5 myths about thrifting, and 5 lesser-known places to thrift

There are two types of people in this world: those of us who love thrifting, and those of us who don’t. To those who don’t swear by it, second-hand shopping has a bad reputation. It’s not uncommon for people to veer away from it due to the fear of the clothes or items being ‘dirty’ and ‘outdated’.

If you have heard these opinions and want to know how true they are, we have gathered popular myths about thrifting, and what you should really know.

Myth: Clothes at thrift stores are dirty

@chinchilla.vintage

One of my fave thrift stores in Singapore #thrifting #sg #fyp

♬ Fast - Sueco the Child

Fact check: Not entirely true.

Many people think that clothes in thrift stores are immediately hung up once donated. The truth is that many thrift stores clean their clothes before putting them up for sale. Places like Praisehaven Mega Family Thrift Store always clean and disinfect their items before selling them.

Of course, make sure to give the clothes you buy a good wash before you wear them out.

 Myth: Thrift stores have a small collection

@luckyplazabazaar

Some tips and tricks for thrifting ?? It’s a tricky but rewarding treasure hunt! ? DISCLAIMER: Baskets are not to be brought out of stores ?

♬ Cologne - beabadoobee

Fact check: False.

Thrift stores seem to have a never-ending selection of clothes. They have tops, bottoms, outerwear, shoes, and jewellery all for you to choose from.

Places like Lucky Plaza Bazaar and New2u have a wide array of clothes to sift through, and it can seem like you will never finish checking every piece out.

 Myth: Clothes in thrift stores are outdated

@swapaholicyou

All available in store! ?#cottagecore #cottagecorefashion #cottagecoreoutfits #sgthrift #thriftsg #thriftsingapore #swapaholic

♬ ac loverrmore - a

Fact check: Not entirely true.

Fashion trends come and go almost instantly. Yes, it may be hard to find new pieces in thrift stores. However, trends always have a way of bouncing back into the limelight. Besides, some fits never go out of style as long as you can pair them with the rest of your clothes.

Myth: Thrift store clothes are in poor condition

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Fact check: False.

We like to think that cheap does not equal low quality. Most clothes in thrift stores are in good condition. In fact, stores like Refash do quality checks on the pieces they receive to ensure they are in sellable condition.

Myth: Thrift stores only have low-end brands

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Fact check: False.

The truth of the matter is that thrift stores have their gems if you search hard enough. Thriftstoreiam, for example, carries brands like Fred Perry. It is also possible to find goods from brands such as Calvin Klein and Burberry. 

Now that we’ve covered the myths, let’s look at lesser-known thrift stores you can visit in Singapore.

Where to thrift

Thrifty Trendz

@cassy.y.k

#ThriftyTrendz underrated thrift store @ kovan! The owner is the sweetest and most generous, she couldn’t be more happy for me to film this. ❤️

♬ Supalonely x Glitter - TikTok Mashup - Eduardo Luzquiños & Rapidsongs

Upon first look, this thrift store sells a wide variety of items: toys, umbrellas, and home decor. However, they have a decent selection of both men and women clothes to choose from. They also have interesting options for sling bags hanging off their walls.

Thrifty Trendz is at 22 Yio Chu Kang Road #02-30, Highland Centre Singapore, Singapore 545535. Open from Wednesdays to Mondays.

 SSVP Shop

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This is a charity shop run by a team of volunteers and supervisors, and sells pre-loved clothing both in-stores and online. They are known for having vintage-looking clothes, so if that is right up your alley, this is where to go.

SSVP Shop is at 501 Geylang Road, Singapore 389459. Open from Tuesdays to Sundays.

Swapaholic

@swapaholicyou

This one’s for all our curvy Swapaholics! ? ##thriftsg ##sgthrift ##thriftsingapore ##curvybodies ##allsizesareswapalicious ##swapaholic

♬ Why are ppl using this - ??

Swapaholic is a different kind of thrift store. You can swap in your clothes for those in the shop, so you will be clearing out what you don’t want and getting something you do want at once! 

The staff of the shop does quality checks on every piece of clothing, so you can be assured that everything is in good condition.

Swapaholic is at at Orchard Central #04-07. Opens every Monday to Sunday from 11am to 10pm.

 The Barn

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Another charity thrift shop, The Barn is run by volunteers. It’s a popular store due to its affordable prices. Their selection of jewellery can be said to be a bit small, but each one is of good quality and can be a statement piece in any outfit.

Visit them at ​​The Odeon Katong, 11 East Coast Road #01-11/12 Singapore, Singapore 428722 from Tuesdays to Sundays.

First We Thrift

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First We Thrift is an eco-friendly thrift store that caters to everybody. They have a nice selection of modern and vintage-looking finds to elevate any look.

You can also check out their Instagram page on 22 October 2021, 12pm, as they will be having a drop.

Visit them at *SCAPE Underground from 12pm to 8pm daily.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.