The art of Ukay: My new travel gear

Thrifting is serious business. I have stumbled upon a lot of good finds in the past but now,  I am confident to say that I have somehow perfected the art that is Ukay.

A good start is Anonas. Once you alight from the MRT train in anonas, one floor below is a big ukay complex that will welcome you. New arrivals are always priced high, nonetheless still affordable than their mall counterparts. You could also opt for Cubao, along the row of ukay shops across farmers plaza. And Monumento too, although I never had the guts to go as far as 2 jeepney rides for my thrifting sprees.

Let me share to you some tips in thrifting, all learned from experience. haha

1. Watch out for sales, not just the percent-off type but the 10-peso, 20-peso items stashed in wrinkly boxes at the back portion of the stores. You could always find one that perfectly fits! I once found a perfectly fitting ribbed cardigan for just 10 pesos!

2. Don’t think twice when you’ve come across an item you perfectly like and perfectly fits you! Chances are, when you come back an hour later, because you want to find a cheaper version of the item in other stores, the perfect item is gone!!!! Ukay is something that has been premeditated by higher powers and if it’s for you, you’ve got to take it before it slips away! Imagine stumbling upon a pair of new Nike trail running shoes that’s exactly your size,  say a measly 5.5, for an incredibly low price of 920pesos! Of course you take it immediately to the counter and pay for it! No second thoughts.

And here is the pair of Nike Trail running shoes that I was telling you about,

3. Look out for quality brands! Once you see how expensive your thifted finds are in the mall shops,  you will feel triumphant and accomplished. I have added to my long list of ukay finds, Zara, H&M, and Marks and Spencer. And for my  latest finds for outdoor gear: Timberland (not photographed for this post, sorry), Columbia and Nike.

I know it’s a screaming PINK bag. But it’s Columbia, enough said.

4. Lastly, be keen on spotting imitations or you’ll find yourself going against the very purpose of ukay – to save money, that is. For example, a lot of ukay shops are selling fake Chuck Taylor sneakers for the same price as the original ones!

I hope my tips may prove useful in your future shopping sprees! Thrifting requires a great deal of effort and patience, so be prepared. Set aside a whole afternoon for a very productive ukay session, and equip yourself with comfy clothes and shoes because a walkathon is in store for you. Just bring the essentials and if you could skip the bag, better do so because you don’t want to keep your hands full with the items you want to try out and still have to worry about your bag. You might lose it to snatchers too, so be ever vigilant.