When thinking about buying new clothes, most teenagers think of going to the mall to shop or order their clothes online, but now there is a new wave of teenagers, like me, who have been hitting up thrift shops to buy their clothes 

Thrift shops have been around for a long time, but there has been a rise in the popularity of thrifting mainly due to the influence of TikTok. 

I started thrifting in early 2025 and I started because I wanted to stop wasting a lot of money on clothes, as well as pick up a new hobby. I saw a TikTok of a girl giving a haul of vintage Hollister, Aeropostale, Ed Hardy, Juicy Couture, Apt.9, Levi’s, and embroidered jeans which she got for only 20 bucks. Her content was mainly focused on thrifting for herself, as well as making clothing bundles for other people, which was why it piqued my interest because it looked fun. 

The first time I went thrifting was at Goodwill with my sisters because they also wanted to try thrifting and we were bored after 10 minutes because we expected to find something good immediately. 

My sisters wanted to leave, but I insisted on still staying because I believed we just needed to look around a bit more and I ended up finding a black long sleeve with red beading, a pink vintage Wilson tennis jacket, a purple quarter sleeve shirt, and some other shirts which ended up making the trip worth it. 

One of the things with thrifting is that it’s time consuming. Most of the time you won’t find something good that you like right away because you’re going to have to search through ALL THE RACKS, as well as the whole store because people don’t always put things where they belong. 

When going, you’re going to have to prepare yourself to look for 2 or more hours if you want to actually find stuff. I first start off going to my size and if I can’t find anything I check the other sizes because sometimes people like to hide items all around the store so it’s important to check every crevice. I don’t really buy jeans because most stores don’t have a fitting room so I can’t try them on but when I do I just hope and pray they fit. 

Searching is one of the few cons that come with thrifting. Such as the price of some of the items. Sometimes you think you find a good item, but you check the price and it’s around $30 dollars or more for something that was donated, which is mainly due to the amount of traction thrifting is gaining. 

Another con could be the return policy because once you buy an item it’s final sale that’s why it’s important you don’t have “thrift blindness” which is just buying and item because it’s cheap, that’s why it’s important to ask yourself if you really are going to wear the item and if you actually like it.

However, there are also many pros that come with thrifting, such as the cheapness. There can be some expensive items, but it’s only a select few, while everything else is generally cheap. 

Not to mention some thrift stores have certains days where they are discount days or a they have a designated color on the tag indicating it’s on discount and at the Goodwill bins it’s only $2.99 per lb for clothing, which is very good compared to branded companies that sell one item for $30+. 

I love the unique aspect of thrifting because not everything is being sold in bulk so you are most of the time guaranteed to have a one of a kind item, which for me personally makes me feel special because I know that no one at the school for example has a vintage Old Navy orange shirt with flower designs on it. 

In addition, thrifting is a highly sustainable alternative to buying new things because you are rebuying clothes that are already in circulation. 

Every year new clothing items are being massly overproduced which results in them ending up in landfills that hurt the environment and take up space. Being able to buy and prevent clothes from ending up in landfills is one more small step to protecting the environment.

I have only had the chance of thrifting here in Salinas due to my parents not letting me go out of town, so I mostly go to the Goodwill, Goodwill(Bins), Salvation Army, American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, and random yard sales. 

My personal favorite has to be the bins because it’s just the cheapest option as well as being kinda fun digging in the bins. 

It’s like looking for hidden treasure. You just have to wear gloves if you don’t want to be touching any used undergarments. 

I also like to go to Goodwill located at 708 E Alisal St because that’s where I have found some of my favorite pieces such as a pink babydoll top that ties in the back with flower designs on it.

The Salvation Army at 326 N Main St is another one of my top favorites because I like how the clothes are organized by color because sometimes I want to look for a specific color so I know where to go and it’s the store where I found my first vintage Hollister shirt which was only $5.99, so most of my thrifted shirts come from there. 

All and all, I personally go thrifting in hopes of finding clothes that fit my style which are mainly vintage y2k baby tee’s, henleys, babydoll tops, floral or patterned tops that are unique colors like lime green, orange, blue/teal, and pink. 

I don’t usually thrift for pants, but when I do I usually buy baggy jeans or bootcut/flared jeans. 

When going I also aim to spend no more than $30, which makes it more fun because I go in knowing I only have a certain amount of money and can’t go over it (although I sometimes do!). 

Thrifting has also helped expand my style because there are things I didn’t find cute until I saw them and tried them on. I initially didn’t like patterned clothing because they reminded me of something a grandma would wear or there is just too much going on but I’ve learned to actually like them once I tried them on.

Not to mention you can go thrifting alone or with your friends. Recently on April 18 me and my friend Genesis Lopez went thrifting because she has been wanting to go. 

We first went to the Goodwill on East Alisal and she actually found two cute babydoll tops that tied in the back a floral shirt and a black belt. 

Then we went to the Goodwill on North Main and although she didn’t find anything there, she still had fun. 

Our final destination was The Salvation Army and she only got one shirt. When we debriefed about our trip she said she had fun and really liked it. 

The next Saturday we went to the bins because I told her it was more worth it and since we got there around 2 p.m. it was pretty packed and hard to really find anything, but she still found a few tanks and she overall preferred the bins over the racks since it was way cheaper.

Thrifting is a time-consuming, but fun hobby to pick up when you’re an unemployed teenager (like me), who still wants to buy clothes but isn’t willing to spend an excessive amount on retail store clothing. 

You can almost always find something and while it’s easier to find things at the stores, it’s sometimes more fun (and cheaper) to go to the bins. 

However if you decide to thrift, it’s important to have a game plan, such as knowing what you’re looking for (brand, color, style) and your budget. 

Also, make sure you inspect the item closely because they don’t accept returns. Finally, if you’re buying clothes, try them on! Sometimes clothes have been donated because the cut is wrong. 

I hope that more people get into thrifting because it’s a fun activity to do on a random day when you are bored and have $20 dollars laying around the house.