The Piedmont Highlander

The Student News Site of Piedmont High School

The Piedmont Highlander

The Piedmont Highlander

Students sport thrifty clothing

As popular hip-hop artist Macklemore sang , “I’m gonna pop some tags/ Only got twenty dollars in my pocket/ I – I – I’m hunting, looking for a come-up.”

Macklemore echoes a sentiment  that is becoming increasingly common at PHS— that thrift stores offer a certain type of clothing that cannot be found anywhere else, and at a fraction of the price compared to other clothing stores.

“It’s not that buying clothes from thrift stores is ‘better’, it just makes a lot more sense,” senior Amber Ellis said.

Ellis explained that clothes from thrift shops are less costly and more environmentally friendly.

“The thing I like most about thrift stores is that I can get away with not spending much money,” Ellis said. “I’m easily the cheapest person I know.”

Senior Jack Moe said clothes from thrift stores are better because there is such a wide selection there that you buy the cream of the crop.  Moe agreed that inexpensiveness added to thrift store’s allure , saying, “my favorite thing is that I can buy three shirts for less than it costs to buy a meal.”

Junior Jojo Yee at Thrift Town in San Francisco.
Junior Jojo Yee at Thrift Town in San Francisco.

Junior Maya Gulassa said the best thing about thrift stores, for her, is that you know that no one else will have what you find there, unlike when you buy something at Forever 21 and six other people at your school have the same item

“Thrift Stores are like a treasure hunt. You really have to spend time looking for clothes, which makes what you then find all the more special,” Gulassa said.

Gulassa does not think clothes from a thrift store are better, but the advantage is that she is not going have the same wardrobe as someone else if she shops at a second hand store.

“Especially at stores like Thrift Town in San Leandro and San Francisco, like half of the clothes are totally awesome 90’s stuff,” Gulassa said. “ You can often find vintage stuff for way cheaper than it would be in a vintage store.”

Gulassa said the downside to thrift store clothing is that there’s often stains or holes and it doesn’t last that long because it’s used. However, it is much more unique.

Gulassa has a few favorite thrift stores.

“Goodwill is always a good one. I especially love what we call “The Bins” which is the Goodwill outlet where they sell the clothes by the pound,” Gulassa said.

Gulassa also loves Thrift Town because she can find a lot of unique clothing there and it is really cheap.

“After being in there for about an hour I start convincing myself that $8 is really expensive for a shirt,” Gulassa said.

Gulassa warned that both of these shops are pretty hard core thrift stores. There are, however, soft core “consignment” stores like Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange that she also likes, but does not really consider them thrift stores.

“Salvation Army is the OG thrift store,” Moe said. “Most other stores say that they are thrift stores but are still somewhat expensive.”

Ellis is a fan of Alta Bates Showcase right now because it is usually pretty cheap and it is close by.

“Also everyone who goes there is old so I don’t have a lot of competition for the stuff I want,” Ellis said.

Ellis also advises people to go to Bis on College Avenue because the store owner is “the biggest sweetheart ever.”

Junior Astrid Gallagher-Holmes embodies Macklemore's lyrics.
Junior Astrid Gallagher-Holmes embodies Macklemore’s lyrics.
Leave a Comment
Donate to The Piedmont Highlander

Your donation will support the student journalists of Piedmont High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Piedmont Highlander

Comments (0)

All The Piedmont Highlander Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *