Why is thrifting a thing?

Okay so right off the bat; I’m biased, I love thrifting. Hence the shop.

I tend to make a day of it with friends and family, we go to a few stores that we really love and just go nuts. It’s an amazingly good time looking for just the right item or picking out outfits for those friends and family and them doing the same for you. We laugh, we have lunch and go home with a pile of clothes we wouldn’t have gotten, not with normal retail prices. But opening this store and really thinking about it, besides the fun I have I really want to know what the allure of thrifting is, especially since a few years ago, wearing worn clothes had all the bad connotations to it.

So speaking to a few people I’ve come up with some conclusions on why thrift shops have had such a boom in the last several years…I’m kinda convinced the song started it all…

The long-held memories attached:

What I love about the circle of friends I surround myself with is this; when asked why thrifting held such an appeal to them, it wasn’t the money that first came to their minds. It was the memories that stole their hearts. Just a plain black T-shirt might have held all the love in the world. Someone, somewhere chose that shirt for a reason, picked up those books to go on an adventure with and held that vase with careful hands. Memories are what make us into fully formed individuals and sharing those memories with others, bonding in some way from a mysterious item gives us a connection. A connection to another human being we might never have crossed paths with and that’s really something when you stop and think about it.

The Money:

It’s cheaper, it just is. My generation and even others can’t afford to be decked out in designer threads or even fandom gear, so getting those at cheap feels like it should be illegal. Or maybe just a blessing for all of us that want a specific look without having to hand over our wallets to justify it.

Not leaving a footprint:

It feels good not to add to the growing horrors of our world, especially our carbon footprint. The amount of destruction just a pair of pants can wreck is astonishing. So thrifting is a way for people who are conscious enough not to want to add to that. Not to mention the hell that is sweatshops. As a thrifter, you don’t have to partake in any of that. Your mind can be clear of any injustice made.

A bit unique:

Staying true to yourself can mean many different things to many different people. But one way a lot of people show their individuality is through the expression of fashion. Knowing your finds may be one of a kind, that you can pick and choose to suit your desired personality is just so refreshing. I have been to many a thrift shop where the trends are clearly there but so are gems you would never find in a regular retail chain. Something that fits just right to who you are.

And well...

Come on! It's really catchy.