How to Spot Quality Pieces at a Thrift Store

1. Feel the Fabric First

Before you even check the label, trust your hands. Higher-quality fabrics tend to stand out by touch. Forget the labels for a moment—your hands are better detectives than your eyes. Glide them along the rack like you’re auditioning for the role of “person who pets everything in sight.” Polyester will squeak beneath your fingers, like a sad balloon at a children’s party. Wool, silk, and cotton will feel weighty, reassuring, like a handshake from someone who pays their taxes on time.

If it feels suspiciously like the lining of your old gym shorts, keep walking. If it feels like something you’d voluntarily snuggle with on a plane, grab it.

• Natural fibers like cotton, wool, linen, and silk feel breathable and weighty.

• Blends with natural fibers (cotton-linen or wool-silk) often combine durability with comfort.

• Synthetic-only fabrics (like polyester or acrylic) can feel thin, shiny, or plasticky, and they don’t always age gracefully.

👉 Pro tip: Run your hand along a rack—your fingers will often stop on heavier, smoother, or softer fabrics.

👉 Pro tip: Pack hand sani

2. Inspect the Construction

This is the moment you transform from “random person holding a blazer” to “seasoned textile inspector from Milan.” Nobody else in the store is actually watching you, but in your head you’re an authority figure. Tilt your head, squint at the stitching, and murmur things like, “Mmm, yes, the craftsmanship.” Here’s what you actually want to look for (and what you can pretend to look for if someone is watching):

🔹 Stitching

• Straight, even stitches are a green flag. If it looks like someone’s five-year-old sewed it on the back of a moving bus, put it back.

• Double-stitched seams? Built to last. Single, loose stitches? Built to fall apart on your way to brunch.

🔹 Hems

• Quality pieces usually have a generous hem folded under. That extra fabric means it can be let out or taken in—like the garment planned ahead.

• Cheap items often have tiny, stingy hems, the sewing equivalent of someone refusing to lend you a pencil.

🔹 Buttons & Buttonholes

• Tug gently on the buttons. If they wobble like a loose tooth, you’re signing up for sewing homework.

• Buttonholes should be neatly finished, not fraying like a cat attacked them.

🔹 Zippers & Hardware

• Metal > plastic, always. A sturdy YKK zipper is basically the Mercedes of closures.

• Do a quick zip test. If it jams or separates instantly, you’ve got a problem.

🔹 Lining

• Fully lined jackets, skirts, or dresses = quality. It’s like the garment is wearing underwear, and polite clothing always does.

• Half-lined or unlined? Not automatically bad, but often a sign corners were cut.

🔹 Patterns & Prints

• On higher-end pieces, patterns (like stripes or plaids) usually match up at the seams. On cheaper pieces, they never line up—so your plaid shirt looks like it was sewn together in the dark.

🔹 Weight

• Heavier fabric tends to wear better. Pick up a blazer that feels like it could double as body armor? That’s a good sign. Pick up one so light it floats? Prepare for disappointment.

3. Check the Labels

Tags are like dating profiles. Sometimes they tell the truth (“100% Cashmere, Made in Scotland”), but more often they’re aspirational (“Polyester blend, but feels like silk” or “Made with love” even though it was probably made by a Bangladeshi child). Brands like Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, made well, Everlane are safe bets; Shein or Fashion Nova are not. “Made in Italy” is good; “Made in Planet Earth” is suspicious. Sizing may not be relevant. Vintage and international brands run so small it suggests people in England and 1970s have both smaller bones and fewer internal organs.

• Materials: Look for “100% cotton,” “100% wool,” “cashmere,” or “silk.” These are usually more durable than polyester blends.

• Brand names: Legacy brands (think Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, Pendleton, Eileen Fisher) are known for construction that lasts.

• Made in: Vintage “Made in USA/Italy/France/Japan” tags are often a sign of stronger craftsmanship.

👉 Don’t worry too much about sizing on old labels—vintage sizing runs much smaller. Always try it on or bring a measuring tape.

4. Look for Signs of Wear (and What’s Fixable)

Secondhand doesn’t mean second-best, but it pays to know what’s salvageable. A missing button? Fine. A tiny hole? Sure, if you own a needle and more patience than a Buddhist monk. Pilling on a sweater? Buy a fabric shaver and feel smug about rescuing it.

But stains in the armpit area? Don’t even bother—it’s not sweat anymore, it’s a crime scene. The same goes for leather that cracks like desert soil and any item that smells faintly of cat pee.

👉 Easy Fixes: Missing buttons, small tears, or pilling sweaters can usually be repaired.

👉 Deal-Breakers: Yellowed underarms, stains, cracked leather, or strong odors (like mildew or smoke) are often permanent.

5. Spot the Timeless Pieces

Quality isn’t just in the construction—it’s in the longevity of the design. A wool coat, a pair of vintage Levi’s, a sturdy blazer: these are forever. A sequined halter top from 2004? That’s a decision you’ll have to explain to your grandchildren. Stick to pieces that don’t scream a specific year—unless, of course, you want to look like you wandered in from a time machine.

• Classic cuts: trench coats, denim jackets, tailored blazers, button-down shirts.

• Neutral colors: blacks, whites, navies, and tans are endlessly versatile.

• Durable fabrics: denim, wool, leather, and silk rarely go out of style.

These staples will blend seamlessly into your wardrobe and won’t look dated next season.

Final Thoughts

Thrifting is more than bargain hunting—it’s a way to build a wardrobe with character, craftsmanship, and conscience. By training your eye (and your hands) to spot quality, you’ll walk past the fast fashion leftovers and straight toward timeless pieces that last.

Every quality garment you rescue is one less item destined for a landfill—and one more step toward a sustainable, stylish closet.

Thrifting is like dating: you’ll kiss a lot of polyester frogs before you find your silk prince. But once you start spotting quality, the thrill of the hunt kicks in. You’ll find yourself bragging about your “$12 wool coat” to people who absolutely did not ask. And that, my friends, is the true joy of secondhand shopping.