When Forever21 announced bankruptcy this past September, it was significant sign about the standing of fast-fashion.
Fast-fashion is inexpensive clothing that is rapidly produced for the mass-markets. Items are usually cheap in quality, but trendy. This allows consumers to always stay in style, while the industry changes the “style” every month.
But in recent years, consumers have been pushing for a more sustainable fashion industry; eco-friendly fashion companies are popping up left and right.
But rather than continuing to make more clothes – why don’t we go back into the clothes of the past? After all, trends always make a comeback.
When Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released “Thriftshop” in 2012, they made the idea of buying used clothes seem like the coolest thing in the world – and they were right.
There are over a dozen second-hand stores in London, Ont. Things you can buy range from household items, to furniture and clothing.
There used to be a negative connotation attached to buying used items, but like they say: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Fast-fashion runs on the fact that it’s trendy – but time and time again, it’s been proven that trends make a comeback – chokers, mom jeans and neon to name a few.
I challenged myself to see if I could find the same kind of “trendy” fast fashion outfit at a thrift store. Was I successful? Find out below ⬇️
DISCLAIMER: I did not actually buy any of the products shown in the video. I am aiming to reduce fashion consumption, not increase it.
I headed to Talize to do my thrift-shopping and pleasantly surprised with the amount of selection. I had many good finds, including some very fun bell-bottom jeans with an unfortunate low-rise waist. In the end, I ended up with a $6.99 cardigan that was originally from Banana Republic, and $12.99 jeans that were originally from Garage. On the day I went, jeans were half-price and students always receive a 10 per cent discount at the store. In total, the outfit was under $15.
At H&M, we quickly found a similar outfit: a $15 grey cardigan and $25 pair of jeans.
Once in the fitting room it became clear to me that I preferred the Talize outfit much more. The second-hand clothing felt worn in – but not in a bad way. Also, it was less than half the price and I felt good knowing that the Talize clothing would help combat textile waste, not feed the fast-fashion industry.
Despite the extra work that thrift shopping may be, this experience has shown me that it’s definitely worth it. It’s fun, it’s cheap, and it’s taking clothes out of landfills.
Next time you think about going to the mall for a new outfit, consider heading to a thrift store instead. Or else, you’re contributing to this:
By Selena Romero
Thrift Thrills 