Tips To Better Thrifting: A Q&A With @callyourmothervintage
Thrifting has grown into a phenomenon in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is fast fashion taking a hit as concerns over the environment rise, but that excitement that you get when someone compliments your $3 skirt from Goodwill is rarely matched.
While some people take their thrifted clothes and “upcycle” them to make something new, there is also a rise in people who thrift and then resell the clothes at a raised rate on sites like Instagram and Depop.
Emma Czaja, a Tampa-raised Fashion Business Management student attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, has just begun her own thrift resale shop on Instagram called @callyourmothervintage, where she offers vintage unique fashion to those of us who are less prepared when it comes to thrifting.
Czaja, a seasoned thrifter of over 15 years, having gone to yard sales and estate sales with her equally thrifty mom since she was a kid, offered a few tips for how the thrifty newbie can tackle their nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army.
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Her first tip for success? Know what you’re looking for when you go in. Some thrift shops can be very overwhelming. Czaja said, “I kind of break it down, I have a mental map of where I want to go next, like sweaters next, then pants, then to denim.” This process helps to stay on track in a store where it’s easy to get lost.
Another tip she offered is to know what your interests are. Czaja added how important it is to have inspiration, claiming, “Pinterest is my best friend for styling, you can see something then make it your own, like pattern on pattern… and color blocking.” This helps the shopper keep a goal in mind for the kind of outfit they’re looking for.
She also suggested really taking your time when thrifting, and to go item-by-item. “I’m really not afraid to go to any sections, kids, pajamas… It really takes a while when I thrift, when I go with people, they get annoyed with me.” It might be wise to warn friends before dragging them along on an intense thrifting outing.
Touching on the process of upcycling, Czaja added that to start thrifting, it’s good to “know your own personal style, and [to not] be afraid to have to start a project, [or] to have to DIY something, don’t be afraid if it’s a little weird.” Once you find something you like, “make it your own by styling it different, cutting it up, bleaching it, making it [into] a whole new project.” This is where imagination is really key. It’s rare that you will find the perfect outfit all ready to go and exactly in your size when thrifting, so try to picture how it could look.
Recently, however, the practice of thrifting has been seeing a lot of hate across social media platforms. Some say that thrifting has been “gentrified,” and as more middle and upper-class people thrift because it appears “trendy,” the prices of clothes in thrift shops increase and become unaffordable for those who rely on thrift stores to buy their everyday clothing.
When asked about the controversy surrounding thrifting, Czaja said, “thrifting is good for everyone and anyone, and it should be encouraged because there are so many clothes in our world that need to be reused and recycled, and thrift stores need our help and our money.”
One of the hardest battles we face as consumers today is never knowing what the right decision is. If you buy from large retail brands, then you’re contributing to fashion pollution. If you shop at thrift stores, then you’re contributing to gentrification. It’s nearly impossible to make the right decision because everything is so interconnected.
The best we can do is our best. Do some research and decide for yourself what is a bigger priority. If that means preserving the planet, then try out some of these thrifting tips or check out thrifted resellers like @callyourmothervintage. Give upcycling a try and reinvent your wardrobe.
Above all, remember to be bold and creative, and always remember to keep sacred the wise words of Macklemore, “I wear your granddad’s clothes, I look incredible, I’m in this big ass coat, from that thrift shop down the road.”
Strike Out,
Writer: Megan Gonzalez
Orlando