Is thrift shopping trending? (More than usual...) - YouLookFab Forum

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Is thrift shopping trending? (More than usual...)

Runcarla

Veteran

It is easy to survey the shops of the small town (pop. 17,000) where I live since they run a couple of blocks down a ‘high street’. Since the start of the pandemic, some places (restaurant, yoga studio) have closed up - but new shops have opened, and 2 of them carry ‘curated’ previously worn clothes. One store is styling itself as ‘Boho’ and has a mix of new and old clothes (racked separately) as well as shoes and accessories, plus some original crafted home decor. The second store is mostly rustic/country style home decor - but has a selection of pre-loved garments as well as garments made from up-cycled items (jean jackets with replacement sleeves from blanket cloth, patchwork, etc.) Prices are definitely higher than the charity shops (we have 2) or one of the consignment shops (we have 2 of those as well - one high end/designer and $$$.)

As a tourist town, we get a lot of visitors from the Big City an hour away. Less this year due to the pandemic, but they still come, and shop, and the charity shops are busy!

Are you shopping more at thrift? In B&M? Online?

General

33 replies

Latest reply was from Liesbeth

Joy

Veteran

I am shopping more for others right now and mostly online. The few things for myself have been used online buys. My plan is to shop thrift and consignment once those places open up unless I find something I can’t resist online. I am making a list of what I want to look for and think I can find everything used if I am patient. In the meantime I am trying to wear what I have often by making small monthly capsules to pull from.. It also means finding new ways to wear these things. I can experiment a bit since I am not going anywhere except to walk the dog.

rachylou

Veteran

That’s kinda interesting... there was a post in OT about a lady considering opening a high-end vintage store... and my observation was the high end clothing thrifts/consignment had all gone out of business in my town except the hand bag one. And then tonight, while walking Lily, I noticed the thrift thrift shop’s window was entirely handbags now. And the junk clothing thrift is also completely gone... but I never saw it open anyways...

... so not in my town really.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I am not shopping more thrift Carla. I did try for the silvery or grey pants I have wanted all year, but I tried in 6 different thrift stores and just nothing. I found some in the sale section of a nice boutique I like, in the end. But I have bought like only 8 things all year, one thrifted.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Idk how secondhand stores get their initial inventory, but I expect it costs much less than opening a retail store. I wonder if a lot of people are like the woman RL mentions, getting bored at home during the pandemic, want a new venture, realize people are getting bored with their clothes....hey, why not open a thrift store! I’m curious to see if the new ones in your town are able to stay in business.

kkards

Veteran

I’m not...but from what I’ve read, buying 2nd hand is the new fashion trend...so much so that even before the shut down Macy’s and JC Penny (and more) were partnering with Thred Up
https://www.retaildive.com/new.....dup/560983

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/2.....in-5-years

Plus i think that people think its an easy business to get into, but i would imagine that the start up costs are pretty high if you are opening a brick and mortar location, and to make it work you need a pretty fast turn over of stock so you need a steady flow of new old things....and not just any old things, but old things that appeal to people who live close enough to to stop in, and at a price that they feel they are getting a bargain.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I think sustainability is trending, and that might have stimulated more interest in thrifting. A lot of our local retailers (selling new) are now talking up the eco qualities of their lines. And a lot more retailers are offering donate and recycling services. I thrifted a skirt and scarf yesterday (in the process of donating some clothes to a charity store). So perhaps I’m on trend!

Anonymous

I used to go into consignment shops on my lunch break sometimes BC19, but rarely bought anything. Most of what's in the ones near me are just the things I had rejected at the outlet mall in the previous years :p
I've taken a lot of things to consignment, but get very little $ for them, so now just usually donate.

This year I've only shopped online, aside from that bird tote and Tervis cup impulse buy from a little boutique. Haven't been back in there since.

Anonymous

Agreeing with Brooklyn that there are multiple factors popularizing second hand; cost, sustainability and a sort of push towards non extravagance related to Covid job losses, awareness of global poverty etc.

For my younger child, and her social circle, it's a first choice for virtually every purchase.

cat2

Veteran

Footwear News says there is an uptick in resale. I suspect that is primarily folks shopping one of the many resale sites online.

nuancedream

Veteran

Thrift and consignment shopping has been trending for me for the approximately the last 10 years. I was speaking with a girlfriend who owns a consignment store and she said she has seen an uptick in younger girls shopping for cute tops that look great on Zoom, sneakers as well as hair scrunchies. Despite being closed for 92 days earlier this year, her business is actually doing well. In addition, she still sells a lot of inventory on Poshmark and eBay.

nemosmom

Veteran

Ditto Brooklyn and Phoebe. There seems to be more awareness around sustainability, economy, consumption, influencers, etc since Covid hit... I imagine there is a lot of secondhand inventory as folks clean out or downsize, which offers good opportunities for those still shopping.

I have been buying secondhand (online only as stores are too risky right now); nearly half of my additions this year are pre-owned.

