Fashion you can buy, but style you possess. The key to style is learning who you are, which takes years. There's no how-to road map to style. It's about self expression and, above all, attitude.”
-- Iris Apfel
Who we are is only half of the story. I like to think that the other half of our identity is what we wear, which progressively becomes more controllable as we get older. At least for me, my early sense of style was overruled by my parents’, and for a long period, I despised that. I hated the preppy corduroy winter dresses. I then hated having to layer floral leggings under them. When all I wanted were light-up Sketchers, I hated having to wear some brand I’d never heard of. At the ripe age of seven, all I wanted was to go into the tween store named Justice; with sequins, sparkles, and ruffles galore. I did not want to dress sophisticated, I just wanted to dress my age. So I felt that dressing up was one of the things I disliked most. I already accepted it was not within my control, and so the pieces of clothing I wore and owned became a blur. I saw clothes as a basic need without much wiggle room, kind of like the Dora haircuts my parents gave me by default until middle school.
Throughout high school, we saw a rise in Pinterest buzzwords such as coquette style and downtown girl. I mimicked these, not yet having a personal style.
Middle school was interesting because I’d spent a lot of my childhood loathing my parents’ sense of style, only to begin raiding their closet and stealing their clothes. Looking back, the stuff I stole from my mom very much gave school librarian. I had just been prescribed my first pair of glasses, and adding a scarf to every outfit really completed that “nerdy” millennial look.
Once I moved to a different county, I drew a lot from what my peers around me were wearing. This was the pinnacle of the 2019 VSCO era: scrunchied-up hair, puka shell bracelets. If the majority of girls had their socks ruched up over their leggings, kind of like early leg-warmers, I mimicked that. Then we saw a rise in streetwear and baggy clothes. For this, I abandoned my mom’s side of the closet and headed straight for dad’s for windbreakers and ugly grandpa sweaters. As you can assume, whatever the trend was on Pinterest, I adhered to. Throughout high school, we saw a rise in Pinterest buzzwords such as coquette style and downtown girl. I mimicked these, not yet having a personal style. I wore retail clothes mass produced and mass polyester.
MY THRIFTING TRANSFORMATION
I can’t quite recall when or why I started thrifting. I’m going to safely assume at one point, I was tired of buying the same retail pieces everyone else did. Maybe it was social media too that really made thrifting mainstream, but I began in 10th grade. Truth is, my early thrifting pieces were still reflective of stiff trends and patterns. Those articles of clothing I bought are well-gone and have been donated to my younger sister. I noticed that throughout high school, I just kept going back to thrift anything and everything, every month.
At one point, my parents found out and were pretty livid. For one, they thought (and still to this day) believe thrifting is for those less fortunate. Two, my mom is very superstitious of clothes carrying the souls of the previous owner. If anything, their rebuttal made me buy more and more over the years. Every trip, I was dropping at least seventy dollars, using money my dad would routinely give me over the year.
I’m a firm believer in look good, feel good, so the only time you will catch me wearing sweats and sandals to class are exam days.
Being away from home for college, I’ve been at my peak with independence. Once I began working, that got amplified more because I had the financial means to fuel my urges to click “order.” With this newfound sense of independence, I found clothing was the number one outlet to express myself. It’s so validating for a girl walking past me to compliment my outfit, but to get up in the morning and put together a look that I feel confident in is the goal. I’m a firm believer in look good, feel good, so the only time you will catch me wearing sweats and sandals to class are exam days. Even so, I’ve found that looking my best never fails to define my mood that day.
I think now, I’m at a stage where I am confident in my thrifting abilities because the stuff I am drawn to is no longer dependent on trends. I don’t want to look a certain way because it is trending. The more something trends, the more I try to stay away from it, because I’ve played this game before. Trends come and go.
I’ve been able to create an identity for myself through my fashion and it’s fulfilling to see people notice that, and to be known for wearing cool things.
What remains are pieces you invest in, statement jewelry I can layer with any look. I still draw inspiration from Pinterest, but you won’t look inside my closet and see one single aesthetic. Not only is thrifting one of the most sustainable practices for our planet, but if you are looking for unique pieces that you can’t find elsewhere, especially not at the mall, the thrift store will be your best friend.
I’ve been able to create an identity for myself through my fashion and it’s fulfilling to see people notice that, and to be known for wearing cool things. In many ways, it feels like a talent being admired and that makes me joyous to see people acknowledge the time, effort (and money) that goes into curating different looks.
TIPS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE THRIFTING
Shop with Intention
I’ve noticed that going into the thrift store blind is a disaster in itself. I’ve ended up buying pieces I’ve never worn because I lacked a vision. I’m constantly looking for inspiration on how to layer, how to style a variety of colors with another, what accessories to utilize, etc. Pinterest will be your best friend. Make vision boards, and make use of other people’s creativity. It’s totally okay and encouraged to recreate outfits you see online. If you end up resonating with a bohemian aesthetic, go in with an idea of what colors to look out for (ie. whites and earth tones), as well as material (lace, flowy dresses, knitted sweaters).
You will not find everything you need, search elsewhere
I spent a multitude of thrift trips searching for the perfect capris, the ideal fur boots. I did not find said items once. I may use thrifting as a conscious spending habit, but I also recognize that some staple items like jeans and leather boots should and are closet essentials I do not want to constantly rebuy. It’s okay to buy retail for quality items. Do not repeatedly buy faux leather boots that peel, when you can buy real leather boots once. If you have a specific article of clothing in mind, reverse google search. Online second-hand stores exist! Poshmark, Ebay, Depop. They may be a tad bit more expensive than the thrift, but you can search for specific pieces this way.
Go with Friends
One of my highlights of thrifting is going with my friends and making it a group effort. Split up and reconvene (we usually share a fitting room). Try on things, ask for their opinion. It helps to have a second opinion of clothes you are unsure of buying. It validates the stuff you are urging to buy, while ruling out clothes you were maybe on the fence about.
Look in EVERY section
I originally started with the intention of expanding my wardrobe, but if you restrict yourself to this, you may end up missing out on a ton of cool things the store offers. Jewelry, vintage artwork, room decor. I have thrifted leather bags and sets of colorful bangles, a jar titled “Ashes of Ex-Husbands.” Look at the creepy Victorian dolls and walk away with goosebumps. Look at the fabrics, the dishes, and see how far your creativity can expand. It may be overwhelming but start somewhere. I always start with accessories!
Trial and Error
I am fortunate enough to be in the center of amazing thrift stores in my hometown. Charlottesville… maybe not the BEST city for thrifting but that doesn’t mean I stopped going. Whenever I am in a new location, I always make it my effort to gauge the thrifting environment. Eventually you will find one that clicks, like realizing what your go-to coffee order is, or what gym to commit to. You cannot go once and stop.
