Frumpy or Cool

For me, thrift shops have a lot of highs and lows; the high being able to find something awesome for a lower price, and the low being the amount of ugliness you might have to sift through to find those great finds. It can be a time-consuming and there’s definitely more effort involved.

Sometimes when I’m thrift shopping I’ll pull something out and take a long look at it and wonder, “Is this frumpy or cool?” At times it can seem like a fine line because half of what makes something look good is how you put it all together. And thrift shops are often just selling pieces and not an actual look, so you have to imagine how this piece would fit into your wardrobe. How would you wear it? There’s often an overwhelming range of brands and eras of clothing to choose from at thrift shops, that it forces you to think more about the piece itself and whether or not it looks dated to you.

It’s really exciting when you find something that you love because you couldn’t have predicted that you would ever find that particular item—because you never know what you’ll find at a thrift shop. And while department stores are good for the predictability of the style of clothing they sell, as well as finding something that follows the current trends, sometimes it’s nice to be surprised. And thrift shops have that variety and randomness that feels more unique than buying something that’s currently being sold new at a clothing store.