Transitioning from Fast Fashion to Vintage

Shopping for clothes has always been about following the latest trends. Nowadays, due to the quick rise and fall of fashion cycles, we are constantly trying to renew our wardrobes.

As a college student, I fully understand the struggle of trying to keep up with fashion while on a budget. It’s easy to forget all of the negative effects of fast fashion when these companies seem to satisfy our in-the-moment desires.

Personally, I’ve found that shopping vintage and thrift shopping are the perfect outlets for finding hidden gems. But, it’s more than just fun. Second-hand clothing can be just as cheap as those produced through fast fashion, but the environmental costs are significantly less.

That being said, there is no doubt that you’ll find many interesting and unique pieces in a vintage clothing shop. While there are some items that can be a bit pricey (expensive, vintage brands), there are still plenty of fairly low priced options.

My favorite aspect of both vintage and thrift stores is that you’ll typically never find the same piece twice. Whether it be a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or jeans they’re all different and in many cases, very on trend!

Recently, I’ve been obsessed with sweatshirts. They’re warm, cozy, and perfect for the season. While it’s good to have some basics, there is nothing like a distinct graphic or printed sweatshirt. But you can’t buy these just anywhere! When it comes to vintage stores, the options are endless. These stores know the current trends and on top brands. This means you could be looking at vintage GUESS, FILA, NIKE, the list goes on. Don’t sleep on thrift shops though, you never know what you’ll find. These shops can have some of the same exact items you see in vintage stores (but at even lower prices).

The same goes for jeans. There is nothing like a high waisted jean and there is plenty to see when you step foot into any second-hand clothing shop. While searching through the immense amounts of denim, you’re bound to find a pair or two of Levis (if not more).

But you don’t even have to purchase anything when walking in these stores, you can actually give them your own clothes. Rather than just throwing them away (where they will most likely end up in a landfill), make a little extra cash by selling them or you can even donate them. There’s no point in throwing away good clothing, recycle!

Again, I get it. Clothes aren’t necessarily cheap and my goal isn’t to make anyone feel bad for shopping at certain stores. The goal of this article is to give you more options and ideas when it comes to fashion and shopping vintage is definitely a must.

I've chosen these photos because they are real and perfect examples of what you can pick up from vintage/thrift stores.