why I thrift shop: trends

I wouldn't say I'm a pro thrift shopper or anything of the sorts (I prefer to hold back on the titles ;)) but I do partake in second hand shopping a fair amount (fair is debatable, depending on who you ask...). In past posts I've shared some thrifting successes, and heck I've even bragged about them, but I've never really talked about why I choose to thrift shop, and figured there's no time like the present!

Thrifty Trends

I'm a student, and as such I do live on a budget. I wouldn't call it too restrictive, because I seldom feel 'poor', but I also have priorities when it comes to spending whatever cash I have. For example, I'd prefer to spend $50 on a great night out with friends, as opposed to on a piece of jewelry (which says A LOT, considering how much I love jewelry...).
When it comes to clothing, I'd always opt to pay more for a classic piece I'll wear again and again, instead of overspending on trendy items that may or may not make it till next season. So, bearing that in mind, thrifting just makes perfect sense when it comes to adding some trendy pieces to your closet, sans the guilt and crazy Visa statements.

Aaand, to demonstrate, here's an example of a thrift buy I scored some months ago vs. a strikingly similar item retailing for over $50.

bottom image via J.Crew

If I could offer a tiny bit of advice on thrift shopping for trendy bits, it would be to stay open minded! You can't go in a thrift store expecting an exact replica of a piece you saw on Vogue, but you can try and find something similar that projects the same trend or something you can DIY into that coveted trendy item.

Thoughts?