Plus Size Thrifting Tips You Need to Know About Now

This “Two Girls, One Thrift Store” post is part of my monthly collaboration with Erica of The Truth Tea. On the last Thursday of each month, we team up to share thrifted outfit ideas, tips & tricks, and our favorite places to thrift in Seattle– check out our last post from our #TwoGirlsOneThriftStore series!

Thrifting is one of my favorite hobbies because I love the rush that I get from finding a piece that I have been looking for. I find it fun to rummage through thrift stores searching for designer items and vintage pieces, but I haven’t always been a natural at this. It’s taken me a lot of time to learn to thrift, especially when it comes to thrifting for plus size clothing items. However, after lots of practice, I think I’ve gotten pretty good.

Today I’ve teamed up with my pal Erica of The Truth Tea to share some plus size thrifting tips with you!

Plus Size Thrifting Tips

Don’t Pay Attention to Sizes

When I first started getting the hang of thrifting, the first person to tell me to forget about sizing tags was Annie of TheFashionPoet.com. I didn’t believe her at first because I was so used to being conscious of sizes, but once I got that idea out of my head I opened myself up to a world of possibilities.

The truth is, when it comes to thrifting, sizes are irrelevant. Many times clothing at thrift stores as been altered or has been stretched or shrunken. Although I typically wear plus sizes, I always look in the straight size section because you never know what may be hiding in the rack. This is why it’s so important to try things and see if they fit you, rather than just relying on what the tag says. For example, my vintage vest is a size medium, which is a size I don’t typically fit in. Thankfully I tried it on before ruling this one out.

[Related Post: Tips for Thrifting at Goodwill]

Make Friends with the Employees

I’m a regular thrifter. I have my favorite days that I like to thrift and I even have my own little thrifting route with my favorite spots along the way. Because I frequent my favorite shops so often, I’ve gotten to know the employees and have built a personal relationship with them. This is super important if you want to up your thrifting game because it gives you the chance to let them get to know your personal style and aesthetic. I always ask my pals to keep an eye out for items that I may like and I’ve had lots of luck by doing this. This is actually how I got my handmade vintage patchwork clutch. This eclectic bag retailed for $110 and I only paid $15 for it!