THE ART OF THRIFTING
KEYRA ESPINOZA
Thrifting. In this modern age we currently live in, it has become somewhat of a conscious trend. Apart from the fashion world and people trying to keep up with the constant trends that change every second of the day and ultimately is rooted in consumerism, thrifting is where it's at.
Thrifting is buying secondhand clothes from different stores such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, Buffalo Exchange, etc. just to name a few. When thrifting, not only will you find that the prices won’t hurt your wallet but also you will find unique and one of a kind pieces. That is the art and beauty of thrifting. Hidden gems and treasures waiting to find a new home in your closet. It may vary from limited edition shoes or bags to vintage pants and coats to discontinued brands that are rare to find in today’s day and age.
Thrifting not only benefits us but also the earth. Consumerism is one cause of the rapid climate crisis we are facing today. A climate crisis that our current and future generations are bestowed. When we engage in keeping up with trends after trends, we are buying clothes for short term usage and ultimately produce more waste. In our modern age it is also noticeable that companies like Shein, Fashion Nova, H&M, etc. participate in the advertising of these trends. The hidden not so hidden reality of fast fashion companies like those mentioned is that they use cheap labor from other countries and use cheap material for their clothing that contain microplastics. Although the prices seem cheap, it is quite ephemeral and unethical. At the end of the day, wouldn’t it be smarter to invest your money on better quality and ethically sourced clothing?
It doesn’t just end with thrifting when it comes to being conscious of your wardrobe. Repurposing or upcycling the items in your current closet or items you find at the thrift store can also suit those of you who have a creative outlet. Personalizing and embellishing your clothing to your own style at no extra cost is also a way to catch attention and have everyone ask you where you purchased your clothes. Creating art with your thrift findings is much more unique then following the herd of new trends. Swapping clothes with your friends is also quite fun and eco friendly and may also be relieving for your wallet.
Thrifting is still often stigmatized and seen as dirty and low-life but it is time that in our modern age we influence others to join the thrift train and de-stigmatize their perceptions into viewing thrifting as an art. An art of personal expression and one of a kind findings. An art that has much potential in the fashion world. Art that not only mends fabrics but also our Mother Earth.
WANJIRU GITONGA
Ever have those moments when you're having a bad day, or you're honestly just bored, and you feel like you want to completely reinvent yourself? So, you decide to hop online and shop until your eyes physically hurt from looking at the screen; I do that a lot. I do that quite frequently, actually. Shopping, or as I like to say, retail therapy, is one of my favorite ways to not only destress but help evolve my style. Lately, I've wanted to be more conscious of how I spend my money when shopping, so I decided to try thrifting. I decided to go to the nearest thrift store, Goodwill. I was met with rows and rows of clothing racks, shelves filled with all types of books and shoes.
Once I finished scouring the aisles and the shelves, I found some great pieces, including jeans that I later cut into shorts and a couple cute tops, all for reasonably cheap. I was ecstatic about my purchases and that I was able to save a lot of money and reduce my carbon footprint. However, after leaving, I felt a little out of place and guilty because I was taking away clothes from people who rely on thrift stores.
There are many benefits to thrifting: it's environmentally friendly, it increases the longevity of clothes, so they're not thrown into landfills, and it's affordable. Nevertheless, with the rise of TikTok's 'thrifting hauls,' 'come thrifting with me,' and witnessing the creation of a national 'thrifting aesthetic,' this resource is being taken away from people who can not afford to shop at other clothing stores. Thrift stores are primarily for lower-income people to access good quality clothes for low prices. Many people now see thrifting as a fun little trend rather than some people's means to survive. Buying tons of bags of clothing and then later selling them on Depop or Poshmark for an increased price is only doing more harm than good. The influx of people buying clothes from thrift stores causes a high demand, with a low supply resulting in inflated prices.
Once a helpful alternative to retail stores for a lot of people and families has become way more expensive. This only hurts the people who need and rely on these thrift stores. Now, I'm not saying you should stop thrifting, but I am saying be conscious when you go to thrift stores and consider whether you need to buy certain items or whether you need to buy a bulk of things. Ultimately, not overindulging when buying clothes at thrift stores is fine, but when you come out with bags and bags of clothes, that becomes a problem. Just think about how your actions could be indirectly hurting someone else.
THE ART OF THRIFTING CREDITS:
Directed by: Roma @riw_10 and Michael @michael8guy
Photographed by: Michael @michael8guy and Keyra @keyra_juliana
Modeled by: Raph @raph.vulcain | Okera @okera.h | Isaiah Frazier
Assistance from: Marco @yungdago | Sydney @Sydneyalexisc | Mackenzie @mackenzieebeckham | Nevaeh @nxvaehmarie
