Month: March 2023

Thrifting is back in style, and like all trends figuring out what works for you is easier with advice. Not only can you hunt for something unique, but thrifting is kinder on your wallet (and the planet!). Before your next haul, check out our tips on how to thrift for secondhand fashion like a pro.

What is thrifting?

In its simplest terms, thrifting is shopping for preowned clothing, shoes, and accessories. Typically thrifting has been associated with buying vintage items and specifically clothing. 

Defining an item as vintage can often be tricky because this varies according to a person’s style choices and how old individual pieces are. Vou magazine says, “Vintage is any object, such as clothing and jewellery, that represents a previous era or social period, at least 40 years old but not older than 100 years.”

Although thrifting is often associated with finding rare pieces from older brands or brands that may longer be making clothes anymore, you’re just as likely to find pieces from brands like Zara, H&M, and Fashion Nova finding their way onto the racks of thrift stores these days.

What are the benefits of thrifting?

One of the things that makes thrifting popular is how cost-effective it can be. Since most thrifted items have been worn before, stores typically don’t charge full price for them. In a lot of cases, these pieces are still in great condition. 

Thrifting also has some environmental benefits. In buying second-hand clothing, you are helping to reduce overconsumption in the fashion industry by repurposing clothes that have already been produced. 

Another interesting environmental benefit that was recently highlighted by the Business of Fashion, is that thrifting could help reduce the effects of Waste Colonialism. The concept explains the role countries like Canada play in shipping millions of tons of old clothes around the world to countries like Ghana, as part of the global secondhand clothing trade. Much of it ends up in landfills.

Thrifting is also a creative way to learn about your personal style and experiment with different looks. The cool thing about thrifting is that it exposes you to items that aren’t currently on the racks in department stores. This allows you to curate a one-of-a-kind wardrobe and explore which styles and eras you really resonate with. 

10 tips for thrifting

Before your next thrifting haul, here are 10 tips to help you make the most of your experience:

1. Create a budget

Although thrifting is cost-effective it’s a good idea to make a budget ahead of time. Bargains make shopping fun but they could also make it easy to overspend. As someone who often leaves stores with more items than I had planned to, I know deciding how much I want to spend ahead of time keeps me on track. Decide on a dollar amount, or even a range you’re comfortable spending. Another way to stay within a budget is picking the maximum number of items you will buy for the day. For example, deciding I am only adding four items to my closet today. Doing this also makes it easier to stay within budget. 

2. Clear out your closet in between trips to the thrift store

The discounts and bargains at thrift stores often make it easy to leave stores with items you don’t need or end up not liking as much as you expected to. One of the best ways to avoid this is to get rid of items you no longer wear or no longer like. This frees up space for your new finds and helps you curate a wardrobe full of clothes you love. Clearing out your closet ahead of time also gives these items a chance to be owned by someone who might love them even more. 

Some thrift stores often buy items in good condition from customers, or you could sell these items online to make some extra money. Overall this is a great way to personally contribute to the circular economy that is thrifting. 

3. Keep hygiene in mind when giving away or looking for clothes

Not all thrift stores have the resources to clean all the items they receive before they sell them. Or to clean items after customers try them on and decide not to buy them. Making sure the items you donate are clean will help make it easier for the staff that sort through the clothes and for the people who buy them. 

The process of thrifting involves touching or trying on items that might not have been washed recently and trying them on. Because of this, I recommend taking hand sanitiser with you and avoiding wearing anything that might stain clothes, like bright lipstick. 

4. Get inspiration to help you pick the best items for you 

Having an idea of what type of pieces you are looking for when thrifting makes it easier to find what you are looking for. I’ve found what works for me is having images of styles and clothing silhouettes you like saved. The easiest way to do this is by creating a Pinterest board like this one or saving pictures in your camera roll of styles you like. Apps like Are.na are also worth considering. The more you search the easier it will be to categorize the items you like. For example, I have a separate Pinterest board for shoes, sunglasses and bags I like or am inspired by.

You can also try browsing through current or old magazines; the more places you look the easier it will be to find inspiration. 

