When I open the door to a thrift shop I pause, take a deep breath, and dive right in.  I feel the anticipation, the thrill of the hunt, and the excitement of finding something cool in my size!  It can be an overwhelming sensory experience and I love it.

First, there's the unlimited colors and fabrics.  Sometimes I walk down the aisle and just let the colors wash over me.  It's a way to see if something jumps out at me so I don't have to look at every, single, piece of clothing :)  It's also soothing, like walking through a rainbow, I feel great!

Second, I meet interesting people.  Sure there's the person in the line ahead of you that insists on asking for a discount or wants to run back and get one more thing but there's also the fellow thrifters that have wonderful stories.  I like meeting people who collect coats for example, or certain brands.  They like to tell the stories behind their collections and share the details of what makes items special.  Thrifters are full of inside information and often know other places that are worth shopping.  I also like meeting the sisters who don't mind telling you how you look when you can't find a mirror, or who like to chat while waiting for a dressing room.

Third, it's a family activity we all share.  I grew up going to second hand stores with my Dad who liked to show me inside seaming, talk about fabric quality, and why you should always buy cashmere. He knew every second hand store within 50 miles and they knew him!  These days when we go on vacation my family always looks up a local thrift store to visit. We play show and tell with the weirdest things we can find and are happy when we find a cool piece of clothing to take home.  Makes a fun souvenir.

I hope you too enjoy the thrill of searching through racks and racks of clothing.  Have fun second hand shopping !