My All-Resale Wardrobe

I love my 100% resale wardrobe, and I don’t miss buying or wearing new clothes

It took time for the fun to leak out of retail shopping to the point where I wanted a 100% thrifted wardrobe. I used to love a mall trip, dropping too much money on new clothes from Macy’s and Ann Taylor. I loved popping into TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and, back in the day, Loemann’s, seeking quantity over quality. A jewel-toned blouse. A daisy-emblazoned sundress. I loved making a special trip for shoes to wear to a wedding but then buying black boots, silver flip flops, and, my favorite, wedge sandals.

Online shopping was fun, too. Browsing catalogs that showed up unsolicited in my mailbox. Watching the gray super-maxi skirt on the Garnett Hill website until I got a coupon code that brought the price down 20 percent. 

But somewhere along the way, buying new clothes lost its joy. I no longer felt fresh and new when wearing new clothes. I felt stale and cheap. The white puffer jacket from Land’s End failed at its only job. It wasn’t warm. The black faux wrap dress from Garnet Hill faded after a couple of washes. Gray threads dangled from the hem of that super-maxi skirt. 

I tried Stitch Fix and Amazon Basics. It was all so meh. Just not worth the cheap price, and not even worth wearing. 

The teal poncho pushed me over the retail edge. I saw it on a Facebook Ad, lightweight and perfect for the Atlanta climate. It took weeks to arrive from China. The package was so small, I thought they sent me a scarf or pair of socks by mistake. But, no, my poncho was stuffed in there. From the moment I touched it, I knew I had wasted $39. The fabric was plastic, rough and full of static. A magnet for dog and human hair, it pilled after one wash. 

I wondered, “Is it possible to thrift all my clothes?”  

It’s easy to find quality resale clothing if you know where to look

When I joined the board of Second Serve Resale, I discovered so many unique, high-quality donated items for resale. I had always loved thrifting, but I thought of thrifted pieces as bonus clothing, not the bones of a wardrobe. Bit by bit, I filled my closet with items from Second Serve. My signature Second Serve find is a plaid poncho with a faux fur collar. I love getting to choose a nonprofit to receive 85% of the purchase price. 

Instead of wandering into Loft, I seek out thrift stores, the ones tucked inside churches and unmarked warehouses. For specific needs like just the right  jeans or flowing dresses for my upcoming cruise, I turn to ThredUp and eBay. When my employer summoned me back to the office, I found vintage wool pants from Talbots on eBay. Amy, founder of Second Serve, found a cropped black Calvin Klein jacket and a vintage Armani jacket, replete with shoulder pads, from an online Goodwill store.

Wearing thrifted clothing, I somehow feel fresher and newer than when I wore new. I thought I would miss Amazon, but I don’t. I thought I would make some Anthropologie purchases on impulse. But I haven’t.

Fast fashion needs to clean up its act or lose more women to resale 

This is me now, a person who exclusively shops resale. My friends and I hit thrift stores when we travel together. We text pics of our thrifted outfits and donate items we don’t wear to Second Serve to make room for clothes we want to wear.

The questions I get asked: How do you thrift underwear? Bras? Socks? Bathing suits? I had so many of these items when I started this challenge in January of 2025 that I have not needed to buy them yet. When I do, I will look for small brands to support. Amy has thrifted some amazing bathing suits over the years, often new with tags. I rarely wear a bathing suit, so I am unlikely to need to acquire one in my lifetime. 

If you want to thrift your whole closet, you can set your own guidelines.

Thrifting all your clothes is about resisting an industry that willfully harms the planet, communities, and the people who make our clothes, an industry that skirts regulations, pushes greenwashed narratives, and just gets worse over time.

The fast fashion industry thought we wouldn’t notice when they swapped real fabric for plastic. They thought if the price were rock-bottom we would forgive a hem falling out or a hole in the armpit. They thought photos of mountains of clothes on the beaches of Ghana wouldn’t get to us. 

Instead, those photos haunt me. 

While writing this, I realized it’s not true that I haven’t bought anything new. A last-minute work trip sent me into a Walmart in rural Louisiana for a hoodie. But I never wore it. The zipper broke the first time I put it on. 

How to build a 100% resale wardrobe in 2026

1. Start with a thorough closet(s) declutter, getting rid of everything that doesn’t fit, feel comfortable, and look great. 

2. Donate clothing that is in-season and free from holes and stains to a local clothing closet or thrift store. Hang onto out-of-season clothes to donate when the season is right. Seek out a clothing upcycler for stained and worn out clothes. 

3. Make a list of what you need and want to wear, clothing that will make you feel great. 

4. Start with quality basics like jeans, a blouse, and a trench coat, clothing pieces you will wear all the time. Seek these pieces out at online thrift stores and brick-and-mortar stores. You can find gems at small, boutique stores, huge warehouse stores, and even the infamous bins, where Goodwill sells last-chance clothing by the pound. 

5. Add statement pieces and unique finds sourced at thrift stores, vintage stores, or even your grandmother’s closet. 

6. Visit different types of thrift stores, from sprawling warehouses to small, curated shops. Expect pricier items at vintage stores and deeper discounts at giant chains. Learn which days they discount prices and whether you’re eligible for the senior discount.

7. Look for quality items. Check labels for a vintage look. Anything more than 20 years old is considered vintage, and anything made in the mid-2000s or earlier will generally be higher quality. Fabrics that are mostly cotton, wool, or other natural fibers signal quality, as does a little bag with an extra button. Look for garments that are lined. Clothes made in the USA, Canada, Italy or other European countries are more likely to be well made, especially if they are more than 20 years old. 

8. Go slowly. Take photos of your favorite outfits and look for pieces that complement what you already have. 

9. Embrace  mending and altering. Quality pieces, especially anything made prior to 2005, are often worth repairing. You just won’t find similar quality in today’s retail stores. You can do simple repairs yourself with just a needle and thread. Find a local tailor to help you with more complex tasks. 

10. Keep donating clothing you don’t wear back into the resale market or to clothing closets that serve people in need. The person donating their clothes to thrift stores and the person buying their clothes from thrift stores should be the same person!