As it’s starting to get colder and colder here on campus, and the night-time temperatures are dipping below freezing, a “fracket” is an essential part of going out at night for college students. A “fracket”, or a “frat jacket”, is usually some type of zip-up or jacket that you wouldn’t mind losing or getting dirty. Although it can be easy to do a quick search on fast-fashion websites and purchase a cheap, low-quality jacket, it is important to shop sustainably and ethically. Here are a few places to find a fracket sustainably.
- Your closet at home
Thanksgiving break is the perfect time to look through your closet at home for an old zip-up or jacket that you never wear anymore! Although it might not be the cutest or trendiest jacket, losing an old piece of clothing that you wouldn’t have worn anyway is low-stress and completely free! Using clothes that you already have also reduces your environmental impact, as it is one less piece of clothing going to the landfill and one less new piece of clothing purchased!
- The thrift store
Thrift stores are another great place to look for a second-hand jacket. The types of outerwear are widely varied, so you will be able to find something that fits what you are looking for. Thrift stores are also very inexpensive, and you are preventing a piece of clothing from going to the landfill. Consignment stores like Plato’s Closet tend to be slightly more expensive, but the clothes are often trendier and are checked for stains and imperfections before being put on the rack. Clothes from these stores are still second-hand, so this is another great way to reduce your impact while finding a cute fracket!
- Hamidown Gate
A more Colgate-specific option is Hamidown Gate, an Instagram account that allows Colgate students to buy and sell clothes amongst themselves. Although there is no guarantee that there will be a jacket available at any given time, this is a great place to look for something trendy and second-hand.
There are a lot of great ways to sustainably shop for this night-time necessity, helping both your bank account and the earth!