Low Budget High Quality Thrifted Summer Clothing

July 20, 2018

This summer I wanted to add a little fun into my wardrobe. The key is finding something low budget but high quality. This ensures the pieces you purchase will last more than one season. I found this dress at the Salvation Army Thrift Store and realized it was from Anthropologie. The cost was only $8.99! What a score. This dress is perfect for summer dates, girls night or a brunch.

I get a lot of messages about how I find great quality items at the thrift store. I figured it would be great to share a few of my tips! When I am shopping at the thrift store I always look for brand name items as they are higher quality. Dressing on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t have nice things. Brand name clothing are good for many reasons, they last longer, are made out of nice material, have a good shape or fit and are usually pretty fun or unique.

3 TIPS ON HOW TO FIND HIGH QUALITY ITEMS AT THE THRIFT STORE

LOOK AT THE TAG: If I find a piece of clothing I like I always look at the tag first to see the brand. Some brands I love thrifting are Zara, Free People and Wilfred. Sometimes tags are cut out or no longer attached, in this case look at the how to wash tag, it will let you know what type of material the piece of clothing is made of. The other day I found a shirt that fit great, but it didn’t have a tag, upon further inspection it was 100% silk, so I knew it was good quality.
SEARCH FOR NICE MATERIAL: I don’t know about you but if you had a line up of clothes and put me in a blindfold I would probably be able to tell you which items on the rack were the highest quality. It’s a secret skill. Even before you look at the tag or check the brand, feel the material. The higher quality items will stand out.
GO OFTEN: People are always donating items. The key to finding good quality clothing is checking in at your local thrift store on a regular basis.

Let’s break down the cost of the affordable summer outfit.

Anthropologie Dress: $8.99 (Salvation Amy Thrift Store), Blue Clutch: $15 (Secondhand Store in Edmonton), Black Sandals: $15 (Sears – RIP Sears), Black Watch: $115 (MVMT)

TOTAL COST: $38.99 (with the watch $153.99)

I’ve talked about the fact that although I love thrifting nice clothing but I am not against more expensive items. You can read about it in my spring fashion post. I searched for a white mini dress on Anthropologie and most were around $150, if you think about it, I purchase this dress for 5% of the original cost. Pretty good savings! That’s how I justify buying nicer accessories such as watches or shoes.