I probably buy 99% of the clothing for me and my family second hand. I also have a reseller business. So, I spend a good amount of time shopping in thrift and second hand stores. I’ve come to realize that there are some things you should absolutely pick up when you find them, and some things you’re better off staying away from. In this post, I’ll focus on the best garments to buy second hand.
Why Second Hand is Better
Clothing manufacturing is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. Garment factory workers are often working under unsafe and exploitative conditions. There is much, much more clothing in the world than we could ever wear. Nearly everything you need can be found shopping second-hand. By doing so, we’re reducing the demand for new garments and helping protect the environment.
Okay….onto the list of the best garments to buy second hand!
BTW – Let me acknowledge something right upfront. I was once a vegan (I still eat mostly plant-based, but I digress), which meant eschewing any product that comes from an animal. But, I’ve shifted my perspective a bit when it comes to clothing. By shopping second-hand for products that come from animals, such as leather (from cows), cashmere (from goats), wool (from sheep), or silk (silkworms), we are again reducing the demand for these products to be produced brand new. So, ethically, I do not have an issue buying these items second-hand.
1. Cashmere Sweaters
I never owned a real cashmere sweater until I started thrift shopping. I’ve always been a bargain hunter at heart and could never fully justify the price tag that comes with a cashmere sweater, even if it was on sale. But, since I began thrifting, I have come across MANY cashmere sweaters. Some are too trashed to be saved. Some are in near perfect condition. In between, you might find some that need a little mending or just a good once over with a sweater shaver. That is why I think they are one of the best garments to buy second hand.
The sweater pictured was one of FOUR that I found on a single trip to the thrift store. I kept two of them and put the other two up for sale. I live in SoCal so there are not exactly a LOT of opportunities for cashmere weather!
2. Silk Blouses
Just like with cashmere sweaters, I don’t think I ever owned a real silk blouse that I purchased with my own money. I just always assumed it to be too expensive. Also, I’m sure I would have rather purchased 10 cheap polyester shirts than have one good silk one. That is, until I learned just how problematic that practice is/was. I didn’t really think much about the idea of owning a real silk blouse until I read Elizabeth L. Cline’s book “The Conscious Closet” and she talked about acquiring some of her grandmother’s silk blouses. (For my book review of The Conscious Closet, click HERE).
3. Special Occasion Dresses
There’s nothing worse than showing up at an event wearing the same dress as someone else. Fortunately, that only happened to me once, when I was in high school, and that was because our entire drill team all went shopping at the Esprit Outlet in San Francisco while visiting for a parade. But seriously, it could easily happen Have you seen two women show up at the same event in the same dress. Or, maybe it was as a teen at a high school dance. That’s one big reason why I like the idea of buying a special occasion dress secondhand. It’s pretty unlikely someone else would have thrifted the same piece or would have kept it in their closet for a long period of time.
The other reason that I like to buy special occasion dresses second-hand is because of the cost per wear (CPW). What is the cost per wear? Well, take the price that you paid for that dress, and divide it by the number of times you wear it. A special occasion dress, by nature, is not going to be worn a lot. Let’s look at some examples. Maybe you paid $100 for your favorite pair of jeans, but you wear them, on average about once a week.
$100/52 = $1.92 per wear
Now let’s look at a new vs. secondhand special occasion dress. Let’s say you pay $200 for said dress and only wear it to one event.
$200/1 = $200 per wear
Okay, now let’s say you pick up a great dress at your local Goodwill, for example. My Goodwill prices their dresses around $11.49
$11.49/1 = $11.49 per wear
Even if you go to a fancier secondhand or consignment store, chances are you are going to be able to get that special dress for much, much less than you would if you purchased something new/retail.
That’s me on the right with my eyes closed. Obviously pre-digital photography.
My daughter and I scored this WHBM dress at Goodwilll for around $12. We added the red ribbon for her Christmas Eve solo at church.
4. Jewelry
A little collection of all my favorite thrift store jewelry. Okay, they’re mostly necklaces, which apparently I cannot get enough of.
I will preface this by saying that not all thrift stores are great when it comes to jewelry. A lot of them keep the stuff under lock and key and it can be a pain to try and get a good look at it. My favorite thrift store, however, has all their jewelry nicely displayed. This is where I pretty much get ALL my jewelry. I find so many fun and unique pieces, mostly necklaces. I get tons of compliments and when people ask where I got it, I tell them at my favorite thrift store, They immediately want to try and get their hands on a hidden gem too.
Jewelry can be a great way to update your look without spending a lot of money. So, if you are someone who tends to wear more classic garments, but still wants to look current, accessories and jewelry are a great way to do that. If your local thrift doesn’t have a great jewelry selection, try shopping online on sites like Poshmark, Mercari, Thredup. Even Swap Society has jewelry! I got a darling pair of earrings from them.
5. Leather
I hate the idea of an animal giving their life so that I can look fashionable. This is why I never buy any leather NEW. It’s just not necessary. By buying leather secondhand, we’re reducing the demand for more new leather to be produced. Just like with all other garments, there are plenty of leather goods out there that can be acquired secondhand. For example, I purchased a pair of black Steve Madden boots for my daughter at Goodwill. They were a little beat up but with a little shoe polish that look new!
Handbags are another great leather good to buy secondhand. Go onto any of the sites that I mentioned above and you’ll find endless bags to choose from. We women can sometimes be a fickle bunch when it comes to our tastes in bags, Many are motivated to recoup at least part of their investment so selling handbags has always been popular.
A friend told me about a great shop in Portland, OR called Half Pint Leather and they specialize in selling all vintage and used leather goods.
What Might You Find?
When you turn from retail shopping to secondhand shopping you never know what you’ll find and fall in love with. Imagine finding affordable quality pieces nearly every time you shop. Items that will not only last the test of time, not only make you feel and look great, but will not be contributing to extra pollution because you’ve now extended the life of that garment. You can feel great about what you wear, ON EVERY LEVEL!
Drop me a comment below and let me know what you think are the best garments to buy second hand. And if you want even more tips on how to create a sustainable and conscious wardrobe on a budget, check out the free Checklist for Creating A Sustainable Wardrobe On A Budget.
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