Reuse & Re-style: Best Thrifting Hacks for the Trendy Girlies

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Sometimes you just need to hit the thrift bins.

Take a look inside your closet. How many of the pieces have you not worn since that one occasion? How many are now too big or too small? How many of them have you never even worn? 

Imagine the amount of money you spent on all those pieces that will probably never see the light of day again. Now, what happens to those clothes when you inevitably get rid of them? Your Shein skirts, Edikted jeans and Garage tank tops stack up landfills or float around in surrounding oceans. The fashion industry accounts for more than half of the worlds’ total pollution, especially due to the introduction of social media and rapidly changing micro-trends. 

Instead of using up more textiles that will simply end up clogging up our planet, why not invest in cheaper, and more unique clothing found while thrifting?

Stigma

Unfortunately, thrifting has a significant stigma surrounding it. It can often be looked down upon for being dirty or gross. Though thrift stores may not be the cleanest places on the planet, they are much less dirty than one might think. Most clothing items in thrift stores were dropped off for a reason… they aren’t being worn. So more often than not, the clothing item was probably washed and was left sitting in someone’s closet for a long time before being brought in. If you want to thrift, but are still uncomfortable with sifting through dusty racks, it can be beneficial to bring latex gloves or hand sanitizer to keep you away from any germs that you may end up touching. Sometimes, putting on a face mask could also be a good idea to not inhale any foreign dust particles. 

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Thrifting hacks

Now that you are all geared up and prepared to take on the bins, what should you look out for? The answer is… nothing. The best finds often happen when you are not narrowing down what you are looking for. Walking in with a specific expectation is usually what leads to a failed thrift trip. Instead, walk in with an open mind and flexible vision. 

Vintage brands are very common at thrift stores. Popular ones such as BEBE that don’t really produce clothes anymore could be worth a lot and elevate your 2025 style. Vintage Victoria Secret, Juicy Couture and Hollister are all making a comeback this year, so make sure to scan tags that have these brands. 

For those of you who are fixer-uppers, clothes that have easy to fix holes or broken zippers can end up being unique finds. The person who dropped that clothing piece off may have valued that broken jacket, but didn’t know how to fix its zipper. Now, with your modifications, the jacket would be even more valuable to you if you DIY’d it all for yourself! 

Original photo by Grace Pellock

I know all you fashionistas out there want a new closet with the change of the seasons. But sometimes, it’s important to think critically about how you’re spending your money. So, next time, instead of shopping at Edikted or Shein, try Plato’s Closet or Savers to find your new favorite garment piece.