I am an advocate for thrift shopping or commonly known as ukay-ukay. Thrifted clothes is my secret to a majority of my signature looks without breaking the bank. I often get branded pieces (both second-hand and brand new with the tag attached!) which makes thrifting such a fulfilling shopping experience. Aside from saving a ton of money and getting nice clothes, ukay-ukay shopping helps the environment a ton! So 10s across the board for thrifting!
I've been shopping via ukay-ukay since I was in college and I can proudly say there are some secrets that can help you shop smarter. Here's 5 ukay-ukay tips I've learned from years of thrift shopping that I hope can help you in your ukay journey!
1. Wear tight clothes
Before you head out to shop, what you wear matters! Wear tight clothes so you can fit the ukay-clothes without removing your clothes. Think yoga pants, leggings, a tight-fitting shirt. Wearing skimpy clothes saves you time and protects you from the potential of peeping toms, not to say that ukay-ukay changing rooms aren't safe but better to be safe. Plus, saves you time from putting clothes on and off. Sometimes I fit the clothes without going into the dressing rooms (which are often full!) because I wear tight clothes. Also, it keeps your skin safe from the dusty clothes in the ukay shop.
2. Do the Push-and-Pull
The push and pull technique is a signature move known to almost all ukay-experts. Facing a rack of clothes, push them all back and pull each hanger one by one. This way you can view every single piece of clothing as a whole and not just by its sleeves. This technique has helped me discover a lot of pieces I wouldn't notice otherwise!
3. Skip pieces that don't fit
I'm guilty of this. I've purchased so many skirts and shirts that will fit "once I lose weight" or bring it to the tailors to get adjusted. It never happens. No matter how beautiful the piece is, if it doesn't fit, let it go, let someone else have it. Tap your inner Marie Kondo. There are more finds out there for you.
4. Sign-Up for the "Newsletter"/Textline
All ukay-ukay shops have a notebook where you can list down your name and number. You may also leave your number with the cashier and ask them to text you when there's a new arrival of clothes. I leave mine at stores with a lot of good finds so they can text me when a new batch of clothes arrives.
5. Xonrox Color Safe is your Friend
Totes NOT an ad, but I highly recommend bleaching your ukay finds before washing them.This will remove the annoying, pungent smell common to all ukay-ukay shops. Make sure to get the COLORSAFE bleach to avoid any discoloration on your clothes. Also, try to wash them 2 times, separate from your other clothes because that pungent ukay smell is REAL and can hawa your other clothes.
Want more ukay-ukay tips? Message me on my socials if you want to know more about thrifting!