How to find clothes you like
Evelyn Daniels, contributing writer
Step 1: Cry to a friend
Hour three of my shift at the thrift shop, a woman comes up to me crying. In short, she had a voucher and another location of our supposedly charity shops had refused to help her. She had a job interview next week. She wanted to look hireable. She wanted to look like who she was—a professional, a veteran, a woman of value, not someone who is living out of her car.
We talked for an hour that day. I helped her pick out a bag, a blazer, and some pants. She mentioned my earrings, my bell-bottoms, and my makeup, all of which were over the top and all of which she complimented me on.
She walked past a few of my co-workers to come to me. I think her first words were “You look like someone who will listen.”
Step 2: Buy the thing
You’re in another thrift shop with me; this time, we’re shopping. I’m throwing things into our cart haphazardly for the both of us. That’s my preferred method of thrifting: throwing anything at all that catches my eye into a pile to sort through later, hoping to find a gem amongst all the garbage.
And then you see it. Whatever “it” means to you. The perfect piece of clothing. It’s daring or revealing, it’s absolutely in your size, and it’s made by your favourite company. Don’t make me sneakily buy it for you—instead, take it in your hands, try it on, and see just how amazing you look in it. You do look amazing in it. Of course you do.
Step 3: Reflect
The thrift shop has taught me about waste. Carts loaded full of men’s sweaters, women’s T-shirts, old shoes, and earrings that just need some love and the right person are all thrown out. A full truck of things that, at best, will be taken to another charity or, more likely, ground down into usable cotton or polyester.
So much waste you start to question if new things need to be made at all. “Surely we have enough,” I think while throwing another pile of “vintage” shirts into a bin.
So, dig through your closet, do the patented ”does this spark joy?” test, and throw the rest in bags. Curate your clothes, throw out, donate, or sell anything you second guess. Ask yourself “Will I be happier when I wear this?” and “Will the kind of people I want to compliment me go out of their way to tell me they love this?” Toss the rest.
Recently, every Salvation Army had a sale on all sweaters, $3 apiece. Facebook has plenty of groups for clothing swaps, which is where all my good earrings are from. Your dad never wears his old suits and your mom holds onto dresses that don’t fit her anymore. Wear all of these with pride.
Please, if you go thrifting, buy the thing. If you don’t, you should hope someone else will. I’ll throw it out all the same.
It might need a new button and a few stitches but it’s your size.
The way to sustainable fashion
Jillian Strachan, contributing writer
Fashion has long been one of the greatest ways to express yourself. Having signature colours, patterns, or clothes textures is the fun that comes with finding personal style.
Trends are a driving force of the fashion industry, be it seasonal colours and designs or different ways to style accessories. When discussing these trends it’s important to consider that what is in mode will come and go.
And when discovering personal style and experimenting, sustainability should be forefront.
Sustainable fashion is a way that we can help the climate and keep waste out of our landfills. And there are different ways that clothing can be sustainable. Luckily, there are many second-hand stores in Greater Victoria worth exploring. Whether taking a walk downtown or wandering through Oak Bay Village, hidden gems await. Buying second-hand gives new love to old clothes and allows someone to experiment with a piece of clothing that wouldn’t normally be their style. Visiting these stores is also a wonderful way of supporting small businesses.
Similar to curated second-hand shopping, thrifting is a very popular way of being sustainable. Thrifting can be time consuming; sometimes it can take patience and dedication to really find items you love. But going with friends, going in the mornings, and going with an open mindset are three aspects that make all the difference.
Organizations like The Salvation Army have multiple locations where donations are accepted, keeping the cycle alive. Donating clothes is an effective way of cutting down on pollution as well as making sure that there are accessible options for everyone.
Local businesses are really what makes Victoria the city it is, with select stores even specializing in making their own clothing. This is a creative way of staying sustainable. Stores like Ecologyst and Leka Design have excellent spaces and studios where they use their own resources to design and produce clothing. Both stores have amazing messages and business values.
Staying sustainable can be expensive; it isn’t always accessible to everyone all of the time. There is, however, a joy in having an article of clothing that is timeless and can even be passed down to future generations. Thrifting or second-hand shopping is something everyone should try; not knowing what you’re going to find is what makes it so enjoyable. Exploring what works for you is important; style is personal, so the way you shop should be, too. The way you recycle, care, and clean your clothes also can be a part of being sustainable, such as donating old clothes and fabrics to thrift stores or fixing your clothes when there’s damage. All of these ideas will help you create a stylish, personal, and sustainable wardrobe.