New To Freshen Your Summer Wardrobe? Try Thrifting Vintage!

Summer is here, amd it's time to bring out your warm weather wardrobe! It’s hard to not go out and buy a brand new swimsuit or pair of sandals when getting ready for a pool party but new clothes can get expensive. That's why many Gen-Zers have begun turning to thrifting to source their Summer styles.

A big reason why Gen-Z has turned to thrifting is to shop, besides cost, is sustainability. Gen-Z has become hyper aware of the negative impact fast fashion retailers have on the environment. While some still choose to shop on fast fashion sites that are known for their poor treatment of workers and mass production of clothes that end up in landfills, a large majority shop second-hand to promote sustainability.

With the revival of Y2K fashion, Gen-Z thrifters have been raiding the racks in order to find vintage Y2K clothing, many in hopes of finding designer pieces. Much of the original Y2K fashion now lives in thrift and consignment shops, making it somewhat easier for Gen-Z to find styles they like without having to break the bank or shop fast fashion.

High-profile celebrities like supermodel Bella Hadid have been seen countless times in thrifted Y2K designer pieces. Hadid’s impeccable style has influenced many to go out in an attempt to find vintage Y2K clothing to wear this summer. TikTok creator Trey (@vintage_trey) goes to one of Hadid’s favorite New York City thrift stores, 10 ft Single by Stella, in one of his videos, where he shows highlights of 10 ft Single by Stella along with his own opinions of what the selection is like and leaves with a small bag.

If not successful in stores, many turn to second-hand reselling apps like Depop or Poshmark. Through these apps, people list their clothes on their own personal digital shop. Depop, being the most popular, allows users to run successful shops where they resale vintage clothing. TikTok creator Anoushka (@anou5hkam) posted a video of a large vintage haul where she unboxes all of her Depop thrift purchases. Many of Anoushka’s pieces are perfect for the Summer sun as well as nights out.

TikTok creator Loue’s Mum (@ncleloo) posted a video of her thrifted Summer tops in a haul-style video.  Louie’s Mum captions the video “Issa Y2K Summer?” to show what she will be wearing all season long.

This Summer, when looking for new additions for your wardrobe, try shopping sustainable and go to your local thrift store, or perhaps try apps like Depop -- you might just find those vintage fits of your dreams!