Truth be told I’m a thrift store novice.

Sure, I’ve heard about trendy people who can go into a charity shop and walk out with a quirky vintage dress or pair of designer jeans for a fraction of the normal price, but I’d grown to assume it was an urban legend of sorts.

Having ventured to a thrift store once or twice before it seemed I lacked the creative vision, or downright patience, to search for those ‘diamonds in the rack’.

Then a stylish girl named Chantelle Emery came to work as a graphic designer at The Royal Gazette. She seemed to pair the most unlikely pieces together, yet always managed to stand out with bold colours, unique prints and edgy styles I hadn’t seen anywhere else.

Then one day, I learned her fashion secret ... thrift shopping.

This reporter asked — or rather, begged — Ms Emery to let me join her on one of her bargain hunting trips to local thrift store, The Barn.

Instead of our normal Fashion On The Street column, we gave the fashionista a budget of $25 to see what kinds of outfits she could create using some pieces we found at the Devonshire locale.

As soon as we stepped into the thrift shop, Ms Emery said she typically tries to prepare herself a little before starting her search.

“I think you have to get into a specific mindset to thrift and get ready to spend a bit of time in here,” she said.

“You are literally going to have to sift through everything to find the good clothes. It’s not like shopping at a regular boutique when everything is paired up with items of the same colour or style. You have to find the pieces you like by looking through all the racks until something catches your eye.”

Despite the disclaimer, within a matter of minutes she had spotted her first find: a floral printed blazer from designer Adrianna Papell.

At first glance it looked like something my grandmother might wear to church or a tea party, but Ms Emery saw the potential in it.

“I like the print and I’m into vintage looking things right now,” she said. “I am looking at from the standpoint of what I can pair with it, maybe dress it down with acid wash jeans or roll up the sleeves and pair it with some boots or wedge heels.”

Her eyes lit up when she talked about her visions for sprucing up the blazer and she told us that thrifting could be a lot of fun.

“You can find something here for a couple of bucks that you can pair with something more expensive in your closet,” she explained. “There’s so much you can do with it.”

She started thrift shopping back in 2007, while attending university in Savannah, Georgia.

Having a limited budget, she found thrifting to be the best way to meet her shopping fix without spending an exuberant amount of cash.

She said her typical plan of action is to go to the area with clothes in her size first.

But even before stepping into the store she sometimes makes a mental note of something she needs. It might be a work shirt or funky jewellery for a night out, but it helps her focus in on those items, she said.

“There is so much stuff in her you can get distracted easily so you need to have a method that works for you.”

She also looks for recognisable designer labels. She admitted she wasn’t really a “brand-name person”, but the great thing about these pieces is you can be confident you’re getting something of good quality for a really low price.

And the prices at The Barn are one detail that can’t be left out. Shirts, skirts and pants cost a measly $2, while shoes and dresses are $5 and a formal or long dress will run around $10.

For a few moments I took in the sights and sounds at the store (including dancing salespeople and mood-boosting song Pharrell Williams’ Happy playing in the background). Then I met back up with Ms Emery a few minutes later — this time her arms were full of unique goods.

She had picked up a polka dot neon orange and white top, originally from The Gap; and an ethnic safari printed skirt, which she planned to turn into a dress or belt.

Then she spotted a pair of loose fitting, high-waist, grey pants, which she planned to pair with a fitted shirt, chunky accessories and a heel.

We also picked up some dark blue jeans that she said could be bleached and ripped up for a little extra edge. All five clothing items as well as a belt and ring came to approximately $23, just under budget.

Ms Emery took the items home and realised they wouldn’t need as much alterations as she originally thought.

She was able to pair the items with clothes and accessories she already had in her wardrobe (for more details see sidebar) — by using a little imagination and some creativity.

The Barn, located opposite the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute on Devon Spring Road, Devonshire, is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am until 2pm. Monies raised at the charity shop go towards the Hospital’s Auxiliary.