Want designer wear on a budget? Thrift shops are there for you.
We all like designer clothes, but
how many of us can actually afford
them? You have your answer. But
thanks to second-hand shopping, we
can all rock designer clothes.
What is second hand shopping?
Better known as “jumble sale”
or “madunusa” in the famous
Johannesburg slang, second-hand
shopping is when you buy clothes
that have been worn by someone
else. In the past, these clothes would
be piled out in the open for buyers
to pick through, but due to high
demand, sellers are more organised
and have opened thrift shops instead
of selling from street corners.
How does it work?
The sellers buy used clothes in
bulk, usually from overseas, and
hand-pick items that are still in
good condition to resell them.
Regular customers are usually
known and have premium access
– meaning for every new batch of
arrivals, they receive notifications
before everyone else.
What are the advantages?
You save money! For example, I
have several designer dresses that I
bought for less than R80, whereas
their actual prices range from R899.
Another great thing is that they’re
exclusive. The clothes are usually
a limited range, which means the
chances of being the only one with a
certain item in your city are high.
Disadvantages
You can’t return the items.
Unfortunately, many of these shops
don’t allow items to be returned, and
if they do, you can only exchange:
there are no refunds. To be on the
safe side, do fittings.
You also have to wash the clothes
before you wear them. It’s a general
rule that when you buy something,
you should wash it first, even if it’s
new, just to remove starch.
But with
second-hand clothing, washing is a
must, because most of the items have
been worn before – and even if the
previous owner did wash them, you
may still have to remove their scent.
Tips for second hand shopping
- Arrive early, it’s first come, first served.
- Carry cash: most thrifting shops don’t have swiping facilities.
- Look deeper: don’t go for the obvious.The best items are often hidden.
- Avoid buying second-hand shoes and boots.
- Be reasonable in your bargaining.
- For fitting purposes, it’s smart to wear a vest under your clothes, so that you don’t expose your body in cases where there’s no fitting room.
- Bring your own shopping bag. Most of these jumble sale spots don’t have the best packaging.
For the best jumble sale
experience with designer clothes in
Johannesburg, visit the Vintage Look
at Diagonal Street Passage.
