A new trend popular amongst some Monte Vista students is “thrifting”. Thrifters shop at thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets in order to purchase interesting and different items at a generally cheaper price.
One passionate thrifter at Monte Vista is senior Shania Sandher. Sandher’s passion for fashion was always prevalent growing up but she only started thrifting about a year ago.
“I thought thrifting was a super cool way to get unique pieces,” Sandher said.
She visits thrifts stores monthly and spends hours looking through their selections— especially the mens’ section. Some of her top spots for thrifting include Savers in Dublin, as well as a few stores in San Francisco.
Sandher’s current retro style consists of oversized jackets and color blocking, but her unique style is shown in many different pieces. She is her own inspiration as she enjoys pursuing a style of her own. Her current style features “throwback” items that replicate old fashion trends.
Sandher is considering selling her clothes to the rest of the thrifting community. Many other people have begun to look into thrifting to diversify their style.
“I love the sustainability aspect of thrifting. When I first starting thrifting last year, I decided I didn’t want to buy fast fashion anymore, and so thrifting has become how I shop for my clothes,” said Sandher. “The thing about thrifting is that the clothes are already there, and by buying them you’re essentially reducing the waste of that item being thrown away. You’re also stopping the pollution that would be caused by buying that piece brand new, so it’s a win-win.”
Several of Sandher’s Instagram posts illustrate her love for fashion and her unique style. The majority of Monte Vista students strive to look the same and splurge on luxury brands, but other students choose to find new places and ways to shop for their clothes.
Jonathan Pallen is also a senior at Monte Vista who recently began thrifting.
“It’s fun because there are cool clothes that you don’t see very often and it’s cheap,” said Pallen.
Sandher and Pallen represent the minority of students who enjoy standing out and looking different, as well as appreciating the diversity and tradition of early and modern style. Monte Vista students are encouraged to embrace their differences and experiment with their style—like turning an old piece of clothing into the latest trend!