You probably won't believe this, but I don't actually enjoy shopping.
If I can avoid it, I will.
Sometimes it even takes me years before I go back into the city to shop again.
At least…
“Shopping” might not even be the right word for it.
Most of the time, I’ve already spent a long time online figuring out exactly what I want to buy.
When it doesn’t work well to compare products online, I still need to see them in real life first, touch them, try them on.
Like when it comes to a winter coat.
(I have a pretty serious sensitivity to the cold, so a coat like that really has to be good—warm, windproof, and waterproof.)
Or shoes.
They need to fit properly, be comfortable, and hold up against cold and wet weather.
Those rare times I do go into the city, with the intention of getting in quickly and getting out even faster, I’m always shocked by how crowded it’s become.
On weekends it’s basically impossible. The main shopping streets in Amsterdam are so packed you can barely walk through them.
And trying things on? Forget it.
The lines for fitting rooms are so long that I just give up. I think: I’ll come back another time.
That’s why these days I only go shopping on Monday late mornings, or at least what passes for that in my case. (Most shops in Amsterdam don't open until noon.)
Unfortunately, I’m not the only one who had that idea. Even then, it’s much busier than I’d like.
But besides the crowds, there’s another reason I don’t enjoy shopping.
Most of the time, when I go out looking for something specific, I come home empty-handed and completely frustrated.
What I had in mind? I never find it.
No—what’s actually much more fun is stumbling across things by accident.
Thrift shops are perfect for that.
You walk in with a completely different mindset.
- Stay open and unprejudiced
- Expect abundance, not scarcity
- Let your imagination be sparked
- See old or dated pieces as creative fuel
- Step outside the uniform crowd
Not “I’m going to buy a red blouse with white polka dots”, but more like “Let’s see if they happen to have anything interesting”.
And that open, non-preconceived mindset means you end up discovering a surprising number of great finds.
It also sparks your imagination.
Because when you’re not so fixed on one idea and you unexpectedly find things you actually love, you start thinking: oh, I could wear this with that, or with something else I already own.
And what I especially love about thrift shops is that you often come across dated pieces. They bring back memories of older fashion eras, which in turn can be inspiring for creating something new—and especially original.
Which brings me to my next argument for second-hand clothing: you’re not walking around in the same clothes everyone else is wearing. You stand out from the sea of sameness.
Although you can absolutely still put together a very current look with second-hand pieces.
And thrift stores are also so much more budget-friendly than the fashion shops on the high street—unless you go to one of those curated vintage stores with designer prices.
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BAGHERIA, SICILY
I love going to the weekly Wednesday morning market where there’s a huge amount of second-hand clothing: piles and piles of clothes for just 1 or 2 euros a piece. It’s not all beautiful, of course, but with a bit of sewing machine work, you can often turn something into a real gem. |
AMSTERDAM
There’s a clothing swap shop near me. You bring a bag of clothes you no longer wear, and in exchange you get to shop for free. |
And…
I’m not ashamed to admit it: I also often pick up discarded clothing that’s still in good condition from the street.
When people clean out their closets, they sometimes put big tote bags full of clothes outside. I take the bag home, pick out what I want, and I put the rest back in the bag and leave it where I found it.
That, to me, is so much more fun than shopping.
I don’t feel like I’m missing anything at all—in fact, quite the opposite.
I really enjoy putting together outfits with what I’ve found this way. And I still get compliments on them too.
Do you ever go to thrift shops? Or maybe you’re considering it?
Here are some tips on thrift shopping from Alyssa Beltempo. (Check out her website too—I love her advice!)
But… there’s one tip from Alyssa that I completely disagree with. She says you should bring a list. And I say you probably shouldn’t. For me, it works much better to go into a thrift shop completely open-minded. That way, the chances of being pleasantly surprised are highest, and the chances of coming home frustrated because you didn’t find anything you liked are close to zero. (Watch from 1:40)
And you? Do you like shopping? Do you ever buy things in thrift shops? Any tips?
I’d love to hear—let me know!
Photo: LUDDMYLA
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