How to Thrift Whilst in Lockdown
During these unprecedented times, boredom can creep in anywhere between excessive worrying, news updates and playing the Sims. It can be so easy to load up your preferred fast fashion retailer and start adding to your basket. In the absence of being able to go thrifting irl this perhaps could seem forgivable. However, there are still plenty of sustainable ways to refresh your wardrobe (even if only to admire whilst in sweats and a hoody) from the comfort of your own home.
My first suggestion would be to begin with what you already have. It is so easy to forget those back of the wardrobe gems: vintage 70s scarves your granny gave you to play with as a child, or those mini beaded bags that are still very chic. I would suggest encouraging a family or flatmate wardrobe clear out and subsequent swap session. Some of my favourite wardrobe pieces are actually from my mother’s wardrobe and it is a great way to nab some vintage (relatives permitting of course)! All the Depop holy grails (if you know you know) vintage Next, Monsoon, Topshop and New Look and maybe even a few high end items are sure to be found in old closets. Family and friends may even want some of your old pieces! In fact, I would always recommend having a look through clothes family members or friends are donating. Even if you do not want them, have a think if they are the right vibe for anyone you know or even for Depop. The sad truth of donated clothes is that those that do not sell in charity shops end up in landfill. It has been suggested in the States that 84% of second hand clothes end up in landfill. Obviously this is even more impetus to go charity shop shopping to rescue those clothes once this has all blown over! It is important to be conscious of where your garments are going and is all the more reason to check before anyone donates!
In the spirit of revamping what you already have, this is the ideal time to start on your alterations pile. Put on a film or sit in the sun and get through that sewing! I personally let my alterations list get to terrifying proportions before I get round to the mending and alteration process. I currently have: two buttons to fix, two straps to adjust, one skirt to hem and one huge tear in my favourite 70s vintage dress to repair! Besides the slightly boring work of alterations this could be a great time to get creative. Embroidering a canvas bag, t-shirt, or simply using fabric from garments you were planning to donate as material to make embroidery hoops could be a great revamp idea. For those who are not confident with a needle and thread I would suggest starting with embroidery, it really is so simple and is basically drawing but with thread. It is something I taught myself absolutely eons ago and is perfect for this slower pace of life we all now need to adjust to.
So, once you have exhausted your own wardrobe, and the wardrobes of those isolating with you I would suggest turning to Depop. Here (as I’m sure everyone knows) you can find everything and anything your heart desires. I usually use Depop as inspiration for the sort of things I am looking to thrift when I go out myself, however now I find myself buying all the 70s maxi dresses I come across! I have a few sellers that I particularly recommend, depending on what vibe you are after, if you are looking for late 90s early 2000s vibes definitely check out: @emilyjanebradshaw123, @alinaarmstrong, @bellavrana and @funkyfashionz. If you are looking for a more vintage vibe (and like me are obsessed with everything 70s) definitely check out: @secretofsirens (more 80s but very cool), @worthless_vintage, @selenasshop, @pink_ink, @bohokimono and for some beautiful Gunne Sax just to look at and dream about @manail. Depop certainly is not the only online second-hand clothes retailer I recommend, once you’re tired of scrolling vintage on Depop definitely go check out the sights on eBay, Instagram and Vestiaire. eBay can be a great place to find vintage (at a cheaper price point than Depop) but in my opinion it does take significantly more searching! And if you are feeling a bit boujie, Vestiaire can fulfil all your second-hand high end needs.
Finally, if you are really missing hitting the thrift I would recommend ‘come thrift with me’ videos and following thrift influencers on Instagram. Watching ‘thrift with me’ videos is a huge guilty pleasure of mine and the myriad of them out there on YouTube make for a wormhole of time and productivity. However, in the current climate we all have plenty of time on our hands may as well dive in to some wholesome thrifting content and get inspired for when we are allowed back out! My favourite thrifting YouTuber is ThreadsObsessed aka Melissa, she makes huge twenty minute + videos of her thrifting finds and is a real fan of bright 80s realness! Obviously there is the OG thrifting YouTuber INTERNET GIRL aka Bella, her current videos don’t really feature much thrifting as she is now a huge business mogul, but scroll back to 2017 and you’ll find yourself some perfect Canadian thrifting content. A final and slightly more niche thrifting YouTuber is B. Jones Style. For those who want to follow high fashion trends with second hand clothing she includes short and very helpful rundowns of the specific trends she is thrifting for. I adore her vintage style and her refreshing selectivity when it comes to buying, she is very conscious of what she is looking for, what her wardrobe needs and what can go back on the rack.
As an avid thrifter, these are the things I have been doing to keep myself inspired! Even when fast fashion online shopping seems like the only light, it most definitely is not. There are still so many ways to stay engaged with fashion in a sustainable way without physically thrifting! Make sure to stay safe and turn off the news, even if just for a little while.