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7 Summer Trends to Thrift This Season

It’s summertime and the outfits are…not always easy. Maybe the tariffs are holding you back from your dream wardrobe or you’re not sure what to wear for sun-soaked days that turn to breezy nights. Enter your local thrift store. In case you haven’t heard — you can find the hottest styles without burning through your savings, just by trading in your closet cleanout and shopping secondhand at spots like Buffalo Exchange. We put together a list of the top summer trends to thrift that’ll have you dressing with ease, all season long. ⛅ Get the full fashion forecast below!

Flat lay of vintage western boots in tan leather with a mini tooled leather crossbody purse at the Buffalo Exchange buy counter
Two people posing outside in vintage leather jackets with western cutouts, styled with modern accents like graphic tee shirts and chunky silver jewelry
Vintage Native American turquoise squash blossom necklace with matching earrings and cuff

West is (Still) Best

If you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, it’s time to giddy-up and go! Whether you’re kicking back at your friend’s house, exploring the great outdoors or seeing Beyoncé on her Cowboy Carter tour — you can do it all in a good pair of jeans and some western boots. Not your first rodeo? Expand your range with a suede fringe jacket or an oversized belt buckle and you’re sure to be the talk of the town.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • Cowboy boots from brands like Ariat, Justin’s, Lucchese and Tecovas
  • Gunne Sax dresses
  • Leather jackets and vests
  • Mid-wash denim
  • Turquoise jewelry
  • Vintage belt buckles (the goofier the better)
Vintage single-stitch Betty Boop graphic tee shirt from 1988 featuring hearts and 'xoxo' slogan
Buffalo Exchange Albuquerque employees standing against a red wall wearing Iron Maiden, Hellraiser, Nirvana and Marlboro graphic tee shirts, from left to right
A person inside Buffalo Exchange showing the back of their graphic tee shirt that says in capitalized red letters: "This is what someone who is in love looks like."

Say It With a Tee

The reports are in: Tinder is dead and we’re going back to meeting people IRL. But how do you start a conversation with that cute barista at your local coffee shop sans embarrassment?

The answer is graphic tees, aka our go-to once the weather starts hitting 85 degrees on the regular. You can maintain your mysterious cool-girl persona and let your tee shirt do all the talking — great for fashionistas with a little social anxiety! If you’re a regular thrift shopper, chances are you already have a solid collection going, so what’s one more? Go ahead and buy that fun graphic from the band you’ve never heard of, your secret’s safe with us.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • Anything that doubles as a conversation starter
  • Collectible single-stitch vintage
  • Shirts with graphics on the front and the back
  • Your favorite band’s tour tee

We recommend shopping from both the men’s and women’s section, because good taste has no gender!

Person with maximalist style wearing a Betty Boop tee, over-the-ear headphones embellished with stickers, charm necklaces, beaded bracelets, and colorful rings
The hands of a Buffalo Exchange buyer with a cherry-inspired manicure holding up a Coach curb chain necklace with sterling silver links and pearl accents
Close up of a person's hands with stick and poke tattoos & mixed metal jewelry including sterling silver bracelets, a vintage pearl-faced watch and chunky silver rings

Mix, Match & Stack

There’s no better time to shine than summer. Make life easy for yourself and forget the rule about only wearing silver or gold, because everyone’s mixing metals this season. Ask the cashier to look behind the registers where you’ll find the real treasures, like Gucci rings with their original boxes, solid sterling silver and stones of all shapes and sizes. For a look that’s completely your own, try pairing old with new — your grandmother’s pearl pendant goes surprisingly well on that chain you thrifted during your last vacation.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • Chains for layering
  • Rings for stacking
  • High-end treasures kept behind the registers
  • Pendants you can rework into a DIY charm bracelet
  • Sterling silver stamped with 925 (aka “The Good Stuff”)
  • Vintage watches
A close up of a hand adorned with chunky sterling silver stone rings carrying a vintage Gucci handbag in their iconic monogram print
Person walking down a sidewalk wearing a black tank top, red mini skirt and olive ballet flats while carrying several designer purses from Chloe and Coach
Coral red belt from Vivienne Westwood with colorful white, green, and blue rhinestones on the buy counter at Buffalo Exchange

Euro Summer Romance

Big is moving to Paris, and we couldn’t help but wonder…what are you going to wear when you visit him? Whether your flight’s already booked or you’re living vicariously through your friend who’s documenting every part of their trip on Instagram — you can dress like you’re on the French Riviera whenever, wherever!

