For some reason, many individuals refuse to openly identify with thrifting in public conversations, even when they shop for a handful of thrift items.
This dissonance is partly due to our tendency to associate wealth and status with certain parallels. Somehow, we have created a misconception that luxury is solely tied to high prices, while craftsmanship is only found in expensive clothing.
Here is a liberating thought for anyone afraid to embrace thrift clothing in public conversations: luxury is not defined by the price of your clothes but by the craftmanship of your overall appearance.
@litosman001, the Okrika stylist, took up this challenge in a recent video, restyling a N45,000 outfit using thrift clothing from a budget of N5,000.
This narrows down to my most pronounced fashion ideology: “The idea is to look high-end without paying the high-end price.”
Knowing What to Look For
A lot of the advisories that go into thrifting quality pieces are what I would employ when shopping for ‘new’ clothes in a clothing store.
Because thrifting comes at a relatively lower cost, it is easier to fall into the sin of impulsive buying, where we stock up on clothes that seem like a no-brainer in the short term but do not exactly conform to the personality we are trying to create.
To this effect, it is crucial to properly define our fashion persona before setting out on the thrifting journey, keeping in mind that ethical fashion means cultivating a positive relationship with one’s wardrobe.
Since thrifting offers one-of-a-kind finds, locating specific brands we initially had in mind can prove challenging. In such cases, consider classifying items to establish near alternatives.
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For example, if you saw an outfit on TikTok featuring New Balance sneakers, it might be better to broaden the search in the thrift market to include ‘athletic sneakers.’ This way, you will accommodate a wider range of options while staying adaptable to the intended outfit.
Knowing Where to Shop
While the advent of online stores on social media platforms has made shopping more convenient, with the appeal of home deliveries, it is in no way comparable to the magic of a physical thrift market.
If you are on a tighter budget, it might be more cost-friendly to go to a physical store where you can save money from the accrued delivery fees of several items and negotiate a mutually beneficial price for the item in question.
Should you require a wardrobe upgrade using thrifts and prefer online shopping, it might be worth exploring Instagram. You would also need to follow niche-specific vendors and keep up with their posts.
What do I mean? Start by specifying the kind of item you need, then tailor your search using relevant keywords similar to those items. The algorithm will take care of the rest and constantly feed you accounts that match your preferences based on your active searches.
Inspecting Items for Quality and Fit
When it comes to footwear, things are pretty straightforward. A size 42 is a size 42. You want to understand how the product is listed to avoid settling for shoe padding.
You also want to check for stains and imperfections you would be unwilling to work with. Since many accounts post edited images to hide defects, you should ask for unedited pictures to see the footwear in real-time.
With clothing, however, it is not so simple. And very often, people ask the wrong questions. If you are very comfortable having a tailor adjust newly bought jeans, you should be willing to do the same with thrift items, otherwise, hire a bespoke tailor.
I recommend purchasing clothing no more than 3 inches larger than the desired width. This affords the tailor room to work its magic without compromising the overall look.
You should be more attentive to the texture in a physical market where you can feel the fabric, visible signs of stains that can cheapen the product and major sewing defects that might be too challenging to repair.
