Buying second-hand clothing, or thrifting has become the “new” way of purchasing clothes. People no longer feel the guilt of contributing to fast fashion or overspending. Quickly, freshman Brooke Mckean discovered that she has become a part of this nifty way of shopping and has become quite an expert at it.   

Q: Do you think of thrifting as more of a habit or hobby?

A: Both, because I rarely ever retail shop, so you could consider it a habit in that regard. However, I don’t thrift for financial reasons, so it’s more of a hobby because it’s something I enjoy. If I’m bored, sad, or want to do something with my friends, thrifting is always the first thing that comes to mind.

Q: What do you do with the items you regret buying?

A: I bought a pair of purple pinstripe pants, but they didn’t fit or work the way I wanted them to. But the nice thing about thrifting is that if you end up not wearing the pieces as much as you hoped or not at all, you didn’t spend a lot of money on them.

Q: Why do you think thrifting has become so popular amongst teens today?

A: I think social media has influenced people to crave individualism and thrifting is a way to do that. You can dress and style yourself in a way others don’t. I see it as though thrifting is an asset to those who want to differentiate themselves.

Q: How did you start thrifting?

A: I began to admire individualistic people and I wanted to be like that. I saw how not only is second-hand shopping eco-friendly but it is also a way to enhance your style without having the same clothing as everybody else.

Q: Do you have a certain strategy you follow to try and find the best pieces?

A: I believe that everything happens for a reason and that it is all fated so I just go randomly and whenever I feel like it. It all turns out all right so, no I would say that I do not have a method for my madness.

Q: How did you come upon your Homecoming float dress?

A: I was sifting through isles of clothing at the local Goodwill and I found this skirt and thought about how I could probably turn it into a halter dress with the help of my grandmother and mother.

Q: What are some local places that you love to shop at?

A: Cucamonga, Goodwill, Plato’s Closet, the Bins and Antique Trove are all places I shop at frequently.

by LYLA GUNDERSON