You’ve heard the stories. Your best friend found a Christian Dior silk dress shopping at Goodwill – for only $15! That vintage leather jacket sported by your sister? Another Goodwill find – and bought on a sale day!
But for some reason, this never happens to you when you shop at Goodwill for clothes.
Do you think you need to be an expert bargain hunter to shop at Goodwill? Do you feel those designer brand clothes are hidden in some secret corner only seasoned shoppers know?
Well, think again! All you need to find amazing outfits at Goodwill are the easy shopping strategies below.
Ready to find your next favorite vintage or designer outfit? Read on!
Shop at Goodwill in Wealthy Neighborhoods
One of the best things about Goodwill stores is they’re everywhere – including upscale neighborhoods where designer clothing tends to be donated more frequently.
Even better, designer brands stay longer on the shelves in wealthier neighborhoods. This means you’re more likely to find an Anne Taylor skirt or Louis Vuitton shoes when you shop here.
However, make sure the neighborhood you’re shopping in caters to your personal taste.
A city with an older, affluent population might offer a lot of great clothes, but you might not find the latest fashions for the thirty-and-under crowd.
(On the other hand, if vintage fashions from the 1930s and 1960s are your thing, these Goodwill stores might be a gold mine!)
Plan to Go Shopping at Goodwill on Mondays
People donate more on weekends – especially three-day-weekends. And most of these donations wind up on the shelves on Monday, making this the best time to shop at Goodwill.
Thrift shoppers who shop at Goodwill on Monday know this is when to find more vintage outfits and designer labels!
Make sure to come early on Monday, preferably when the Goodwill store opens. Seasoned shoppers know this is the prime time to find something good.
Get Familiar with Multiple Designer Brand Label Names
Everyone’s heard of Gucci and Prada. But do you know about Halogen – a popular house label from Nordstrom – or Maeve, an exclusive brand from Anthropologie?
These lesser-known brand names are among the hundreds of brands that can be found every day at Goodwill. And because they aren’t as well known, they stay on the rack longer, waiting for the right customer to notice them.
You can learn more about these popular brands by checking out boards on Pinterest devoted to promoting these brand tags.
Not enough time to study all the tags? Just look closer at each label. If it’s an intricate design, odds are the clothing is made of quality fabric and assembled with care.
Go Shopping at Goodwill in the Off Season
Want to find a designer dress to wear during the summer? Look for it during the winter! Searching for a warm, fashionable coat to wear during the holidays? Find it in the summer!
Most people shop for clothes when they come in season. But seasoned thrift shoppers know the best time to look for your summer and winter wardrobe is in the off season.
You’ll get less competition. Plus, when summer does finally roll around, your fashions will be waiting in your closet!
Keep a List of What You Want to Find…
Do you need a leather jacket? Some vintage shoes in your size? An evening gown?
Write down all of these items in a list and refer back to it during your shopping trip.
(You’ll be amazed by how easily those items slip from your mind when you see all the things to buy at Goodwill!)
Order your list by the items you want the most and plan your shopping route around it. If shoes are a must-have, hit the shoe section first and then work your way into the other clothing sections.
You’ll save time and maximize the chances that you’ll find something on your list!
…But Keep an Open Mind
Sometimes, the best part of shopping at Goodwill are the unexpected finds you come across.
Because of this, it’s often a good idea to just shop with a basic idea of what you want to put together. You can then be open to the possibilities you come across.
For instance, if you’re looking to cultivate a professional image, that nice grey blazer you spotted for $10 might add the perfect layer to the shirt you already own. Plus, you’ll save you enough money to add a pair of dress slacks and quality belt (usually on sale for as low as 99 cents!).
Keeping an open mind is an excellent attitude to have when bargain hunting – with so many clothing options available to you, you’re practically guaranteed to put together a great looking outfit if you use a little creativity.
Keep an Eye Out for the Color of the Week Tag and $1 Sales
While you shouldn’t sacrifice fashion for price, keeping an eye out for the Goodwill sale items can often yield several gems.
If you go this route, Sundays are often the best days to shop since these are the first days with a new color of the week (which marks items off by 50%).
Plus, if you do find some great clothes this way, you’ll have a perfect story to share about the amazing deal you discovered on your own!
Over to You
Vintage and designer clothes are available all the time at Goodwill – and can be found regularly by shoppers who use these tips.
Use these tips on your next Goodwill shopping trip – and then come back to comment on all the amazing thrift store finds you discovered!
Michael
Michael Jung is a freelance writer for hire with a keen interest in pop culture, education, nonprofit organizations, and unusual side hustles. His work has been featured in Screen Rant, ASU Now, and Free Arts. When not writing, you can find him entertaining kids as Spider-Man and encouraging them to embrace their inner superhero. Please contact him for his freelance writing services.