Now that we have established that thrifting and second-hand/consignment/vintage purchases are the first and most tangible practice to make your life and your wardrobe more sustainable, let’s do it right.
First things first, I want to get this out of the way. There’s people that still frown upon buying used clothes and when asked what is it that turns them off is they think they are dirty and smell like mothballs. There’s nothing more disheartening than to listening to adults coming up with unfounded excuses like “climate change is a hoax” ok? Have you ever seen the sanitary and physical conditions of the places where fast fashion is produced? So let’s put things into perspective.
Is there such a thing as overconsumption of thrifted clothes?
I am not sure if “overconsumption”, but definitely you can end up hoarding thrifted clothes, and that’s not sustainable, it’s a catch 22, and a revolving door of clothes, you don’t have time to wear them and can’t grow attached to them. A friend told me: I have to find a way to control myself with thrifting, every trip I come back with a bag full of clothes and my monthly budget wasted on it.
It may sound a contradiction, but it’s common. You keep buying because the price was ridiculously low and couldn’t resist, and because ‘you never know’ and end up accumulating a closet full of stuff, occupying lots of space, cluttering mind and luggages, storage and shelves for no reason.
Do you know that more than 50% of what we own we don’t wear? No matter what type of trick we do to ourselves (rotation, switching the wardrobes, twisting the hanger) we still don’t wear it, so why have it?
It takes time and you must enjoy the process, we have grown used to the immediate gratification of a shopping cart.
Be creative and open minded.
The first mental switch is “use your own imagination” because whatever you’ll find you will probably remotely remind you what you saw on a runway or in a magazine you can certainly go to your favorite thrift store, access your consignment but won’t be the same. It takes time and you must enjoy the process, we have grown used to the immediate gratification of a shopping cart. It also exercises your knowledge of your style, what you are or could be comfortable with and expands your boundaries (I now own 1 red piece, never seen before in my closet)
What do I do to not overspend my budget?
A thrift store has merchandize priced ridiculously low, but still if you buy everything to keep instead of reselling, it becomes burdening. Go only with cash and that’ll settle it, like a kid with allowance.
Do short and targeted visits. Use your lunch time so you’ll have restrained time and you’ll concentrate on what you are looking for, go to that section and remember, that man tailoring is way better: blazers and pants especially.
Know a good tailor and seamstress: anything that you buy will have to be altered and sometimes mended.
Off season: the best time to find something is off season. A coat or a leather jacket you have much more choice as soon as spring starts, my empirical explanation is that people get rid of them when they clean up at the change of season.
Just plain E N J O Y, not all the times you’ll find something, and that’s perfectly fine.