One of the greatest joys in life is the thrift finds that you buy for next to nothing that become a closet staple and a constant crowd pleaser. My closet is filled with these great joys, and while they may have only cost me a few dollars, to me they are priceless. To create the closet of your dreams on a budget I offer three steps to thrift god success. 

Step one: Find your place and stick to it. Thrift stores like St. Vincent de Paul or Goodwill are constantly getting donations which means that new clothing is moving to the floor weekly, if not daily. 

Once you find your favorite store you can go back weekly or monthly to look through the aisles for your new thrifted treasure. I like going back to the same store because then I know where every section is and I am able to start my thrifting journey by sweeping through my favorite sections where I know I’ll find something. My favorite St. Vinnies to hit up is on the corner of Lone Oak and Division Ave in Springfield. As a vintage lover I always find something in their vintage section and often purchase sweet trinkets and classy purses, as well.

Step two: Quality over quantity. While thrift stores allow you to get more for less this isn’t always the best idea. Sometimes when you go inside of a thrift store the adrenaline of the hunt makes you pick up things that you would never normally wear, just because it’s a good price and it’s the only cute thing you’ve seen for 10 clothing racks worth of hunting. Do not do it. 

Thrifting is like gambling: sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don’t. One time I purchased vintage Sears blue clogs with cherry embroidery, because they were cute and $2. But I’ve only worn them once because they give me crazy blisters and the grip on the bottom is totally worn down. Don’t let the price get the best of you like I did. Instead go in with a list and stick to it. 

To fuel my thrift wishlists I  like to use Pinterest, movies, and old pictures of my mom. Penny Lane in Almost Famous, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Practical Magic are my go-tos for style inspo in media. 

I have an all time mega dream wishlist which included a Penny Lane coat — the long suede coat with fur trim she wears for most of the movie. In December I was going to New York and I wanted a Penny Lane inspired fur jacket to keep me warm. With patience and routine visits to the thrift I found my holy grail — a brown ankle length button-up coat with fur trim and a hood that fit me perfectly. 

Another tip — what you get doesn’t have to look exactly like your style inspo, but rather look just like you. While this coat was similar to the style of Penny Lane’s coat it felt entirely Emily which made it all the more special and wearable in my wardrobe. 

Step three: Make it your own. Most things in the thrift are used, meaning that they are prone to having stains, rips, or just being worn out in general. However, don’t let this discourage you from buying some great items. Thrifting and the art of mending go hand and hand. I once thrifted a red cardigan that had missing buttons. This created a fun craft of looking for random vintage buttons to sew on and make it my own. Now the sweater is one of my favorite things in my closet and no one else has one just like it. 

As someone who used to work at Our World Vintage on 13th Avenue, I know the work that goes into finding a one of a kind vintage or thrifted piece.  I wish you great success on your next thrifting journey and I hope these three tips help.