Tags

, , , , , , , ,

This week’s nifty thrifty lesson:

“Bathing Suits”

I really don’t have a problem buying most things second hand, and bathing suits are no exception.  Here are some tips for buying suits at Goodwill:

1.Find the suits-GW doesn’t carry too many suits usually, so just finding them can be difficult!  I would recommend asking an associate to tell you where they are so that you don’t waste time wandering around.
2.Try them on-this is a rule with all clothing…try it on!  It’s so important, especially with something like a bathing suit that really needs to fit correctly.  An interesting point to keep in mind is that bathing suit material expands when wet, so buying a suit slightly small is actually ok.  Also, wear your underwear while you try on the bottoms for sanitary reasons.
3.Check the condition-avoid suits that have pilling on the butt (from sitting on asphalt etc.) or are very bleached out because this indicates it will fall apart soon, make sure the elastic is intact, reject anything with stains, and unfortunately it’s difficult to tailor suits so don’t buy anything with rips or that needs to be altered.
4.Search for brands-just like you should with clothing, check the brands to make sure you’re getting high quality.  Of course, the suits are very inexpensive so if you find a cute Old Navy suit and want it then get it.  However, you should be aware that it won’t last as long as one by a company that specializes in suits or from a high quality brand that makes suits.  Here are some good ones to look for:

  • Roxy,
  • Victoria’s Secret,
  • J. Crew,
  • Speedo,
  • Nike,
  • O’Neill,
  • Body Glove,
  • Ralph Lauren,
  • Guess,
  • Raisins,
  • Venus.

5. Wash it-when you buy anything from GW or another thrift store, I recommend washing before wearing (although even I don’t always follow that rule) but swimwear definitely requires a washing.  Simply washing it with detergent and hot water is totally fine, although some people like to rinse it with vinegar as well.  Just be sure to let the suit air dry because heat from the dryer will ruin it.

I can’t really believe I’m going to do this, but here we go…I found this J. Crew suit at the Goodwill in Eagle Rock, CA.  It’s so adorable and fits really well, and I snatched it up so quick.  The retail price is probably around $100 for both pieces,  but I paid $6.  Yeah, it’s pretty awesome.