Thrift Shop - Old beauty in the new era

11:10, 10/07/2023

“ Fashion may fade, but style is eternal” - YVES SAINT LAURENT.

The 21st century has witnessed many unique and novel fashion trends. Fashionistas especially favor bright and eye-catching combinations; famous fashion houses have diversified with many ways of layering, focusing on modern details. But among those trendy beauties, the mark of the past is once again reawakened and "reformed" through the Thrift Shop trend. With an impressive fashion personality, the Thrift Shop trend has become a source of inspiration for young people with a passion for finding classic beauty in contemporary fashion.

Photo: Minh Thu

Unboxing: What is a Thrift Shop?

1. “Thrift Shop” - more than just clothes

Through the common lens of today’s youth, a part of you do not have a correct view of the definition of the popular “Thrift Shop” trend. We always think that going to “thrift shop” is simply “buying old clothes for the new owner” but in fact, “thrift shop” has never been a noun used exclusively in the fashion industry.

“Thrifting” is not simply about clothes (Photo: Minh Thu)

“Thrifting” means you can still buy anything that has been used such as refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, etc. as long as they are on the shelves of Thrift stores. The items sold here are all used, so their lifespan has been reduced somewhat, but they can still be reused and somewhat ensure their original features. Above all, the items sold at Thrift Shop have reasonable prices for all customer groups, especially for students who need to own "unique" items or essential products in life but have limited finances.

2. “Thrift Shop” is different from “Second-hand”

Along with the misunderstanding of young people that Thrift Shop is only associated with the fashion industry, the concepts of Thrift Shop and Second-hand Store are often confused as the same or even the same. In fact, Second-hand Store is often inclined towards business and profit purposes, while Thrift Shop is a place to sell goods mainly for charity purposes. The amount of money earned after selling goods from Thrift Shop will be partly used to maintain the store, the remaining total revenue will be donated to volunteer, charity or non-profit organizations. In other words, the business purpose of Thrift Shop owners is often more humane instead of focusing on profit.

Stamp: Thrift Shop and Young People in the 21st Century

The flow of the fashion industry is constantly changing, so that clothing models, even though still new, unintentionally become "outdated" and "out of date" models. However, thanks to the convenience and practicality of Thrift Shops, old items that are no longer needed can reach those who need them, and anyone can easily buy many different outfits at reasonable prices.

1. Hidden beauty attracts young people

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs once said: “I always find beauty in strange and imperfect things”. The reason why people today always prioritize new items with intact use value, but the items “coming out” from Thrift Shop are labeled “strange”, “imperfect”, “simple” and still make young people interested. This shows the attraction of used “second-hand” items. The hidden beauty of Thrift Shop has decoded the reason why young people “love those imperfect things”!

Desire to affirm personal style through unique items

Diverse designs commonly found at Thrift stores (Photo: Khanh Linh)

A very unique feature of Thrift Shop is the "uniqueness" that exists in each item. At each second-hand store, we will meet extremely different fashion styles. Thanks to the unique designs and diverse models, today's youth can easily find diverse outfits and freely create for every style. Ms. Huong, Founder of De Country - a Thrift store, shared: "I like Second-hand items because I will not be able to find other items that are exactly the same. If I find them, it is like I and they belong together. I think people are increasingly interested in asserting their own personality, so most of them will tend to look for unique products such as handmade products because they are very personal." Therefore, although the items present at Thrift Shops are different, they are always patient, waiting for the future owner to accidentally find them instead of appearing everywhere like the mass-produced models currently on the market.

Affordable price, suitable for your pocket

It is undeniable that Thrift Shop is the optimal choice for young people who want to find their own style but still want to "protect" their wallets. To own the items sold at Thrift Shop, we only need to spend a very economical amount, even 1/10 of the original price on the market. The reason why the items available here are all used, so they are sold at very reasonable prices, suitable for the wallets of those who do not have abundant financial conditions. "I chose to do business at Thrift Shop because it is of good quality and the prices are very affordable. Here there are quite famous branded items but they are only sold for 100-200 thousand VND", said Mr. Dat, an employee of Department Store 26 - where "second-hand" items are sold at affordable prices.

