When I was a freshman in high school, I discovered the world of thrifting. I had gone to my hometown’s flea market and there was this vendor who had all clothes for a $1 each. I was ecstatic, especially since I was on the hunt for the type of ugly sweater that filled Tumblr back then. I found one while rummaging through piles of clothes and never looked back. When starting “the hunt”, it’s easy to get confused on how to go about finding the pieces you’re looking for. Whenever I’m feeling uninspired or I need for tips I head to inspiration motherland, YouTube. After watching countless thrift related videos, these five ladies are among my favorite. They all have unique, distinct styles that differ from one another, but they all share a deep passion for the hunt.
1. TashaLeelyn
Courtesy: Pinterest
Tasha Leelyn started off YouTube as a popular hair styling and coloring vlogger. She was constantly dying her hair wild colors and was a huge part of the pastel hair era. About a year or two ago she made her first “thrift with me.” Since then she has really grown into the YouTuber and person she is today. She has an indescribable style, but if I had to put a name to it, it’d be along the lines of prairie-boho-cowgirl. Somehow, Tasha can mix all these styles successfully when she’s thrifting, creating original but trendy looks. One thing I admire as a subscriber is her mantra as a thrifter: if you don’t absolutely love it, don’t buy it. If you’ve seen many thrift videos like I, then you probably are familiar with the “biggest thrift haul ever!!!” vlogs. These can be fun to watch, but it can feel like these people are just thrifting the items for the sake of the video, especially when they show you the four white t-shirts they bought. Tasha has always been against this, and I feel as if it makes her hunt for those special pieces even more exciting to watch. Recently, Tasha has been uploading a variety of other videos for her channel, which makes me excited about what we’ll see next for her. On top of all this, Tasha has proven how much of a businesswoman she can be as she opened an online store to share some of the amazing pieces found while thrifting.
2. HellaJam
Courtesy: Brume Daisy
HellaJam is a vlogger once based in San Francisco but has recently moved into the suburbs of the area. She has a unique style, that I’m not sure she can even describe. One thing that can be said about her eclectic style is that she is NOT afraid to be bold with her outfits. She often mixes prints and wears the boldest colors she can find. She just has a deep love for unique, one-of-a-kind, vintage pieces, and can be spotted wearing clothes once sported by her mother. The HellaJam is always adding to her wardrobe as she is always thrifting and you can find many “thrift with me” videos on her channel, along with daily vlogs and her being 100% open about her life. She became a mother a little over a year ago and is now expecting a daughter in 2020. She has never let pregnancy stop her from creating the content she loves and still sports the most interesting pieces she can find, even with a bump. As a subscriber, I have loved seeing her growth as a person, but her constant love of thrifting shine through. She has proven that motherhood shouldn’t stop you from being the most stylish woman you know.
3. Studio86
Courtesy: Hype Auditor
Studio86 is a channel by a duo consisting of Bao and Sheng from California. These two ladies’ channel consists of solely fashion related videos, whether its thrift hauls, how-to-style, or look books. Studio86 is full of tips and tricks to bring out your inner style when you can sometimes feel stuck. Their style tends to stick out from the rest because it consists of very neutral-toned, loose, gender-neutral pieces. Even though they tend to stick to gender-neutral pieces such as should padded blazers, they somehow still find a way to make these pieces feminine. Before becoming a subscriber, I would have never even looked at loose trousers or men’s blazers, but these ladies have inspired me to give these pieces a chance because you never know how something will turn out. The duo often does look books for the season that is forthcoming, and as a south Floridian, they’re winter look books is what I turn to when trying to navigate dressing for the cold. In addition to this, they also make videos on how to style like 10 pieces in however many ways. I enjoy these because I may find a new way to wear a favorite piece of mine. Along with running a successful YouTube channel, these ladies also run a jewelry company full of the cutest, daintiest pieces.
4. Dianachamomile
Courtesy: Pinterest
Dianachamomile is a New York/New Jersey-based YouTuber who attended fashion school in New York City. Now out of school, she runs her channel full time. She uploads weekly, always sharing her new finds. Diana’s style has evolved over the last few years into a very colorful, vintage aesthetic. She is always on the hunt for the most adorable clothing and home décor pieces that she can find. I love her channel because she allows us an inside look of what its like thrifting in such a large city, showing the contrast of what thrifting is like in Florida. Diana makes it work though, as she deals with NYC prices sometimes. One thing I love about Diana is her unique eye for pieces. She is always grabbing for these vintage pieces that look like your grandma’s old sweater, but when she tries them on and styles them, the pieces can sometimes blow your mind. Her style stays constant as the seasons change, as New York/New Jersey can get freezing. Through the blizzards, Diana will still be spotted sporting a floral turtleneck with denim overalls and a camel-colored plaid coat. Diana proves that she can make any piece of work, as long as it has the cute factor she looks for.
All of these ladies march to the beat of their own drum, but all share the same love for thrifting. They prove that fast fashion isn’t always the answer and there are more sustainable ways of shopping. These women constantly inspire me with their unique styles and give an insight into what it’s like to be a master thrifter.
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