Do you self-identify as a maximalist? Does the name Marie Kondo fill you and your collection of novelty vacation hats with blood-curdling dread? Is your New Year’s resolution to “try more pants styles”?
It’s not a lie when I say thrifting is the biggest fashion trend right now, bigger than Y2K, bigger than Miu Miu’s mini skirts. Shopping can be expensive–especially when looking for luxury brands or even just quality clothing. It’s no secret that being able to purchase anything our heart desires would not put holes in our wallets. Thrifting is every fashion enthusiast’s dream come true. Be it giving clothes a second life, trying to decrease their carbon footprint to save money, or feeling the serendipity of finding the perfect thing. Back in prehistoric times, when thrifting was relegated to brick-and-mortar venues only, the very act of secondhand shopping was marked by it. Gen Zs have been flocking to the beloved stores of Goodwill, Buffalo Exchange, or simply, the internet.
Needless to say, thrifting has made us want to experiment, be bolder with what we wear. It has made us buy more colors from different decades, more prints in different fabrics. It has only reiterated the fact that all fashion trends come in a full circle. One may not be sure if thrifting is a trend to stay, but for now, it is making all our sartorial dreams come true.
Words, Creative Direction, and Styling by Rhea Gupta.
Photography by Marleah Flajnik.
Production design by Tess Tarses.
Makeup by Shreya Dhar.
Modeled by Alessia Giha, Darcy Guichon and Kamal Abu Zeineh.