New York’s Gen Z Discovers the Joy of Thrifting

You may well have noticed that these days new clothing seems out of fashion while used clothing seems like a trend on the rise. Ask a teenager in New York City where they purchase clothes and there is a high chance they will mention either a seller’s username on Depop, Poshmark, or Vinted, or a secondhand vintage clothing store such as Buffalo Exchange or 2nd Street. But what are the reasons why younger generations are increasingly gravitating toward secondhand clothing? They rarely stray from four categories: Sustainability, affordability, quality, and style. “The broader conversation around climate change is top of mind for a lot of people my age,” said Nuz, a 25-year-old Queens resident. “One way we can maintain control over our input is consuming things that have already been created, instead of buying mass produced products that come from places that aren’t using sustainable materials or sustainable practices.” Nina Simoni-Cooperman, a 16 year old growing up on the Upper East Side, put it simpler. “I feel like it’s a lot better for the environment and I mostly do it for environmental purposes,” she said.For other shoppers, the savings outweigh the environment. Danny, 22, who travels to Manhattan from the Bronx, said he buys vintage clothing 70 percent of the time. “If it’s affordable, it’s a bang for my buck, then I’d rather spend it on used clothing than a brand new piece that is way overpriced,” he said.Data shows that new clothing prices are rising significantly due to post-pandemic inflation and increasing manufacturing costs even as, according to many buyers, material quality declines. “Most clothes nowadays are made with far more plastic, far more polyester, and vintage clothes tend to have a higher concentration of cotton as well as materials that will probably do better with age,” Nuz said. “There was a lot more care and consideration put into clothes, because people had the understanding that you would buy something you would wear for quite a while.”Katie, who has worked at Awoke Vintage in Nolita, Manhattan, says clothes aren’t made to the same quality as previously. “Vintage fashion uses a lot better materials, less synthetic materials,” she said. “I feel like that’s also a huge win with vintage fashion, that it’s better quality and rarer.”Rarity and style are at the forefront of the Gen Z boom for vintage clothing. “Vintage, nobody is gonna have it all. It feels more one of a kind and more personal to my style,” Jasmine Bernard, a 17 year old from Memphis, Tennessee, said. Her perspective is representative of many teenagers, particularly women, who balance fitting in with standing out. With clothing design now regarded as less creative, pieces from many stores blend together. Mass-market brands are relying on data-driven trends that prioritize economic efficiency over innovation. Generic looks are reliable when a brand’s goal is volume and inclusion in the fast-fashion industry but can’t compete with the authenticity of vintage items that tend to be filled with greater individual character and built to last.A store manager at 2nd Street’s NoHo location, Phil, has an alternative opinion on the appeal of vintage, shaped by the customers he interacts with at the store. “It became more so not just about how something looks, but the history behind some of these things, and seeing capsule collections and fashion runway collections…people got really obsessed with that,” he said. “I think it’s translated to today’s trends where people are looking for more archival things, more than just like, ‘oh this is really cute.'” Phil further believes that the younger generation is especially “fashionista” in outlook and places greater value on the historical aspects of the pieces they wear.Then there are the financial incentives. For those who have extra clothing, selling through online platforms or to stores, such as 2nd Street, can be a sustainable and meaningful way to make an extra buck. 2nd Street is one of the most popular thrift stores to find vintage clothing, located next to Buffalo Exchange at NoHo near New York University.Thrifting and vintage shopping have always existed, of course, but it used to be a niche hobby rather than a prevalent trend. What changed? A recurring throughline is, as expected, social media, but particularly the alignment of COVID and TikTok. The pandemic encouraged scrolling as a source for entertainment and connection when physical interactions were not possible. For many, extra time was devoted to “diving into the fashion world,” as Phil put it, and contributing to the boom of Depop and reselling apps. “Thrift-flips” became a viral trend where people would creatively upcycle old clothes into unique and custom pieces. Social media was no doubt the initiator of the thrifting trend and movement in favor of sustainable consumption, but it has also had some adverse consequences. Thrifting used to be an extremely affordable way to shop, but in recent years “thrift store prices have increased drastically, so people who need affordability are getting priced out because the market for it has become trendy,” Nuz added. When asked about the trajectory of vintage shopping, everyone I asked believes it will continue to prevail. “I feel like it will expand more,” Danny said. “There will be way more thrift shops coming up and way more people wanting to donate their clothing as well. Clutter is a big thing for a lot of people.”As 15-year-old Ariana sees it, the appeal of thrifting is circular. “Whatever’s trending currently is gonna end up being in these stores in a couple of years,” she said. “All the expensive stuff that’s so hard to find, you’re gonna find it here, later on,” referring to Buffalo Exchange.Online shopping, for both new clothing items and secondhand items, is of course already imbued in our society. Depop gives shoppers access to millions of sellers from around the world and unlimited options. If you have your eyes on a top that is in style, and don’t want to purchase it new for full price, Nina suggests buying it off Depop. In-store shopping requires greater effort, because you can’t type a description in a search bar. Instead, you have to search the racks intently and navigate through crowds of people. As for tips for efficient thrifting, “It’s fun to just get lucky and shop around. Come at the right time, take your time, and be patient,” Ariana said. She added she frequently finds notoriously expensive brands, such as Lululemon, in excellent condition and at a fraction of the in-store price. Another bit of advice is to go easy on the expectation. According to Jasmine Bernard, “Go in without having a specific idea in mind of what you’re looking for – when I look for everything, that’s when I find the best stuff.”

New York’s Gen Z Discovers the Joy of Thrifting

New York’s Gen Z Discovers the Joy of Thrifting

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