👖 What's the deal with thrifting? 

These days, fast fashion is out – and thrift shopping is in. Thrifting has been trending among Gen Zs in Singapore for a while now, with the search term "Singapore Thrift Store" having hit 12.4 million views on TikTok to date. 

It's easy to see why. A budget-friendly way to refresh one's wardrobe or living space, while also practising conscious consumerism – what's not to love? 

However, there might be another side to this trend. What is meant to be a cost-friendly, sustainable practice can also lead to overindulgent consumer behaviour and performative virtue signalling, if one goes overboard.

This week, I explore if thrifting truly lives up to its wallet-friendly stereotype, and what lessons can be gleaned from the second-hand shopping experience. 

In this week's issue

• Lawrence Wong stepped up as Singapore's fourth prime minister on May 15
• Why SGX's health should be everyone's concern  
• Unpacking the value that thrifting really brings to young adults today 

While a common reason why many young adults enjoy thrifting is being able to buy cool clothes on a budget, the savings involved may not be the most appealing part. 

Isabelle Lim, 18, a thrift shopping enthusiast tells Thrive that it can be easy to go overboard when thrifting if an individual is not careful with his or her spending. 

"The thing about the consistently low prices with many stores is that you tend to buy more just because these items are cheap and there's a slight chance you'll wear them, even though the items may not really suit you, " Lim says.  

FJ Sai, the co-owner of Singapore-based second-hand clothing store STAKEOUT tells Thrive that the "thrift" descriptor may give potential customers a misunderstanding of what her shop offers, especially since traditional thrift stores are assumed to offer items at low or accessible prices. 

In fact, she avoids the label of "thrift store" entirely when referring to her business, instead describing it as dealing with "pre-loved" or "second-hand" goods. 

"Strictly speaking, we don't reject the "thrift" label, but neither do we endorse it (for our brand)," Sai says. "This is because we feel that there's much more to what we bring to our customers than a good price deal."

For example, STAKEOUT's big sister brand, Loop Garms, is a vintage clothing store that focuses on curation and customisation. In essence, the value of these vintage or pre-loved goods emerges from the time and effort spent identifying their historic or aesthetic value after retrieving them from piles of "junk". 

"The idea that these items were produced at that point of time where they were so interesting, or of great hype, and that you can have this piece of history with you – I think this is the real appeal of vintage goods," says Sai. 

Although many of STAKEOUT's pieces are affordable and start from S$10, certain items can go up to S$80 to S$90. As for Loop Garms, the items can be more pricey and hover around S$40 to S$50. Some collectible items from the vintage shop have received offers of over S$1,000, according to Sai. 

It seems that thrifting is not just about cheap thrills for Gen Zs. "There are a larger variety of clothes with older styles, and more unconventional items available at thrift stores that mainstream clothing lines simply do not offer," Lim says. This can be a breath of fresh air from fast fashion options that often sell similar things for similar prices. 

Additionally, she shares that a big part of the whole thrift shopping experience with friends is the feeling of going on an adventure 🥾. 

"Finding a hidden gem (at a thrift store) can make me feel particularly triumphant," Lim shares. "With thrifting, you never know what you can get, and that's why it's fun. It involves luck too (in what you find), so it kind of feels like a game."  

"It's fun to root through the shelves and racks of things, or point out funny or tacky items you see with friends too," she adds. 

Such community spirit has been pointed out as being the core to the experience for many fans of thrifting.

🛒 Lessons from thrifting

With thrifting much more than a budget shopping experience for young adults 🤸, here are some lessons that can be learnt from it (that hold true for work and life, too): 

• Be open to trying something new and different. Most of the time, it may still be the norm to shop online or buy new clothes first-hand. Trying second-hand clothing may be an interesting experience to explore while also exposing yourself to new styles that you could be well-suited for as well! 
• Look carefully, and don't underestimate the value of things. There are many things that deserve a second chance. It's easy to pass over things that seem old, tarnished or unappealing at first glance. But judging a book by its cover may lead you to miss a treasure right before your eyes 👀. 
• Don't buy things for the sake of it. Yes, it's 75 per cent cheaper than its retail price, but do you really need it in five colours? It may be wiser to hold your horses, you chronic deal-shopper. Be conscious of your consumption patterns – thrifting does not equate to financial savviness if you don't exercise personal discipline. 
• Sustainability shouldn't be boring or difficult. Going thrift shopping when you need certain items can be a fun way to meet your needs and prevent waste at the same time.

Finding trendy or good quality clothes at a fraction of their retail price is just the tip of the thrifting iceberg. Thrift shopping can be an enriching experience for young adults, as they discover the value of pre-loved items while having a good time with their friends. That is, as long as you don't get carried away in the name of scoring a good deal 🌚. 

TL;DR

• While thrifting is commonly seen as a being a low-cost pursuit, this isn't always the case (especially if you keep going back for more 👀)  
• Some collectibles from thrift stores can have immense historic value – which also comes with a higher price tag 💲
• Going thrift shopping can be a unique, fun and enjoyable experience with friends to explore a new sense of community 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
• Avoid buying things simply because you see a good deal – think carefully about how your purchases fulfil your needs and not just wants 

Share this story

In other news…

🏛️ Politics

• It's official: former prime minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong has handed the reins over to Lawrence Wong, as he was sworn in as Singapore's fourth PM on May 15. 
• Here are some top moments from former PM Lee Hsien Loong's time in office and what's expected to be in store for PM Wong 👀. 
• Singapore's new leadership is "prepared to re-look everything", said Wong in his inauguration speech. Read about his plans to approach Singapore's challenges here. 
• Wong's choice of Gan Kim Yong as deputy prime minister has come as a "surprise", with some observers describing it as a safe move. All signs suggest that the composition of the post-General Election Cabinet will come under close scrutiny. 

💼 Career

• Close to two in three Singapore workers are willing to relocate for work, according to a recent survey. 72 per cent of these workers are young professionals under the age of 30. 

💻 Tech

• OpenAI's new GPT-4o is said to be able to infer emotions and embody a flirty, fun personality. However, it still needs to do more to achieve a more reliable and accurate AI model, says this writer. 

📈 Investing 

• While the Singapore Exchange is in need of revitalisation, BT's Genevieve Cua feels that Central Provident Fund investments are not the way to go. 
• Here's why the health of SGX should be everyone's concern. 
• With Japan's stock market scaling new heights, has the optimism surrounding its rise reached a peak? Is it too late for investors to ride this wave?  

🧬 Life

• Singlish may be more valuable to Singapore than we think, with the patois frequently used in marketing ploys these days. 

Last week's Poll

How confident are you about stepping into adulthood?

Not looking forward to it, but I'm sure it'll be fine 🤷– 50% 

I'm terrified of adulting ☹️ – 25%

Let's knock it out of the park ⚾ – 25% 

Invite your friends to join the Thrive community.

Simply send them this link: bt.sg/thrive