The Art of Ukay-Ukay

Shopping without punching a hole on your pocket sounds enticing and definitely music to any shopaholic’s ears. Who wouldn’t grab the chance to buy stuffs without any pressure of overspending. Today, we are not just confined in high-end stores and the mall to shop. We can also enjoy shopping at thrift stores to hunt for great finds. Thrift stores are becoming well received by the public. Even some local celebrities and socialites have expressed their fondness.

Here in the Philippines, we have Ukay-ukay shops, a colloquial term for thrift stores. I think this started in Baguio and then down south. From accessories to garments to foot wear, name it and they might have it all. Merchandise found here are largely pre-owned. It also boasts for housing some designer brands like Prada, Balenciaga among others for a very reasonable cost which almost you can’t say no.

You can catch ukay-ukay shops almost anywhere. It is never easy to rummage inside thrift shops as it will test your patience and determination. At first, I didn’t appreciate these stores because of the amount of stuffs they have are suffocating that it’s barely impossible to move comfortably(mostly). But after some frequent trips, I managed to get used to it and actually enjoyed the experience.

Thrift Tips from the king of Ukay-ukay! Haha

• A notable tip that I can share with you is that you need to have a goal for every shopping trip you make as you might end up purchasing the same stuff all over again or if not you might end up buying stuff because they are just too cheap to make a pass.

• You can bargain with the sales person at the price you want. Try asking for the half of the price and take it from there until you meet halfway.

• I have favorite shops to go to. Some have  a list of customer’s contact numbers and they notify them once they have new goodies. Also, it is wise to get into the shop as soon as you receive their message since this is the perfect opportunity to get hold of good quality and branded items before anybody else will. During their new arrivals, prices are a little expensive(if you have been an avid thrift shopper) but still low-priced compared to mall rates.

• You just need to be meticulous in examining your choices before paying. Some shops do not accept exchanges but seldom do this happen.

• Bring a friend with you whenever you shop. To help you decide or to maybe drag you out of the store when you are overspending! I have my friend/shopping buddies: Tel Mistal, who is in Dubai right now fulfilling her hardcore shopping there(I miss her a lot) and Jinky Bautista, she is widely acquianted with a lot of brands and we go mostly to flea markets(In Apo, Haha). But sometimes friends will push you further to shop more haha.

• These shops also hold SALE! from as much as 500 bucks to as little as 5 pesos! Take the advantage of rummaging during these times for there is almost no reason to feel guilty and if you are into garment deconstruction this is the time to seek your raw materials.

Here are some of the great finds I amassed!

Shopping is addicting. You might need to step back a little if you think you are overspending. You don’t want to be a member of Shopaholics Anonymous, Do you? Luckily, I’m not yet. Haha

You don’t need to spend your hard earned cash on fancy things and there are no excuses for not being IN STYLE because a lot can be done. You need to just bust your *ss and think!

Happy shopping everyone! I will see you around.