I’m gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket. I’m huntin, looking for a come-up, this is f**king awesome.” What is it about the song “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis that is so catchy? Well of course that hip-shaking beat has something to do with it, but Macklemore is really onto something new here—thrift shopping.
The idea of originality has been long sought after for years and years; everyone wants to look different from the crowd. Recently, teens and young adults have been sliding into thrift shops like Salvation Army and Goodwill in search of pieces that are chic and cheap.
Being in a city like Philadelphia, there is always a constant feed of trends and style whether it’s those trendy students on campus or walking down streets like Chestnut, temptingly lined with stores in every direction. The ever-present goal of being fashionable can be hard to keep up with or even disappointing when others walk past you in the same jacket you thought only you owned. Indira Jimenez, a sophomore at Temple University, avidly shops at thrift stores around the city and even back at home in Connecticut.
“I thrift because I find so many more unique and fun pieces when I’m out thrift shopping rather than shopping at a regular retail store,” she said. “I feel that having really unique pieces in your wardrobe are really what make your outfit stand out.”
The thrifting industry has been growing exponentially in the past few years. Shoppers in the area tend to favor stores like Goodwill and Buffalo Exchange. According to the Association of Resale Professionals, Buffalo Exchange has branched out to 43 stores and has brought in revenue of around $64.4 million in 2010 alone. But with the popularity and revenue increasing in thrift shopping, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of finding original pieces?
“I don’t know the song may make thrift shopping a fad,” Indira said. “I know some people who are into it and they feel that the more commercialized it becomes that they will lose the whole purpose of thrifting, which is being unique and not going along with the fads of big name retailers.”
Certainly being on a college campus it is evident that more and more people are trying to stray from the norm with their outfits but even consignment shops like Buffalo Exchange actually get clothes in surplus from mainstream retailers. Even Macklemore’s song may be perpetuating the fantasy of finding clothes for just $.99, which in 2013 is just not a reality.
Finding good deals and good quality clothing at the same time can be harder than just shopping at a conventional retailer. There are days when shoppers can haul a number of interesting pieces while others they can spend hours and come away with nothing. The song “Thrift Shop” and its video may even promote the idea of it being easy to find steals as amazing as they do. So next time you go out in search of your local Goodwill or SalVal or even Buffalo Exchange don’t forget to blast “Thrift Shop” and then heed this word of advice from Indira, “If you’re going to go thrift shopping, you’re not going to find great things the first time. You have to go out into new places and check out what they have. You have to take time to really look for stuff.”