Many students may have noticed that Goodwill has opened close to RM. Goodwill is a popular location for thrifting, an activity that has become increasingly popular among teens in the past years.

  Students at RM enjoy thrifting for various reasons. 

   “I was looking for a more sustainable wardrobe. Especially because there’s this whole fast-fashion epidemic going on and it is really not good for the environment,”  freshman Ema Djordjevic said. “Finding sustainable clothes online is either really hard or super expensive. So going thrifting is definitely a better option for that and it is also affordable.”  

   For sophomore Cedar Dwyer, the reduced price of thrifted clothes met his needs. “I was trying to find clothes that I passed in, because it was the easiest way for me to find clothes that were somewhat gender affirming without having to go and spend a lot of money on an entirely new set of clothing,” Dwyer said.

 Junior Nani Gildersleeve is able to diversify her style and help save the environment through thrifting. “It’s good for the environment since you’re not using fast fashion and you’re recycling clothes,” Gildersleeve said. “ It’s good for people that are interested in finding original outfits and it’s also more unique to who you are because you’re the one choosing things and having to find everything and it creates a more special bond to that clothing because it’s you picking them out.” 

  Sometimes during thrift shopping, rare or expensive clothes are found at a reasonable cost. 

 “The good thing about thrift stores is they usually have a standard price for everything,” junior Ash McClintock said. “So it’s like every single t-shirt could be fixed at a price of three dollars and every single pair of pants could be fixed at a price of $6. That’s one of the really good things about thrifting because you could find a $70 shirt for way cheaper.”

   McClintock was able to thrift two pairs of shoes and two sweaters, one of which was cashmere. “I got all those for a very cheap price and that made me happy,” McClintock said.

  Gildersleeve found a LuluLemon exercise jacket for $7, which was originally priced at $97, and Dwyer bought a pair of shoes he intends to paint on. 

There are a number of places in the Rockville and Montgomery County area to thrift. 

  “I love any Goodwill. I think they’re really good.” Gildersleeve said. “But then I also love to support the smaller thrifting businesses. I know there’s Uptown Cheapskate. And then Unique. I really like their clothes. And Value Villages are always really nice.”

  Freshman Piper Young also likes Uptown Cheapskate.  “They have so many popular brands for a really affordable price and their stuff always changes,” Young said. “I go probably a few times a month.”

  The benefits of thrifting extend beyond the chance to create authentic wardrobes and make an impact on the environment. “Families who don’t necessarily have a lot of money can buy clothes and other things at a much cheaper cost,” Gildersleeve said.