It’s that daunting time of year again when we dust off our backpacks and sharpen our pencils because school is back in session, well, almost.
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As we prepare for the new school year, a killer new wardrobe for the fall is essential to add to your back-to-school shopping list. We all want to make a statement coming back from summer break, so why not turn your school hallway with awful fluorescent lighting into your very own personal runway?
Accumulating enough pieces to make up a wardrobe that even Regina George would approve of can be quite the challenge, but not impossible. I’m sure if the leader of the Plastics in “Mean Girls” were a high schooler today she would undoubtedly jump on the thrifting bandwagon, as should you.
Places like Savers, Goodwill and even your local consignment shop have proven time and time again as great places to start building a closet full of secondhand items. Online stores like Mercari and Depop are also great solutions to finding unique vintage pieces for your wardrobe, though they occasionally can get on the pricey side.
Thrifting has become a popular source for shopping for apparel in recent years. Many social media influencers like Lily Fang and Jazmine Rodgers have utilized their respective platforms for advocating for a more substantial lifestyle to keep clothes out of landfills and decrease chemical pollution caused by clothing production. As a result, they have garnered a mass following that has chosen to follow suit.
According to the 2021 Resale Report by tredUP, the secondhand market kicked the fashion industry’s butt as 244 million consumers claimed that they have shopped or are open to secondhand products and about two in three consumers believe their shopping routines have a positive impact on the planet. The secondhand market is also expected to expand three times faster than the apparel market on a global magnitude, as per the report.
Needless to say, thrifting your fall wardrobe is more than a mindless trend, it’s the way of the future.
Thrifting is just so fetch.
When given the choice between a $40 top that can only mimic the now popular Y2K trend or a top that is not only authentic to the period, it’s also a fraction of the price, it’s smart to always go the sustainable route.
When you buy off the mass market there are thousands of people who probably have the same taste as you, so the probability of someone stealing your look is high. I mean, why put all of that effort into an outfit just to show up to school looking like an Olsen twin? Nobody likes a copycat.
Also, the choices that are provided in mass market locations are limited to whatever is on trend. So if you’re more into band tees and ripped jeans but crop tops and mini skirts are more in vogue, good luck. The thrift store is where it’s at.
Speaking of choices, the variety of sizes in a thrift store like Savers is unmatched. As a bigger guy myself, finding my size in your average store has proven a challenge but the thrift store has always been my saving grace.
Aside from saving the planet from internal doom, thrifting can simply be a fun experience to do with friends, You can gather a whole new wardrobe that is personal and unique to your taste and style, and not what the mass market wants you to buy.
There’s nothing like finding that hidden gem in a pile of rubbish. So, unleash your inner Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and pop some tags at your local thrift store in preparation for the fall semester.
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