Thrifting Guide

Short, practical guides on finding thrift stores, checking quality, telling vintage from retro and selling what you no longer wear.

• How to start thriftingGoing to a thrift store for the first time: when to go, where to look, what to try on and which beginner mistakes to skip.
• How to find thrift stores near youUsing maps, community data and local knowledge to find the secondhand, vintage and flea market spots around you.
• Thrift store, flea market or charity shop?Which one is cheapest, which has the best quality, where can you haggle? A practical comparison of the three kinds of secondhand venue.
• What to look for when thriftingHow to read labels, fabric, stitching and hardware so you can pick the good piece off a crowded rail in seconds.
• The best days and times to go thriftingWhen shelves get restocked, how discount days work and what hour to arrive — the practical timing of secondhand shopping.
• Sizing and quality: five minutes at the railHow to size a garment without a fitting room, why size labels lie across eras and countries, and a five-minute pre-purchase checklist.
• Vintage, secondhand, retro and antiqueHow old is vintage, why retro isn't vintage, and where antique begins — the definitions and what they do to the price.
• Selling your secondhand clothesClearing out your wardrobe: what to sell, what to donate, how to photograph a listing and how to price it so it actually moves.