Students look beyond malls, fast fashion

by Joe Casarez | staff writer

As the fashion resale market grows and begins to surpass the retail market, students are searching for a new, unique look.

“My students like shopping at thrift stores,” fashion teacher Mandy Elliott said. “They like the vintage look and also like repurposing clothing to make it into a new and unique fashion.”

Students are able to find vintage clothing that can give them each their own style. Clothes at thrift stores range in price, but are most known for being cheap, such as the Buffalo Exchange located in Alamo Heights that sells new and used clothing for $7 or less.

“I choose to shop at thrift stores rather than retail stores because it’s a lot cheaper,” junior Kaitlin Morales said. “And you also find things that a lot of people don’t have, so it gives you a different look.”

Name brand clothing can be expensive, but thrifting allows students to find used top brand clothing at lower prices.

“I shop at a bunch of different thrift stores like Goodwill and Thrift Town. I mostly go downtown,” Morales said.

Thrift stores are all around San Antonio-there’s more than 15 thrift stores within 10 miles of Johnson’s campus, including Goodwill, located on Bulverde road.

“I thrift once every two weeks sometimes, I have an online stores also where I can find stuff there too,” Morales said.

Beyond thrifting shopping in person, students are able to sell clothing on Instagram and other platforms to other students for a cheaper amount.

“I have an instagram thrift and also I have an Etsy and an eBay store. My Etsy store is bangin.thrift-its the same as my instagram,” Morales said.

When students choose not to shop at retail stores, they have the opportunity to purchase clothing from resale markets online like Poshmark and Etsy.

“It’s basically recycling, someone gets rid of their clothes and instead of it going to a landfill, it goes to a store where others can buy it,” Morales said.

 

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