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Imperfectly Impeccable

By Yvonne Waluvengo - June 17, 2013

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Let's Go Thrifting! ;-)

By Yvonne Waluvengo - June 15, 2013

I'm a thrift shopper all day 'er day! Ha huh! I mean, I can't remember the last time I bought a cloth, shoe, bag... In a boutique.

Today's post puts a spotlight on thrifting. I get a lot questions about my cloths, where exactly I shop for them and how I manage to find myself second-hand steals, so I have decided to give y'all a few tips... Yeah, they're definitely tips.

Ditto!

First of all, you need to familiarize yourself with second-hand cloth markets. We have a good number of them here in Nairobi, I'll just list the ones I have visited and liked :-

> Ngara

> Toi Market

> Gikomba

> Muthurwa

> Kawangware

I mostly shop at Gikomba, it's evident from my personal style posts. I like it the most because I usually end up loving the stuff I buy from there, also, it's a walking distance from the C.B.D so it cuts down on my transport expenses.

Let me assume that you have chosen the market you will be heading to.

1. Set A Budget

You don't want to end up spending more than you were meant to. If for example, on your list of priorities, you want to buy 2 dresses, 6 blouses and a pair of shoes, you'll need to have about Kshs. 500. This will ensure you buy stuff you really need and remain with a good amount of money to buy other stuff you may come across and like.

2. Wear Simple Clothes

T-shirt, jeans and sandals will do. This will help you to try on clothes and shoes comfortably... Duh! Our markets don't have dressing rooms lol!

3. Carry A Re-Usable Bag

This will prevent you from buying what we Kenyans like to call "paper bags" :-D... They're plastic bags! And of course it will save your 10 bob ha huh!

4. Bring A Friend

Shopping with your a friend is a treat. A good friend will help you to keep perspective of what's a great find and what will look really nice on you.

5. Keep Calm

It's very important, thrifting can be nerve wreaking! Why you ask, the market space is usually hectic and disorganized *sigh!*

6. Be Patient

Be willing to look for a long time, through a lot of stuff. Hunting diligently is what I call it. In order to get great finds you need patience darling.

7.Try It On

This is the fun part!!! You've grabbed something you like, you can either try it on or at least do a rough measurement, make sure what you have decided to buy fits you or can be tailored to fit you.

8. Your Personal Style

Keep your personal style in mind, since it's easy to forget what you actually wear and get excited about an item you have bumped in to on those piles of clothes. Make sure you buy something you'll be happy with when you get home.

9. Brand Names

Look for brand names as these are items that are usually of high quality and made to last. I personally love, just to name but a few, Old Navy, Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein and H & M.

10. Examine The Item

Look at what you are going to buy carefully, check for stains, missing buttons, holes... Any defect. This doesn't necessarily rule out the item but it helps you to know what you might need to repair.

~ END~

I have to admit that I don't know much about thrift shopping, I just pretend to ha huh! I do hope my two cents in thrift shopping will assist you in a way... :-) Oh! How could I forget this, be open to bargaining/haggling, don't always be ready to give a seller his/her mentioned price, you might be lucky and get an item for a better deal.

Thanks for stopping by, welcome again, if you have any questions or more tips, please leave a comment below.

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xoxo