Secondhand Capsule Wardrobe Pieces

When it comes to shopping for my capsule wardrobe, I’ve really managed to distance myself from one of my past loves, secondhand shopping. I guess I was under the impression that I would never really find exactly what I was looking for, that I’d always settle for something ill fitting, something worn out, something that’s dry clean only (ugh too many times to count!). And frankly, I felt this way because of years of having a closet full of not quite right pieces. But what I’ve come to realize is that my love for secondhand shopping and curating a capsule wardrobe do not have to be mutually exclusive. So you can imagine how excited I was when thedUP reached out to collaborate and invited me to explore their online secondhand shop. My strategy was to check off an item from my summer wishlist for a fraction of the price, and you’ll be happy to hear that I did just that! So today I wanted to share my experience and give you some tips for making secondhand shopping work for your capsule wardrobe.

Avoiding Impulse Buys

Now that I’m working full time and blogging the rest of the time, I don’t ever really get the chance to wander around a shop looking for the perfect piece. I now shop almost exclusively online and I really prefer it. I find that there’s way less chance of an impulse buy and I can think about each purchase for weeks on end before taking the plunge. This is especially important to my process of planning my capsule wardrobe wishlists each season (see how I do that here). Fairly often, I find that I actually decide against purchasing items on my wishlist because I realize that I just don’t have as much a need for them as I thought. Shopping secondhand is becoming waaay easier to do online now! I’ve detailed a couple of my favorite places to shop secondhand online in this blog post, but I have a new found appreciation for thredUP because of the quality I’m insured and the fact that so many pieces are NWT (new with tags). It’s sort of like spending a day sifting through your fav thrift store but with a search bar and filters, and from the comfort of your own computer/phone screen.

Finding Exactly What You Want

A pair of white tailored shorts has been on the top of my Summer Capsule Wishlist. And while there are literally hundred of styles on the high street, I did want to avoid buying a not-so sustainable pair. There were a couple that I had in mind but hadn’t settled on them because of the price or the fact that they had sold out already. That’s when I found this pair NWT through thredUP. I was pleasantly surprised to find exactly what I was looking for with the added bonus that they were super discounted and that I’d saved them from ending up in a landfill. I even managed to find another item, my dream winter coat in addition to that. You may have seen this if you follow along on my Instagram Stories but I will be showing it off all winter on the blog too. I feel like I’ve had some pretty good thredUP karma this month and I’m already checking back on the site to try to snag some other wardrobe staples secondhand.

So there’s my experience shopping secondhand for my capsule wardrobe. I think when it comes to shopping, regardless of the store or online shop, it’s important to remember to focus on what you truly need and will wear. If you can reign yourself in, avoid impulse purchases, and focus on quality pieces, then you’re in good shape. What are some guidelines you give yourself when shopping secondhand? Or do you just keep an open mind and see what speaks to you? Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried thredUP! Thanks for reading. xx Jessica

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