Building Your Thrifting Starter Pack
According To My Best Friend
Ruby's Recs is a professional thrifter. And my best friend. But for the sake of today’s letter, someone with thousands of hours of practice shopping secondhand IRL, long before the teens in baggy jeans took to the racks. She takes thrifting, as with most things in life, quite seriously, and all the better for us! Plus, Ruby writes the best book Substack out there. Enough gushing. I feel lucky she’s here as part of the Long Live guest series, in between squeezing in new godmother duties.
x EV
I caught the thrifting bug early. In middle school my best friend and I would spend our Saturdays walking to the neighborhood charity shop and digging for treasures. I still have some of the pieces from those early days—like the pair of Yoji Yamamoto trousers I bought for $3 when I was 14.
A year ago Erika and I decided to go a year without buying new clothes, and while it’s no longer a hard and fast rule, I rarely buy new clothing at all anymore. I’ve spent years refining my thrifting practice and now buy pretty much everything second hand. Last summer I took my dad to Salvation Army and when I pulled out my own bag and hand sanitizer after we checked out he said “you really have this down to a science don’t you?” I do! I reach for the products below again and again. They are my thrifting starter pack, and I hope they make buying second hand easier for all of you!
Baggu Bags
Most thrift stores do not have bags. I have these in every size and always have at least a couple on me. They fold flat and are easy to wash. The bigger size (see below) is a godsend for 50% off days.
Bodysuits
No dressing rooms, no problem! These bodysuits make it easy to try on anything. I usually just wear a button up or a sweatshirt over it while I shop.
Hand Sanitizer
A must! I like Touchland and Dr. Bronner’s.
Seam Ripper
Seam rippers make removing buttons, letting out a hem, and taking out shoulder pads infinitely easier than hacking away with scissors. I’m not a big fan of logos and often use these to remove any branding patches.
Fabric Shaver
Think a sweater is too pilled to bring back to life? Not with this little tool. It’s easy to use and extends the life of any knit in your closet (I’ve also used it on my couch and upholstered chairs).
Mini Backpack
I like to be hands free while I thrift and have a mini backpack that I pretty much exclusively use while thrifting. It stays stocked with many of these essentials so I don’t have to think about it. I like the Vera Bradley one, but it’s also worth searching for vintage Prada nylon on eBay!
Woolite & Laundry Bag
Most things that are labeled “dry clean only” can actually be washed at home. I use Woolite to wash cashmere, silk, and other delicate fabrics. A laundry bag offers another layer of protection. Use the delicate cycle and cold water! You can also add a bit of white vinegar to get rid of any dusty smells.
Staple Remover
Some thrift stores staple their price tags to the clothes. This is annoying and makes it easy to rip fabric when you’re removing them. I use this staple remover which makes it easier and makes me feel like I don’t need a tetanus shot.
Soft Tape Measure
I don’t always carry a tape measure, but it comes in handy, especially for measuring vintage jeans. I’d suggest taking the flat measurements of the clothes you already love. You’ll probably notice a pattern of waist size, inseam, etc. and can tailor your eBay searches or compare in real life to get the fit you want without having to try on a ton of jeans with no dressing room.
Notes app
Not a product! But sometimes thrifting can be overwhelming, especially if you’re in a big warehouse. I like to keep an ongoing note on my phone of things I’m looking for. Sometimes this is as vague as “flat black sandals” or “trench coat” and sometimes it’s weirdly specific — like “chrome ice cream coupes.” It makes a big space feel more manageable and narrows my focus to certain areas of a store.
Ruby’s Picks
If I’m not thrifting, chances are I’m reading.
I write the substack Ruby’s Recs, a newsletter dedicated to book recommendations. Below are a few books I’ve been loving lately.
The English Understand Wool by Helen Dewitt
This novella is all of 64 pages and still manages to be full of surprises. Our narrator is seventeen year old Marguerite, who has been raised by her English mother and French father in Marrakech with a silver spoon in her mouth. She plays piano and bridge and prides herself on her impeccable taste. I can’t say anything more without giving something away, but the fun continues from there! Dewitt’s voice is cunning, clever, and totally original.
Read if you like: Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, perfect tailoring, Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, white-collar crime
Cowboys Are My Weakness by Pam Houston
This short story collection reads like if Hemingway and Nora Ephron had a baby. I heard it recommended on a podcast and was delighted by the title, then I found it in my favorite used bookshop. I’m not usually a fan of short story collections, but Houston is the exception. Her stories are funny, compelling, and big hearted. Most of them take place in the American West and center around relationship dynamics between men and women. The writing is clean and sharp but poetic too. Underrated!
Read if you like: True Grit by Charles Portis, line dancing, When Harry Met Sally, Realtree camo.
The Clothing of Books by Jhumpa Lahiri
Despite the cliche, people almost always judge a book by its cover. In this extended essay, Pulitzer prize winner, Jhumpa Lahiri, explores the role of book jackets and the intersection between text and image. She writes about her own experiences with cover designers and publishing houses and is honest about the frustrations and disappointments she’s weathered along the way. Lahiri is a beautiful writer and offers a thoughtful examination of how design has influenced her life and career.
Read if you like: Edith Young, 300 Arguments by Sarah Manguso, obscure typefaces
Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can order my romance novel, Exit Lane, on Bookshop or Amazon. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, and shop my Notion template. Get matched at EV Salon. And if you want to partner on a future Long Live, email evan@erikaveurink.com x
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