Thrifty Tips for Shopping Second Hand + Outfit Ideas For Women Over 40

It’s All About the Hunt.

Last week, I stopped by my favorite re-sale store, Repeter Consignment Los Altos, to pick up my consignment check. While waiting for my payout, this gorgeous orange Veronica Beard jacket caught my eye. Upon closer look, I was elated to discover it was my size, new, with the tags still attached! I asked my friend and shop owner Mili to hold it for a few hours, took a photo of the jacket, and headed home to see how the piece would work with my wardrobe. It didn’t take long to realize that this would be a wonderful addition to my collection, and back to the boutique I went. While waiting to pay for my jacket, I spotted this beautiful Joie snake print blouse (also NWT) and knew they would be a perfect pair.

ASB Thrifting Tips:

1. Check Back Regularly
2. Remember, EVERYTHING is a deal when you are thrifting. I like to keep a list on my phone of what’s missing in my wardrobe. That way, I only buy things I really need.
3. Before you hand over your cash, take a photo of the item, or if you are shopping online, carry your laptop into your closet, and make sure the item works with your wardrobe. Most second-hand stores do not offer returns, so once you pay, it’s yours to keep. (ThredUP online is an exception as they offer a very fair return/exchange policy).
4. No matter how great a buy it is, only purchase items your size (unless it is super easy to alter, and then again, don’t forget to factor in the cost of tailoring), or most likely it will become a Closet Orphan.
5. Calculate the cost of dry cleaning into the garment price. I once bought a faux fur vest that had leather trim. Little did I know, due to the leather trim, the item would cost me $40 to have the perfume smell drycleaned out of it!
6. Check for wear, pilling, and fading. If you love it, you want to make sure the garment still has enough life in it, to wear till you tire of the piece. Often items in’ like new’ condition are worth the extra dollars spent, as you can often re-sell the piece when you tire of t.
7. If you love the quality and look of designer items, consider checking out ThredUp and The RealReal. Both sites allow you to set up searches and then be notified with emails when items from your search come into stock. ThredUp recently added a “premium” and “designer” filtering option to their main menu tabs. A few of my current searches are ‘Veronica Beard’, ‘Rachel Zoe’, and ‘DVF’. I edit my searches based on what I feel is missing in my closet. You can further edit your search by size, so you only get what will work for you.
8. Sign up for the coupon alerts, as both sites regularly offer deals. If you have never shopped ThredUP (HERE), you can use my share code which will get you $10 off your first purchase (HERE). 
9. Poshmark. Poshmark is basically what Ebay used to me back in the day. Its user friendly app makes it easy to shop and sell. But one thing to remember is the you are buying from directly from a seller. And often their interpretation of “condition” or “fit” is not the same as yours. They do offer “Posh Protect” but for the most part all sales are final. One the plus side, there is some negotiating that can be done, so you can grab some great deals.
10. Find local shops in your area. Here in the Bay Area I shop Repeter Los Altos, Millie Mango Burlingame, Thredup IRL in Burlingame and Los Gatos.

I Can’t Believe It’s Thrifted!

I utilize second-hand shops as just another means of rounding out my wardrobe, can you guess which pieces are thrift finds?

And the Second Pieces Are…

Left to Right: Jenni Kayne Camel Coat | St John Knit Side Tie Sweater | Karl Lagerfeld Sparkle Cardigan | DVF Bell Sleeve Sweater | Joie Soft Snake Print Blouse | Veronica Beard Orange Blazer

LET’S CHAT! Do you enjoy thrifting? What tips can you share? Where do you find fab thrift items? Drop a comment down below, we’d love to hear!

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