With college busy season in full swing, I find myself with less time to pursue my favorite activity: secondhand shopping.
As someone with an ever changing and eclectic style, buying clothes brand new stopped being appealing long ago, when I realized every closet cleanout was money thrown away. At my local charity shop I could find already worn and comfortable jeans for a fraction of the price, with name brands like Levi’s and Carhartt.
Not to mention the incredible thrill of finding an item valuable to your personal style. Sifting through the racks, spotting a tag or scrap of fabric and pulling apart the hangers to reveal a new and permanent slot in your clothing lineup.
While I will always prefer in person thrifting to online, over the years, I have curated a reliable regimen for moments when personal time is a luxury.
Step One: Determine your desired second hand site.
From my observations, each online used clothing site is catered to a certain style of shopping. Whenever I am looking for a cheaper version of a specific new item, Poshmark is always my go to. For true vintage items that come straight out of a grandfather’s closet, Ebay is probably your best bet.
I think Depop delivers a good mix between new and vintage items, however the app is littered with Gen Z upsellers who love to charge $40 for a “grunge fairycore lacey cami” thrifted at a local charity shop for $3. That being said, due to the vast number of Depop users being Gen Z, you are guaranteed to find stylish thrifted items.
However, if you enjoy finding bargains and are indecisive, then the app Vinted is for you. While lesser known, the app’s primary sellers are millennials looking to clean out their college wardrobe they are unaware is defined now as “y2k.” Therefore, options will be much more affordable and the process accurate to thrifting at a local in person store.
Step Two: Keywords to use when searching for items.
Now that you have found yourself at one of these sites, (for this style of search I recommend Ebay or Depop but especially Vinted), you have to finesse the algorithm to find desired prices and items.
The first category to search for is brands. This is the quickest and easiest way to find a tried and true style.
Some of my favorite brands for denim include: Levi’s, Carhartt, Bongo and Wrangler.
For true vintage, my best friend Aidan searches for Pendleton, vintage Sears, Jantzen and Montgomery Ward. My style leans more into y2k, so I search for: Ed Hardy, Miss Sixty, Hysteric Glamour, Express, Wet Seal, Juicy Couture and Harley Davidson. While some of these brands can still be pricey, related similar items will also appear that are cheaper.
After skimming through all the brands I know and love, the next step is typing literal words that describe the desired vibe. Examples of keywords include: graphic, psychedelic, halter, leather, lace, mesh, sheer, silk, satin, asymmetric, vintage, 80s, 90s, 2000s, etc.
Refrain from searching for details like “grunge 90s fairy core,” since a seller with that vocabulary knows how to market and will upcharge.
Finally, while it may seem straightforward, combine styles and items. A specific top to search for could be “graphic 90s t-shirt” or “lace sheer cami.” That being said, often I just type in “lace” to see what appears, and end up with an item I would have never found otherwise.
While this is not an exact science to online thrifting, it is a simple method to comb through mass listings. Happy secondhand shopping!
