“I want to thrift, but I don’t know how.” “I’m not good at it.” “How do you find such good pieces?” I hear this coming from my friends ALL the time. Lucky for you, I’m here to help, and I have a good ten years of experience under my rhinestoned belt. It’s easy to resort to fast fashion brands when thrifting seems like a major project, but don’t you want your closet to have more character? Second-hand shopping leaves you feeling environmental relief and the thrill of having one-of-a-kind clothes that make everybody else jealous.

As a 2000s baby, I wish I could have been in my early 20s during that time. To compensate, I go absolutely insane for anything with sequins, animal prints, denim, and rhinestones. That’s why I thrift and you should too! It's time to download Depop and get out your credit card. Here are my top 10 y2k brands to look for when secondhand shopping!

$- $5-$20

$$- $25-$40

$$$- $45-$60+

1. Juicy Couture ($$$) An obvious one, but doesn’t every girl want to lounge around in a Paris Hilton-esque velour set? Juicy is highly sought after, so it can be a bit more challenging to find in a thrift store, but Depop is your go-to. Be wary of new mass-produced Juicy sets that may be sold at TJ Maxx or Forever 21. Of course, these can be cute, but they are not genuine vintage!

2. You know it’s a good day when you find Victoria’s Secret ($$$) in the lingerie section of the thrift store. It's truly one of life’s simple pleasures. The gold and open-heart labels from the late ‘80s to the mid-‘90s are the best. From slip dresses to corset tops, you’ll find the most beautiful feminine pieces that can double as great Halloween costumes! Mean Girls taught us that Halloween = lingerie, right?

3. Bebe ($) is my absolute favorite. The rhinestones that say “bebe” across their beautiful knit tops have been enough to make me audibly gasp in multiple thrift stores. This brand is perfect for cute loungewear like zip-up hoodies, off-the-shoulder tops, and T-shirts. These clothes pretty much guarantee you compliments and jealousy from whoever you interact with. There is also no shortage of stunning going-out tops, from tube tops to detailed tanks. If you search “y2k clubbing dresses” on Depop, you may be lucky enough to find one like the one below.

4. Express ($) is most likely the most straightforward brand to find in thrift stores and on Depop, which means the prices will be super affordable. Express will be your go-to brand for sequins, silk, and even business casual button-downs/sweaters for my working girls! There are tons of the staple, cute wide-leg dress pants available on Depop if you are confined to the depressing shackles of business casual. In a thrift store, avoid any fabrics that feel super thin or those with sequins that have started falling off.

5. Charlotte Russe ($) is the brand responsible for a large portion of my sequin-embellished tank tops. You may remember Ashtin Earle and her viral pair of vintage sequin leopard print mini shorts that inspired a microtrend. You guessed it, those shorts were Charlotte Russe! You can pretty much bank on finding a cute Charlotte Russe top, skirt, or dress in any thrift store.

6. Lipstick Boutique ($$$) is the ultimate brand for beautifully embellished tops. Gone are the days of “clean girl aesthetic” and wearing turtlenecks to the bar. We are in our 20s and we should dress like it! I’m referring to the kind of beaded tops that you see on your Pinterest feed and yearn for something even remotely similar. You may have to do some deep diving to find this gorgeous brand. If you are lucky enough to find a Lipstick Boutique top at a reasonable price, snatch it up quickly, you won’t regret it. I found mine on Depop for $35! You are most likely to find this brand on eBay!

7. If you want to look like you just stepped out of the Sex and the City era, Cache ($$) is the way to go. A quick search on Depop will give you the perfect selection of Carrie, Samantha, and Charlotte’s closets. This is a good place to start because every single result features a showstopping piece that is enough to transform your entire wardrobe. These pieces look a LOT more expensive than they are, so buy them out of your Depop likes before I do! I mean seriously every single piece that comes up in a quick search is beyond iconic.

8. Miss Me ($$$) is the staple for low-rise flare jeans that will have everyone BEGGING you to tell them where you got them. Their logo is perfectly embellished with leather and rhinestones to fit the edgy, cool girl aesthetic. Look for dark denim with light-colored stitching. Beware of the Tiktok shop! Some creators have been selling Miss Me denim on my for you page. Don’t fall for this; the quality is completely diminished and was much higher 20 years ago, so stick to Depop, Poshmark, or eBay for these.

9. Wet Seal ($) is highly sought after among thrifting girls. I had a micro-mini skirt from there that I listed on Depop, which sold within hours. Some treasures include a lace cami, a show-stopping going-out top, or a cute pair of the smallest mini shorts. As Paris Hilton said, “Skirts should be the size of a belt. Life’s short; take risks.” Beware of crazy Depop sellers; you should not be paying more than $20 for anything Wet Seal!

10. BCBG ($) is similar to Bebe; you can find the sickest loungewear, full of rhinestones and embroidered designs, that will put White Fox sweat sets to shame. BCBG gives you an edgier look without skipping a healthy amount of glitter and rhinestones. I love a brand with duality, and BCBG is 100% it. You will also find amazing dresses with halter tops, vintage floral patterns, asymmetrical hems, and, of course, sequins and sparkles.

Check out how I style these brands (and more) on my socials!
Tiktok: delaneyyy29
Instagram: delaneygruver

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