The Year of Thrift
5 reasons to buy more second-hand.
| Photography | Patrick Boecker | |
5 reasons to buy more second-hand.
| Photography | Patrick Boecker | |
“I would definitely say streetwear is gonna die, you know? Like, its time will be up. In my mind, how many more t-shirts can we own, how many more hoodies, how many sneakers? I think that like we’re gonna hit this like, really awesome state of expressing your knowledge and personal style with vintage—there are so many clothes that are cool that are in vintage shops and it’s just about wearing them. I think that fashion is gonna go away from buying a Boxfresh something; it’ll be like, hey I’m gonna go into my archive.”
Times have changed and so has our way of consumerism. especially during the corona crisis we all might pay more attention to our shopping habits. and this includes buying less and most of all: considering buying second-hand. As Virgil Abloh already predicted (read his gorgeous quote above): 2020 is the year of thrift!
I love buying vintage - I do it for many years now. I think 1/3 of my designer bags are bought second hand. Just like my "new" Bottega Bag, which had been on my wishlist for 1 year now. Hunting for a special item, setting alerts and watch lists can be so much fun. And once you get your hands on the desired piece it feels even more precious. Especially if you saved lots of money.
I've you aren't convinced yet - here are 5 reasons why you should start thrifting NOW:
| Trench | Arket | |
| Rib Top | (similar here) | H&M |
| Bag | (via Vestiaire Collective) | Bottega Veneta |
| Jeans | Re/Done | |
| Mules | &Otherstories | |
| Ring | Mango | |
| Hair Clip | Edited x Margova Jewelry |
1. IT SAVES A LOT OF MONEY
no matter if you're hunting down a new bag, jacket or a nice chair - buying second-hand can save you a lot! it doesn't always have to be the brand-new piece, many vintage items even look like new. my bottega bag for example cost me 820€ instead of 2.100€ (current retail price) and it's in perfect condition. imagine what you could do with all the saved money? buying books, save for a family holiday, enjoy a nice dinner...
2. IT GIVES PRE-LOVED PIECES A SECOND LIFE
I think we all agree on the fact that there's already so much produced stuff out there. amazing stuff. So why support mass production when you can give a lovely pre-loved piece a new home? I think this even has more value than always buying boxfresh pieces and mindful shopping contributes to a more sustainable planet.
3. YOU'LL FIND SPECIAL GEMS
the reason why many designers tend to reference a certain decade (think 60's, 70's, 40's): it's because the quality and the design was so good. so why not start searching for the "originals" instead of buying the relaunched "modern" version. I'm convinced you'll find the most gorgeous pieces that no one else has. And if that isn't reason enough to start buying vintage, I don't know what is.
4. IT'S A LOT OF FUN
once you've found your favorite second-hand platforms (I'll share mine soon, if you like) you can start browsing. and boy, this feels like treasure hunting! it can be way more satisfying than going through the new-in racks in a high-street store. creating alerts and watch lists (for further price reductions) makes it even more fun. join the game!
5. YOU'LL GET PIECES THAT ARE SOLD OUT
when it comes to shopping I'm not an impulse buyer at all, so I think about each purchase a very long time. sometimes too long. it happens quite often that the moment I've finally decided on a shoe/winter coat/sweater it's already sold out. luckily the second-hand world is huge and you'll most likely find the things you wish for out there. for a fraction of the original price.
PS: I sell my pre-loved accessories and clothes on my Depop account carolapojer and on vestiaire collective.
| Trench | Arket | |
| Bag | (second hand find) | Bottega Veneta |
| Jeans | (recycled) | Re/Done |