MsMary

Veteran

Did you see newly elected Congresswoman Cori Bush thrift shopping for her new work wardrobe? And then she did a fashion show on Twitter! So fun!

https://www.cnn.com/style/arti.....index.html
https://twitter.com/CoriBush/s.....8991799299

Anonymous

I've been following several local women who have started resale/vintage/thrifted on line shops (no b&m necessary for this ) where they scour the local Salvation Army and other second hand stores for the "good stuff", which is carefully curated (sorry, I know we hate that word) to fit a certain vibe - which is usually MCM , boho, or art deco furniture and decor. Some interesting clothing is posted once in awhile too. Some of these little companies add in new items that fit the overall aesthetic. I'm totally intrigued with this and have been buying from a few of them. Vintage barware, some clothing pieces here and there, and interesting vases and planters. I think it's a really great way to make some money, and for those of us with no inclination to work through the offerings in a thrift shop, it takes all the work out for us and leaves us with the fun part. I'd do it myself if I were younger and had more energy - lol

kkards

Veteran

MsMary —thank you for the links on Congresswoman Cori Bush..I’ve been on a mental health news break and missed this! Love that she is making it happen

bj1111

Veteran

i've been following realreal which had an ipo last year. the merch was better/cheaper pre-ipo but their business is booming.

they seem to be having a tougher time keeping their merch really "designer". more competitors are entering this space, including new online companies and partnerships with b&m, e.g. fashionphile x needlessmarkup

JAileen

Veteran

I’m a member of a nonprofit that runs a thrift shop. We are closed right now. Our governor read us (everyone) the riot act and said if our positivity rate doesn’t go down in two weeks (one week to go), he was going to impose much more draconian measures. Since then, he tested positive! One of our local hospitals has set up a ward in their parking garage, and already have patients out there. I wonder how cold it is. It was 26F at our house this morning.

As much as I enjoy thrifting, I haven’t done any in person shopping except for groceries.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Brooklyn and Phoebe said.

I am not thrifting, although I do try! Zero luck though.

LaPed

Veteran

I've seen a bunch of new thrift and consignment shops open up over the past eight months, one in my tiny town and a couple more in the nearest more urban "downtown" area. There is definitely demand for it; the well-established nonprofit thrift stores here have been overwhelmed by donations ever since reopening early in the summer, and have had to limit intake hours so their employees and volunteers can keep up with sorting and pricing. Apparently everyone is cleaning out their attic/basement/garage as part of stay-at-home life.

For my part, I'm doing most of my reselling through brand-specific or interest-based IG and FB groups. I find that things sell faster and for better prices than eBay/Poshmark/etc. I've kind of given up on my local consignment shops; I rarely find things that I want, so what's the point of earning store credit there? I haven't shopped in-person at thrift stores since last winter, but pre-pandemic I relied on them for theatre props and costumes. At any given time my own wardrobe is about 25 - 30% secondhand, but most of that is purchased online, not locally.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Haven’t been inside any shop other than groceries and pharmacy since the onset of the pandemic.All my non essential shopping has been online ,which I am not a fan of but there you go.We are lucky to be able to do it this way aren’t we.l miss my tripsto the thrift shops but I will know the pandemic is passing when I do eventually get to go.

Bijou

Veteran

Brooklyn summed up most people’s attitude to thrifting, it is no longer the domain of poor students. We have a number of designer consignment stores and a new one opened up recently in my neighbourhood.

always trying

Veteran

NO real nice thrift stores near me, except one. Our consignment higher end shop went out of business long before the pandemic. My fav B &M store went out of business recently. Since last March I have only bought skimmer shorts and pjs on line. 7

slim cat

Veteran

Nothing really good around me and I can't find things in my size or preference most of the time. Marshall's is a bit better place for me.

cat2

Veteran

I check an online site for NWT pieces when I want to duplicate an item. I also shop the same site for NIB shoes from my favorite brand; I tend to like classic styles but they are not always what is available at retail or available in a color I want.

nemosmom

Veteran

This hit my news feed this morning:

https://www.vogue.com/article/.....le-fashion

Runcarla

Veteran

Thanks for the article, NM. Makes lots of sense, and confirms my hunch.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

OMG are you kidding me ?
So that would be a yes. Here in Israel, every day a new instagram feed opens up here with people selling their old clothes, new sustainable fashion facebook groups and trade groups open too. Most of the growth here seems to be online - but there are established stores that are going strong.
I focus mostly on charity shops, upselling to consignment or online in my own form of circularity. I have had very good luck lately as people seem to have cleaned out their closets during our second lockdown even more so than the first.

Liesbeth

Veteran

I don't see many new b&m stores selling second-hand opening here, but it is clear to me that buying second-hand and reselling online has really lifted off the past couple of years. And this year, with all flea markets and other 'live' reselling opportunities gone, I know many people have only the internet left to go to resell anything from baby clothes to last year's fads to furniture and toys.
I have both put up more clothes for sale and purchased more second-hand than before. For me it coincides with the coming of a new EU-wide platform that's easy to use and offers low shipping cost options (much better than eBay).
I also wanted to add to the perspective of 'designer vintage' as explored in the Vogue article. In my city which has a fashion academy I think there's always been vintage designer stores and a public for them. This is just not my scene. But, non-designer oriented folks can now sell their highstreet clothes (which would often be rejected in consignment stores) and so there's much more on offer. E.g. if I'm looking for a teddy coat I can find dozens in my size online because they were so trendy in 2019. So I feel there's also this whole new market created by people who probably buy lots of clothes, wear them only once or twice and then resell pretty fast (so the items are still trendy). I will leave the question of sustainability in this regard open ;).

Jane

Veteran

I am thrifting as I have discovered the wonders of Oxfam online with a really good returns policy. I am really careful about making wise choices, and have only returned a couple of items, because I think it must play havoc with Oxfam's finances to think something is sold, and then find it is returned.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Funny you should ask. One of the theaters next door to us closed permanently just a few months into the pandemic and we just discovered yesterday that part of its space has reopened as a secondhand shop. It looked to be about half and half home decor and clothing.

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