Don’t get me wrong, I love Nieman-Marcus as much as the next girl, but I’m kicking off our series of shopping guides with one of my favorite places to shop in Ann Arbor; Value World.  Despite the fluorescent lights and unfortunate linoleum flooring, Value World is a treasure trove of epic proportions.   Not only is the clothing amazing, but the average price point is about two dollars so buyers remorse is rare.

Accolades aside, Value World will yield greater finds–like the six dollar Christian Dior suit my friend found–if you know how it should be approached.  While wandering the aisles on a recent pilgrimage to the second hand emporium, I brainstormed about the keys to successful thrift store shopping.  Between finding an insane, sequin-encrusted blouse and envying my companion’s finds (a blue Members Only pullover), I compiled my list of hard and fast rules that will help you make the endless racks of clothing a bit more manageable….

1. Dress for the Occasion

This rule comes into play once you find those perfect, cut-off worthy mom jeans because Value World doesn’t have dressing rooms, only a full-length mirror and a crowd of grandmothers.  To get an idea of the fit, wear a fitted outfit over which you can try on your options.

2. Cut it or cut it?

One problem with the rock-bottom prices at Value World is that they tend to make people under-estimate the difficulty of an alteration.  The classic scenario: you love the Pepto Bismol pink blazer, but it needs to be taken in. My advice to you is this: unless you are willing to pay for the alterations (that will not be as cheap as you’re anticipating) and you are absolutely positive that you’ll actually do it, leave the piece behind.  Any necessary alterations will likely require more than your Girl Scout patch in sewing can do, so don’t kid yourself.

3. The Golden Rule

As I’ve established, the glory of Value World tends to mess with your judgement.  It’s very easy to lose your shopping sensibility among the neon windbreakers and find yourself leaving with enough track suits to outfit the entire cast of a Richard Simmons exercise tape. Keep a level head by adhering to the golden rule; if you wouldn’t buy it new or pay more than $5,  then you shouldn’t buy it.  Also think of how you’ll include it in an outfit.  If doing so involves purchasing a heap of other clothing, move on.

4. Call and Response

Before you head out to shop, consider calling first to ask when they will be putting out their next shipment of clothing. By doing this, you can plan a trip accordingly and truly get your pick of the litter.

5.  What’s your damage?

Make sure to examine every piece before you make a purchase. Look for snags, test the seams—just give it a good once-over. If you come across an imperfection, you should almost always nix the purchase.  This ties in with the golden rule in that it’s easy to forget your normal standards of quality when standing before a smorgasbord of cheap apparel.

6. One last thing

This probably goes without saying, but you really shouldn’t buy underwear at a thrift store.

Now that I’ve shared my wisdom, find the location closest to you and get shopping!