How Thrifting Changed My Relationship With Fashion
Fashion has always been more than just clothes – it’s a powerful form of self-expression and for many, feels like a second skin that can truly shape one’s day. Yet, discovering a personal style isn’t always easy. Growing up during the fast fashion boom when trends changed almost weekly, many of us found ourselves chasing fleeting looks just to fit in, without really understanding what felt authentic.
That all began to shift as thrifting gained popularity, especially with the rise of iconic thrift stores in Lucky Plaza, the revival of repurposed fashion, and the emergence of vintage shops. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this movement, turning vintage fashion into a booming scene that helped me – and countless others – reconnect with style in a way that felt uniquely personal and sustainable.
Back in 2019, Lucky Plaza was the first place where I experienced thrifting. At the time, I was mostly drawn in by the hype of finding affordable clothes. In all honesty, my first thrift experience left me disappointed. I remember being overwhelmed by the sheer number of racks, yet not finding what I was looking for. Don’t get me wrong, the clothes themselves weren’t bad at all. I was simply searching for trendy, low-priced pieces back then and since I hadn’t yet discovered my own style, I couldn’t see the potential that many items held.
The more I opened myself up to thrifting – and I want to emphasize thrifting, not just shopping curated vintage collections – the more I started giving clothes a real chance. I stopped hunting exclusively for what was trendy and began reaching for pieces that genuinely sparked something in me.
I knew I had an admiration for quirky, bohemian styles. My fashion icon then, and now, is Phoebe Buffay. You know the vibe: colorful, hippie-inspired, unapologetically eccentric. Even though none of my friends dressed that way and it definitely wasn't trending, I chose to listen to what I actually liked instead of forcing myself to chase after what everyone else was wearing.
From that point on, thrifting became something of an addiction. There's this unmatched joy in finding a truly unique piece and knowing it's yours – like it was meant to find you. You simply can't get that feeling walking through a mall.
Before, clothes were just garments to help me look "cool". I never really appreciated them as objects in their own right. But with thrifting, sometimes you stumble upon something so perfect that even if it doesn't fit, you want to take it home. Simply because it's that beautiful. (Of course, don't actually do that – it's not sustainable. But you get the point, right?) I developed a genuine connection to the circular life of fashion.
Don't get me wrong — I still buy fast fashion. It's convenient, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But my favorite pieces, the ones I actually love wearing, they've always come from thrift stores. Always. Realistically, fast fashion isn’t disappearing anytime soon. The industry still produces more than 100 billion garments a year. But that’s exactly why thrifting matters. Extending the life of a piece by even nine months can reduce its carbon footprint by up to 30%, which makes every thrifted find feel a little more meaningful.
What excites me the most is seeing how expressive this generation has become with style. People are leaning into what feels authentic to them instead of just following the crowd. Finding your taste takes time, and it's constantly evolving, just like trends themselves. But here's the thing I always come back to: Trends come and go. Styles from the '90s, 2000s, and even the '70s have all made comebacks, blending into everyone's wardrobes in one way or another.
Even at REFASH, where we sell pieces that might not be as one-of-a-kind as what you'd find at a vintage store, it's still circular fashion. There are still hidden gems waiting to be discovered. That's the beauty of it — no matter what, an item will eventually find its way to someone who connects with it, someone it's meant for.
Thrifting didn’t just change my wardrobe — it changed the way I see fashion entirely. It slowed me down and taught me to notice the beauty in things that aren’t brand new or trend-approved. It has become a huge part of my life, and honestly? It brings me genuine joy.
In a world where fast fashion pushes us toward homogeneity, thrifting brought me back to individuality. It helped me build a relationship with fashion that feels thoughtful, expressive, and grounded in joy. That’s ultimately how thrifting reshaped everything for me, and it’s exactly what fashion should’ve felt like all along.
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