply with the same answer, “the one I choose to go to that day.” The beauty of thrift stores is that they’re all different, every single time. But for anyone that has ever wondered, I have some tips that I’ve learned to live by:

THE SHOE SECTION

So, what's the first section I first go to when I arrive at the thrift store? THE SHOES. Vintage pumps are very comfortable, and there’s usually some hidden designer in the piles. We have to know what we’re looking for, always. Shoes made in Italy are always good. The heels on vintage pumps are my favorite; they tend to be thick and short, so they won’t hurt even after walking in them for hours. I’ve also had a lot of luck with comfortable strappy sandals. 90’s inspired, strappy sandals specifically have become a lot more popular, so they’re likely to be everywhere this summer. Why pay $30+ for a pair of beautiful, comfortable summer shoes when you can go to the thrift store and pay $8 for almost the exact same pair?

If you're not into using someone else's shoes, which is totally ok, I’ll be linking some of my favorite shoe designers at the end!

THE TWO-PIECE/SET SECTION

What I see as one of the biggest mistakes people tend to make when thrifting is overlooking the “two-piece” sections. I have found some of the most amazing pieces here. Don’t underestimate how amazing that plaid pant suit might look before trying it. Sometimes, we have to buy the set to get the amazing top, or vice versa. But don’t ever be scared to try a matching two piece!

THE CHECK LIST

By the end of a thrift store trip when I’m ready to make my way to the register, I have a specific check list for every item; it must pass all three checks in order to come home with me. And I am not an easy sway:

1.) Is it clean/washable? I don’t ever buy items I cannot wash and immediately wear

2.) Is it my size, or am I being hopeful? Be honest with yourself! I don’t care how amazing it is, there will always be something else I love equally.

3.) Is it in season?

If the answer to all my questions are yes, then it comes home. But before this, I make my last stop.

THE JEWELRY SECTION

Jewelry sections are usually attached to the register, so I always wait until the very end before making my way there. If you know me in real life, you know how much I love earrings and how many I own. This is my favorite part of every shopping trip.

Earrings are very important to me because they are all so unique. I never buy earrings at big stores: H&M, Target, etc. I want them to be one of a kind. The only other place I buy my earrings is from small, independent artists, from all over. I will link some of them at the end as well.

Everything I own, I want to be unique. I want to be able to say “Thanks! I got it at the thrift store!” I hold thrift stores close to my heart, and I’m sure a lot of y’all feel the same. A lot of us came from low income, immigrant families, so the thrift store was the only choice we had when it came to clothes and toys. We spent a lot of time between those racks, playing as our mothers tried to find the nicest piece for the best bargain. I will always hold these spaces close to my heart and they will always feel like a safe space.