Since the beginning of the 19th century, people have been getting clothes second hand. Stores like Goodwill, St. Vincent De Paul, and The Salvation Army have been a gold mine for teens in recent years. But what started this rise in popularity and how does thrifting culture affect the people of St. Charles West?

People at West have been thrifting a lot more in recent years. After the pandemic, many people lost their jobs. This made buying cheaper clothes a better option so people could save on necessities. Also, with the rise of vintage clothing styles, thrift stores are the perfect place to find old clothes. “Thrifting has given me a unique sense of fashion. I love hunting for new pieces. I always look for statement pieces at different thrift stores. I love going to different thrift stores that are lesser known than goodwill such as 1st stop resale and others.” said junior Isabelle O’Connell

Buying used clothes can be seen as gross to some people. Germs, stains, and holes have a tendency to make people stray from thrift stores. However, if you just put the clothes through the wash, you can easily have cheap clothes that look new. The average cost of clothes at Goodwill is about $6. When compared to the average price of clothes at Target, which is $14.97, that is very cheap. Teens usually don’t have much money for themselves, considering the price of gas, food, and other necessities. So, thrifting is a great way to get clothes and save money.