Should You Buy Second-hand Clothing?

Second-hand clothing stores are great places to find vintage items, designer clothes and accessories for low prices! Personally, I have purchased over half of my clothes from stores like this and have been fully satisfied with all my items. Two of the best known second-hand clothing stores are Plato's Closet and Buffalo Exchange. At these stores, you can take in your gently-used items and sell them to the store for cash or credit.

Here are some tips for shopping at second-hand clothing stores:

1. Dig- Some of the best items in these stores are often hidden on racks that have shirts you probably wouldn't even think of wearing. At Plato's Closet, you can find the clothes sorted by size, color and style, so that helps narrow your choices down if you're looking for something particular. The jeans are all lined up in one location, so be sure to sort through each pair, looking for the type you want. Plato's Closet carries brands such as American Eagle, Hollister and I've even seen a pair of Seven jeans and True Religion. These designers often cost well over $100, but here you can get them for $20-$30. And if you're an American Eagle person, you can find their jeans for about $10-$15, much less than what you'd pay at the mall.

2. Don't Just Go Once- The great thing about second-hand clothing stores is that they're constantly getting new items, so their racks are never the same! Don't find what you're looking for the first time? Try going back a few weeks later and looking again. It's also a good idea to visit different locations if you live in a big city where multiple stores are available. If you live near a college or university and a second-hand clothing store is close by, there's a high probability that the store is getting a lot of traffic, which means plenty of new items!

3. Try On The Clothes- Although some of the items in these stores have never been worn, most of them have, which means shrinking could have occurred during a wash cycle in the past. Take advantage of the store's fitting rooms that way you are satisfied with your purchase and not stuck with a shirt that's one size too small. Also, some of these stores do not allow you to return your purchases, so make sure you choose wisely!

Second-hand clothing stores are everywhere, so get out there and check them out!