A good pair of jeans or a denim jacket can cost you a pretty penny but be a wardrobe staple for years to come. For this reason, it could be justified that they are worth the investment. Personally, I don’t think you should have to decide between a quality denim and groceries for the next week.
Here’s why I will always thrift denim:
Most body types are actually better suited to vintage cuts
If you’ve ever seen MadMen or any other tv show or movie that’s set in the 60s, you’ll have noticed how the clothing is tailored to a curvy, hourglass figure. I can sympathize with the fact that most women have different body types but do all modern jeans (and pants for that matter) have to be cut for a woman with stick thin legs? If you haven’t experienced this when shopping for bottoms then I envy you! In my 24 and a half years on this earth, I’ve only ever found one pair of jeans that has fit like a glove and I got them at Goodwill for $5!
Thrift and vintage stores have a great selection of vintage denim that is cut for us big thighed, small waisted gals and every time I’ve strayed to full price retailers for my denim needs, I’ve been disappointed.
Worn in means more comfortable
Remember that scene in Friends when Joey hires Chandler as his assistant and one of his tasks is to wear in his jeans? Yeah, I love Friends too. Well, he wouldn’t need him to do this if he’d thrifted them! Some people like their jeans stiff (my boyfriend being one of them), but I like mine with a bit of wear because they’re soo much more comfortable!
Denim gets better with age
It’s not only the comfort level that increases with worn denim, it also looks better! I’d been after an oversized denim jacket for a while, but every vintage store I went into didn’t have the right size or color. So, being the lazy SOB that I am, I bought a new one that ticked all the aesthetic boxes that my fussy imagination had conjured up. The problem with this is that the denim was stiff and I just didn’t look as cool and my Pinterest crushes. I kept the jacket and I’m hopeful that it will lose its stiffness soon enough.
Sooooo much selection
I think that there is such a thing as too much choice, but if you have the time and the patience, the denim section in thrift stores doesn’t have to be one of them. If you’re not ready to throw yourself in at the deep end and sift through the mountain of denim at thrift stores, check out your local Savers/Value Village. They have their denim jeans neatly hung with the waistband showing, so you can see the brand and size really easily!
Great quality at affordable prices
Talking of checking out the brand, you will not beat the discounts that can be found on thrifted denim. Denim tends to retail at a higher costs because it’s made well and therefore lasts longer. Thrift stores don’t seem to take this into account when pricing denim because I find Paige, AG Jean, Madewell and Levi’s at a fraction of the price, all the time.
Here are some great online consignment stores for you to find denim: