Digging For Gold

Shopping at a thrift store is not like going
to a department store - it is work. 

             As the cost of living continues to rise, thrifting is no longer a trend – but a lifestyle. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”