I started thrifting at a very young age. Actually, my mom shopped at Salvation Army as a way to save on dressing my two sisters and me. We lived off on just my father's income and this was how my mother made ends meet. If one average outfit for one child cost $50, times three children, times 10 outfits/child, then we end up with $1,500 spent merely on children's clothes per year. Multiply that by 10 and you'll find out that my mother saved at least $15,000 over the 10 years we lived in Canada.
Back then, I wore what my mother agreed to buy and that didn't exactly qualify me for the fashionista award in school. I wore braces and glasses and corduroy pants. I had to prove myself in other ways. I was never one of the cool kids because I never had any fancy brands on me, but I wasn't made fun of either. I built my own ground by being an excellent student and taking part in extracurricular activities. I was known for other things and less for being well dressed.
This habit of saving was definitely taught and passed down from my parents. They never paid much attention to clothing. To them, clothing is viewed as a purely practical thing, not and expression of personality, esthetic and taste. Even in high school, when I asked for a pair of Zara jeans, my father asked, "why don't you just go buy a pair at the local Chinese store?". It was much easier for me to save up money than to explain to him what Zara jeans were and why I wanted them. So that's what I did. I waited for Zara to have a sale and drop down the price to match the ones at the local Chinese store and everyone was satisfied. This is how I started buying things only on sale. I quickly figured out that I would be throwing money into the air if I was going to pay full retail price. Now I'm willing to pay for:
- jeans 20 euros max.
- coats 30 euros max.
- shirts 5 euros max.
- blouses 10 euros max.
- jackets and blazers 15 euros max.
- sweaters 15 euros max.
- shoes 50 euros max.
- coats 30 euros max.
- shirts 5 euros max.
- blouses 10 euros max.
- jackets and blazers 15 euros max.
- sweaters 15 euros max.
- shoes 50 euros max.
I shop at fast fashion brands just a few times per year and I only buy items that are discounted 50% or more. Sales are when I usually buy trendier pieces and then combine them with more classical pieces I thrift from flea markets or second-hand shops. Or, a lot of the times I find second-hand pieces that are trending at moment. I still remember the excitement when I recently found a floral print blouse with flared sleeves!
Basically, the only rule I have is that the clothing has to be top quality. I look for natural materials like cotton, wool, cashmere, silk, satin, suede, linen - and usually these materials are really expensive. That's why thrifting allows me to wear exquisite materials for a fraction of the retail price.
I can afford to buy new clothes every month, but I chose not to. The reason why I feel so passionate about thrifting is that it really is a great way to save money, recycle, and most importantly create a unique personal style. Those pieces have history. There's only one piece of everything in a thrift store or pile of clothes at a flea market, so automatically, when you find something interesting it makes it that more special. It takes a good eye to find good pieces. It's harder and that's what I like about it. It's like a scavenger hunt! When I see stacks of clothes, I'm on a mission to find the best materials, cuts, colors, anything that will make an outfit pop.
Basically, the only rule I have is that the clothing has to be top quality. I look for natural materials like cotton, wool, cashmere, silk, satin, suede, linen - and usually these materials are really expensive. That's why thrifting allows me to wear exquisite materials for a fraction of the retail price.
I can afford to buy new clothes every month, but I chose not to. The reason why I feel so passionate about thrifting is that it really is a great way to save money, recycle, and most importantly create a unique personal style. Those pieces have history. There's only one piece of everything in a thrift store or pile of clothes at a flea market, so automatically, when you find something interesting it makes it that more special. It takes a good eye to find good pieces. It's harder and that's what I like about it. It's like a scavenger hunt! When I see stacks of clothes, I'm on a mission to find the best materials, cuts, colors, anything that will make an outfit pop.
As I learned over the years, not everyone has an eye for thrifting, the ability to visualize nor the creativity to combine those pieces into a contemporary stylish outfit. For the longest time I thought people just didn't want to buy used clothing as it may categorize them into a lower social class. As many of my friends confirmed, I have a talent for this kind of stuff. Could you tell that the cashmere cable knit sweater, Levis jeans and cashmere beret all cost me $0.50 each? I love to wear natural materials like cotton, leather, wool, satin and silk in casual and comfy outfits.
If you are someone that would love to add vintage pieces to their closet but have trouble shopping at thrift stores, check out my online stores where I share with you pieces that I've hand picked and can guarantee will never go out of style. Serbian shoppers click here, international shopper click here. I restock once a month so be sure to follow me or my store to get updates on the latest fashion additions. Apart from selling clothes online, I also work as a personal shopper and stylist - you tell me want you're looking for and I'll make sure I find it at the best price and quality. I have already helped people renew their closets for the upcoming season or assisted with personal styling for special occasions, so don't hesitate to contact me for more information. 'Til next time... cheers! :)
All photos by Maja Kolarski.