Get swept away in the romance of Carrie-approved designer, funky accessories and one-of-a-kind vintage dresses. But before you buy, check the care tags to make sure you’re sticking to natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk — man-made materials just don’t have the same je ne sais quoi. Your clothes may get a little wrinkly in your suitcase, but who cares! You’re on vacation, even if it is just mentally.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • Mid-length skirts and dresses
  • Rose-colored glasses (literally or figuratively!)
  • Shoes that were made for walking in, like ballet flats, sneakers or kitten heels (the girls who get it, get it)
  • Vintage designer bags
  • A boxy linen button down that doubles as a beach cover up
A brand new black leather Harley Davidson motorcycle jacket with tags attached hanging against a brick wall at Buffalo Exchange
A close up of two people dressed in red & black moto style on a New York City street corner wearing tanks, shorts with grommet details, and leather harness boots
Person standing in front of an industrial building while wearing metal framed glasses, an acid wash denim dress, leather knee-high moto boots and silver jewelry

Ready, Set, Moto

Just like the weather, moto style is coming in hot. 🔥 As practical as it is stylish, all you need to get your closet in gear are a few staples: think real leather, sturdy denim and, of course, a need for speed. A leather jacket can rev up any outfit and lucky for you we see lots of them in the store. Throw one on and you’ll look like you’re ready to ride — even if you call shotgun most drives! Wheels sold separately.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • A perfectly worn-in vintage leather jacket
  • Basics to go under said jacket
  • Black denim jeans to go with everything
  • Harley Davidson anything
  • Motorcycle boots
Two employees in front of Buffalo Exchange wearing wrinkled oversized button downs, loose ties, silver chains, black knee-length shorts and loafers with ankle socks
Two people laughing wearing business casual pieces like an oversized shirt and blazer styled with alt accessories including fingerless gloves, chains and baggy jeans
Customers in business casual - one in a black silk cami and low-rise slacks, the other in a white Ralph Lauren button down, red baggy jeans and a matching red tie

Business, Meet Casual

In case you missed the memo, we’re wearing office wear everywhere but the office. If the workplace movies of the ‘80s taught us anything, you can fake it ‘til you make it with the help of a great outfit. In this post-WFH world, we’re wearing button-ups unbuttoned, shirts untucked and jeans on days that aren’t Fridays. Unless you have a job interview, of course. Not your style? Join our team and you’ll get to wear whatever you want to work, no uniform required.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • Loafers with current details like a chunky heel or a square toe
  • Mid- or low-rise slacks
  • Oversized button-ups
  • Skinny leather belts
  • Ties—you can find silk ones for cheap secondhand!
Employee at Buffalo Exchange in pigtails wearing a sporty red visor with "Hattitude" embroidered across the front and a matching Donald Duck baseball jersey
A collection of NBA-branded basketball shorts for teams like the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs from Mitchell & Ness laid flat on a wooden table
Person wearing an oversized Phoenix Suns tee shirt half tucked into blue shorts, turquoise western boots, and a baseball cap secured with a green floral scarf tied around their head

Touching Grass

Athleisure has been the real MVP of our closets for years. (If you saw me wearing the same pair of leggings every day of 2023, no you didn’t!) This summer, we’re getting our heads in the game with sports apparel — or at least making it look like we do. Play the field in tenniscore prep popularized by Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers or take a page from Kylie Jenner’s playbook with a courtside-coordinated ‘fit. For extra style points, raid your dad’s closet for retro team merch only the real fans will recognize.

Summer trends to thrift this season: 

  • A jersey from your college team that never wins a game
  • Basketball shorts with a 5” inseam
  • Funny baseball caps your dad would wear
  • Micro-pleated skorts
  • Retro merch from brands like Mitchell & Ness
  • Varsity jackets
Person in front of neon signs that say "Buy" and "Sell" pretending to run into a Buffalo Exchange while wearing a strapless cream dress and brown leather western boots

So now you have a list of all the summer trends you need to thrift this season…

but those clothes aren’t going to pay for themselves! If you’ve been meaning to clean out your closet, now’s the time to sell us those warm-weather styles — including the ones we mentioned above. For anything we’re able to buy, we’ll give you 50% in trade or 25% in cash or PayPal. Not a bad way to make some extra fun money! When you’re ready to stop by, just find your location and let us know you’re on the way. We’ll save you a spot in line. 🫶