On social media, there are a lot of trends that come and go all the time. However, thrifting, which recently gained popularity, seems to be here to stay. 

Thrift shopping has significantly grown lately. It is a way to shop in secondhand stores that sell clothing, accessories and other products. Thrifting was originally a way of purchasing things that people donated, making it cheaper than shopping at regular stores. Given the rise in environmental awareness, especially among young people, more people started buying from thrift stores because it is better for the environment. The clothes are recycled meaning it reduces waste, and more clothes go to thrift stores rather than thrown away. Social media has an impact on a lot of people and it is a big part in many products’ growths. It had a big effect on how more individuals began to thrift. 

People have always enjoyed buying unique items in which they were the only ones owning them. Thrift stores offer the same thing. Usually, items that one would buy at a thrift store will only have one version. With the rise in thrifting and interest in various styles, the love for vintage fashion has become increasingly prevalent. Many people liked this type of shopping due to its convenience.

“I like how there’s a lot of diverse things,” FHS freshman Neta Plotkin said. “There’s some really good things like more special and more interesting.” 

Diversity is a significant factor in why more people started shopping at thrift stores rather than regular stores. In thrift stores you are more likely to find more styles and sizes of clothes. Another factor about thrift stores are the prices. Although it truly depends on the item, most things are cheap and affordable, and so that is one of the reasons why it received so much attention. Due to the majority of items being cheap, sometimes the quality might not be the best. So there are a lot of products, and it takes time to shop.

“I don’t like how some clothes are ripped or not washed,” Plotkin said. 

Though that does not happen frequently, and most of the products are good quality and sometimes swweven brand-new. Additionally, most thrift stores have a large selection of brands. Therefore, those who cannot afford to purchase from a brand might be able to find what they wanted or something similar at a reasonable price.

Buying second hand or used items has been a thing for a long time. However, social media played a significant role in its growth, and many younger buyers and teens who started thrifting recently were influenced by it. Most trends come from social media and thrifting is definitely one of them. Some trends are for a specific range of age, but thrifting is for all ages, and so it spread to many people.

“I think social media mostly [encourages thrifting] because you see other people are getting good things at a lower price and [feel like] I can do that,” Plotkin said.

People today are easily influenced by social media, resulting in the presence of many trends including thrifting. Often, trends do not last long and are replaced by new ones. The question now is whether thrifting will remain popular or will it eventually fade away like previous trends.