Tales of Thrift Store Gentrification: How thrifting transformed into something “trendy” overnight
Illustration by Zoe Gigis
The aisles of miscellaneous clothes, the racks of random shoes, the shelves of peculiar trinkets: What’s not to love about this weird and wonderful world called a thrift store? Shoppers are infatuated; their wallets attracted to the inexpensive prices, their imaginations seduced by the unique possibilities. However, this obsession with thrift stores didn’t always exist. Over the recent years, society’s relationship with thrifting has shifted. A method of buying clothing once considered “cheap” and “dirty” has now transformed into a pastime regarded as “affordable” and “trendy.”
Back in the late 2000s to early 2010s, I was fascinated by other girls sporting their sequins-covered Justice T-shirts, brand new Aeropostale jeans, and carmel-colored Uggs boots. At the time, buying such luxuries like $25 T-shirts, $60 jeans, and $170 boots were out of the question, prompting my mother to introduce me to a cheaper alternative: thrifting. I soon began to realize—with a bit of patience, time, and searching—that these brand-name items would eventually appear in thrift stores and into the hands of a little girl just dying to look as cool as everyone else. Even though some of the clothing was a bit faded or worn, I didn’t mind. My dreams were materializing into a reality right before my eyes. I clung to this sense of opportunity. The clothing in the mall windows could taunt all they wanted: all those mannequins and magazines had nothing on me.
Until I discovered the stigma. Being the all too honest child I was, when asked where I got my “new” T-shirt or jacket or skirt I would happily proclaim, “The thrift store!” I never saw anything wrong with it. Although my mom mentioned that thrifting would be considered “our little secret,” I didn’t understand why she would want to keep such a magical place hidden. I loved roaming through thrift stores, each aisle a new adventure to embark on. Yet, not everyone chose to journey into this uncharted territory. In fact, a majority of the kids around me never even heard of thrifting beyond a few acrimonious stereotypes. Thus, once I disclosed my confidential source of clothing, the berating began. Words like “disgusting” and “poor” and “lice-filled” wore down my confidence; I watched as my optimism faded into nothing but a memory, torn and tattered.
Despite the negativity, my mother and I continued thrifting. We kept our travels through the thrift store very discreet, cherishing all our treasures in secrecy out of fear of being scorned or judged. For years I would lie about the source of my clothing, saying that they were gifted from a relative or brought from a mall outlet. However, sometimes I would forget to censor myself and watch the truth slip past my lips; my covert source of happiness and self-expression falling into the caustic mouths of critical locker room girls.
I remember one distinct experience when I first wore my newly thrifted floral-patterned jeans to school. As I was getting changed in the locker room, this girl continued to stare at my pants. “Those pants look…” she deliberately searched for the word, “interesting.” I responded with a simple thank you but she continued probing, “So...like where would you buy something like that?” I was in a rush to get to my next class so I answered without any hesitation, “A thrift store.” I looked up already sensing my mistake and bracing myself for the inevitable insult. “Yeah,” she smirked, “I can tell.”
Experiences like that made me self-conscious about my clothing. Questions began plaguing my mind: Do my clothes actually look thrifted? What will people think of me? Why is there such a stigma around thrifting? For a while I dealt with this pervasive feeling of unworthiness. Because society continued to apply detrimental stereotypes and labels to second-hand shopping, many people falsely assumed that thrift stores were nothing but dumpsters teeming with trash. Yet, in the past couple of years, the general public’s opinion has shifted into a more positive outlook. While some people still have their qualms about thrifting, today’s youth has expressed their obsession with this fashionable, affordable, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional clothing shopping.
In the last 5 years, thrifting has dominated the minds of teenagers looking for ways to access unique clothing for low prices. Platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, Tik Tok, and Depop began glamorizing thrifting. All the photoshoots, shopping vlogs, outfit inspos, and clothing hauls marked the transition into a new era that portrayed thrifting as something cute and trendy. As more and more influencers and creators—such as Emma Chamberlain, bestdressed, INTERNET GIRL, Isaiah Stolp, etc.—popularized thrift shopping, less and less people seemed to care about its “bad” reputation. The thrift stores displayed in modern mainstream media play upon fantasies of imagination, wonderment, and discovery, causing vast amounts of teenagers and young-adults to flock to thrift stores in hopes of attaining some of that magic.
But with the influx of new shoppers, thrift stores are beginning to change and adapt due to the high demand for thrifted clothes. With this increased popularity, thrift stores are starting to raise prices. While newcomers to thrifting may not acknowledge the price differences, long time shoppers are witnessing a startling shift. Even at my own local thrift store, prices have gone up as well. T-shirts that were typically between $3-$5 are now around $7-$10. However, the masses of obsessive new thrifters are not entirely to blame. Thrift stores also raise their prices in order to compete with another formidable force: resellers. People that thrift for the sole purpose of reselling scour thrift stores exclusively for expensive or name-brand items. After purchasing these items for a decent price, they proceed to overcharge and resell them on other platforms or websites such as Depop or Poshmark.
Therefore, the prices at thrift stores are continuing to go up. Even with the increased interest and reseller activity, I don’t intend on gatekeeping thrift shopping. In fact, to some extent these aspects work towards destigmatizing thrifting. However, we must acknowledge that the higher prices strain the lower/middle class. All these new developments in thrift shopping put financially challenged people at a disadvantage. Those who can afford to continue thrifting despite the spike in prices remain unaffected while the rest are left to scrounge up whatever is left.
Now that thrifting is considered socially acceptable, it’s ironic how the same people that once condemned thrifting now embrace it. The new clientele dominating thrift stores is not only changing price tags but fashion trends as well. Beyond the clothing, thrift stores continue to mystify us with endless possibilities. Yet, once we look past this magical facade, we will find the topic of thrifting remains surrounded by fallacies, misconceptions, and inequalities.
Thrifting’s transformation into a captivating trend has exposed the truth lingering inside these beautifully strange stores. Society has finally stumbled upon the remarkable yet deviant world of thrifting—but at what cost?