5 Reasons to Shop at Thrift Stores

Thrift stores have been growing in popularity over the last years. In those places, one can buy otherwise expensive items for cheap AND helping to protect our planet as well – each time you shop there, you’ll help decrease the use of resources and reduce the amount of waste!

Once you read this article, I’m pretty sure that thrifting will become one of your favorite activities!

Table of Contents

This article was originally published on June 29th 2022 and is one the oldest ones on this site. This new version that you’re now reading is more fun (and easier to read), better organized and has a much better SEO. Enjoy!

Read: How to Get High-End Clothes FOR CHEAP

#1 – How Thrifting Became a Part of my Lifestyle

If you’ve been following me on Instagram and/or visited this blog before, it’ll be quite evident that I’m somewhat of a thrift store (and online shopping) fanatic – roughly 80% of clothes that I own as of time of this writing have been bought either in thrift stores or on eBay (if brand new).

But…I haven’t always been like that!

My saga began a couple of years ago, when a thrift store opened not far away from my home. At first, I was quite hesitant to go – back then, like most people, I thought that thrift stores are places that sell low quality, damaged and smelly items to people who can’t afford to buy new ones!

Leon Papo wearing a purple blazer.

Still…I decided to give it a shot! Little did I know that THIS VERY MOMENT would be one of the MOST SIGNIFICANT ONES IN MY LIFE!

WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, I wouldn’t become successful on Instagram!

WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, this very blog wouldn’t have existed!

WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, I wouldn’t become the person I’m today!

WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, I wouldn’t never start selling on eBay!

On that day, I left the thrift store with two gems (which are still in my closet) – a Corneliani Super 120 striped suit that I had paid €5 (I never heard of that brand brand back then – the main reason why I bought that suit was simply because it was made in Italy) and a navy Pierre Cardin double breasted blazer (which I’m wearing in the picture above) that I had also paid €5.

Leon Papo wearing a navy double breasted blazer

In order not to bore you too much, I’ll conclude my saga at this point. Instead, I’ll begin to talk about the topic that brought you here – 5 reasons to buy at thrift stores.

Read: The MOST COMPREHENSIVE Guide to Corneliani Lines IN THE UNIVERSE

#2 – Advantages of Shopping at Thrift Stores

You Can Get High-End Clothes and Rare Items for Ridiculously Cheap in Thrift Stores

As I stated in the beginning of this article, the main reason why the vast majority of people hesitate to visit thrift shops is because places is because they believe that they only sell low quality, damaged and smelly items to people who can’t afford to buy new ones. Their assumptions are, to a certain extent, correct – most of the items that you’ll find are indeed of low quality, damaged and smelly. But…NOT ALL OF THEM ARE – if you’re persistent (and to a certain extent lucky), you’ll find items in almost pristine condition (high-end clothes, watches, jewelry…) that cost hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars new – for cheap!

Leon Papo wearing a Corneliani ID blazer - a hybrid' jacket, to be more precise.

I could tell you all day long what kind of high-end clothes and rare wristwatches I’ve managed to found at various thrift shops over the years. One of my favorite finds is a Corneliani ID ‘hybrid’ jacket that you can see me wearing in the picture above! This rare model (called “Identity”) is one of the most versatile jackets I’ve seen so far – it’s appropriate great for both casual and formal settings! From what I’ve seen, its manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) was somewhere around €800.

After hesitating for around half an hour, I went ahead and bought it for…€9! It was in like new condition – its pockets were still sewn shut and an original spare button pack was included! Not a bad deal at this price!

Read: How to Buy High-End Clothing AT BARGAIN PRICES on eBay

You Can Find Unique Vintage Clothes in Thrift Stores

If you want to be a special snowflake make yourself stand out even from other well dressed people, then vintage clothes are your best bet!

In the vast majority of cases, vintage clothes have unique designs, fabric and details! That’s why various celebrities love them because they’ll be able to stand out from the crowd in a positive way – without breaking the budget! Let me ask you…would you rather pay €10k for a unique Tom Ford jacket that’ll make the traffic on the street stop by OR €100 for a unique vintage jacket that can cause the same effect?

Besides being unique, vintage clothing is often of much better quality than most of its modern counterparts – decades ago, clothes were considered to be a luxury thus, they were made to last!

Leon Papo wearing a vintage cashmere Giorgio Armani double breasted blazer

In the picture above, you can see me wearing a vintage Giorgio Armani cashmere coat that I bought a few years ago for…€5. From its looks, I assume it was made in the mid 90-ies. So far, I’ve never seen anyone wearing anything similar – I wouldn’t be surprised that I’m the only guy in town (or even in this part of Europe) who’s wearing something like this. Also, it’s important to note that it looks almost like new despite its age!

Read: Are Giorgio Armani Suits REALLY That Good?

