Fri, May 17, 2024 | |
👖 What's the deal with thrifting?These days, fast fashion is out – and thrift shopping is in. Thrifting has been trending among Gen Zs in Singapore for a while now, with the search term "Singapore Thrift Store" having hit 12.4 million views on TikTok to date. It's easy to see why. A budget-friendly way to refresh one's wardrobe or living space, while also practising conscious consumerism – what's not to love? However, there might be another side to this trend. What is meant to be a cost-friendly, sustainable practice can also lead to overindulgent consumer behaviour and performative virtue signalling, if one goes overboard. This week, I explore if thrifting truly lives up to its wallet-friendly stereotype, and what lessons can be gleaned from the second-hand shopping experience. |
Chloe Lim
Young Audience Journalist
|
In this week's issue
🤔 Just a cheap thrill?While a common reason why many young adults enjoy thrifting is being able to buy cool clothes on a budget, the savings involved may not be the most appealing part. Isabelle Lim, 18, a thrift shopping enthusiast tells thrive that it can be easy to go overboard when thrifting if an individual is not careful with his or her spending. "The thing about the consistently low prices with many stores is that you tend to buy more just because these items are cheap and there's a slight chance you'll wear them, even though the items may not really suit you, " Lim says. FJ Sai, the co-owner of Singapore-based second-hand clothing store STAKEOUT tells thrive that the "thrift" descriptor may give potential customers a misunderstanding of what her shop offers, especially since traditional thrift stores are assumed to offer items at low or accessible prices. In fact, she avoids the label of "thrift store" entirely when referring to her business, instead describing it as dealing with "pre-loved" or "second-hand" goods. "Strictly speaking, we don't reject the "thrift" label, but neither do we endorse it (for our brand)," Sai says. "This is because we feel that there's much more to what we bring to our customers than a good price deal." For example, STAKEOUT's big sister brand, Loop Garms, is a vintage clothing store that focuses on curation and customisation. In essence, the value of these vintage or pre-loved goods comes from the time and effort spent identifying their historic or aesthetic value after retrieving them from piles of "junk". Although many of STAKEOUT's pieces are affordable and start from S$10, certain items can go up to S$80 to S$90. As for Loop Garms, the items can be more pricey and hover around S$40 to S$50. Some collectible items from the vintage shop have received offers of over S$1,000, according to Sai. It seems that thrifting is not just about cheap thrills for Gen Zs. "There are a larger variety of clothes with older styles, and more unconventional items available at thrift stores that mainstream clothing lines simply do not offer," Lim says. This can be a breath of fresh air from fast fashion options that often sell similar things for similar prices. Additionally, she shares that a big part of the whole thrift shopping experience with friends is the feeling of going on an adventure 🥾. "Finding a hidden gem (at a thrift store) can make me feel particularly triumphant," Lim shares. "With thrifting, you never know what you can get, and that's why it's fun. It involves luck too (in what you find), so it kind of feels like a game." "It's fun to root through the shelves and racks of things, or point out funny or tacky items you see with friends too," she adds. Such community spirit has been pointed out as being core to the experience for many fans of thrifting. 🛒 Lessons from thriftingWith thrifting much more than a budget shopping experience for young adults 🤸, here are some lessons that can be learnt from it (that hold true for work and life, too):
Finding trendy or good quality clothes at a fraction of their retail price is just the tip of the thrifting iceberg. Thrift shopping can be an enriching experience for young adults, as they discover the value of pre-loved items while having a good time with their friends. That is, as long as you don't get carried away in the name of scoring a good deal 🌚.
TL;DR
In other news…🏛️ Politics
💼 Career
💻 Tech
📈 Investing
🧬 Life
Poll of the weekWhat joys do you think thrifting can bring you? Last week's PollHow confident are you about stepping into adulthood?
Not looking forward to it, but I'm sure it'll be fine 🤷– 50% I'm terrified of adulting ☹️ – 25% Let's knock it out of the park ⚾ – 25%
|
Invite your friends to join the Thrive community. |
||
Simply send them this link: bt.sg/thrive |
WE'RE HERE AND HERE |
Everything in this newsletter is for your general information only. Consult a qualified financial professional or expert for independent advice and verification. |
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. |
Unsubscribe from Thrive publications. |
THRIVE by THE BUSINESS TIMES. Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. All Rights Reserved. |