5. Know what each store specializes in selling 

Although most thrift stores sell a bit of everything, some stores specialize in selling particular items or have a larger range of certain items compared to others. This is something you can find out by going to stores or looking at their websites. Reading reviews is another way to figure out where to thrift and avoid being disappointed. I personally find TikTok reviews helpful when I want to check out new stores. 

Online stores like Ebay and Depop are also good places to buy thrifted items. Shopping online makes it easier to search for specific items. Sometimes you can also get shipping discounts from sellers if you buy more than one item from them.

6. Thrift with a friend

 Shopping is always more fun with a friend and can even make the process of thrifting less stressful. Having someone whose opinion you trust and who knows you well will also make it easy to get a second opinion when you are deciding what to buy. 

Thrifting with friends also gives you style inspiration from some whose style is similar to yours or completely different. Maybe you’ll consider items you hadn’t before when you see what your friends are drawn to. With friends, you can try visiting thrift stores further away from you and explore a different neighbourhood. Friends make everything more adventurous and fun!

7. Wear something comfortable

Finding items you like can take time when you’re thrifting. This means that you often end up standing up for a few hours and spending time walking to different stores. Wearing comfortable shoes and clothes will make this easier and also help you feel more relaxed as you shop. 

Something else to keep in mind is that not all thrift stores have changing rooms. Also since the COVID-19 pandemic not all of them have reopened their changing rooms. If you don’t have access to a changing room, wear clothes, like leggings and a t-shirt, to make it easier to try on other clothes over the top. 

8. Be open to experimenting with your personal style

Some of my favourite thrifted pieces that I own are items I didn’t expect to like or didn’t even pick out for myself. This has taught me to look out for things I might not typically wear or just generally be open to trying items that don’t look that good on the clothing rack. What you end up finding might surprise you. 

9. Know what size you are 

One of the coolest things about thrifting is discovering clothing brands you didn’t know existed. If it’s a clothing brand that isn’t Canadian, it could use different clothing sizes. Knowing what size you are in different parts of the world will make it easier to shop for international finds. I recommend looking at clothing conversion charts to help with this, and also knowing your measurements. That way, you can try clothes on from all sections of the store.

10. Be open to customizing clothes

Sometimes it takes a little bit of work to get a thrifted piece to be exactly what you want it to be. A pair of pants that fits a little loose might end up fitting you perfectly if you get it altered. If you can sew, this is something you do on your own, or get alterations done at your local dry cleaning store. This also works for items that you like but might want to change the colour or even crop completely. Customization allows you to get creative and breathe new life into pieces.  

Thrifting saves money and gives you creative freedom

Thrifting can not only save you money, but expand your personal style, and lets you get more creative with the way you style pieces or use inspiration from how these items were styled in the past to put your outfit together. Using your own money to go thrifting means you’ve got creative and financial freedom over what you buy. Thrifting is a fun and environmentally conscious activity that can help you discover more about yourself! 

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International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls. March 8 is a day for unity, advocacy, action, and celebration. This year Mydoh is shining a spotlight on three Canadian teens who are blazing a trail in business, advocacy, and innovation.

Mya Beaudry

Business owner

Aged 13, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation

In three years, Mya Beaudry has gone from making scrunchies at her family’s kitchen table as a way to give back to her Indigenous community to collaborating with designer Scott Wabano at New York Fashion Week. 

Mya was just nine years old when she started Kokom Scrunchies and over the last three years has grown Kokom Scrunchies into a thriving business. She explains that the word “kokom” means Grandmother in the Algonquin language and her core collection of scrunchies are made from floral kokom scarves. “It’s the same style of scarf that Kokoms would wear on their head when they worked outside,” says Mya. “I also named each Kokom Scrunchie after a role model in my life.” (Kokom Lola is named after her actual Grandmother). 

But running a business when you’re 12 isn’t without its challenges, like having others take you seriously. “They think that because I’m younger I can’t run a successful business,” says Mya. “Which is simply not true.” With the help of her family, Kokom Scrunchies has grown and her products are now sold in stores across Canada and online. 

Mya has also learned important money lessons from having her own business. “It’s really important to put money into savings,” she says. “And I need to plan for spending money on fabric and supplies.” 

