Thrifting for the first time? Experts share their tips and tricks.

Everyone is thrifting: the “it” girls, the influencers, and your chic younger cousin. #Thrift on TikTok has 11.1 billion views, with posts of vintage color-blocked racer jackets, anything Y2K, and perfectly imperfect cowboy boots.

Even if you’re not a card-carrying member of the TikTok generation, the benefits of secondhand shopping are clear: It alleviates your impact on the planet, helps cultivate a unique aesthetic and saves money. But getting started can feel overwhelming. I talked to experts, including secondhand-shop owners, TikTok stars and bloggers, to get their tips for first-time thrifters.

Where you thrift matters

There are many thrift shops to choose from — Savers, Goodwill, small local shops — and not all are created equal. Some are well-marked and organized, while others are brimming with mismatched piles of clothes. How can you tell which store is best?

Tyler Chanel, founder of Thrifts & Tangles, a blog that provides tips on thrifting, suggests looking up shops in your area on Yelp first. “The top-ranked stores are usually cleaner, more organized, and have a good selection,” she says.

Chanel, and a few other experts I spoke to, suggest starting at Savers, an international secondhand chain. It is also known as Value Village, Village des Valeurs or Unique, depending on where you live. Chanel notes, “Their overall layout is very pleasant, everything is marked very clearly, their employees are really pleasant, and there are mirrors everywhere.” And, of course, their prices are very affordable.

Codey James, a Minnesota native who regularly posts thrifting content

on TikTok, says secondhand giant Goodwill can have a great selection depending on where you are located and what you are searching for. “The Midwest Goodwill stores are full of Carhartt and workwear that people might not think are fashionable, but when you come to New York, you see everyone wearing them,” he explains.

For the most part, James says, he prefers smaller momand-pop shops. While they can be more expensive than Savers or Goodwill, they are also more curated and will require less digging because the owners “already understand what’s in style right now.” Not to mention, you’re shopping small and supporting a business in your neighborhood.

Consider estate sales

An estate sale, or tag sale, is a popular way to sell items owned by a person who has recently died. As morbid as that may seem, the experts say they are the spot to shop.

Katie Chambers, founder and designer of Lue Studios, an upcycle and vintage shop in Los Angeles, has been finding estate sales more fruitful than her local thrift shops. “They’re incredible and true vintage,” she says. “People hold on to actual quality items for 50 years.” With a little luck, you can find vintage designer skirts, trendy silk and lace tops, and quality leather heels in great condition. “It is this person’s life collection,” Chambers explains.

There are websites dedicated to listing estate sales by location and by type of product. But just note, a trip to an estate sale might require a drive out to the suburbs or countryside if you’re city-based.

Avoid fast fashion

You may find that your local secondhand shop is saturated with fast-fashion castoffs from chain stores like H&M or Shein. Stay away from those items, says NYU student Wesley Breed, who creates thrifting and fashion content for over 200,000 followers. They probably won’t be the same ones in today’s fashion magazines.

And pay attention to material, Chambers and Chanel advise. Check the label for natural fibers and material makeup. Items marked 100 percent silk, cotton or linen are generally of higher quality, while many fast-fashion items will be made with a blend or a synthetic material like polyester.

Breed thrifts for both sustainability and aesthetic reasons. “I’m a big fan of picking up vintage stuff that has a story: This was worn by someone’s grandpa for 50 years or whatever, and now I’m going to get to wear it and style it in my own way and give it a new narrative.” Clothes that lasted your grandpa 50 years are likely to last you 50 more.

Hit the denim section

So, what is a good buy? While personal style and store inventory will largely dictate what ends up coming home with you, some secondhand items are a better bet than others. All the thrifting experts we spoke to said the same thing: Hit the denim section. Keep your eyes peeled for old-school brands like Levi’s,

Wrangler, Lee and Carhartt. Vintage denim is a “thing” for a reason. You can find stylish ‘90s mom jeans, an authentic pair of early-aughts low-rises, or just a pair that works best for your body.

Breed notes that you should always look for the orange Levi’s pocket tab. This little marker can be found stitched into the seam of the right back pocket. It signals that the jeans in your hand were produced in the ‘60s or ‘70s and are particularly high-quality.

And don’t worry about the length. “If they’re too long, you can always cut the bottom and throw them in the wash for a frayed-at-the-hem look,” Chambers says. She also notes that you can make anything into shorts for summer.

Assess leather goods for quality

A brand-new leather jacket can cost you thousands. The thrift shop is an excellent place to find high-quality leather items for a fraction of the price. Once you find the jacket of your dreams, or a chic pair of pants you love, check the tag.

Counterintuitive as it may seem, Breed notes, items marked “genuine leather” are not as high-quality as those marked “full-grain.” “Fullgrain” leather comes from the outermost layer of the hide. It is the most durable and will develop a desirable patina — or natural protective layer and darkening — over time. “Genuine leather,” however, is cut from varying levels of hide and often subjected to a manufacturing process or surface treatment. So, if you want the highest-quality leather, always go for “full-grain.”

Chambers also says not to overlook belts. “You can usually find anything from classic leather to a funky statement piece.” As an accessory, belts will generally sell at a lower price point.

Look for cool T-shirts and sweatshirts

Most every secondhand store will have racks and racks of T-shirts and sweatshirts. In search of a gray crew neck featuring Daffy Duck dribbling a basketball? Odds are you’ll be able to find something along those lines at the secondhand shop.

Glance at the tag so you can get a sense of the item’s quality and when it was made. Breed notes that many contemporary T-shirts and sweatshirts will have a label printed directly on the fabric below the neckline to cut costs. “If you find a T-shirt that has a physical neck tag, it’s either on the older side or it’s a high-quality garment,” says Breed. He also notes that you’ve probably got a more valuable piece from the ‘90s or earlier if the neck tag is printed with chunkier letters.

Check the ‘go-back’ rack

If you walk through the shop doors and feel immediately overwhelmed, head directly to the “go-back rack,” or the clothing racks just outside the dressing rooms. “These are the items people deemed worth trying on,” Chanel explains, “so you don’t need to do the work of digging through the whole store.” Start here and see if anyone has passed up something you love.