ThredUP Thrifting

If you’re reading this, you probably already know what ThredUP is, but if you don’t — buckle up. Not really, it’s just a thrift store, but it’s wonderful because it’s online, they accept Apple Pay, and most items are returnable.

Currently thredUP is available for women’s clothing. They also have children’s, juniors and maternity…but men’s sizes are not supported. I enjoy shopping on ThredUP because I am a lady who wears ladies clothing; also, I really dislike shopping in public. If you’re also into women’s clothing and don’t like shopping in public please read on, because you’re in very good company here.

Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links; I may earn a tiny commission from purchases.

First things first, fashion tastes. Be advised that I avoid trends and prefer to buy items that are timeless and classic. I don’t like t-shirts because they feel sloppy, and I avoid shirts with logos (except for breweries, cheers). And for bottoms I like everything apparently. I love athleisure and mixing fits; meaning fitted bottoms with a loose top, or loose bottoms with a fitted top. ThredUP enables me to find what I want without sifting through ALL OF THE CLOTHES.

Second, buying habits. Since I avoid trends, I don’t feel the need to shop often. But I am still a clothing maximalist and if I find something that I love I buy as many colors as possible. So usually I only shop federal holiday sales to buy more of something I already like. The only time I am not buying a wardrobe staple is when I am hunting for a ball gown and that’s when I just rent. Besides, this shop is open 24/7. It’s nice when I’m nightowling, but bad when I can’t sleep and get in the mood for some 3 a.m. shopping.

Related: Rent the Runway to the Rescue

So when and why do you thrift shop?
I thrift shop (online or in-person) when I feel like seeing something new in my closet, but don’t -need- a particular piece. If I need something specific I will usually just buy it new online and save myself a lot of stress.

What do you shop for?
I shop for items that intersect my love of quality wardrobe staples and great deals. It’s a challenge, and a literal game of hide & seek.

What benefit does thredUP offer?
They offer categorization that’s impossible for brick and mortar shops. Example; if I am looking for a pink jacket I can simply click on Women > Clothing > Coats & Jackets, then narrow results to show only pink items in my size – easy. If you’re shopping with a tight budget then you can easily apply a price filter. This benefit translates into speed and shopping efficiency. The reverse is also true, because if I find a lot of what I want, it’s impressive to see how much money I can spend in 20 minutes. Luckily I can fill my cart without obligation to buy.

Is the virtual shopping cart different?
It’s a little different because each item is unique. When you add something to your cart it will remain for 1-4 hours. If you don’t buy it, it reappears on the website and anybody can potentially buy it. I like this because I can fill up my cart in the afternoon, and decide by dinner. If you’re on the fence you can mark it as a favorite and check on it later.

So what are your searches?
I prefer to search brands and sizes, just to see what’s on hand. Sometimes I search fabric type and sizes. Favorite searches include “Athleta 4” and “silk dress 4.” Every few months I pop in and look for leather jackets, and one year I got a designer leather jacket for an amazing deal (it was in perfect condition too). I always browse boots and scarves, just in case I spy a diamond in the rough. Please note that you do have to make an account to see anything, it’s fast and easy.

Have you sold clothes to thredUP?
Yes! I did it once, and probably won’t do it again. It wasn’t a bad experience, but some (tagless) new clothes were apparently discarded and everything else that was deemed ready for resale only earned me about $0.80 per item. I decided that i’ll just buy from thredUP, and donate clothes instead to local thrift stores or shelters. This works best for me, but if you have designer clothes with tags you will probably fare better on thredUP.

Are there perks?
Besides saving money, and being able to clean out your closet fast? Of course! They make shopping fast, most items are returnable (free return shipping), and they often give discount codes when you login. Plus, I can give you $10 to shop with right now, win-win.

Meanwhile, are you a seasoned thredUP shopper? Or do you only buy new clothes or only thrift in-person? What are your favorite second-hand finds?
This post has been lightly refreshed for 2020.

Here are some thrifted outfits – not always 100% thrifted because I tend to buy my shoes and jewelry new (but not always).