Kokom Scrunchies has opened opportunities for Mya, like travelling across Canada to go to trade shows, collaborating with others, and speaking on panels. And she’s gotten plenty of buzz. Kokom Scrunchies has been featured on Refinery29 and Elle, to name a few. 

Mya’s advice to other teens thinking about starting a business is to start small. “Have a support team and do or sell something you love,” she says. “And don’t be shy! You have so many people in your life that want you to do well.” 

When she’s not running her business, Mya loves to play hockey, snowboard in the winter, and go to Pow Wows in the summer. For now, this teen entrepreneur hopes to inspire other youth, With the help of her team Mya wants a expand her business by adding clothing line (She recently dropped her Auntie Vibes sweater and hoodies which are 🔥 ).

You can follow Mya on Instagram or check out her colourful products. 

Jada Malott

Menstrual equity advocate

Aged 19, Windsor, Ontario

“I grew up in a household where it was normal to talk about social issues at the dinner table,” says Jada Malott. While she was in high school, Jada helped raise awareness of menstrual equity. “I founded a challenge in all the high schools around Windsor called Tampon Tuesday where we collect menstrual products for people in need in our community,” she explains.

Now in her first year of university studying political science, Jada has founded Period Product Partner (PPP), a social enterprise that gets free menstrual products into local businesses. 

She says launching PPP honours her grandmother’s legacy. “My dad learned my grandmother suffered from period poverty,” says Jada. Period poverty describes the struggle many low-income women, girls, and people who menstruate face while trying to afford menstrual products. “My grandma was dealing with limited funds at the store checkout and the first thing that would come off the conveyor belt were tampons and pads,” she says. “Then the razors, shampoo and the conditioner.” 

Jada says because of the stigma that surrounds periods, we never really know who is suffering from period poverty and the extent of that suffering. “The shame makes it hard for youth to discuss periods,” she says. “But I think teens need to realize we are a huge channel for change.” 

That change can start with educating yourself about the issues. “Education is one of the greatest and most accessible solutions to solving social justice issues, especially for period poverty,” says Jada. 

In her spare time Jada can be found on the hockey rink. “It’s a great juxtaposition for me because I play a very male dominated sport,” she says. “And I’ve never had a trainer in my 10 years since being a menstrual equity activist who doesn’t have a box of pads and tampons in their kit. So that’s a start!”

Change can also start with a conversation. “Talking about it is the biggest thing and the most powerful thing we can do,” says Jada. 

Learn more about PPP or follow Jada on Instagram. 

Naila Moloo

Environmental innovator 

Aged 17, Ottawa

Naila Moloo was drawn towards science and climate change from a young age. “My parents exposed me to the topic when I was young and I knew it was a big problem,” she says. A problem that the Grade 11 student is already working to solve. 

One project Naila is working on is developing a bioplastic from duckweed (a type of aquatic plant), rather than from corn or sugar cane. “Duckweed is something that humans don’t consume and it doesn’t take land to grow,” explains Naila. “But if we used corn to produce enough bioplastic for our needs we’d be cutting down the rainforest.” Naila referenced her research in a TEDx Talk last year and is working with a company to implement it on a large scale. “You can set up a vertical farming system for duckweed with waste water. It actually grows better and is more sustainable,” she says. 

Naila acknowledges that climate change is an enormous thing to tackle, and it can feel a little scary. But she believes there’s something everyone can do—even teens. “It doesn’t have to be science-related,” she says. “It could be getting involved in local environmental movements. A lot of people are willing to talk to teens and answer their questions.”

When she’s not at school, playing sports or working on her projects in the lab, Naila is co-hosting The Curiosity Podcast with Kristina Arezina. The pair want to equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in the future. “Teens aren’t taught how to get an internship, brainstorming ideas, or do cold call outreach,” says Naila. She wants the podcast to expose a younger generation to these skill sets and unconventional paths, like becoming a founder of your own start up. “Hearing someone talk about their experience and the struggles they went through exposes you to new things,” she says.

On top of all this, she’s also an author and published her debut magical realism novel when she was 14, followed by a sequel in 2022. Naila’s efforts aren’t going unnoticed. She was the youngest recipient of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and we’re excited to see what she does next! 

Learn more about Naila or listen to The Curiosity Podcast.