The Thrift Has Us Spoiled
A few months ago, I went to the mall in search of some straight-leg jeans. I stopped by PacSun and found the jeans I was looking for, but I also picked up a cute graphic tee to go along with them. When the cashier told me my total was $90.00, I nearly choked on my Auntie Anne's lemonade.
It was too late for me to back out, so I double-tapped my power button and paid with Apple Pay. I had forgotten entirely that these stores don't sell clothes at thrift store prices, and at that moment, I realized all the days of shopping at the thrift made me feel spoiled.
First, and most importantly, the affordable prices are undeniably one of the best aspects of thrifting. The economy is currently tough, and inflation has hit the retail fashion industry like a crack epidemic in the '80s.
At least during the 2008 economic crisis, stores like Payless and Forever 21 were prevalent, but they are now long gone, leaving us to shop at thrift stores. Those 50% blue tag days come in clutch for a college student, and I speak for all of us when I say we need all the help we can get.
You don't realize how poorly produced all the clothes are until you compare them to the clothes you get at the thrift store. Stores today often feature polyester junk, and artificial fabrics tend to be less breathable than natural fabrics like cotton and linen. No wonder people smell extra funky under this Florida heat. These companies intentionally use inexpensive fabrics to encourage us to purchase more of their products.
It is a slippery slope; buying products that are potentially of low quality can lead to buyers having false expectations of the clothing at the store.
Besides the unbeatable prices, thrifting is an art that, with some time, anyone can master and become the best version of themselves by expressing themselves through fashion.
Stores are just copying designs and micro-trends that are popular on social media. Thrifting offers unique pieces that you typically wouldn't find in stores, leaving us to create our own personal style and forcing us to be exceptional.
Every thrifter has a piece that they bought because of the vision or the thought of transforming it into something more fitting. The art of thrifting has a culture behind it that has grown exponentially in the last decade, especially with the rise of thrifting on social media and influencers basing their whole platforms on it.
I've washed the graphic tee that I got from PacSun about four times, and the shirt is already stretching and fading in color. Safe to say that I'll be sticking to the thrift stores.
Thrift stores are here to stay, so we could skip the mall from now on and head to the thrift down the road!
Strike Out,
Johann Jonassaint
Boca Raton
Johann Jonassaint is a content writer for Strike Magazine Boca. A true Venusian who can never get enough of being wrapped in cozy sheets, listening to video essays or daydreaming. When she finally leaves her sheets, you can catch her writing at the library, the only place she can actually get work done. Feel free to contact her at jjonassaint2023@gmail.com or @jojoeva_ on Instagram.
