Honestly, I’d have to agree with Macklemore, fifty dollars for a T-shirt is ridiculous. In all seriousness though, thrift shopping has been on the rise lately, but I would mostly attribute this to it being a trend rather than how affordable it is. While thrifting is not a new idea, it hasn’t always been popular in a positive light. In the ‘90s thrifting was popular amongst alternative crowds and a big part of grunge fashion. Grunge is all about ‘anti-fashion’ and embracing uncoordinated, worn, and loose fitting clothing. This makes thrifting a perfect way to find one of a kind pieces that intentionally do not fit well. This meant it was popular more with ‘outcast’ crowds instead of being a mainstream trend.
Another thing that made thrifting gain popularity was the awareness that came about in 2010 regarding the mistreatment of workers in the clothing industry. This was in part due to unethical treatment of workers such as companies outsourcing to other countries and underpaying workers. Similarly, in the name of ethics, thrifting has become popular to some because of the sustainable aspect of it. Secondhand items that would have normally would have been thrown out are being used by others. Humans, as a whole, already create so much waste, but many of us might not consider how much of that is just clothing! On average, an American household throws away 81 pounds of clothing alone. Textiles could easily be reused for many different purposes but 85% of our clothes end up burned or in landfills.
While these statistics are great reasons to embrace thrift shopping, it gained traction recently because it has become a fashion trend to have thrifted clothes. This is probably due to the resurfacing of older fashion trends and the increasing popularity of vintage and baggy clothing. While in years past many would find it embarrassing to admit their clothes had been bought from a secondhand store, now saying your outfit was thrifted is brag worthy. This means that your outfit is one of a kind, no one can copy it- at least not without spending a great deal more money. Regardless, there is still a positive effect of this fashion trend such as decreasing waste and making shopping more affordable.
While it is great that an entire generation has adopted the practice of thrifting the majority of their closets, there are always downsides to trends. Thrift stores were originally aimed to make clothing more affordable for the less fortunate, who genuinely could not pay the absurd amounts of money that clothing costs. Due to the nature of any trend, any and every social class is drawn to participating. This means that there are people who can afford to buy clothes from name brand stores, but they choose to thrift simply because it is trending to do so. The popularity of thrifting has drawn large crowds to thrift stores, leading most quality clothing to be picked over and cleaned out. This leaves less options for those who cannot afford to shop anywhere else.
Another negative impact of thrifting has been the inflated prices that thrift stores now charge. Not only is there a larger demand for thrifted clothes, stores are full of clientele that can afford an increased price, since comparatively to larger clothing stores these prices are still cheap. This means that thrifted clothes are becoming less affordable for those who rely on these stores for cheap clothing options.
With the trend beginning, many saw a fast way to make a profit for themselves. ‘Resellers’ would go to thrift stores, buy unique and quality pieces for close to nothing, and then sell them online for outrageous prices. At times these pieces were being sold for more than they originally were sold for when first manufactured. Thrift stores picked up on this and saw the green light to up their prices, to earn their ‘cut.’ Those looking to take advantage of such a good practice genuinely disgust me because it undermines the entire point of thrift stores. These stores were founded to help provide clothes and jobs to any who needed them, and certain individuals took it upon themselves to capitalize on this to make quick money. While not everyone who thrifts nowadays is like this, I do believe many of us need to be more mindful when it comes to participating in trends.