Fun experience for both buyers and sellers

Science has proven that our bodies produce two hormones, Oxytocin and Endorphins, which make people more excited when shopping. This feeling is not only present in shoppers, but also in owners of Thrift Shops who are excited when receiving items sent for different purposes. In addition to the times when they personally select and review old items, shop owners will once again witness different personalities expressed through the unique styles of each item. They will never know who will be the next owner of these items, who will be the next person to "match" with that unique style.

2. The meaning behind the “moved” items

Is a “hard drive” that stores the values that have passed through

The flow of fashion is always changing through the decades, the values that exist on old items stored after many years are proof of the concept: "The seam makes a page of history". Once archived, the costumes will not only be a simple garment but also a slice of that era.

The reason why Fashion Blogger Tri Minh Le's saying "Fashion is a loop" has made Thrift Shops become a "sketchbook" recording diverse styles according to each historical milestone. The fashion inspiration of the 80s and 90s is once again "hot" thanks to the trends created by Second-hand Stores and Thrift Shops. Thanks to the extremely trendy but still nostalgic publications posted on the media, the fashion styles of previous decades such as: Y2K, Dark Academia, Vintage... are renewed and once again quickly become trends in today's era.

A "home" for forgotten items

With the mentality of "if you don't buy it, you'll lose out on a bargain", it's undeniable that our generation today tends to shop uncontrollably. New items we buy may not be worn out, while old items remain "silently" present until we forget about their existence in our closets.

Time-stained designs (Photo: Minh Thu)

Because people who choose to visit Thrift Shops do not do so because they do not want to spend money on expensive items. Many people prefer Thrift items partly because they are affordable, but there are also many people who "love" the old, time-worn look of those items because only they can fully express their personality and character. Thrift Shops were created partly because of those profound ideas, becoming a "temporary resting place" for items that have strayed from a person's life. This place has become both a "crossroads" for the life of an item between two worlds , and a place for the old owner to send those items to someone who appreciates and really needs them more in their life.

“Green” for the earth and the environment

According to Thrift Shop owners, they found that customers who come to buy things mainly want to find new items that satisfy their personal preferences at affordable prices. However, these preferences "accidentally" help young people get closer to a green lifestyle, partly pushing back the prejudice that "fashion pollutes and destroys the environment". In other words, Thrift Shop is a green clothing supply chain that creates a trend that is both economical and "civilized" for 21st century youth, contributing to protecting the "green" of the environment.

Unique and novel items at Thrift store chains (Photo: Khanh Linh)

Label: Thrift Shop, what do we need?

1. Tips for "choosing clothes" and "dressing up" when shopping

Choose clothes:

#1. The first important thing when coming to a Thrift Shop is that you must clearly understand your body shape, body and personal style. No matter how unique an outfit is, if it does not fit well, it will not be able to highlight your own beauty. Meanwhile, cheap, simple but well-fitting items will help us score more points in the eyes of the person opposite.

#2. Understanding the specialized products of each Thrift Shop will make it easier for us to choose the items we like. Depending on each store, the shop owner will often specialize in selling a certain item. For example, there will be Thrift Shops that mainly own items such as sweaters, jackets, short-sleeved T-shirts, etc. and besides that, there will be stores specializing in Japanese chiffon shirts, Korean chiffon shirts, etc.

#3. Checking for defects before buying any product is extremely important. Second-hand clothes have a reasonable price because they are not brand new with tags, so we need to balance their future use value with the price we need to pay before taking them home.

Foreign passengers visit Thrift Shop (Photo: Minh Thu)

Build:

#1. Clothes with easy-to-take-off designs in neutral colors like beige, cream, white... are good choices when shopping for second-hand clothes. These colors are often easy to coordinate and can be combined with things you already have to make clothes to wear on normal days.

#2. Washing and drying in the sun is a must before we wear those “new clothes”. Second-hand clothes are often dusty because they have not been used for a long time, and they may contain bacteria or even toxic cleaning chemicals that can affect our health when they come into contact with our skin.

#3. Besides the “second-hand” items, we should also invest in some “quality” accessories. Using accessories of the same style is a great choice every time we dress up. New outfits with a few pieces of jewelry of the same tone can not only add beauty to the outfit, but also clearly show the unique personality of each person.

2, Si Map: Popular Thrift Shop Locations

Thrift Shop is always the perfect choice for young people with personality and style. So the Thrift stores below are the addresses that must be visited if we want to buy ourselves a wardrobe with diverse styles: