Twice Treasured
How I shop The Real Real + some treasures
I used to be deeply overwhelmed by the vintage/second hand market. It’s vast and inconsistent and competitive… more like an obstacle course than a shopping experience. I always admired those that seemed to be able to navigate said obstacle course and come out on the other side with treasures, but just accepted that maybe this wasn’t how my brain “shopped.” I think subconsciously I was just avoiding it simply because I didn’t know how and it just seemed like “too much.”
A few months ago I decided to start dedicating a few minutes a day to scrolling The Real Real. If it went somewhere then I’d probably end up with some new things in my closet and if not then I’d have more money in my wallet. Either way it’d be a win win situation. I knew I’d find things to buy or save for later, but what I didn’t know was how essential this scrolling and saving would be to honing in on my personal style. With editorial images and perfect styling it’s easy to fall in love with something from Reformation, COS, Zara, etc., but with The Real Real, you have to train your eye to find the treasures. Even if I don’t purchase, I love to scroll just for the inspiration and joy some of these pieces spark.
To ease my anxiety regarding the endless pages and avoid doom scrolling, I limit myself to about 10 minutes a day and I exclusively shop the Editor’s Picks and the Picks for You pages. As for the competitive nature of the app, I just avoid getting attached to something until I hit checkout. If I like something I add it to my hearts and if I’m still thinking about it a few days later then I’ll purchase. Impulse purchases typically don’t bode well for me in the long run and we have to remember these little treasures are wants not needs.
Andddd now that we have gotten that out of the way, here’s what’s on the wishlist…
Until next time…
Xx Shirey