Thanks a lot Macklemore

In the years since we buried the GAP hoodie and the TNA sweater a new clothing movement seems to have emerged: Thrift Shopping. There is also, coincidently, a direct correlation between the rise in popularity of this activity and the release of Macklemore’s new hit song “Thrift Shop”. All the cool kids are doing it these days. It’s a chance to own something unique and to make a statement about your individuality. Although everyone appears to be ignoring one thing, isn’t it supposed to be cheaper? The thrift shop was invented to offer affordable clothing to those who couldn’t buy new and yet the people I know who enjoy a regular visit to Unit 5 “vintage boutique” are paying as much as I am for my new items. Teens it seems, have collectively decided that it is pretentious to shop at popular brand stores like American Eagle and Hollister (that’s a whole other story). Whether they don’t realize, or just choose to ignore, it is exponentially more pretentious to shop second hand at full price because it makes you feel special.

Let’s break it down, you didn’t walk into that store to buy a t-shirt, you could get that anywhere. No you’re there for something different. That button up shirt’s pattern is different, that knit cardigan is different, those slip-ons are different and so is that ankle length skirt. Then suddenly….BAM!

Sorry what?

I guess this is almost a good thing because we can now say without a doubt that we’ve hit rock bottom, it’s all up from here.