Thrifting is one of my favorite activities to do in my spare time. So many of my friends love to take thrifting trips, and it is so fun to see what can be found in the least likely of places. However, over the last few years I have noticed a pattern that truly cannot be ignored: thrifting is not plus size friendly.
Being plus size is not something that I am ashamed of…anymore. However, this was not always the case. I have suffered from body image issues for as long as I can remember, but it was not until the last five years that I noticed the severe lack of plus-size clothing. My body has changed a lot over the years, and I lost a lot of weight in high school very quickly. I could walk into any thrift store and walk out with multiple pieces. Now, I am lucky if I find anything at all.
I watch my friends walk away with things from Zara, Free People, Brandy Melville, etc, and I cannot help but feel sad and envious. I am still on such a long journey to being content in the way I look and how my body is shaped, and being excluded from something that is environmentally and economically ethical is very frustrating. On one hand, I am upset and bitter that this is the reality, but also thrifting is voluntary, and if plus-sized people are not donating clothes, there is not much to be done about that.
The next step would be to look online at places like Depop or ThreadUp. However, somehow this option is even worse. Depop is extremely expensive and overtime has become totally saturated with sellers taking advantage of customers by doubling and tripling prices. In terms of ThreadUp, the clothing that influencers are sponsored to show in hauls are not the reality of what is being sold on the website.
I have done my research and looked into different plus-size thrifting options, however, I have yet to look into them and investigate if they are legitimate or not. Sustainability should not have to be this exclusive, especially regarding something as accessible as clothing.