THE DROP
Thrifty and Thriving
Thrifting is growing in popularity and may prove to be a more sustainable and affordable option for fashion-loving college students. BY HELEN WIDMAN | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY NIA HARRIS
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hether it be a pair of black high-top boots, a colorful chunky sweater or a tough leather jacket, people like to have a sense of individuality that allows them to somewhat control how others perceive them. Luckily, the concept of thrifting is tailored perfectly toward those who seek to stand out sustainably—and on a budget. Trina Gannon, a professor who teaches classes in retail merchandising and fashion product development at Ohio University, says that thrifting is more of a shift in consumer behavior than a temporary cultural trend. “The trend of thrift store shopping isn’t really a trend anymore,” Gannon says. “It’s kind of more like a norm. You go into places like Forever 21 or a store like Anthropologie— everything is vintage based.” Reusing clothing is not a new phenomenon. Up until the late 19th century, according to an online article by Time magazine, people would reuse and re-wear clothing until it could no longer be of any use to them. But when the Industrial Revolution hit the United States, the way clothing was produced changed quickly as demand grew in big cities. Time reports that in 1897, the Salvation Army started out of a basement of a men’s shelter, where people lived in exchange for collecting used clothes from their neighbors. According to Time, “By 1935, there were nearly 100 Goodwill stores nationwide.” Thrift stores have only continued to go in and out of fashion ever since, but nevertheless have maintained their business. Christo Siegel, a freshman at OU, says that he enjoys thrifting for its convenience, as well as the experience. “A lot of it [why I thrift] has to do with prices,” Siegel says. “Because thrift shops, it’s a lot—it’s definitely a lot—cheaper. It’s also given me a variety of things that I can’t find from somebody else.” According to Gannon, however, middle to upper class communities have historically looked down on thrifting. “I think thrift store shopping is awesome. I’ve done it my
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backdrop | Fall 2020
whole life,” Gannon says. “I was actually made fun of in middle school for shopping at thrift stores. “I had a cool dress on, and a girl actually really liked it. She said, ‘Where’d you get it?’ and I said a thrift store, and then of course I was made fun of for that, [she thought] ‘Yeah, that’s so gross.'” Siegel says he used to worry a lot more about brand name clothing and shoes. “In middle school, I always wanted to have Nikes, I always wanted to have super nice shoes,” he says. Now, thrifting has shown Siegel that brand name labels aren’t as important. “[Thrifting] just provides a bunch of variety and different things that you won’t necessarily get from name brand places,” Siegel says. One of the main reasons why thrifting has become more popular is that buying second-hand clothing helps the environment. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, “The main source of textiles in municipal solid waste (MSW) is discarded clothing, although other smaller sources include furniture, carpets, tires, footwear, and other nondurable goods such as sheets and towels.”
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I think thrift store shopping is awesome. I’ve done it my whole life.” TRINA GANNON OHIO UNIVERISTY PROFESSOR
