second hand style: 6 benefits of thrift & vintage shopping

Last Sunday, I spent the day in Cold Spring, New York. It's a cute little town that is only a short train ride away from Grand Central Station. Cold Spring has a ton of vintage and antique shops, so that was the main reason for my trip.

I decided to wear this vintage dress I received from The Art of Hannah Jane. I'm guessing this dress was from the 80's or early 90's. It was originally calf length, but I chopped it to make it above the knee, and also removed the shoulder pads and shortened the sleeves. With the holiday season upon us, when it's easy to feel overwhelmed by bloggers or brands encouraging us to buy, buy, buy, I wanted to put up a post with the benefits of shopping second hand.

•it's cheaper
Vintage can be expensive, but in general shopping second hand is significantly cheaper, especially if you are shopping at a thrift store as opposed to a more curated vintage shop.

•creates a more unique wardrobe
One of the reasons I like shopping at vintage and thrift stores is actually a selfish reason. I love getting my hands on things that nobody else can, so that's why I'd rather shop second hand, instead of shopping fast fashion stores where everyone else is.

•helps the environment
Fabric cannot naturally decompose, so any clothing thrift stores cannot accept ends up sitting in a landfill, which is terrible for the environment. Anytime you make a purchase from a thrift store, that's one less piece to get discarded into a landfill.

•benefits charities
Lots of thrift stores benefit charities. One of my favorites in NYC benefits diabetes research, while another takes its profits to fight against AIDS and homelessness.

•better quality clothes when you buy vintage
The old saying, “they don’t make them like they used to” is around for a reason. Vintage clothing withstands the test of time, and is just better quality all around, from the fabric to the construction of the garments.

•supporting small business supports someone's dreams
Lastly, when you're shopping thrift or vintage, whether it be a brick and mortar location or online shop, you're supporting someone's dream, rather than contributing to a larger corporation. I'm definitely going to be buying as many gifts as I can from vintage or small busisnesses this year. Happy shopping!

Dress: c/o The Art of Hannah Jane
https://www.artofhannahjane.com/
Belt & Tights: Anthropologie; Beret: Top Shop; Shoes: Franco Sarto (bought from Century 21)
Location: Cold Spring, New York