Meet the real-life muses of our photoshoot, Lauren and Kherington. Lauren owns her own vintage store – Puppy Luv Vintage, and styled all the looks for the photoshoot.  Kherington is an avid thrift shopper you can check out her latest thrift hauls on her YouTube channel. We asked them for their best tips for thrifting so you can get out there, get thrifty, and style your Upbeats with a unique, one-of-a kind outfit.

Make a Day of It
Since thrifting is all about hunting for one-of-a kind pieces, why not make a day of it? Map out local thrift and consignment shops and make a list of which locations you’d like to visit. The more often you visit, the quicker you will learn when inventory is high and where the best pieces are located.

Bring Your Bestie
Make it a shopping date (lunch included). Pick out pieces for each other and share your best kept style secrets! There’s nothing better than thrift shopping with your biggest cheerleader.

Map out local thrift and consignment shops and make a list of which locations you’d like to visit!

Make lists or save inspiration on your phone/Instagram.
Thrift stores can be overwhelming. It helps to have an idea of what you’re looking for ahead of time.  My advice is to save outfits that inspire you somewhere easily accessible so you can refer to them in-store. There are tons of styles, new and old, to choose from while thrifting. I­t helps to be able to narrow it down a bit.

Wear something that is easy to change out of. 
When thrifting, and especially when shopping for vintage, you’re going to run into missing tags and outdated sizing – trying things on is a must! If you’re like me, the fitting room is your enemy and trying things on is exhausting. Wearing something that’s easy to change out of makes the world of a difference and totally eases the process.

Don’t forget your reusable bag!
One of the biggest benefits of shopping second hand is how much better it is for the environment – keep it going by opting out of plastic shopping bags by bringing your own reusable bags when you shop!

“One of the biggest benefits of shopping second hand is how much better it is for the environment.”

Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone.
This is the key to thrift shopping. Shop with an open mind and get creative with your personal style. {Some of my favorite thrift finds were from the men’s section.}

Play Dress Up.
Even if you’re a seasoned vet in the thrift game, picking up a piece and purchasing without trying it on is a dangerous game to play {especially when vintage sizes tend to run smaller than today}. Have fun playing dress up! Majority of the time, a piece you’re on the fence about will look WAY better when you try it on! Bonus points if you document your thrift finds and share them on the ‘gram.

Doesn’t hurt to look through everything.
Seriously! Sometimes it takes a little extra digging to find that statement piece you never knew you needed. Trust me, it’s totally worth the extra effort.

No luck? Try again!
Sometimes you might not be able to find what you’re looking for, but that’s okay! There’s always tomorrow and there are always other stores! Never hurts to try again. 😊

Shop with an open mind and get creative with your personal style (some of my favorite thrift finds were from the men’s section).