Not too long ago, thrifting was looked down upon, and even being sighted in a thrift shop was terrifying. Now, it’s the ideal shopping place for most of Dallastown.
How did this shift happen, and how did thrifting grow its culture in the fashion community?
You don’t need to go far to see how much prices have exploded in recent years, and clothing has been no exception. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states, “Prices for men’s shirts and sweaters are 16.20% higher in 2024 versus 2020.”
Dallastown senior Kenzie Mundis, who shops at Community Aid regularly says price is definitely a factor in her thrifting.
“I like the cheaper prices. I don’t have the money to spend $50 on jeans. I got the ones I’m wearing now for $5,” Mundis said.
So when prices increased, people found something that wouldn’t break their wallets: thrift shops, which is only one of many reasons they’ve taken off recently.
“I like older clothes better than fast fashion,” Mundis adds.
The emergence of vintage style is the second contributor to thrift shops’ popularity, behind their affordability. While in the 2010s many people wanted new and hyped-up pieces of clothing, now the baggy, worn-out style has returned from the 2000s, a good sign for shops with clothes that never seem to fit you right.
Even trending styles have also boosted thrifting popularity.
Old money, which seeks to mimic the quiet luxury of the upper class, uses timeless, durable pieces a lot, and if a piece of clothing is well-made, it’ll likely still be of good quality when someone finds it at a thrift shop.
Even the practical workwear style has become relevant when thrifting, with durability again playing a vital role in a person’s style. Brands seen in a blue-collar worker’s wardrobe are ideal finds, and the Carhartt Detroit jacket remains a holy grail in the thrifting community.
What’s emerged in fashion due to the shift into thrifting has shaken the industry. Many brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger or The North Face, have even started selling their products second-hand.
Vice President of the Fashion Club, Rachel Deitch, notes that“modern-day thrifting is a really good trend for the youth because it teaches people about sustainable fashion and gives garments a new life.”
Second-hand shopping is a first-hand choice in fashion, which may be why the Dallastown Fashion Club’s biggest fundraising comes from theirs.
This fundraiser hopes to raise money for the Fashion club, but Senior President Bella Wilkinson adds “We do donate the excess clothing left over at the end of the sale,” continuing the cycle of thrifting.
The practice of thrifting is also far better for the environment, allowing the life of your clothes to look more like a circle versus a straight line. Thrifting is clearly a clear solution to many things wrong with the clothing industry.