It Can Help You Discover New styles

Buying at second-hand shops give you ample opportunities to discover new styles and try something different WITHOUT breaking the budget. Due to low prices, I wasn’t afraid to step outside my comfort zone, which helped me discover plenty of different styles that I (as well as my followers like). Some of my most recent “style experiments” were:

(1) Woolen vests – ideal for work and/or (semi)formal events if you pair them with contrasting colors, so that it stands out more Total cost? €5 on average.

(2) Leather vests – ideal if you’re chasing a bad boy/girl look like I do in the picture below. Total cost of the one I am wearing on the right? €1 – cheaper than an espresso!

Leon Papo wearing a leather vest

(3) Blazers of custom-made designs and/or of unusual colors (red, purple) – ideal if you’re looking to draw attention on the street. Total cost? Around €3 on average.

Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Giorgio Armani Lines on the Internet

You Can Earn Money by Reselling High-end Clothes From Thrift Stores!

If you’re looking to supplement your income, re-selling items (especially high-end clothes) sourced from thrift stores on the Internet (on eBay, Grailed …) is the way to go!

ebay headquarters

Based on my own experiences, clothes that sold the best were men’s suits and jackets of more unusual sizes (sizes 36L/R, 44L/R and up). I’ve made quite a lot of money selling these because THERE’S A HIGH DEMAND (thanks to McDonalds) AND A LOW SUPPLY and I’m pretty sure that you’ll too IF you decide to go this path!

As far as clothing of more regular sizes (all men’s sizes between 38R/L and 42R/L) is concerned, I didn’t make much money by selling it because the DEMAND FOR SUCH SIZES IS LOW (again, thanks to McDonalds) AND SUPPLY HIGH! Because of this, I didn’t make much money selling them! Hence, avoid selling them!

Online shopping

Before you list any high-end piece on the Internet, it’s essential that you… :

(1) … make sure that that piece isn’t smelly and/or damaged;

(2) … make sure that that piece is genuine (a lot of high-end clothes are counterfeited);

(3) … provide the following measurements – chest (from left armpit to right armpit), shoulder width (from shoulder seam to shoulder seam), sleeve length (from shoulder seam to the bottom of the cuff) and height (from the top of the collar all the way to the bottom);

(4) … write a great description(s) of the item you’re selling – the more detailed it is, the better chance of selling!

(5) … have a return policy of some sort;

(6) … answer all questions people may have within 24 hours. And be nice to them.

Online shopping

Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Ralph Lauren Lines in the Milky Way

You’ll Help the Environment

The textile industry is one of the largest consumers of water – in order to produce just 1 kilogram of cotton fabric, you’ll need 10,000 liters of water! The Aral Sea (pictured below) disappeared because all of its water was used for cotton production!

the Aral sea from low orbit

Besides spending lots of water, the textile industry is also one of the biggest polluters to our planet – it produces about 20% of global wastewater and emits about 10% of global carbon emissions. That’s more than what is emitted by maritime shipping and international flights combined!

In the last year alone, I have bought 3 blazers, 1 sport coat and 2 pairs of pants at various thrift stores – all made from 100% cotton. Their total weight is around two kilograms. By buying them, I did not only save lots of money (around €2000), but literally 20,000 liters of water (two full water tank trucks, that is) as well, since I’ve “re-used” water from wherever the cotton was grown and produced.

A waterfall

If you shop at thrift stores, you can be assured that you’ll do much, much more for the environment than lots of environmental activists, who have a tendency to drive people nuts – both on Instagram and real life, ever will in their lives!

Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Hugo Boss Lines on the Internet

#3 – Frequently Asked Questions

Is Buying Items From Thrift Stores Weird?

No, buying items from thrift stores is everything but weird. As a matter of fact, it’s trendy amongst people of all social classes and age groups – especially Millennials and Zoomers.

A thrift store

Read: The BEST Guide to Zegna Lines IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM (and Beyond)

Is it Safe to Wear Clothes From Thrift Stores?

Yes, clothes from thrift stores are safe to wear after you washed them according to instructions or, in case of clothes made from animal fibers (suits, coats, blazers …), after you aired them for at least a few days (dry-clean them only as a last resort).

Read: Where Are Ralph Lauren Clothes Made? In the US? Or Perhaps in China?

Should I Try On Clothes at Thrift Stores?

Certainly, because even the most expensive dress or suit will look like horrible on you if it doesn’t fit your body. Before you buy anything, go to a change room and try them. In they fit you well (or if you believe that they will after some alterations), go ahead and buy them. If they don’t, then don’t buy them.

A thrift store

Read: The DEFINITE Guide to ALL Canali Lines

Can I Return Items That I Bought in a Thrift Store? 

The answer to that question depends on the thrift store’s return policies where you bought your items from AND on the local laws.

In the country where I’m currently (Bosnia and Herzegovina), all thrift stores are required by law to accept returns. In your country, thing may be different than in mine!

Jeremy Scott quote

Thank you for reading. If you’ve liked this article and want to see more like them, make sure you bookmark this site and to follow me on Instagram!

Until next time.

Your man,

-Leon

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