The 'Beyoncé of thrift' shares ways to sustainably grow your wardrobe with secondhand pieces you'll actually wear (2024)

• Iesha Gilchrist, who calls herself "The Beyoncé of thrift," runs the secondhand fashion account ThriftNTell on Instagram.
• She spoke to Insider about how to find quality items that fit your style while shopping sustainably.
• This article is part of "Better Me," a series about improving your lifestyle and helping society through sustainable efforts and eco-consciousness.

As Iesha Gilchrist watched the 2020 presidential inauguration on TV, First Lady Michelle Obama's burgundy pantsuit made such an impression that she headed to a thrift store to recreate the look before the event was even over.

"Girl, you didn't watch the inauguration because you were at Goodwill looking for her outfit," she laughed to herself.

But it was worth it, Gilchrist told Insider. Her secondhand ensemble, complete with a blazer, gloves, sparkling belt buckle, and red handbag, only cost her $20 and garnered more than 271,000 views and 53,800 likes on TikTok.

But that's just another day at the office for Gilchrist.

The digital creator goes by "The Beyoncé of thrift," a nickname she gave herself to help her stand out among a growing number of thrifting and vintage clothing accounts on social media. To Gilchrist, Beyoncé is the best at what she does, so who better to emulate than Queen Bey?

The 31-year-old Virginia Beach native is the founder of Thrift N' Tell, the Instagram account she started in 2019 dedicated to styling vintage clothes. Under the brand, she also resells secondhand pieces on her website and Instagram Live, hosts webinars on content creation, and helps other women with their reselling businesses.

The community she's built on the platform comes to her for celebrity outfit recreations on a budget, tips on transforming thrifted clothing, and style inspiration.

She shared with Insider how you, too, can sustainably grow your wardrobe with secondhand pieces you'll actually wear.

Start playing around with a simple collection of outfits

"I feel like thrifting is an easy way to play around with your style until you figure out what it is," Gilchrist told Insider. "That way, you're not spending thousands of dollars on a wardrobe that may or may not be for you."

When it comes to her personal wardrobe, Gilchrist says she fills her closet up with items she knows will fit her eclectic, modern-glam style.

But she says that not everyone knows what their signature style is, so she recommends starting with a simple collection of outfits, including all-black ensembles, monochromatic looks, and classic pieces.

Scope out the clean, organized thrift stores

Gilchrist said she's met people who still think buying used clothes is "disgusting" or "dirty," but she thinks if they experienced one of the many clean, organized thrift stores out there, they'd give it a chance.

For people who have never been thrifting and want to start, the content creator said the best place to start is in a brick-and-mortar store — even if you have to drive a little further to find quality pieces.

"I feel like people who live in smaller towns hold onto the items longer," she said. "The vintage that we're looking for is in those small towns.

Touch everything

Once you're inside, Gilchrist recommends shopping with your hands as much as your eyes. She looks for tags that indicate an item was made in the US and feels around for materials like silk, wool, and linen.

She also says not to limit yourself — go through every rack, regardless of what gender it's marked for.

Gilchrist told Insider she hopes people — including a growing number of Gen Z consumers who share thrifting content online — will keep thrifting.

"There's still so much mass production of clothes. Who's wearing this stuff? Where is it all this going? I don't know," she said.

"Hopefully, thrifting isn't just a trend. Hopefully, it becomes normalized," Gilchrist said.

Better Me tips for sustainable living

Slide through the following cards to read more expert advice on sustainable living. Then check out the rest of the stories from Insider's Better Me series.