HOW TO AVOID OVERCONSUMPTION AT THE THRIFT STORE
Something I’ve been more mindful of lately is overconsumption - especially as a person who thrifts nearly every week. When I made the commitment to slow down my fashion consumption last year I fell head over heels with thrifting again & since then it’s become a huge part of my platform. Having that said, it’s so easy to fall back into old patterns of overconsumption, even when shopping sustainably. That’s why today I want to share three tips that help me thrift more sustainably and responsibly
THREE WAYS OR THE HIGHWAY
As a rule of thumb, before I bring anything home from the thrift I try to picture at least three ways I would style it with what I already have at home. If I can’t or if I’m struggling to see how it would fit into my current wardrobe it probably means I won’t get as much use of it as I would like. If this is the case it’s probably best to leave it behind - think of it as passing the piece along to somehow who will get a ton of wear out of it. It’s kind of silly but I think a lot about the kind of life these pieces have had/will have and I personally want the second round to be a good one!
DO I ACTUALLY LOVE IT OR IS IT JUST TRENDY
A conversation that I’m so happy to see picking up steam is the current state of fashion trends and the speed at which they’re running their course. With the rise of social media and influencer culture we’ve seen micro trends that last just a few weeks before they’re considered “cheugy” - ps that word itself is “cheugy” to me but that’s beside the point.
Thrifting is definitely a much more sustainable way to keep up with trends, but when doing just make sure you ask yourself if the trend even fits your personal style. For example, I found so many pieces that fit the “coconut girl” aesthetic this summer, but I knew they wouldn’t fit my every day style so I left them behind for someone who would wear and appreciate these more than I could.
PHONE A FRIEND
Lastly, sharing pieces you find with friends or even your community on social media is a great way to weed out some pieces you weren’t sure about. I love to play thrift or pass with my IG girlies to get their input on my thrifted finds and help make those game time decisions when checking out.