Written by: Esther Ogoti
Throughout history, fashion has been a tool that reveals a person’s social rank, wealth, marital status and more. Although remnants of this history are still prevalent today, modern fashion places self-expression and personal style in the front seat, allowing people to experiment with their clothes and accessories.
However, most people, including me, tend to lack creativity when dressing for warmth. Winter’s cold weather elicits a primal instinct to survive. There’s barely room beneath puffer jackets to be fashionable! Luckily, spring is around the corner, and with it comes warmth, sunshine and innovative ways of dressing.
The only spring cleaning I do is get rid of clothes that no longer excite me to make room for new treasures. It also helps that sorting clothes is like my version of free therapy. I hold each piece of clothing in my hands, recalling the memories and emotions I felt with it before placing it in a distinctive “keep” or “donate” pile on the floor, which somehow always extends to my bed and everywhere in between.
Though sorting my clothes is fun and necessary, the process of thrifting and finding new treasures is unmatched. As I walk through aisles in thrift stores, I am constantly reminded that each piece has a unique story, patiently waiting for its new owner to continue the legacy. And then a particular piece catches my eye. It might as well have had my name written all over because I knew I’d be owning it from the moment I caught a glimpse. The same way spring allows me to bring life back into my style, thrifting puts life back into once discarded clothing items.
I deeply cherish many of my thrift finds, but my all-time favorite piece is a black shirt with the map of Africa on the back, flags of common countries on the shoulders and Africa’s big five animals on the front. If I saw that shirt in a retail store, I probably wouldn’t have bought it. But part of what makes thrift shops transformative is their ability to make you try things out of your comfort zone. Because of how unique each clothing item is in thrift stores, exclusively shopping there slowly accentuates a person’s style. Soon, everything in his or her closet will be part of a mosaic that comes together to express their style.
Like retail shops, thrift stores come in many different forms, including online and in-person. For people who dislike sifting through a handful of clothes to find one they like, there are app alternatives such as Poshmark and Depop. These apps allow users to upload images of what they wish to sell, giving shoppers the experience of retail stores but with the benefits of thrift shopping.
Another common second-hand clothing distribution method is hand-me-downs. With this method, friends and family can pass clothes down to the next person they fit.
Regardless of the method, thrifting is a great way to keep one’s wardrobe revived and to experiment with fashion.