Every time walk into a thrift store and breathe in the musty air, the thrill of my thrifting adventure takes over and excitement reaches a peak . I like to think of thrift shopping as an adventure - you need to search for the hidden gems and use your imagination to create one-of-a-kind outfits. When you thrift shop, you’re your own stylist – you have to be able to look at the garments and picture how you’re going to incorporate them into your wardrobe and you have to keep a keen eye out for a good quality item.
I think every fashionable wardrobe should include vintage and thrifted pieces. They add a touch of genuine character that “brand new” clothes don’t necessarily have .
Row of scarves at Value Village
Ottawa is a thrift store mecca. There’s a huge amount of good quality, large and interesting stores throughout the city. My personal favourite is one of the most well-known thrift stores, Value Village. I always seem to leave with an arm full of things when I go. Some locations have a section called “vintage”, which is clothing from the 70s and 80s and is definitely one of my favourites. Salvation Army is another franchise thrift store that has a lot things other than clothing to offer like cds, books, furniture, shoes and accessories.
Glasses, $3, Bow Tie, $2, Watch, $3 (All from Value Village)
Rag Time, a special place that sells the most amazing blazers and accessories, is also one of my personal favourites and is located off of Bank St., on Flora Ave.
Attic clothing and The Clothes Secret are two other smaller thrifting havens in the city. Smaller thrift stores like these are great if you’re pressed for time (if you plan on visiting some of the bigger stores, like Value Village, make sure you have at least an hour or two to shop and make sure you go on a full stomach!).
75% of my wardrobe consists of thrifted items, buying clothing and accessories from thrift stores ensures that you will never be caught wearing the same thing as anyone else because what you find is almost always one-of-a-kind.
Naturalizer $10, Jones New York $5 (Both from Value Village), No name leather oxfords $10 (Salvation Army)
Thrift shopping has become somewhat of a phenomenon over the past few years and many fashion bloggers have explore their love of thrift shopping through blogging. Vintage fashion bloggers are a great source for inspiring outfit ideas and learning how to mix and match vintage with modern day clothing. Some cool blogs to check out are Sally Jane Vintage, Vintage Society, Bonjour Gazel, Frantic Dreams, and An Olive A Day.
Fashion Blogger, Franceta of Frantic Dreams
So why is thrift shopping such a growing trend? The thrill of thrift shopping comes from the feeling of owning a one-of-a-kind piece at a low cost. No one wants to look the same, so by building your wardrobe around thirft pieces, it’s unlikely that anyone else owns it, making your unique sense of style shine through.
Another appealing aspect to thrift shopping is that it’s environmentally friendly. Like we all learned in kindergarten, “reduce, reuse, recycle!”, thrift shopping is a great way to practice the three Rs. Not only will you look fashionable (if you choose the right item), you will also feel content knowing that you are reducing waste by re-wearing clothing that would have otherwise been thrown in the trash.
Where are your favourite places to shop vintage? Do you ever think the vintage style will die?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment box!
Photo credits: hyperlinked and personal photos
^LK
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