Being a smart shopper is no easy task. Knowing the difference between when to shop retail and when to shop resale is not something taught but learned. For the longest time, I only shopped retail. Growing up, my mom rarely took me thrift shopping so I never really knew too much about them. My first true thrift store experience wasn’t until college and ever since I have been hooked. As a result, my current wardrobe is a mixture of both retail and resale pieces that I have acquired over the years. Being the smart shopper that you are, I believe that your wardrobe should incorporate both as well.
When should you shop retail? When should you shop resale? Both are very good questions. The answer, however, is not so simple. Hopefully these questions and answers will act as a helpful guide in your quest to becoming a smart shopper:
Q: “Where should I go to find something unique?”
A: A resale or thrift store. The reason being is that these stores only carry one quantity of an item at any given time. The likelihood of someone else possessing the same item as you are slim to none making it a very “unique” item. You can, however, always find “unique to you” items at a retail store. Since retail stores carry greater quantities of an item, more people will have access to it. This results in others rocking the same item as you, especially if it is an on-trend item.
Q: “I’m looking for designer items for less. What should I do?”
A: This answer is a little trickier. A smart shopper has a sharp eye and stellar sixth sense when it comes to shopping for a bargain. To answer this question, I say go to both. The reason being is that I have found designer items for less at both retail stores and resale stores. When shopping in retail stores, shop the clearance sections, ask associates about upcoming sales, and look for any in-store coupons. Shopping resale is a little more difficult. In order to find a designer item at a resale or thrift store you need to: (1) know your brands and (2) be prepared to hunt. Regardless of where you find your designer deals, it will always feel like Christmas morning when you discover something amazing for an even more amazing price.
Q: “I want to build my wardrobe basics. Where should I buy them?”
A: Okay, so to answer this question I want to talk about cost-per-wear. Cost per wear is:
The Amount that an Item Costs/ The Amount of Times it Will be Worn
Let’s say you were looking to buy a leather jacket and you fell in love with one that retailed for $300. Although the $300 price tag might intimidate you, don’t let it. Think of it this way: this jacket costs $300 and I am going to wear it at least 1/3 of the time for the next three years (at least). Therefore, its cost-per-wear is 300/300= $1 per wear which is right where you want to be. In this case, I would say spend the $300 at a retail store and buy the jacket. On the other hand, you can sometimes score basics inexpensively at resale and thrift stores as well. In summary, if it is made well, within your budget, and is versatile, then invest in it.
Outfit Details: Jacket: Rag and Bone, Thrifted (Similar); Dress: H&M (F/W 2016); Shoes: Target (Exact)
Be classy. Be confident. Be strong.
Baci,
Bianca Ida
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