I will admit it; I love the concept of mixing and matching layers of blouses, wool jackets and scarves during winter. But ten years since I got my first fashion magazine, this idea remained a fantasy for me. My wardrobe staples are jeans and sweaters with a down jacket or wool coat. End of conversation.
BUT. Spring is upon us in Atlanta and coming from Hong Kong, I’m amazed at ATL’s bipolar weather. In the summer, there’s a huge variety of clothing to choose from – there are short sleeves, sleeveless shirts, spaghetti-strap blouses, jumpers, dresses, shorts…Lenox Mall and Atlantic Station are dangerous places for my wallet.
As much as I love how fast-fashion clothing stores offer cheap and cute designs, most of them lack quality and fall apart or tear after a few washes. I’m calling out Forever 21, H&M and GAP, sorry. And, after learning about the Bangladesh clothing factory scandal in 2013and reading about the underpaid women working in sweatshops (some of them earn only one-third of their minimum wage), I have become more determined to make ethical and economic shopping choices.
That’s where eBay and thrift stores came in.
My first experience shopping for clothes on Ebay was when I study abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland. That was when I first got my debit card and discovered online shopping. I went online chiefly for their affordable prices and large selections of clothes, ranging from fast-fashion to designer brands. I only bought items that were under $30. I once got a Hollister red checker chambray for less than $12, and last year I purchased an olive green Zara jumper for less than $20 and a red silk blouse for a similar price.
There were tons of thrift stores in Edinburgh, like W. Armstrong and Son, and charity shops, like Oxfam. I got some gowns and cashmere from the thrift stores for less than $10.
Why second-hand clothing?
Besides the affordable prices, it was also about reducing waste. It’s a simple way to recycle by donating no longer worn clothes and purchasing new ones. There’s nothing shameful about wearing clothes someone else previously owned — I mean what’s the difference between a pair of thrift store American Eagle Jeans and a pair of AE jeans newly stacked by some high school employee in the mall? Nothing! They’re still the same pair of jeans, but the thrifted ones are less expensive.
I checked out some eco-friendly brands online, like shopethica.com and zady.com, but their prices were out of my budget ($250 for a sweater). Yes, the fashion industry needs a massive makeover, like by abandoning labor exploitation and the production of toxic factory waste. We need to fight for change, but these things are not going to transform overnight.So what’s the solution for now?
The best solution is to buy used clothes. Even if I can’t change the unethical production process, at least I can stop perfectly fine items from going to landfills. Perhaps it’s also some sort of self-rationalization to comfort myself for buying stolen designs from Zara (they had been reported for copying independent designers, among other unethical practices). Before we find a permanent fix to the fashion industries misdoings, shopping for second-hand clothing is a clean and cute way to start moving forward.
I hope to continue to educate myself on ethical, eco-friendly shopping in the future. In the meantime, here are a few things I keep in mind when thrift-shopping:
- If you’re in thrift stores, check for any tears or holes on the item. Make sure the zipper works. If you’re crafty and can mend the problems, go for it!
- Sift through each piece on the rack. Since you can no longer rely on clothing displays, you have to skim through all the items to find hidden gems. Trust me it’s worth it!
- Take your items to the dressing room and try them on. Thrift stores don’t have individual items in every size, so it’s important to make sure the fit is just right.
- When shopping on Ebay, check the sellers’ rating and how many people are rating them.
- It’s more reliable when the seller posts a picture of the size tag (as evidence). If they didn’t, ask them to take a picture, so you know the item is your size.
Lastly, check the return policy – many thrift outlets and sellers have a no-return policy. Start shopping today on Ebay, or in thrift stores throughout Atlanta, such as Goodwill, Buffalo Exchange, Rag-O-Rama, The Salvation Army, and local consignment stores! Oh, and never downplay the fun of a garage sale, where things are at times under 5 bucks — garage sale season is approaching fast and ATL has some of the best!