The Thrift Eye

Some people are born with it, some people can learn it and some just don’t have the attention span or even get overwhelmed. I’d classify the thrift eye as finding the diamond in the ruff, the needle in the haystack, a forgotten gem waiting for the right eye. This is something that takes time, practice and patiences. Sometimes if you’re not in the right mindset you can look past the treasures, that’s fine because not every trip will be a win but don’t let that discourage you.

We all know a thrift store can be overwhelming, the overpacked racks of clothes, the items thrown onto shelves, the people, but the easiest way to navigate is putting your headphones on, starting in one section and diving in. Thrifting is hard to do it with someone else, unless they understand how to move throughout the store on their own. So my best advice to getting into thrifting is to go alone, get a good podcast or playlist and start digging.

You may be thinking “Well Sam, thanks for that advice but what I am I actually looking for?” and that’s a totally valid question. As a seasoned thrifter, the thrift eye is something I’ve always had, the items speak to me and they can speak to you if you just listen. So the moral of the story is look for what speaks to you, once you find it inspect it. What is it made of? How does it feel? What size is it? Is it in a good condition? Can you see yourself wearing it? If you're able to easily answer the questions then you found the right piece for you!