Scouted: ‘Thrift Queen’ Macy Eleni Tells Us How to Become an Expert at Secondhand Designer Shopping

Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.

For those of us who dabble in secondhand shopping, few things are as thrilling as randomly scoring a designer gem at a thrift store. For Macy Eleni, TikTok’s reigning “thrift queen,” secondhand shopping is more than just a hobby; it’s a way of life. With an unwavering eye for vintage treasures and a passion for eco-conscious style, Eleni’s approach to thrifting is something that anyone can adopt for themselves. She views it as so much more than just a simple shopping experience—it’s a way to express individuality and even find inner healing through it.

In her newly released book, Second Chances: The Ultimate Guide to Thrifting, Sustainable Style, and Expressing Your Most Authentic Self, Eleni shares her thrifting origin story as a 12-year-old girl growing up in Ohio and how shopping secondhand helped her to express herself and fuel her creativity.

Keep scrolling for tips from Eleni on how to spot genuine designer pieces amid the sea of secondhand items, why estate sales are the mecca for luxury finds, and all you need to know in order not to get duped (unless you want to).

Hunting for Designer Treasure IRL

One of the key tips Eleni offers for thrifters hunting for luxury gems is to keep your eyes peeled on the store’s display cases and behind the register. “That’s where they usually keep a lot of the designer items,” she explains. But don’t assume that’s the only spot to look. It may feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, and in some ways, it is, but Eleni emphasizes the importance of thoroughly searching through every rack and corner.

“In this store, specifically, I found a vintage Dolce and Gabbana Y2K baby tee. It’s one of my favorite shirts ever, and it was $9.99 on the rack,” she says, pointing out how the odds you’ll find something ultimately depends on the store, the employees working that day, and where they’re going to place the item. “Really, the best tip if you’re looking for designer is to truly look through every single thing in the store, because you might find things just stuffed anywhere on the rack,” she says.

How to Verify Whether a Designer Find Is Real

Let’s say you’re at the thrift store and happen to come across a Gucci bag or Chanel sunglasses. Before you let out a few squeals of victory, you might want to make sure the item is legit. In 2023, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized nearly 20,000 shipments of fake designer goods worth $2.76 billion—had the items been authentic. When it comes to verifying authenticity, Eleni’s go-to tool is her trusty phone.

“Google will be your best friend,” Eleni says, suggesting that you snap a pic and reverse Google Image Search to find the product online. “You can take a picture of the serial number if there is one; the tag, the logo, and oftentimes, you’ll be able to find it’s either real counterpart and then see if it’s fake, or it’s a good way to see if you’re getting a good deal on it,” she explains. “Maybe that piece was originally $1000, and now it’s being resold for only $50 on Poshmark, but at the thrift store, it’s listed at $100 or $200.”

Paying Attention to the Materials

Navigating the world of fake designer items can be tricky, but Eleni has honed her skills over the years via the sense of touch. “One of my [top] thrift tips, in general, is to touch everything because it helps you figure out what is good quality and what is not,” she says, adding that if the bag feels cheap or flimsy, it’s probably not the real deal.

Designer items are known for their impeccable craftsmanship, so examining the fine details, such as the stitching, material, and hardware, is critical. She recounts a particularly egregious example: A thrift store had a pink quilted Chanel bag chained to the register and priced at $300, giving the illusion of authenticity, but the “second you touched it, literally felt like plastic.” When Eleni was in high school, she’d come across fake bags at the time—but they were $3. “It feels criminal, and I think it is criminal to be selling things like this,” she says. “Fakes are being made at a crazy rapid rate now.”

To Buy Fake Or Not to Buy Fake

However, some shoppers seem not to be too concerned whether they’re scooping up a fake bag or not. In fact, reports in recent years point to Gen Z specifically being shameless proponents of designer dupes. Eleni recalls being at a thrift store recently, where they had “every fake bag you can imagine,” including Gucci, Diesel, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, with shoppers scooping them all up. While the lure of a designer bargain can be strong, Eleni cautions against getting caught up in the hype.

“When I was in high school, l I might have been about that, but now I want good, quality things versus just being blinded by designer labels,” she explains. And all those TikTok videos that show thrifters coming across designer bag after designer bag? They’re probably fakes. She does admit to purposely buying a fake furry Fendi bag to display in her office. “I loved the look of it, and it was better than it going to a landfill,” she points out.

Don’t Ignore Estate Sales

While Eleni frequents various thrift stores, she believes estate sales are the secret to finding authentic designer pieces. “In the secondhand universe, most of the real bags I find are at estate sales. That’s my biggest tip,” she shares, but points out that living in LA alongside celebrities and wealthy residents can provide an advantage over other areas. She advises looking for estate sales with less glamorous listings, as these can often yield unexpected designer finds.

“I saw one pair of Chanel ballet flats in the picture, and that told me they would have more [designer]. I went and found a Gucci Jackie bag for under $200 and a Dolce and Gabbana bag with a cheetah print interior with little D&G charms hanging off it,” she says. Another time, she attended an estate sale of a woman who was a “shopaholic on QVC” who had hundreds of Bob Mackie furry vests and jackets still in their packages.

Keep scrolling to see some of Eleni’s favorite secondhand designer picks that you can shop online.

Y2K D&G Hobo Bag, $230

“I’m obsessed with big hobo bags and old Dolce & Gabbana, and this baby is gorgeous, yummy perfection. I found a similar D&G bag from the same era at an estate sale recently, which is why I must share this link with you now! Also, everyone is going crazy for suede, so snag it secondhand!”

Manolo Blahnik Suede Animal Print Slides, $54

“Get your Manolos on The RealReal; they’re always such a fab price and honestly the most comfortable brand of heels I’ve ever worn. The cheetah, the studs, the Posh Spice energy? Absolutely, sign me up.”

Gold Prada Ballet Flats, $90

“I’ve only recently started dabbling in the world of ballet flats, and these metallic Prada sports are doing everything for me. They have so much life left in them to live and are just under 100 bucks!”