If you take the time to go thrifting, whether it's weekly, bi-weekly, of, if you're a 65 year-old retired schoolteacher or engineer and love *~ThE ThriLl~* of hoarding things you'll eventually restore but never get around to and thus fill your garage (that's not to say people don't do these incredible restorations where they take $10 man cave trash with coffee mug ring stains and return it to its midcentury hardwood glory) you probably have your favorite thrift store locations because you always find something there.
We usually chalk it up to that particular location receiving incredible donations from retired(dead) eccentric heiresses or former thrift store and antique-hoarder hobbyists, and this might just be the case- however, I would like to posit that most of us just know where to look when we go thrifting. We'll hit up the sections of the store that always have something, and honestly that's all style aaaaaaaaand well, life! is really all about: knowing what you want.
So what do I usually want when I go thrifting? What is my intent?
I think on this and I hear myself saying: "usually it's just to find something *interesting*, I guess" but what does that even mean?
I suppose *interesting* just refers to those mundane, everyday objects of yore that are in fact well-conceived pieces of design that were likely taken for granted when they were first shoved onto store shelves and then touched by be-manicured housewives in polyester satin headscarves, who, in my mind, were smoking while shopping for canned green beans for some reason.
Okay, so that means household items and accessories from the 50s-70s. This is all a fantasy, but I think you get the idea?
Where I tend to find the kinda stuff I crave from a good thrift shift
My gOd, do I love a good enamelware bowl! I have a small collection of enamel bowls in different sizes for various kitchen vessel-ing needs. I also have a beautiful marbled robin's egg blue enamel pot. Enamelware is smooth, colorful and easy to separate and mix ingredients with. Sort of a "you can't beat the classics" kind of situation- these things are a delightful, abundant, useful and cheap thing to have a mis-matched collection of.
As for glass stuff, I tend to look for
Pyrex or
lab-grade glassware for keeping various things in.
Now, if you do happen to find a
lab vial or two, please for the love of jeebus do not eat or drink from it unless you're a dumbass like me and occasionally keep your Tylenol in one after vigorously washing it.
There's always a weird bin or basket of hosiery in thrift stores, tucked alongside sewing pattern envelopes with illustrations of bridget doll lookalikes on 'em. This (
as I have shared in my Instagram stories) is not a bin you should overlook, my friends.
I have found Mary Quant m'fkin tights (pictured here) for 25¢. I have found weird patterns and funky colors and puzzling decorations galore- and usually for suuuuuper cheap.
Now, you need to be careful of stale nylons and elastics getting worn out, and make sure to look at the size guide on packages before you throw them in your basket.
I love finding rattan baskets and beaded purses in thrift stores- I think that's a well documented move nowadays with folks filling their Depop shops with dainty little vintage purses made from natural materials from beads to grass weaving and even woven paper (as it was popular in the 90s).
I tend to seek out the 60s beaded bag or the top handle suitcases or rattan picnic baskets. Even as decor, a stack of old picnic baskets look really cool in an unoccupied corner in our apartment
4. Winterwear and Tulle underskirts
I'm not gonna talk about clothes at length, but I will say that knits and coats are the more surefire racks to find something really cool if you're into finding clothes that are designed to be valuable. Why? Think about it: when folks donate things to their local charity shops or thrift joints, they're getting rid of things they can't make money off quickly through resale and just need to make space. Coats and sweaters are, more likely than not, something folks will splurge on for their needs over a t-shirt or rayon dress, and so what they have will probably be relatively nice. Granted, the 90s Express Tricot dresses and Looney Tunes tees are valuable now, and they are thrift go-tos, but you already knew that.
Hell, you probably knew everything I'm bringing up here, but you know what? I could go on, so I did.
Now, go find something yourself something nice <3
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