*DISCLAIMER: All images are taken by Hannah Delea, and her friends. None of these images are from the internet.*
Over the past few years, influencers, like Emma Chamberlin, have been showcasing their thrift finds all over social media, highlighting their unique and inexpensive pieces. As a fashion lover myself, I couldn’t help but take note of this trend. In all honesty, when I first saw influencers advocating for thrift shopping I was skeptical, initially thinking the items would be dirty or worn. However, I can firmly contend that the negative stigma around buying clothes second hand should be a thing of the past. The negative preconceived notions I had could not have been more incorrect, and now, I am hooked. Thrifting is the new way you need to shop.
As a college student on a budget, I am naturally a bargain shopper. This is the first reason why I love thrifting. Because items are being bought second hand, sellers will mark down prices significantly. Therefore, allowing you to get more bang for your buck, and who doesn’t love that. Another major perk of thrift shopping is that it is sustainable. As we all know, the Earth is extremely polluted from industrial waste and human consumption. However, most people overlook the waste that comes from their clothes. According to greenamerica.org, “The EPA reports that Americans generate 16 million tons of textile waste a year,” an astronomical figure. Therefore, thrifting actually helps this problem by keeping clothes out of landfills. Overall, buying second hand clothes allows you to save money as a fashion lover while being a sustainable consumer.
Furthermore, thanks to new digital technology, there are lots of thrifting platforms online, so you can get a great deal with the simple click of a few buttons. My two favorite platforms are Poshmark and Depop. Both of these apps have hundreds of thousands of pieces to choose from, and make it super easy to see the pieces on the screen right in front of you if you don’t want to go digging in a thrift store or consignment shop.
Poshmark
Poshmark was the first platform I used to buy items second hand. I was attracted to the app because it allows users to buy and sell higher end pieces at discounted prices. Also, it is super easy to use, and all you have to do is search for the item you are looking for. For example, I bought a pair of Lululemon shorts (not pictured) at almost half the price, by just searching “Lululemon shorts.”
Junior Olivia Wiatrowski even scored these two beautiful Tiffany pieces, at significantly discounted prices from the app.
One of my favorite clothing brands is Brandy Melville. I love Brandy Melville for their basic and timeless pieces that are reasonably priced. However, due to the popularity of the brand, pieces tend to sell out very quickly, and can be hard to find. Nonetheless, Poshmark allowed me to score some pieces I could not find on the website. I was able to get this adorable gingham set and this beautiful black lace tank top from the app. As a bonus, because they are second hand, both of these items were heavily discounted
Depop
The next platform I use is Depop. Depop has an algorithm that finds posts with pieces similar to ones you like, which is awesome because it is curated towards your style. Here are some of the pieces I liked from my feed.
This Boston sweatshirt and adorable floral mini skirt are two of my favorite pieces from the app.
Junior Cassie Smith also scored these adorable white cowboy boots.
In person thrifting
Lastly, we have the classic in person thrift stores. My favorite spots are Savers, Goodwill, GRIME on Shrewsbury Street. In person stores are where you will find the best deals and most markdowns. However, you do need to really dig through the store to find gems, as thrift stores generally have an overwhelming amount of clothes. This is why for me personally, I prefer to thrift online. However, if I have some spare time, I do love to go thrift shopping in person. From my experience, some of the sections in the stores are button down shirts, sweatshirts, and flannels. You can even browse the mens section if you want an oversized look.
Sophomore Riley Young was seen sporting these adorable brown corduroy pants from a local Savers to class.
Thrifted button downs are also my favorite, and work great to spice up any outfit. I love wearing them over swimsuits during the summer!
