A lot of you have asked me how to build a high quality capsule wardrobe on a tight budget and I love that question!
First, because in order to build a capsule wardrobe that will go the distance, you need to have clothing in it that won’t poop out after one season.
Second, because most of my clothing is purchased second hand and I have discovered some great ways to buy high quality clothing at a great price!
Plus, I love sharing my secrets with you. That’s kind of what I’m here for right?? so without further ado, here are my three secrets for how I have been building my capsules without spending a ton of money:
ThredUp: I ALWAYS browse through ThredUp first when I start shopping for each capsule. They have such a great variety and it makes the whole “thrifting” process so much easier.
Just grab a glass of wine and browse, browse, browse. Thrifting bliss!
I especially love that they have a separate designer section where you can get great quality designer jeans at a steal (the flares that I wore for these photos and that I wore here are from the designer section of ThredUp. I got them for $20!!).
Plus, if you sell clothes through them you can get store credit to repurchase other items from their collection. They are seriously great you guys.
eBay: After I have searched through ThredUp, I always turn to eBay. I know not everyone is a fan, but I have found some GREAT stuff on eBay.
What I usually do is stake out what I want from my favorite stores and then see if I can either find the same exact thing or something super similar on eBay.
Most of the time, you’ll find listings for items that are VERY gently used.
There are also some great vintage finds on eBay! The shoes I’m wearing in this post are a $15 vintage score. You can’t beat that!
Just one tip for shopping eBay: make sure the shop will accept returns… just in case.
Thrift stores: Most people either love thrift stores or they absolutely hate them.
I LOVE them.
I know I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but I have found some amazing things from thrift stores! Yes it’s a lot of work to sift through everything, but it’s worth it when you find that perfect cashmere sweater for $5 (yes that has happened to me).
The thrill of the hunt right??
My favorite thrift store if you are in the Twin Cities area is this Savers. I always find great things when I shop there.
Creating a high quality capsule wardrobe with a tight budget is definitely doable, but it DOES require more work than being able to walk into your favorite store and buy anything you want.
One thing that is super important if you don’t want to get overwhelmed is to go second hand shopping already knowing what you want to purchase.
But here’s the catch: you have to be willing to walk away if you don’t find what you are looking for. Remember, you are not there to just buy anything that catches your eye. Know what you’re looking for and don’t settle for anything less. It takes patience… which is hard. I know.
It took me almost a month to find these flares because I knew I wanted a darker wash with a high rise. That’s super easy to find in stores, but most of what is being consigned right now are the early 2000’s low rise flares (WHY was that a thing?? So disconcerting to know that one wrong move may reveal your butt crack to the world).
I finally found this pair and at such a great price. It was well worth the wait! It’s just like I always tell my daughter (yes, I know she’s only 11 months old): patience is a virtue!
I hope this post was helpful for those of you who have to shop on a tight budget like I do, but want a high quality capsule wardrobe. Does anyone else have any tips for places to shop when you are on a budget? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time,
I love reading these capsule wardrobe posts. So inspiring. I am not ready to try but I have definitely been more open to getting rid of things that I don’t wear often and am trying to streamline my closet with favorite pieces.
Thank you Melanie! And that’s great! It’s always a good idea to get rid of clutter. ????
i do very well with the sales racks (and coupons) that are in Kohl’s – i always manage to find a great deal 😀
You are the coupon queen! ????
Cute outfit, love the scarf! The baby is adorable!
Valerie
Fashion and Travel
Thank you Valerie! You are so sweet!
I’ve heard of Thred Up, but I’ve never tried it. I’ll have to take a look and browse around. I’m not a big fan of thrift stores because I can usually find bargains in first-run stores. I’m a huge bargain/coupon person. Thank you for all your tips!
You’re welcome Shann! Thredup is great! I’m also an avid sales rack shopper. ????
I love this list of places to find some gently used clothes. I love using eBay for finding some great dresses and purses. I also use Poshmark alot. It is a great place to buy and sell some great items!
xx, Emily from Something Gold, Something Blue
I’ve used Poshmark a little bit, but haven’t had much luck. I’ll have to recheck it out! Thanks for the reminder!
Great pictures!
Thank you Mikki!
I love timeless pieces:) I’ve never been huge on thrift shopping but I do love vintage style!
I love vintage style too Joanna!
Great tips and some of my favorite ways to secondhand shop, too! I also like using Poshmark – I started selling/buying there before discovering ThreadUp, and although it’s a little less “polished” I’ve still gotten some great deals on high quality items. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Erin! Emily also mentioned Poshmark… I’ll have to take a look!
Good post. Thanks for helping us figure out capsule wardrobe.
http://unveiledandrevealed.com
Thank you Brianna! And you’re welcome!
“won’t poop out on you”—> Haha I love it! Excellent tips! I stink at capsule wardrobes, but I think I am being forced to consolidate because of pregnancy and an eventual newborn. Thank you Lord 🙂 Amazing photos!
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Thank! 🙂 Consolidation is always a good idea!
Thanks for sharing! I’ve always wondered about capsule wardrobes and I absolutely love your tips! I’ve never heard of Thred Up, but I am definitely going to be checking this out!
You’re welcome Samantha! And thanks! You should definitely check them out! They are great!