Thrifting is a staple of teen culture, and for good reason. In a world of fast fashion and big brands, the thrift store is a place of authenticity. If you go in with an open mind and patience, you’ll be sure to reap the benefits of your time.

Thrifting is a skill. It takes a good eye to spot a potential steal and an open mind to recognize a piece’s potential. 

When in doubt, you can hold up a questionable piece to your friends and say “hear me out…” 

Anyhow, there seems to be a near-infinite amount of clothes in the store, but it takes time to find the good stuff. Sometimes thrifting feels like looking for a needle in a haystack, but honestly, that’s part of the fun. 

Thrifters have gathered tips and tricks, as it is said they tend to have strategic plans for thrifting around the city. Going to a gold location, analyzing artifacts of clothing carefully, looking out for discounted days, and overall having the time to spend.

Junior Rosie Morales has thrifted since childhood. She had developed her skills during the pandemic, and she expresses how thrift stores are open ranges to jump into. 

“I like when I go to the thrift store and get a bunch of cool stuff that I wouldn’t have gotten at a normal store.” Morales said. Morales gives an insight to how thrift stores give people the opportunity to look around and discover our very own styles. 

She also noted how prices have changed and how that can also bring negatives to thrifting.

“Since thrifting is more of a popular thing with younger generations now, I feel like it increased prices for people who actually need to go thrifting rather than it being a choice, and it’s what they have to do to survive,” she said. 

This is fun for high schoolers, but can also cause problems for the victims of low income who created a market for thrift stores in the first place. 

As second hand stores receive more high-income customers coming in, they begin to raise the price for everyone. This can make thrift stores more expensive for the people who depend on it for cheap clothes. Thrifting has become trendy, whereas it used to be a necessity for those facing financial struggles.

 Minutes can bleed into hours when you’re drifting from rack to rack. Shopping in a big brand store can feel rushed; with big displays and advertisements, corporate pop blasting from overhead speakers, it can all be too much. The local thrift store is a place of quiet refuge. 

Fashion club president Amani Boyd said, “I get to find cute clothes for a cheaper price.” Boyd said she usually goes thrifting for clothes for the beginning of the school year. 

She said her experience has changed over time. Things have gotten more expensive even from thrift and discount department stores such as Ross and T.J.Maxx.

Spanish teacher Jairo Cruz enjoys thrifting a lot. Having experience since the age of 10, he found it interesting that people donated or gave away clothes. He often thrifted with his mom who used the materials for crafting quilts and pillows. After the years he has preferred to go thrifting in less crowded areas like the San Gabriel Valley, such as Azusa and La Verne where there are hidden gems and fewer shoppers.

 “Social media has contributed a lot to the general aspect of thrifting,” Cruz said. 

For better or worse, the youth has taken on thrifting by storm, and it has become a staple in teenage shopping culture. As prices at department stores continue to rise, I don’t foresee a decline in mobs of kids at thrift stores anytime soon.