Meg Ann Lee: Why You Need to Start Thrifting and How it Will Change Your Closet
What’s that saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”?
Couldn’t agree more!
I’ve always been a bit of a thrifter, you can say it’s in my blood, having many great memories going thrifting with my mom and grandma. Then, in college, thrifting became one of my favorite past times with one of my best friends! We were exploring our styles, mixing new with old and creating DIY décor on a budget.
I always loved looking at old things, thinking of who that item belonged to, where it had been and what more I could do with it! One of my favorite denim jackets was purchased from a thrift sale. While I picked it up the lady told me it was her favorite jacket in the 90’s and she wore it to a lot of concerts. Obviously I assured her it was going to see a lot of music with me and it has! I think about her every time I wear it.
Thrifting continues to be a great past time, mood booster and money saver! Here are some reasons YOU should start thrifting:
It’s ballin’ on a budget! My first vintage Coach bag was purchased right here at a local thrift shop. High end brands can be pricey and while some things may be an investment, getting it at a discount is always a plus. If you’re looking for higher end, rarer pieces, my best advice is to thrift while you’re traveling! I always travel to Denver with half a suite case packed only to come home with it pump full of thrifted items.
Mixing high end brands with affordable pieces is my favorite outfit combo. If you’re decked out all in one high-end brand you look like a sponsored IG add.
Calm down.
Unless you are sponsored, I support your hustle.
It is also great for our environment! Buying upcycled clothes keeps them out of our landfills. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Americans throw away about 80lbs of clothing a year! Not only does the secondhand industry extend the life of items, it creates jobs and revenue.
Lastly, no one can copy your flex. You remember showing up to the first day of 5th grade and some kid had on the same hoodie, butterfly clips and Jnco jeans as you? Same.
Thrifting makes me think a little harder about creating new outfits with items I already have in my closet. I love knowing that the outfit I’m putting together is unique and I won’t be showing up dressed like anyone else.
Like Macklemore said "I wear your granddad's clothes, I look incredible, I'm in this big ass coat, From that thrift shop down the road"
I hope this inspired you to check out our local thrift shops, save some money, recycle and create unique looks with your items!
Excellent article! I too love finding treasures and making my closet expand with each stop for a quarter of the cost.
Thank you! I feel like it runs in our family 🙂
Well written My Lady!! We did save a lot of money back in the day by going to thrift sales. I still love thrifting! Grammy was the queen of sales. When I was a kid, we would visit our relatives in the cities and go thrifting. We would come home with all of these amazing, unique outfits to wear to school. Everyone at school thought we were rich…lol. (Mom)