Research

Before you shop secondhand, visit department stores to get a sense of fabrics, what they feel like, and what they cost when new, says Jennifer Barker-Benfield, owner of Blue Velvet Vintage Clothing, in Austin, Texas. And search on eBay (www.ebay.com) to get a sense of the price range on specific items, says Alison Houtte, the author of Alligators, Old Mink & New Money: One Woman’s Adventures in Vintage Clothing (William Morrow, $24, www.amazon.com) and the owner of Hooti Couture, a vintage boutique in Brooklyn.

Go at the Right Time

Find out what days stores unload their deliveries, and make a point to go then, says Barker-Benfield, “because the best stuff tends to be what’s not picked-over.” For the best prices, shop off-season, she says. “Coats will be marked down in the summer, while halter tops will be cheaper in the winter.”

Bring a Tape Measure

Know your chest and waist size, and don’t hesitate to measure if there is no fitting room, Barker-Benfield says. Also, many thrift-store items may not have a size label, or may have a size that the staff simply guessed at, she adds: “And keep in mind that sizes have changed over the years. They weren’t standardized until the late 1960s. So a size 12 on a vintage piece might be a modern 4.”