I spend way too much money on clothes. Or, at least I used to.
One of my goals for the new year was to stop buying retail, for a variety of reasons, one of them being my sad bank account. My mom taught me the art of thrifting at the beginning of high school and I have taken those lessons and turned it into one of my biggest hobbies. Back home, I’m even known as the Thrift Queen because I have an eye for finding hidden gems in piles of clothing. I know that it’s barely February, but I have been sticking to my goal very well so far. In addition to not buying clothing, I’ve also learned not to spend money on other unnecessary junk while perusing the streets of Cambridge and Boston. As a result, my bank account has been looking better and better!
I know some people who are completely turned off by the idea of wearing second-hand clothing and while I can understand the contempt, I am here to tell you why I completely disagree with those views and why 90% of my closet is second-hand.
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Thrifting, in its essence, is recycling used clothing and giving it new life. Take a moment to think about all of the clothing that would otherwise go to waste, sitting in a dump somewhere smeared with dirt and who-knows-what because someone didn’t want this article of clothing anymore and threw it out. Now take a moment to think of all the clothes that gets thrown in a plastic bag and taken to a clothing donation center. All of these clothes will be hung on a hanger once more and an unsuspecting fashion guru may come along and snatch them up to give them a new home. This is saving the environment by preventing fabric piling up in cluttered landfalls and can count for your personal contribution to the green movement.
2. Giving Back
Many thrift stores have humanitarian aspects to them as well. For example, Salvation Army donates its profits to different charities and Goodwill provides job training and employment opportunities as a nonprofit. Big chain thrift stores are not the only ones to give back; many smaller and more local thrift stores have a cause behind them as well. There’s a thrift store just outside of Harvard Yard that is run by volunteers and all proceeds go to benefit the Episcopalian church next to it. I’ve been to thrift stores where all the proceeds go to help animal shelters or disabled veterans. Thrift stores are even known as charity shops in Europe! No matter what the cause, you can be sure that your hard earned money is going to help others in your community rather than help wealthy corporations.
3. Thrifting is Trendy
Let’s face it: all the coolest fashion bloggers and vloggers thrift. Your trendy best friend thrifts. Heck, there was a #1 hit song written about this lifestyle, and for good reason too. Thrifting can inspire the creative fashionista within all of us because we’re thrown into a sea of fabric and given the challenge to walk away with a new outfit. Thrifting also inspires a confidence in your ability to wield scissors and handle bleach which would not come with buying retail. Do you remember summer 2013 when all everyone was wearing were cut-up or dyed high waisted shorts? Boy, I sure do because I had a running collection of about 10 pairs of said shorts that I made all by myself. I had American Flag shorts, dip-dyed purple ombré shorts, and shorts decked out in studs. And yes, I wore them all to death. These days, the trashy chic look seems to be in with hole-y shirts or jeans with rips in the knees, both styles which can easily be replicated with thrift store finds and a pair of scissors. I’ve lived by DIY for so long that I never realized how much of a skill it is take a plain piece of clothing and jazz it up to your liking. Girl, if you want to get those artistic juices flowing, take a trip to the thrift and then a trip to your local craft store and see what happens!
4. Unique Is My New Middle Name
Picture this: you walk into your house’s formal and are totally confident with your dress of choice for the evening because you spent a good deal of money on the perfect little sequined number. You’re ready to dance the night away and stuff your face with chocolate (Frozen reference?) but suddenly, you turn the corner and GASP! There’s the girl from the entryway across the courtyard and she’s wearing YOUR dress. You then end up spending the night hiding your face in shame or awkwardly laughing off the situation but secretly storming on the inside. What a bummer!
Would you like to know a secret way of preventing this situation from ever happening to you? Get your fancy attire from a thrift store! Fun fact: I bought my senior prom dress at a thrift store for $30 and it was the best decision I made for that night. I knew that no one in the building would have anything similar on and I avoided the parental scorn at spending $600 on a dress I’ll wear only once.
Thrift stores are like a treasure trove of items that can make a statement at your next event. They’re filled with unique pieces that you know won’t be in stock at the outlet mall and with some luck, you may even find designer items for extremely cheap! My best friend back home has found not one, but TWO vintage Chanel pieces at our favorite thrift store in my city. You just never know what you’ll find once you start diggin’.
5. Something for Everyone
By the way, there isn’t only clothing at thrift stores. Many thrift stores have a wide array of home décor items that, with a little repurposing, can add some pizzazz to your common room or spice up your walls. I myself am not very into decorating, but I have a few thrifty friends who have bought many an item to add to their room aesthetic. You can find impressive bookends or metallic plates to display jewelry on or ornate frames that can be spray painted to perfection. In relation to the DIY culture, gathering bits and bobs second hand can save you major cash when you’re having to redecorate your room on a yearly basis.
6. Quality Bonding Time
Like I said before, thrifting with my mom is a tradition that always brings me the greatest joy. She even avoided temptation to walk into one of our favorite stores downtown until I was back home for break so we could go together. And because my nickname was Thrift Queen, a lot of my friends always wanted to go on thrifting trips with me to “learn my secrets” and these trips have always been extremely enjoyable bonding experiences. Not only were they fun, but they were rewarding when we all walked away with more than we could carry and when they came back to me a month later to tell me that I passed on my good luck and now they love the thrill of the hunt!
7. Only Got $20 in My Pocket (Or Bank Account)
Time for the most obvious reason of all: thrifting saves money. Big time money. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of money I’ve saved on clothing by buying second-hand, considering that the majority of my closet is thrifted. Just this past winter break, I realized I needed more sweaters for the impending winter snow (yes, this is my first snowfall that I’ve ever experienced and no I was not prepared) so I snagged all the cute ones I could find and now I’m pretty toasty in the cold. You know those duck boots that everyone and their mother has in the northeast? Got mine for a whopping $3 this summer at a thrift store because I knew I would need them. I could go on and on with my successful endeavors, but I think you get the picture that so much money can be saved just by putting in a little time and effort to dig up pieces that you’ll cherish. Us college women have to be savvy with our finances and there’s no better way to make sure you look your best inside and outside of class while still being able to pay tuition than thrifting your heart out.