Ask any seasoned thrifter and they will tell you the same thing: the rack does not hand over its treasures easily. Fashion creator Kim Ebrahimi spent about four hours at Value Village hunting for fall pieces, and she came prepared with a clever trick. Because Savers and Value Village have no fitting rooms, she wears leggings and a fitted top so she can try clothes on right over them in the aisle.

Her thrifting outfit is carefully planned. She says she never wears a cute outfit to the thrift store, because it is going to get dirty, and because she wants to be able to pull things on top of what she already has on. That day she wore capri leggings, a top from LA Apparel and her brand new Chanel flats, which she admits is probably a little crazy, but she was going to be on her feet for hours.

She had a mission. After a full closet clean-out with an organizer, she knew exactly what she was missing, and at the top of the list were low-waisted jeans. She says nobody makes them as low as they used to, and what she wanted was a good old pair of early 2000s jeans, ideally black, in a bootcut or skinny style.

Digging Through Every Rack

Kim sat in her car for 20 minutes before going in, just to mentally prepare, since a trip like this takes around three hours. Inside, she started with the jackets, which had apparently just been put out, so she had first pick of the fall items. Her rule is to look at every single piece, because if you skip anything you might miss something really good hidden between all the random stuff.

The early luck was mixed. She pulled a dusty pink trench coat she liked for its light, airy color, a small cropped denim jacket that she called fabulous, a Zara jacket that looked like new, and a $10 bomber jacket with no brand. She also noticed that some of the medium section held smaller sizes, so it pays to check beyond your usual size area.

The jeans section was a letdown. She goes through sizes from 5 all the way to 34, but many pairs labeled low rise were really mid rise, and she found nothing close to the old Hollister style that barely fit. She took a break to visit the accessories and shoes for a little encouragement, finding a pair of red flats, some fun purses and a velvet bag with beading.

The Designer Surprise

After hours of looking, Kim was tired enough that she nearly gave up on the dress section. She kept going anyway, and she found an authentic Chloe dress. She says that is why you look through every piece, and that the best thrift days are the ones when you find real designer.

She also found a Roxy plaid shirt with cinching buttons at the back, a black button-up she hoped would fit snug, a cropped cardigan, a beaded sweater and a Christmas sweater, because to her it is time even if it is early. Her little vintage Aldo flats were another win, since she says vintage Aldo shoes are usually great as long as they are not rotting.

The Try-On Over The Leggings

With no fitting rooms, the try-on happened right there, over her leggings and top. A corduroy jacket gave her a Ralph Lauren look, but with her outfit it felt too business meeting. A pair of wool pants turned out to be just low-waisted enough for her cozy Gilmore Girls fall mood, and she decided they flatter well.

Not everything worked. A sweater was itchy and full of holes, so it stayed behind, and the black button-up was a miss that made her feel like a restaurant server. The Chloe dress, in the end, did nothing for her. She said that if it were any other brand she would not have looked twice, and the color was not right for her either.

A little white top she loved was too small, so she left it for someone else to find. The cropped denim jacket was not quite the Y2K vision she imagined, but she decided to take a chance on it anyway.

What She Took Home And What She Learned

By the end, she said she was taking home the plaid shirt, a puffy-sleeved knit cardigan with a little hood that she thinks will be perfect for fall and Christmas, the red flats, and probably the wool pants. She was on the fence about the red Christmas sweater. It felt like an unsuccessful trip while it was happening, she says, yet it turned out pretty successful after all.

Her biggest takeaway is that thrifting is hit or miss, and you should only expect to go home with a handful of things. Most of what is on the racks is not great, but if you keep looking you always find a few gems mixed in. Sometimes a vision does not come to life, she says, and that is okay.

If you want to try her method, wear fitted layers that are easy to pull clothes over, bring comfortable shoes, eat first, and give yourself hours instead of minutes. Keep an open mind about styling, too. A piece that looks wrong on the hanger may work with the right accessories, and one that looks right may not. Either way, trying it on is the only way to know.

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