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Shopping at a thrift store is not like going to a department store - it is work. |
The shopping bug struck on a lazy Saturday morning.
Sophomore student at the University of Texas at Austin and self-proclaimed
fashion guru Dara Oke rolled out of bed in a vintage denim vest, an American
flag tank top, frayed red shorts and black combat boots to take on the racks in
the streets of Austin. Her long stride and six foot slender frame glided
gracefully to the racks at various hole-in-the-wall clothing stores. She eyed
intricate designs on hangers looking for a unique piece to add to her personal
collection.
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Thrift stores located on Guadalupe are hot spots for UT student thrifters. |
The racks were crowded. There
was no guarantee that she would find anything in her size. She was overwhelmed.
The accessories were easier to locate. She struts over and examines each piece
for quality and flaws, and assess for usefulness. Her senses are overloaded.
She moves through the aisles to the belts and slips one on over her outfit. She
handles the scarves and experiments in front of the body length mirror
in-between the aisles. Handbags take their place on her long arms - assessed
for comfort. The disorganization, the lack of size selection and diversity, the
sheer amount of time it takes to wade through the racks at the used clothing
store – Dara is thrifting.
Fashion blogger Alicia Johnson says thrifting is the term
used when someone goes shopping at a thrift store.
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Thrifter Chris Petes says "There’s nothing like wandering the aisles of a thrift store, idly letting my fingers brush the racks of sweaters, feeling for wool and cashmere and fuzzy angora. |
“Thrift store shopping became quite popular about two years
ago although thrift stores have been around forever. It used to be frowned upon
to wear second-hand clothing and now it’s almost worshipped,” says Alicia.
With the cost of living continuing to rise, even the normal
discount stores may begin to feel like a strain on your budget. Textiles and Apparels
Major at UT, Jade Ware, says some shoppers find better deals at thrift stores.
“Thrifting for clothes isn’t exactly
easy. Unless you have become adept at eyeballing your size, you have to try everything on,” says Jade.
Thrifting lures a variety of
different audiences. Bargainers, treasure hunters or whatever you want to call
it, thrifting is one shopping behavior that is taking over the streets of
Austin.
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T-Shirt, shorts and black wedges -Dara Oke usually tries to piece outfits together for less than $15. |
“I have recently realized
just how much of my closet is composed of thrifted items - let’s just say that
it is way over 50%,” says Dara.
Thrifters say they not only
wish to save money, but it is also an easy way to recycle and reduce their
footprint on the earth.
Socially speaking, thrifting
is a lesson in the treasures a culture tosses and the junk people keep. It
provides cheap, local access to a variety of styles from many eras and trends
related to alternative dress styles that are not widely available in certain
areas or are only found at more expensive specialty shops.
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Dara Oke loves to dress up her thrifted outfits with unique accessories. |
Dara’s advice for thrifting
is to always start with an open mind, to see items for their potential rather
than as they are, to never forget the accessories, and to always remember to know
your colors and sales.
Most of all, Dara says she
loves not paying full price for things and introducing people to the beautiful
world of thrifting. “Thrifting helps you recognize your own beauty, one outfit
at a time.”