By Olivia Martin | Photo Editor
Famous rapper Macklemore once said, “I’m gonna pop some tags, only got $20 in my pocket,” in understanding the beauty of thrifting, which so many people miss out on.
This might be crazy, but you really don’t need to buy new things. From name brand clothing items to designer furniture, you truly can find anything and everything secondhand if you take the time to look. Not only will your bank account thank you, but thrifting and buying used items is extremely eco-friendly since it provides people with a way to recycle old clothing and reduce waste by purchasing items that haven’t gone to the landfill.
Secondhand shopping definitely takes time and practice, as does everything else in this world. You may not always find the exact pair of shoes or the exact 16-inch mirror you are looking for, but the beauty of thrifting is that you never know what you might find. It forces you to be open-minded and encourages creative self-expression when shopping.
This past summer, my best friend and I decided to not buy any new clothes for the whole month of July. My mom ended up joining in too, and we called it “No New July.” During this month, thrifting became a hobby for me. I would go once, if not twice, a week. Some days I would come home with multiple treasures, and other days I wouldn’t find anything — but that’s how shopping goes (even shopping new).
During this time, my mindset literally changed from “I want those new shoes” to “I bet I could thrift something like that,” and I loved it. My family was going to a wedding during that month, and my mom and I both needed to get shoes. We headed straight to our local Goodwill, and within about 30 minutes, we both walked out with heels that were in perfect shape and a few other items that we found along the way.
Don’t get me wrong, buying new isn’t always bad. But it’s important to be aware of not only the environment but also the materialistic society that we are all living in and contributing to. It’s good for you to not always buy new. It’s good for you to sell your clothes to a secondhand shop instead of throwing them in the trash. It’s FUN to go thrifting. It makes buying something new feel extra special and exciting (which I think is the way it should be).
The next time you are thinking about buying a new dress or desk, head to your local thrift shop and look around there. You never know what you might find.
